Famed for big-screen spectacles, filmmaker Michael Bay explains why releasing Ryan Reynolds-fronted 6 Underground on an OTT platform won't kill the magic
Ryan Reynolds in a still from 6 Underground
It is evident that there is a seismic shift in the way we consume entertainment when the undisputed master of big-screen spectacles switches gears to Netflix for his next. Michael Bay, the man who showed Hollywood that bigger is always better as his Transformers series made millions at the box office over the years, seems equally at home with the idea that his upcoming vigilante actioner, 6 Underground, will, in all likelihood, be viewed on a 14-inch laptop screen. Does he not worry that his magic — which is often attributed to over-the-top action and pyrotechnics — is being cut down to size?
"You have regrets. I do like big scale; I appreciate big imagery. But our whole business has changed, and we have to adapt," says Bay, talking at the premiere of the Ryan Reynolds-fronted thriller in Seoul. "Netflix was kind enough to give us money. I am so appreciative that they wanted to do this, and [agreed to] bring on [such a stellar] cast. [For those who want to watch the movie on a big screen] get a big TV," he laughs.
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Known for his blunt speak on the set, the filmmaker gives a glimpse of the trait as he calls out major film studios for not making brave choices any longer. "Studio firms are making less original content. Netflix wants to do original content and not [cash in on] sequels of franchises."
Michael Bay
Hollywood has been largely divided ever since auteur Martin Scorsese opined that superhero films were "theme-park experiences" and could hardly be counted as cinema. For a filmmaker who hit the big league, courtesy his larger-than-life heroes aka Transformers, Bay naturally doesn't share the view. Weighing in on the debate, he argues, "I love Marty's movies. [But] there are always new movies coming up. They might not be his cup of tea; that's okay. But I would not kill a whole [genre] just because it's not someone's cup of tea."
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