Filmmakers dismiss their franchises.

Well another week has gone by and another smattering of disrespect for Hollywood’s audience has passed. We didn’t see any high profile attacks on all things supernatural and science fiction, but the veils of narrow minded malcontents appear to have been lifted on both David O. Russell and Irrfan Khan.

First up, Bollywood star Khan will whine his way through his role of Proto-Goblin in the new Spider-Man reboot. It appears from his interview with Indian Express that he’s contractually protected from having to wear a mask or transform into the creature, but less amusing is his respect for comics in general:

“I didn’t want to be part of this violent American fantasy. But both my sons were excited and kept insisting that I take it up.”

I’m not sure which he hates most: violence, fantasy, or America. Whatever his motivations for telling off the modern world’s most prominent mythology, the actor has pleased his mother.

“Finally (she) thinks that I have a respectable job, though she still insists that it would have been better had I been a lecturer.”

In another case, Oscar nominated director David O. Russell (Three Kings, The Fighter) has worked to adapt the Playstation game series Uncharted for live-action audience consumption. O. Russell has been careful not to demonize his source material as some game adaptation directors have, but he’s also been largely silent on what his plans are for Uncharted beyond the quest to not cast Nathan Fillion and to reunite De Niro and Pesci.

The director finally shed some light on his project earlier this week, but in doing so shed even more on his ignorance of the subject material. Answering every IGN question evasively, he appears to have never played Uncharted before or during months of pre-production. As a side note, I think it took me about two days to complete the game at a relaxed pace.

“I think if we take that family dynamic that we have in The Fighter, and put that in terms of a grander stage, with a crime family that metes out justice in the world of art and antiquities. If you’re the head of a museum, or head of state, you’ve got to deal with them, and they’re badass. They’re like The Sopranos in some ways, but they have great taste, and they have a sense of justice.”

What?

“I won’t make it unless I can make a great movie. I don’t think there are too many games you can play through that make you go – “Well that’ll make a great movie.”

Hmmm…

“I’m shooting things down and climbing over cliffs, climbing through rooms, of course you have that in an action picture, but if you don’t have the characters, and the whole world that’s really bizarre, I don’t think you have a movie that really grabs you by the throat.”

Well…

“I want the gamers to be happy. I have total respect for the game. My kid loves playing it, I love playing it.

Ok.

 “Because it’s centred around a family, and I like the combination of criminals and truth. These guys they’re tough but they’re working on this crazy case, and they can’t do it without truth. I think that’s cool.”

Well there you have it. If you’re not clued in, none of the above describes Uncharted except maybe “climbing through rooms.” It’ll be a shame if David O. Russell further alienates his audience because the man’s reputation is completely untarnished as long as you haven’t seen this youtube video.