Science-fiction movies often beg for a large budget, packed full of expensive special effects, overwhelming CGI, and action-packed sequences set in huge set pieces, but this was not the case for Gareth Edwards‘ directorial debut in 2010. Edwards has quickly become one of the most celebrated and bankable directors of sci-fi, and even though his first movie was made on a shoestring budget, it has stood the test of time and holds its ground among Edwards’ other projects. Made with only $500,000, this 2010 movie is an intriguing and beautiful British sci-fi flick.
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With his recent delivery of Jurassic World Rebirth, which has revitalized interest in the Jurassic Park/World franchise, Gareth Edwards continues to amaze audiences with his sci-fi movies. Countless accolades and huge praise from critics and audiences alike for Edwards all started with an independent movie that became his 2010 directorial debut. On this movie, he served as writer, director, cinematographer, and visual effects artist, acting as a showcase of Edwards’ talents and quickly establishing him as one of the greats.
Gareth Edwards’ Directorial Debut Was a Low-Budget Sci-Fi Horror Movie
Premiering at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 13, 2010, Monsters had been a passion project for Gareth Edwards since devising the idea while studying at university in the 1990s. He conceived of the idea while watching fishermen hauling in a net and imagining a monster being trapped inside it, going on to produce a simple, stripped-back, and intimate story set years after an extraterrestrial infestation makes much of the Mexico-United States border region inhospitable. Starring then-real-life couple Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able, Monsters is the epitome of strong storytelling.
Monsters was shot in Belize, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and the United States over three weeks, and all the extras were non-actors found in these locations and persuaded to be in the film, so their scenes were improvised. This gives Monsters a raw and real feeling that immerses the audience completely in Andrew (McNairy) and Samantha’s (Able) journey through the Infected Zone. Costs were also cut as Edwards created all 250 visual effects shots — including the aliens, the wall, extraterrestrial body parts, military vehicles, and more — using off-the-shelf Adobe software, ZBrush, and Autodesk 3ds Max, putting his sheer talent front-and-center.
Monsters is intimate, personal, and subdued, which might make it feel drawn-out and dull to some. However, the movie acted as an incredible showcase of what Gareth Edwards can do as a writer, director, and artist. The cinematography is off the charts, human character moments shared between Andrew and Samantha are relatable, believable, and full of chemistry, and its tight budget gave it a feeling of truth that many other films lack. This was just the beginning for Edwards, and his sci-fi hot streak shows no sign of slowing down even 15 years later.
Monsters Kicked Off Gareth Edwards’ Incredible Sci-Fi Movie Streak
Monsters‘ success put Gareth Edwards on the map and earned him immense and well-deserved recognition in the industry. He had interviews with many major studios after the movie’s release, and, in 2011, was announced to be attached as director to the Godzilla reboot in 2014, written by Max Borenstein. This was a significantly larger project for Edwards’ sophomore run as director, made with a $160 million budget and starring notable actors Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, and more. Godzilla earned Edwards even more praise and global recognition, whereas Monsters‘ audience was much smaller, setting him up for bigger things.
After Godzilla, Edwards joined the Star Wars franchise to direct Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in 2016, the prequel to the original Star Wars movie from 1977. Rogue One received acclaim and praise from the franchise’s fan base, and led to the masterpiece that was Andor on Disney+, though Edwards had nothing to do with the series nor with the follow-up to Godzilla, Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Instead, Edwards co-wrote The Creator with Rogue One writer Chris Weitz and directed the artificial intelligence-centric space-faring adventure starring John David Washington.
More recently, Gareth Edwards joined the Jurassic Park/World franchise to deliver Jurassic World Rebirth, and is speculated to be coming back to direct the sequel. This could continue Edwards’ remarkable sci-fi movie streak that has delivered hit after hit after hit. Monsters may have kick-started everything, but Edwards has repeatedly struck us with awe in Godzilla, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Creator, and Jurassic World Rebirth, and we can’t wait to see where his talent takes him next.
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