Maverik spider head. Spiderhead: Joseph Kosinski’s Thrilling Netflix Adaptation Blends Sci-Fi and Ethics

How does Spiderhead explore the ethics of human experimentation. What makes the prison setting of Spiderhead both comforting and unsettling. Why did Joseph Kosinski choose 70s and 80s soft rock for the film’s soundtrack. How does Chris Hemsworth’s performance subvert his typical heroic roles.

The Unique Vision Behind Spiderhead’s Prison Setting

Joseph Kosinski’s Netflix film Spiderhead brings George Saunders’ short story to life with a distinctively designed prison that serves as both setting and character. The director took an architectural approach to crafting the look and feel of the Spiderhead facility.

How did Kosinski create a prison environment that feels simultaneously comforting and unsettling? He drew inspiration from brutalist university libraries of the 1970s, aiming for a bunker-like exterior contrasted with a high-end rehab center interior. The lack of windows creates an inherent sense of confinement, yet skylights allow natural light to filter in, lending an airy quality to the space.

This duality of oppression and comfort perfectly reflects the film’s themes of control and free will. The inmates experience a degree of freedom and luxury, but only in exchange for participating in ethically dubious drug trials. The architecture itself becomes a physical manifestation of this moral quandary.

The Surprising Soundtrack Choices in Spiderhead

One of Spiderhead’s most unexpected elements is its soundtrack featuring 1970s and 1980s soft rock hits. Why did Kosinski opt for such an unconventional musical backdrop for a sci-fi thriller?

The light rock selections, including tracks from Chuck Mangione and the Doobie Brothers, serve multiple purposes:

• They create a stark contrast with the film’s dark themes and tense atmosphere
• The upbeat, relaxing tunes reinforce the false sense of comfort within the prison
• The nostalgic quality of the music hints at a longing for simpler times before incarceration
• The incongruity between the music and the on-screen events adds to the film’s unsettling tone

This musical choice exemplifies Kosinski’s knack for subverting expectations and creating multi-layered cinematic experiences. The soundtrack becomes another tool in manipulating the audience’s emotions, much like the experimental drugs used on the inmates.

Chris Hemsworth’s Departure from Heroic Roles

In Spiderhead, Chris Hemsworth takes on the role of Steve Abnesti, the charismatic yet morally ambiguous head of the experimental prison. How does this character differ from Hemsworth’s typical on-screen personas?

Hemsworth, best known for playing Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, showcases his versatility by portraying a complex antagonist. Abnesti’s outward charm and apparent concern for the inmates mask darker motivations, allowing Hemsworth to explore new dimensions of his acting range.

The casting choice adds another layer to the film’s themes of perception versus reality. Just as the inmates question what’s real under the influence of mind-altering drugs, the audience must reconcile their preconceived notions of Hemsworth as a hero with his morally questionable actions in Spiderhead.

Exploring the Ethics of Human Experimentation

At its core, Spiderhead grapples with profound ethical questions surrounding human experimentation and free will. How does the film approach these complex philosophical issues?

The story presents a scenario where inmates trade their bodily autonomy for a more comfortable prison experience. This arrangement raises several ethical dilemmas:

1. Is it truly ethical to experiment on prisoners, even with their consent?
2. Can consent be considered valid when given under duress or manipulation?
3. What are the long-term psychological effects of mood-altering drugs on the human psyche?
4. Does the potential for scientific advancement justify the risks to individual participants?

By placing these questions in a heightened, science fiction context, Spiderhead encourages viewers to contemplate the real-world implications of pharmaceutical testing and the power dynamics inherent in such experiments.

Joseph Kosinski’s Journey from Architecture to Filmmaking

Kosinski’s background in architecture and design plays a significant role in his filmmaking approach. How did his education shape his cinematic vision?

The director’s academic path began with an undergraduate degree in engineering and design, followed by graduate studies in architecture. It was during his third year of architecture school that Kosinski began making short films, setting him on a new creative trajectory.

This unique blend of technical knowledge and artistic vision manifests in Kosinski’s meticulous attention to visual detail and spatial awareness in his films. From the sleek digital world of Tron: Legacy to the brutalist-inspired Spiderhead facility, Kosinski’s architectural background informs every frame of his work.

