Comic book adaptations have been a mainstay in Hollywood for decades now, and yet, it wasn’t until one movie’s release fifteen years ago that we saw them take a turn for the better. Artist and writer Bryan Lee O’Malley‘s comic classic, Scott Pilgrim vs the World, was first published by Oni Press with the first volume, Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life, releasing in 2004. It consisted of six volumes in total and ran for six years, up until Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour released in 2010. Despite the final installment not releasing until 2010, Universal Pictures acquired the rights to the hit graphic novel series and ordered a film adaptation of Scott Pilgrim in 2009.
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Edgar Wright, the director who was best known for his Hot Fuzz trilogy at the time, was set to both direct and adapt the film for the big screen. While Wright was a highly regarded director at the time, directing a huge comic book adaptation was not yet something he had done. Along with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Wright had worked on the television series Spaced, as well as a segment titled “Don’t” on the movie Grindhouse. Tackling a feature like Scott Pilgrim vs the World would be quite the feat, as not only was the final book not yet released, but Wright had to fit multiple installments into the singular film adaptation.
Then there was the fact that Wright was expected to deliver a film adaptation of the popular series, while O’Malley was still penning the official ending. The two did ultimately come together to work on the ending of the film, with O’Malley helping Wright to end Scott Pilgrim’s story in a way similar to the ending he had planned for the graphic novel series. With an ending set, and a visual director at the helm, Scott Pilgrim vs the World began production shortly after it was greenlit with a cast of at-the-time up-and-coming-actors that included the likes of Michael Cera as the titular character, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Mark Webber, Johnny Simmons, Ellen Wong, Chris Evans, Brie Larson and Brandon Routh.
What Wright Got Right on Scott Pilgrim
Comic book movies have been nothing new in Hollywood, but what Wright and his cast accomplished with Scott Pilgrim vs the World was nothing short of impressive. The movie, which earned a Fresh rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, was hailed by critics as being fast, funny, and inventive with eye-catching visuals. The movie – and the comics it is based on – centers on a ridiculous premise: Scott Pilgrim, a bass guitarist for a garage-rock band, falls for the local new girl, Ramona Flowers. Unfortunately, though, Scott comes to learn that Ramona has some serious baggage: an army of exes who will stop at nothing to eliminate him from her list of suitors. Absurd? Possibly, but it worked so well in the comics because O’Malley had fun with the premise and the action that came along with it.
Wright managed to do the impossible with Scott Pilgrim vs the World. In a movie that runs just shy of two hours (112 minutes), Wright manages to perfectly capture not only the tone of the series but also the out-of-the-box visuals. He never shies away from the source material, something comic book adaptations had been scared to do on the big screen previously. Rather than worrying about how general audiences would react to the movie by trying to scale down the absurdity of it all, Wright and the cast embraced it with open arms and delivered a movie that is just as unique as it is fun to watch with repeated viewings.
Even now, fifteen years on, Scott Pilgrim vs the World is often cited as one of the best comic book adaptations of all time, and this is because Wright and O’Malley delivered something most comic book adaptations fail to: a true love letter to its source material. It never feels bogged down by its source material, even with the movie having to tackle six installments in one film. In fact, the film flies by quickly while watching the movie. Wright doesn’t waste a moment of screentime. From the eye-catching visuals that still hold up fifteen years on, and the use of transitions, Scott Pilgrim vs the World feels like the graphic novels come to life. It’s perfectly paced, with excellent performances by its cast, and full of plenty of heart and humor.
It’s a lesson most studios would be keen to learn from, especially with the recent increase in poorly received comic book adaptations. Rushing a project and trying to make it fit into some mandate will deliver a subpar product. If there’s one thing that Scott Pilgrim vs the World proves, it is that not being afraid to be a comic book adaptation is the best starting point. A story that manages to embrace its source material and adequately make use of its time to tackle important storylines, all while managing to include eye-popping visuals, could only result in success – and a cult following fifteen years on.
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Courtesy of Marvel
