'Logan' Director James Mangold On Why His Film Got Nominated

The 2018 Oscar Nominees were announced today and on that list was Fox's Wolverine trilogy finale, [...]

The 2018 Oscar Nominees were announced today and on that list was Fox's Wolverine trilogy finale, Logan. The film was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and while the nod has thrilled fans, for screenwriter and director James Mangold, it came as a surprise.

Logan's Best Adapted Screenplay nomination is the first for Mangold, who told Los Angeles Times that he hadn't expected to be nominated for Logan, but that he recognizes that the nomination is a sign of changes in how different genres are perceived in Hollywood.

"It speaks to the idea that people are opening up to all genres to look for creative invention and I'm thrilled that people saw it in the work that Scott Frank, Michael Green and I did," Mangold said.

While superhero movies have gotten nominations in technical categories over the years, Logan marks the first time that a comic book movie has broken into the more "serious" achievement categories. The Logan nomination moves superhero and comic book stories from the popcorn-munching blockbuster category to that of serious, Oscar-worthy tales that aren't just fun but are legitimate art. That significance is not lost on Mangold. He acknowledges that other adaptations of comic books have paved the way for Logan's watershed moment, but he thinks that the film's focus as a character-driven movie really made Logan special.

"On this film, we really focused on doing something different: a dramatic and character-driven film rather than trying to compete in the arms of comic book films... 'I can spend more than you, I can blow up more than you,'" Mangold explained. "We wanted to make a film that operated on the character engine and emotion. I've been really gratified by the way fans have embraced the movie."

As for Logan's chance of winning, the film has some steep competition, but Mangold isn't focusing on that. He's focusing on having reached his personal goal of getting people to see the genre as more than just comic book movies.

"Other filmmakers have done really amazing work in the genre before," Mangold said. "As a genre it takes a long time for people to accept where there can be real creativity and ambition. There was a time when the western was considered a low form or pulpy form, but people invested in it. I very much wanted us to — in the script and in conversation with the cast and crew — to see this film as a personal film. As a film about character more than a franchise or a tentpole."

Logan is now available on digital HD, home video, and airing on HBO. The 2018 Academy Awards air on March 4th @ 8/7c.

0comments