Movies and TV shows exist to entertain, but they’re also a means for creators to express their artistic vision. That sounds pretentious, but these people put real passion into their projects. When the above objectives are at odds, though, it’s easy for things to get heated.
Directors and writers occasionally lash out at audiences. They insult viewers and blame them for failing to appreciate their art. These comments usually follow criticisms made either before or after a project’s release. Instead of accepting this critique and letting it roll off their shoulders, these filmmakers take it personally. Not only does this response make them look like petty children, but it often hinders the final product. Granted, the whole controversy is also morbidly entertaining and offers a great example of what not to do. In the end, though, you can’t help but pity these people.
Related: 10 Times Famous Directors Made Unexpected Surprising Films
10 Paul Feig
Fans desperately wanted a third Ghostbusters flick, but not like this. The 2016 reboot ditched the dry humor of the original in favor of loud slapstick and dirty gags. More noticeably, it replaced the male stars with four women. These factors prompted widespread rejection before the film ever came out. While much of the discourse was directed at the film itself, some comments denigrated the female leads based on their sex. The filmmakers took that angle and ran with it.
The people behind the movie soon dismissed any detractors as sexist trolls who couldn’t let go of their nostalgia. Among them was writer/director Paul Feig. He took personal responsibility for the all-female team and saw the negative response as “vile” and “misogynistic.” After the film underperformed, he likened its struggle to Hillary Clinton’s failed presidential campaign of the same year, saying that the hostile rejections came from people riled up by her opponent, Donald Trump. Unfortunately, bringing politics into the equation only fanned the flames of division.[1]
9 Rian Johnson
The Disney era of Star Wars has copped a lot of criticism, with many fans feeling that this new content disrespects the legacy of creator George Lucas. Star Wars: The Last Jedi became indicative of that mindset. The eighth mainline entry garnered immense criticism for its uneven tone and sloppy storytelling. In particular, fans lambasted it for reducing the heroic Luke Skywalker to a grumpy old man in self-imposed exile—seemingly for no other reason than to prop up the younger cast. Once again, this discourse offered an easy excuse.
Writer/director Rian Johnson repeatedly defended his work. Though he understood people’s passion, he asserted that the franchise was far from perfect by throwing shade at the prequels. In addition, he focused on fans who were dissatisfied with the diverse cast, namely Kelly Marie Tran’s character, Rose Tico. Anyone who didn’t like the film for that reason got a blunt, profane dismissal from Johnson. However, Star Wars fans don’t shut up that easily.[2]
8 Zack Snyder
This flashy director’s track record is mixed at best, but his most divisive work came in leading the DC Extended Universe with Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. These movies were meant to bring Superman, Batman, and countless other DC heroes to the big screen in a cinematic universe comparable to Marvel. Sadly, fans took issue with how the films portrayed their iconic heroes—cold, distant, and occasionally murderous. Namely, both Batman and Superman killed several people in an inglorious fashion. Fans felt that such actions diminished the heroism, but the director disagreed.
Zack Snyder repeatedly defended his decisions. He argued that fans are naïve and “brainwashed” by inauthentic material. If you want these heroes to maintain their admirable qualities, then you’re living in a “dream world.” His violent vision is more realistic and, therefore, compelling. Basically, you don’t understand his art because he’s smarter than you.[3]
7 Jessica Gao
It’s not often that filmmakers draw first blood, but that’s exactly what happened with Jessica Gao. Marvel appointed her as the showrunner of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Focusing primarily on the title character being a woman, she anticipated a negative response from longtime fans. Rather than trying to win them over, though, Gao used the show to poke fun at them.
Throughout her adventures, series heroine Jennifer Walters encountered misogynistic males. Many of them were blatant, basement-dwelling nerds who hated where the story was going. These guys functioned as the butt of the joke or the intended object of ire. Gao admitted that they represent the “trolls” that the show would inevitably earn. In essence, she mocked people for hating a product designed to anger them.[4]
6 Eric Kripke
The Boys began as a cynical satire of superheroes and their effect on pop culture. It’s frequently geared its storylines toward current events in the United States, namely the political controversies arising during Donald Trump’s presidency. The catch is that many viewers believed that the creators approached these events from a purely leftist perspective, leading the writing to suffer.