The Evolution of Joseph Kosinski’s Filmmaking Career

How has Joseph Kosinski’s career progressed from his debut with Tron: Legacy to his recent successes? The director’s journey showcases a steady growth in both critical acclaim and box office performance:

• Tron: Legacy (2010) – A visually stunning but critically divisive debut
• Oblivion (2013) – An original sci-fi story based on Kosinski’s own graphic novel
• Only the Brave (2017) – A well-received fact-based drama about firefighters
• Top Gun: Maverick (2022) – A massive critical and commercial success
• Spiderhead (2022) – A smaller-scale Netflix thriller exploring complex themes

This diverse filmography demonstrates Kosinski’s versatility as a director, equally comfortable with big-budget blockbusters and more intimate, character-driven stories. His ability to balance visual spectacle with emotional depth has earned him increasing recognition in the industry.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Spiderhead’s Production

How did the global pandemic affect the making of Spiderhead? The film was shot in Australia during the height of COVID-19, presenting unique challenges and opportunities:

• Strict safety protocols were implemented on set to protect cast and crew
• The isolated location mirrored the film’s confined setting, potentially enhancing performances
• Limited external distractions may have fostered a more focused creative environment
• The pandemic’s impact on mental health could have informed the film’s exploration of pharmaceutical manipulation

Despite these obstacles, Kosinski and his team successfully completed the film, adapting to the new realities of filmmaking in a pandemic era. The experience gained from this production may influence future projects in the industry as it continues to navigate health and safety concerns.

The Collaborative Process Behind Spiderhead

What role did the screenwriting team of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick play in bringing George Saunders’ short story to the screen? Known for their work on Zombieland and Deadpool, Reese and Wernick brought their unique blend of dark humor and social commentary to the adaptation.

The collaboration between Kosinski’s visual style and the writers’ sharp dialogue resulted in a film that balances tension and wit. This fusion of talents allows Spiderhead to explore weighty themes while maintaining an engaging, sometimes darkly comic tone that sets it apart from typical sci-fi thrillers.

The Chemistry Between Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett

How do the performances of Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett contribute to the emotional core of Spiderhead? As inmates Jeff and Lizzy, Teller and Smollett portray a complex relationship forged under extraordinary circumstances.

Their on-screen chemistry provides a human anchor amidst the film’s sci-fi elements, grounding the story in relatable emotions. The actors’ ability to convey vulnerability and resilience in the face of manipulation adds depth to the narrative, making the ethical dilemmas presented even more poignant.

Joseph Kosinski’s Future Projects and Growing Influence

What can we expect from Joseph Kosinski in the coming years? With the success of Top Gun: Maverick and the buzz surrounding Spiderhead, Kosinski’s star is undoubtedly on the rise. His next project, an untitled Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt, promises to combine his flair for visual spectacle with high-stakes drama.

As Kosinski continues to tackle diverse genres and collaborate with A-list talent, his influence in Hollywood is likely to grow. His unique background in architecture and design, combined with his storytelling skills, positions him as a director to watch in the coming years.

The Legacy of Kosinski’s Earlier Works

How have perceptions of Kosinski’s earlier films evolved over time? While Tron: Legacy and Oblivion received mixed reviews upon release, both have garnered cult followings and increased appreciation for their visual aesthetics and ambitious storytelling.

This reassessment of Kosinski’s early work speaks to his ahead-of-the-curve vision and the lasting impact of his distinct visual style. As his career progresses, it’s likely that these films will continue to be reevaluated and recognized for their contributions to modern sci-fi cinema.

Kosinski’s Approach to Adapting Source Material

How does Joseph Kosinski balance staying true to original source material while putting his own stamp on adaptations? From Tron: Legacy to Spiderhead, Kosinski has shown a knack for taking existing properties and infusing them with his unique vision.

His approach typically involves:

• Respecting the core themes and ideas of the source material
• Expanding the visual world beyond what’s described on the page
• Adding layers of complexity to characters and relationships
• Incorporating contemporary relevance to timeless stories

This method allows Kosinski to create films that feel both familiar and fresh, appealing to fans of the original works while attracting new audiences with his distinct style.

