Paul Thomas Anderson is still searching for that first elusive Academy Award, having so far gone eight nominations without a win, but it’s not like he needs a trophy cabinet packed to bursting point in order to prove himself as one of the most consistently acclaimed filmmakers of his generation.
Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood, The Master, Inherent Vice, Phantom Thread and the upcoming Licorice Pizza are all the work of a single-minded auteur with a meticulous attention to detail. So, when Anderson admitted that he was a fan of Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a few people were taken by surprise.
Of course, not every big-name director who doesn’t play in the superhero sandbox has to take the Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola or Denis Villenueve route, but the internet still had plenty to say on the matter.
Could you imagine if Kevin Feige extended an invitation to PTA? We’d end up with a thought-provoking, existential and meditative superhero story with no visual effects and even less action. Or then again, maybe not. Perhaps Feige should offer him a Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings sequel or spinoff, just to gauge his interest in making the most unexpected career move imaginable.
