James Gray denies Ad Astra: “It’s not my edit”
The director explains that the 20th Century Fox studio took back control of his science fiction ode with Brad Pitt, making the epic much too long.
Years after its release, James Gray looks back on one of his most divisive films: Ad Astra.
The filmmaker does not mince his words and explains to Brut that the science fiction ode carried by Brad Pitt would have been completely taken from his hands by 20th Century Fox, at the time of the studio’s takeover by The Walt Disney Company.
“On my latest film, Paper Tiger, I control everything. I control everything completely. This was not the case on Ad Astra. LThe studio regained control of the film and Ad Astra no longer belonged to me. This is not my edit.”
The director explains that the project found itself caught in studio turbulence, as the film underwent major reshoots after complicated test screenings.
“You get into discussions and debates, there’s a studio, then the studio (20th Century Fox) is sold to Disney… You get stuck in there.”
James Gray also highlights the budget gap between his two projects: around $80 million for Ad Astracompared to only 15 million for Paper Tiger. A difference that completely changes the way of working according to him:
“I like working on this scale because I don’t think it’s productive when people modify your film for you… and in the end, it’s still you who takes the criticism.”
Asked what his real version ofAd Astrathe filmmaker assures that it would have been very different from the one released in the cinema:
“It would have been a very different film. It would have been 12 minutes shorter. I’m probably the only director who would make a shorter director’s cut…”
So will we one day see the Ad Astra by James Gray? It’s still possible:
“I really wish I could do that one day. Obviously it’s not up to me, but it would be extremely exciting!”
His new feature film, Paper Tigera thriller set in the 1980s with Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, has just been presented in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. No French release date has yet been announced.