The Intersection of Technology and Humanity in Kosinski’s Films

How does Joseph Kosinski explore the relationship between technology and human nature in his work? From the digital realm of Tron: Legacy to the pharmaceutical experiments of Spiderhead, Kosinski’s films often grapple with the impact of advancing technology on the human experience.

Common themes in his exploration of this dynamic include:

• The potential for technology to both liberate and constrain humanity
• Ethical dilemmas arising from scientific advancements
• The blurring lines between reality and artificial constructs
• The preservation of human connection in increasingly tech-driven worlds

By consistently returning to these ideas, Kosinski creates a body of work that not only entertains but also prompts viewers to consider the role of technology in their own lives and society at large.

The Role of Visual Effects in Kosinski’s Storytelling

How does Joseph Kosinski balance practical effects with CGI to create immersive cinematic experiences? Known for his visually stunning films, Kosinski employs a mix of practical and digital effects to bring his visions to life.

His approach typically involves:

• Using practical sets and effects whenever possible to ground the fantastical elements
• Employing CGI to enhance and expand upon practical elements rather than replace them entirely
• Collaborating closely with visual effects teams to ensure seamless integration of digital elements
• Prioritizing visual clarity and coherence to maintain audience immersion

This balanced approach allows Kosinski to create worlds that feel tangible and believable, even when depicting futuristic or impossible scenarios.

The Importance of Sound Design in Kosinski’s Films

How does Joseph Kosinski utilize sound design to enhance the storytelling in his films? While his visual style often takes center stage, Kosinski’s attention to audio elements plays a crucial role in creating immersive experiences.

Key aspects of his approach to sound design include:

• Collaborating with talented composers to create distinctive scores
• Using ambient sounds to establish mood and atmosphere
• Employing silence strategically to heighten tension or emphasize emotional moments
• Integrating diegetic music choices that comment on or contrast with the on-screen action

By giving equal attention to what audiences hear as well as what they see, Kosinski creates multi-sensory experiences that fully engage viewers in his cinematic worlds.

The Evolution of Sci-Fi Cinema Through Kosinski’s Lens

How has Joseph Kosinski contributed to the ongoing evolution of science fiction in cinema? As a filmmaker with a strong visual style and penchant for exploring complex themes, Kosinski has left his mark on the sci-fi genre in several ways:

• Blending high-concept ideas with character-driven narratives
• Pushing the boundaries of visual effects while maintaining a sense of realism
• Incorporating elements of other genres (such as drama and thriller) into sci-fi frameworks
• Addressing contemporary social and ethical issues through speculative scenarios

By bringing a fresh perspective to familiar sci-fi tropes, Kosinski has helped to elevate the genre and attract audiences who might not typically gravitate towards science fiction films.

Kosinski’s Collaborative Relationships with Actors

How does Joseph Kosinski build strong working relationships with actors to bring out their best performances? The director has shown a talent for eliciting nuanced performances from his cast, often working with actors multiple times across different projects.

Key aspects of his approach include:

• Providing actors with detailed background information on their characters and the world of the film
• Encouraging collaboration and input from performers to shape their roles
• Creating a supportive on-set environment that allows for experimentation and risk-taking
• Casting actors in roles that challenge their typical on-screen personas

This collaborative approach has resulted in memorable performances that elevate Kosinski’s films beyond mere visual spectacles, grounding even the most fantastical scenarios in relatable human emotions.

The Influence of Literature on Kosinski’s Filmmaking

How have literary works shaped Joseph Kosinski’s approach to storytelling in film? From adapting George Saunders’ short story for Spiderhead to drawing inspiration from classic sci-fi novels, literature plays a significant role in Kosinski’s creative process.

The director’s engagement with literature manifests in several ways:

• Seeking out thought-provoking source material for adaptations
• Incorporating literary themes and motifs into original screenplays
• Drawing inspiration from narrative structures found in novels and short stories
• Collaborating with writers to translate complex ideas from page to screen

This literary influence contributes to the depth and complexity of Kosinski’s films, elevating them beyond typical genre fare and inviting deeper analysis and interpretation.

From ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ to ‘Spiderhead’ and a New Brad Pitt Film, Joseph Kosinski Is Having a Great 2022

It’s been a big year for Joseph Kosinski. As the director of Top Gun: Maverick, Kosinski is responsible for 2022’s biggest hit to date, but the movie was supposed to arrive in theaters much earlier. Scheduled for release in 2019, it was delayed first by the natural difficulties of shooting a high-flying action film then by COVID-19. (Audiences and critics have almost unanimously agreed it was worth the wait.) After completing Maverick, Kosinski took on the tense, darkly funny, smaller-scaled Spiderhead, an adaptation of the George Saunders story “Escape from Spiderhead,” scripted by the Zombieland and Deadpool team of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, and premiering on Netflix this week.

Shot in Australia at the height of the pandemic, the film stars Miles Teller as Jeff, a patient at Spiderhead, a high-tech penitentiary that pipes in ’70s and ’80s soft rock favorites from Chuck Mangione and the Doobie Brothers. Spiderhead’s inmates are given comfort and a certain amount of freedom provided they participate in some cutting edge pharmaceutical experiments involving mood- and behavior-altering drugs administered by the charismatic-but-cracked prison head Steve Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth). Jurnee Smollett co-stars as Lizzy, a fellow inmate with whom Jeff has fallen in love.

But Kosinski’s 2022 has been a long time coming in other ways, too. He’s still under-the radar in many ways—as much as you can describe the director of high-profile, big budget films as such. Kosinski made his feature debut with Tron: Legacy, an ultra-stylish, years-later sequel to Tron whose reputation was tepid upon its 2010 release, but has only grown since. The same can be said for 2013’s Oblivion, an adaptation of Kosinki’s own graphic novel that served as his first collaboration with Tom Cruise. Kosinski followed Oblivion in 2017 with Only the Brave, a fact-based firefighting drama based on a GQ piece that won warm reviews (while performing modestly at the box office). It’s an impressive track record, but one that has yet to make Kosinski a household name. That seems destined to change however, particularly given his next project: a still-untitled Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt. Kosinski spoke via phone about the philosophical issues at the heart of Spiderhead, the pleasures of watching Hemsworth play a bad guy, and mixing big stars with big machinery.

Chris Hemsworth, Joseph Kosinski and Miles Teller on the set of Spiderhead.Courtesy of Netflix.

I really like the look of Spiderhead prison, which is equal parts comforting and creepy. What steps did you take to strike that balance?

Well, I started the whole project by putting together a book of influences, which I hadn’t done for a film before. I put one together because I knew the Spiderhead was a character in this story in itself. So what the Spiderhead looked and felt like was an important thing to have a strong grasp on early. I was inspired by university libraries that I remember sitting in, when I went to school. Often, at least the schools I went to, they were built in the 1970s, when brutalism, which is that kind of heavy, concrete style of architecture, was very much in vogue. So they’re almost like bunkers.

That was the idea I had in my head, but then on the inside, making it very comfortable and safe, almost like a very high-end rehab facility. But it had to be a penitentiary. It was a challenge to figure out how to make a building with no windows feel pleasant. So the solution was to bring natural light in through the ceiling. There’s skylights all throughout Spiderhead. So you get those shafts of sunlight raking on the walls and you have this kind of airy sense, but at the same time, because there are no windows, there’s also that sense of claustrophobia. It’s that kind of duality of oppression yet comfort. That was the feeling we were going for.

You have a background in architecture, right?

My undergrad degree was in engineering and design. I went to architecture school for graduate school and it was in my third year of architecture school that I started making short films. And that’s kind of when I took this different path.

Did you also begin working on graphic novels around the same time?

When I moved to L.A., to kind of try to start a career in commercials and music videos, I, like most people, struggled my first year. It actually took me about 15 months to get my first real job and out of kind of creative frustration, I wrote and created Oblivion on my own during that time and developed it as a graphic novel when the WGA went on strike in 2007. And so that’s how Oblivion came to be.