Showrunner Eric Kripke acknowledged his own bias yet refused to cater to both sides of the aisle. Anyone who doesn’t like his perspective can “go watch something else.” He went on to condemn fans who liked the character of Homelander: a cartoonishly twisted parallel for Trump. Unable to understand their reasoning, he threw up his hands in resignation. Failing to learn only opened him to the same mistakes in subsequent seasons.[5]
5 Christopher McQuarrie
The Mission Impossible movies have been going on for over two decades. With a franchise that long, it figures that they would eventually yield diminishing returns. The latest—Dead Reckoning Part One—underwhelmed at the box office. Fans felt that the movie overloaded itself with exposition regarding its AI villain. However, the director/writer rejected that claim.
Christopher McQuarrie asserted that lacking said exposition would have left viewers confused. He needed to explain these concepts multiple times because not everyone pays enough attention to grasp them. If you didn’t need that extra explanation, then you’re “the sharpest student in the class.” This statement implied that most audiences are akin to slower students. Additionally, it meant he intentionally dumbed down the movie to cater to those students. Neither conclusion was a respectful assessment.[6]
4 James Cameron
James Cameron has left a permanent mark on sci-fi and the box office. Ironically, though, people were mixed on his passion project: Avatar. This space epic bombarded audiences with blatant themes about environmentalism and colonialism. This agenda came at the cost of an interesting plot or memorable characters. That crippling flaw made people hesitant about the sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, which clocked in at three hours. According to Cameron, though, that wasn’t an issue.
The director dismissed those disillusioned with Avatar. People who believed the first film was forgettable simply needed to watch it again; they would then eat their words with a side of humble pie. Cameron went on to say that complaining about long runtimes is hypocritical in the age of streaming and binge-watching. People who level that critique at Avatar were “whiners.” Basically, none of these complaints had any merit. You just had a bad memory and no stamina.[7]
3 James Mangold
Taking over the iconic Indiana Jones series came with a lot of pressure. Longtime fans had high expectations, and they weren’t shy about their displeasure. That displeasure came to a head when Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny dropped its first trailer. Fans worried that Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character would step over the titular adventurer and steal the spotlight. Legacy sequels like Star Wars: The Force Awakens had already gone that route, leading many viewers to think that the cinematic hero would be replaced. The director had no patience for such speculation.
James Mangold chalked it up to “trolls” getting clicks. He browbeat these trolls for exploiting people’s “feelings about other films and culture war politics.” Apparently, you’re only allowed to theorize positively about films leading up to release. Anything else just contributed to a toxic discourse.[8]
2 Tim Miller
Another storied series caused another director to lash out at trolls. This time, the topic was Terminator: Dark Fate. Fans were cautiously optimistic about this sequel since series creator James Cameron was involved, but that enthusiasm evaporated after the promotional material came out. Photos and trailers almost exclusively emphasized the female cast. Specific criticism targeted Mackenzie Davis’s character, Grace, a cyborg woman who went toe-to-toe with a Terminator. To many viewers, the movie was the latest blockbuster IP to push a feminist message. Of course, not everyone had a problem with that.
Director Tim Miller seemed to revel in dividing audiences. He bragged that only “enlightened” fans would enjoy Grace. Conversely, her strength would scare any “closet misogynist.” If you weren’t excited about this product, then you were sexist and behind the times. That wasn’t a good argument in general, but it’s especially misplaced with Terminator. Not only did much of its audience come from older entries, but a big reason for that was the formidable female lead: Sarah Connor. Because of that, Miller’s stance instantly collapsed.[9]
1 Ridley Scott
Few living directors have made movies for as long as Ridley Scott. That longevity means he still harbors older sensibilities. Unfortunately, it also means that his films aren’t the box office giants they once were. A depressing example was The Last Duel. This historical flick fell flat at the box office. According to Scott, that failure lies with millennials.
The director derided the generation as one raised on cell phones and social media. He said that you, as the viewer, “do not ever want to be taught anything unless you’re told it on a cellphone.” Young people simply lacked the attention span to be stimulated by a movie. Sadly, this assertion echoed a stereotypical senior ranting about “these kids today.” Well, those whippersnappers make up a huge number of moviegoers, so try not to drive them away.[10]