Heat Director Reveals Surprising Revelations About 2015 Box Office Bomb (& Claps Back at Critics)
Heat Director Reflects on 2015 Box Office Bomb & Counters Critics' Misconceptions about Blackhat
Summary
Director Michael Mann admits that the script for Blackhat was not ready to shoot, taking responsibility for the movie's shortcomings.
Mann justifies the movie's fidelity, arguing that it effectively depicts cyber-crime, in spite of being dismissed as fantasy by a few critics.
Notwithstanding Blackhat's underwhelming success, Mann has persevered in undertaking new projects and maintains his esteemed reputation as a prominent director in the industry.
Director Michael Mann, known for his work on films like Heat and Collateral, recently addressed the criticism that his 2015 film Blackhat received. The movie focused on Nicholas Hathaway, a convicted hacker played by Chris Hemsworth, as he helps authorities track down a cyber-criminal after being released from prison. Despite having a budget of over $70 million, Blackhat only grossed $19.7 million at the box office.
During an interview with Variety, Mann admitted that, looking back, the script for Blackhat wasn't ready for production, taking full responsibility for this oversight. While he stands by his previous movies and wouldn't change a single frame, Mann acknowledged the need for editing Blackhat, which he eventually did a year after its release. One point of contention Mann had with critics was how they categorized the film's genre. While some viewers labeled it as a fantasy, Mann argues that it is "stone-cold accurate." Check out the entirety of Mann's comments below.
What Happened To Mann After Blackhat
: Taking ownership, the script was not adequately prepared for filming. It's possible that the subject matter was ahead of its time, as some dismissed it as pure fantasy. This perception couldn't be further from the truth. Every aspect of the story is impeccably accurate... I have meticulously revised 'Last of the Mohicans' thrice, resulting in a final version shorter than the original.
Viewers unfamiliar with cyberattacks may have dismissed Blackhat as fantasy due to its heavy use of technical jargon. The rapid pace of the hacking scenes could have given the impression that these feats were effortlessly achieved in an instant. While director Mann may have understood the nuances of hacking, simply showing characters focused on their computers may not have effectively portrayed the realism of the hacking process to the audience.
Since 2015, Mann has been actively working on various projects. One of his upcoming endeavors includes a biopic about Enzo Ferrari, in which Adam Driver will star. Additionally, Mann served as an executive producer for the highly acclaimed Ford v Ferrari, which received an Oscar nomination in 2019. Scheduled for release on December 25, 2023, Ferrari marks Mann's return to a prominent directorial role after his previous film, Blackhat. Despite Blackhat's relative lack of success, Mann enjoys a lengthy career of crafting critically acclaimed films and remains a significant figure in the film industry today. With past Oscar nominations for both Best Director and Best Picture, the anticipation surrounding Mann's future projects is palpable.
Source: Variety