Getting back to Spiderhead, I was also struck by the way the architecture kind of is in lockstep with the light rock soundtrack as well. What was the thought behind the song selection in this film?

It’s the same idea that’s behind the architecture. Abnesti is trying to create this air of relaxation and safety in a penitentiary system. In addition to controlling the environment, the other thing he could control is the soundtrack to this world. It was kind of inspired by a trip to the dentist’s office. We’ve all been there, sitting in the chair, waiting for various instruments to be inflicted on you while listening to Christopher Cross or Crosby, Stills & Nash, over the little speaker in the ceiling to kind of counteract the unpleasantness of the reality that’s going on. Also, Abnesti doesn’t have… He’s not aware of all the social cues and what’s exactly appropriate at every time. There are sociopathic tendencies that he has, and it felt like [the songs] also kind of served the character and the kind of mood we were trying to build.

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Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller and Mark Paguio in Spiderhead.Courtesy of Netflix.

Abnesti’s a fascinating character because he’s such an alpha male, but also this deeply troubled and needy person. What was Hemsworth’s approach to that character?

Listen, the role of Abnesti is a high wire act for any actor. And if you don’t commit completely to the role, I feel like the whole movie falls on its face. So it was daunting for any actor to look at this character and figure out how to bring it to life. I was thrilled when… Let me start by saying I liked, and all the producers really liked, the idea of casting someone in the role who hadn’t done anything like this before. Because part of the fun of the movie is watching this personality and to kind of start to figure out who this person is. And if it’s an actor that you’ve seen do these types of roles before, I think it’s not as intriguing.

Chris was someone who I had met maybe 10 years ago. Just watching his career, it’s clear he had the [necessary] comic timing. You’ve seen it whether it’s in the Marvel movies or even him hosting Saturday Night Live. But you just never know if they’re interested in branching this far out away from what they typically do. When we sent Chris the script, I was thrilled that he responded almost immediately and was just up for the incredible challenge that this role would give him. And he just immersed himself completely, it’s a different accent, completely different character playing against every expectation that I think people have for him at this point in his career. It glues the whole thing together.

Was it daunting to tackle a George Saunders story which is so dense with ideas and trying to squeeze all that into an audience-friendly suspense film?

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I mean, if you read the short story, I don’t know if anyone other than Wernick and Reese, who wrote the screenplay, would say this would make a great film. I read their script first and was just struck that the character of Abnesti was spectacular. The tone of the film, the mixture of psychological thriller crossed with dark comedy with social commentary kind of pervading the entire thing. I just hadn’t read anything like it. And, they deserve a lot of credit for taking a story that you can read in about 10 minutes and expanding it into a three-act story. They had to introduce some new characters. They created Lizzy, who’s very important in Jeff’s journey through the film. And they deserve credit for figuring out exactly how to adapt it. George was also very helpful, particularly at the end of the film, when I was trying to figure out how to wrap it up thematically. George wrote that voiceover for Jeff at the end of the film, which kind of puts it in his point of view and neatly summarizes what we wanted the film to say.

It must have been really tough to stay true to the themes of that story and not make the most depressing movie ever, too.

Yeah, you can’t end the film the way the short story does, but my feeling is it has to translate for different mediums. And if you want to make a short film that ends the way the short story does, then it’ll be a very, very small film that would be cool, but wouldn’t get the reach that something like this is able to do.

Abnesti ends up making an almost persuasive case at times. You spent a long time immersed in the ideas of this film. Did you find yourself vacillating about how much you agreed or if you agreed with him at all on any point?

Chris said from the very beginning that bad guys don’t realize they’re bad. And it’s important that Abnesti believes that he truly is doing the right thing. Obviously a line gets crossed at some point. And that’s where he crosses over from protagonist to antagonist, let’s say. But it was very important to present the notion that he truly believes what he’s doing is right, until obviously it goes too far.

It was only about halfway through watching this that it struck me that this isn’t necessarily a futuristic film.

That’s why I describe it as pseudo sci-fi, because really, I don’t think there’s any technology in this film that doesn’t exist already. Maybe, who knows if Darkenfloxx and Laffodil [two drugs in the film] are real compounds out there, but I certainly think they could be. And this notion of our reliance on technology to make us feel better about ourselves or improve ourselves is something I think we all deal with every day. Even though it’s not putting drugs in our system, it’s certainly feeding ideas and emotions and communications. It’s all right there in the palm of a hand.

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Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller in Spiderhead.Courtesy of Netflix.

You made this in the midst of COVID, which seems weirdly appropriate. Did you find that experience reflecting back the themes of the movie in any way?

Certainly, we shot this film in Australia in the kind of darkest part of the pandemic and that required all of us going over there to spend 15 days in strict quarantine. So we all got to be prisoners of sorts for over two weeks leading up to the shooting of the film. And I found myself in a very small hotel room, but in prep, on a movie. It was important that I continue working nonstop. And one of the things I did was have the art department build me a scale model of the Spiderhead facility that was something like four feet by three feet. I had it delivered to my room and I had it sitting in the room with me for 15 day. It was built to extraordinary detail. Every piece of furniture and many figures of the characters were in it. And at some point, about day 11, I found myself like Jack Torrance, staring down at the hedge maze, watching the movie play out. And it was a very kind of surreal experience, but appropriate for making this film, for sure.

You made this after Top Gun Maverick, which was delayed, but it was always destined to be a big theatrical release. Does working on a film for a streaming service change the way you approach it, knowing where it’s going to be seen?

When it came to the making of the film, it didn’t affect anything in terms of my style of filmmaking. It’s not like I framed for television versus the big screen. But it’s a much different scale film. This is a 40-day shoot, which is by far the shortest schedule I’ve ever done for a film, but I really enjoyed the change in scale from something like Top Gun, which is 135 days and years of work. The constraints of this schedule were… It’s fun for me because it’s all problem solving. And it’s obviously a much more intimate, introspective film. So it suited that. And I don’t know if this film gets made if it had to go through the theatrical release gauntlet, for what constitutes a movie you see in the theater these days.

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It’s a very different bar [than a theatrical release] where you have your opening, you have your two weeks to make a case and then it’s gone. That suits itself to giant marketing campaigns and existing IP and educating the audience and building something that has to be seen on the biggest screen possible. This is a story, I think, that suits itself to the streaming model and being available to 200 million people on Friday where it can be discovered. And so I think it’s not about theatrical versus streaming. It’s about the right story for the right medium.

You’ve been in the deep end since you started making features. Does scaling down appeal to you?

I like the rhythm of big to small. And small is a relative term, I understand, because even the small movies are large. But I like that rhythm of going from something bigger and grand and complex and a huge challenge to something that’s a bit more intimate and then maybe tonally or dramatically less mainstream, because I think it’s important to kind of flex different muscles and try different things out, especially for me. I’m five movies in and learning from everyone. I can’t imagine going back-to-back on one of these big films, I just think the small ones are an opportunity to recharge and try something different.

Back to bigger films, I don’t know if you can talk about the Formula 1 film that you’re working on, but in some ways you’re kind of introducing Formula 1 to a broader audience in America, is that part of the appeal?

I’ve always wanted to make a racing film. And, over the last couple years I’ve watched as Formula One has made inroads in the United States. Obviously the Austin Grand Prix was the first part of that. But the show on Netflix, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, is definitely introducing people to the inner workings of the sport. So this year, or I should say last year with the battle between Lewis [Hamilton] and Max [Verstappen] getting so much attention, it felt like the right time for me to kind of go out there and pitch my idea for how you could tell a story that takes place in this world and make a really global film. So luckily I was able to find a home for this story. We’re just in the early stages now, but it’s very exciting. When you talk about going small to big, yeah, this one’s definitely a big one.

You seem to have become the go-to person for movies with big stars and big machines at this point.

It’s not a bad way to work. And I think it just suits my background and interests and I love the problem solving of it. I love figuring out how to shoot something and how to get something in camera. Obviously that’s how we shot Top Gun, with the cooperation of the Navy. And, for me, it’s going to be fun to figure out, cooperating with Formula 1 as a sport, how to do the same for that.

How Director Joseph Kosinski Built Spiderhead and Top Gun 2

This is the summer of Joseph Kosinski.

The filmmaker started the season with a bang, as “Top Gun: Maverick,” his long-awaited sequel to Tom Cruise and Tony Scott’s 1986 classic, finally hit theaters (it was completed in the summer of 2020) and was a runaway smash. And now his winning streak continues with “Spiderhead,” a sleek, sci-fi-tinged thriller that features maybe the single greatest Chris Hemsworth performance ever, which just premiered on Netflix.

When TheWrap spoke to Kosinski, he was in his newly remodeled home theater. He said he had spent the end of “Top Gun: Maverick’s” post-production working on the movie in his kitchen, which is incredible given the film’s you-must-see-it-in-a-theater hugeness. For “Spiderhead,” he had the theater finished – with its dark, angled walls it looks like one of the expansive, carefully diagrammed spaces highlighted in so many of his films (what critic Bilge Ebiri referred to as his “vast, lonely worlds”). “I was able to do a lot of work out of here,” Kosinski said of his home theater.

Kosinski pitched his take on “Top Gun: Maverick” to Cruise while Cruise was filming “Mission: Impossible – Fallout.” He visited the set with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, gave him his take on the material (including the Dark Star cold open, where Maverick pilots a top-secret plane) and told him that the movie shouldn’t be called “Top Gun 2.” Instead, should be called “Top Gun: Maverick.” That was five years ago.

But how is he feeling now?

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“I’m so relieved,” Kosinski said. “The pressure of following up something that we all loved and held dear. And to have it connect with audiences in a way that definitely exceeded my expectations has just been really gratifying and I’m just happy. And I’m really proud of everyone who worked on it because it was a lot of work, a lot of effort. And we did some stuff that was pretty intense and it looks like it’s paying off.” Since talking with Kosinski, “Top Gun: Maverick” has eclipsed $900 million at the worldwide box office and is the second most successful movie Paramount has ever released (after “Titanic,” which is technically a Fox co-production).

When we suggested that making a movie like “Top Gun: Maverick” might be like childbirth — the second it’s out in the world you forget the pain it took to get there — Kosinski marveled that Christopher McQuarrie, a producer and writer on “Top Gun: Maverick,” is making back-to-back “Mission: Impossible” movies (the first, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One,” is out next summer). Still, another trip in the cockpit isn’t out of the question. “Obviously for me in working with Tom, you can do things on a movie with him you can’t do with anyone else,” Kosinski said. “If we can come up with a story to collaborate on, that would be dream come true.”

As it turns out, “Spiderhead” is connected to the “Mission: Impossible” franchise as well.

Kosinski was given the script for the movie, written by “Deadpool” screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick from a George Saunders story that originally appeared in the New Yorker, before he had even made “Top Gun: Maverick.” When Cruise broke his ankle on the set of “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” in August 2017, the star told Kosinski to make “Spiderhead” during the downtime. “He was like, ‘Just shoot it, and then I’ll be ready.’ But it got so close, I didn’t want to risk pushing ‘Top Gun’ anymore,” Kosinski explained. “I walked away from it, which was hard to do because I just thought it was a very unique, special project that for me was a really interesting directorial challenge. ” When “Top Gun: Maverick” was done, Kosinski was relieved that “it was still there.” Fate arranged for him to do both.

“We were in the heart of the pandemic, and it, to me, felt like something that we could do, given the restrictions at the time and because of the small ensemble nature of it. It really is almost like a stage play set in this one facility, and I felt like we could pull it off,” Kosinski explained. They moved the production to Australia, during “the darkest part of the pandemic” in late 2020. “We were able to do it safely and tell a really unique story that I think is just important for me creatively and I think for the movie business in general, to have such a nice wide range of stories and tones,” Kosinski said. “For me, this is something that I just hadn’t read anything else like it, which is what was part of the draw.”

Kosinski admitted that the contained nature of “Spiderhead” was part of its appeal, after shooting something as massive and unwieldy (the very definition of uncontained) as “Top Gun: Maverick. ” “I like the rhythm of big to small, and small being a relative term I understand,” Kosinski said. “Top Gun: Maverick” shot for 135 days. “Spiderhead” shot for 40, in a handful of stages and locations. “I thought that was a really unique challenge, not only for me but also for the actors that would be fun to try to do.”

This challenge extended not just to Kosinski and his crew, which includes regulars like cinematographer Claudio Miranda, but to the performers as well, which include Kosinski regular Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett and Hemsworth, as a pharmaceutical administer testing new drugs on criminals confined to Spiderhead. “Wernick and Reese’s writing in this character of Abnesti, I just found this fascinating sociopath, who’s both charming and charismatic and funny but also morally questionable,” Kosinski said. “And having Chris, someone who’s known for being a leading man in these big action movies, to be able to show something totally different was also an exciting challenge for me and for him. And I couldn’t be more thrilled with what he was able to do with it. I just think it’s a really special performance.”

It’s a performance that has been mostly obscured by the film’s marketing, which presents “Spiderhead” as a straightforward thriller, one without the odd contours and tonal loop-de-loops of the actual film.

“It’s one of those things where I think that’s the right way to go, because it really is a movie where you want to experience that over the course of watching it and see it play out. And I think the more you try to promise that from the beginning, you don’t want people walking in waiting for it. I want them to see Chris slowly unravel and reveal this character.” Kosinski admits that “it’s a challenging movie to talk about and to market.” But Netflix is the perfect home for it, even if you aren’t equipped with a Kosinski-approved home theater. “It might be a movie that just needs to be discovered and talked about, more of a word-of-mouth thing, which is fine. It’s not a movie that has two weekends to collect as much money as possible before it disappears. It can have more of a slow burn run, which it’ll be interesting.”

One of Hemsworth’s quirks is that he blasts ‘70s and ‘80s am radio pop hits through the facility (a strain of music commonly referred to today as “yacht rock”) – the Doobie Brothers, Hall & Oates, George Benson, Supertramp and the like. The playlist was developed during the scripting process and inspired by an instance in Kosinski’s life. “I remember having this moment in a dentist’s office, we’ve all been there, where you’re laying in the chair and you’re about to get your tooth drilled out,” Kosinski said. “And all of a sudden, Christopher Cross comes over the little speaker in the ceiling. And it’s this idea of the dentist’s office trying to create this sense of calm and relaxation, like you should be on a beach. Yet you’re going through a very unpleasant physical experience. And to me, I thought that would be a great tool for Abnesti to try to create the ambiance of a high-end rehab or almost a vacation-like vibe in this exotic setting in order to mask the true nature of what’s going on inside and underneath. ” And what’s going on is, admittedly, horrific.

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We talked about Teller’s mullet (“it was trying to draw a distinction between Abnesti and Jeff and showing that they came from completely different worlds, backgrounds, but at the same time, have a lot in common because there is this bond between these two very different people”) and frequent Kosinski collaborator Joseph Trapanese’s score, which had to play in between the yacht rock jams and stand out all its own (“It’s so unique and distinct and it blends a kind of avant-garde orchestral component”). Kosinski also discussed why he thinks “Spiderhead” isn’t a sci-fi story at all. “I don’t really think about this film as sci-fi just because I feel like there’s nothing in it that couldn’t exist,” Kosinski said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if it does exist and someone’s trying to do it.”

Not that sci-fi is ever far from Kosinski’s mind.

In 2010, Kosinski made his debut with “Tron: Legacy,” a bold and visionary adventure with an all-time score by Daft Punk (assisted by Trapanese). It was a movie that could have played on IMAX 3D screens at the same time as appearing as a video art installation in any major gallery or museum. Kosinski recently caught flak for saying that Disney wouldn’t make “Tron: Legacy” today (and, indeed, Kosinski toiled away on a sequel in 2014 and 2015 that Disney ultimately canceled). “What I said was we made ‘Tron: Legacy’ before they owned Star Wars or Marvel,” Kosinski said. “I think that’s a big reason why we were able to do that movie because at that point, Disney had nothing else in that space. I was really able to push the envelope and do something really unique and different and a little bit experimental.”

Kosinski also worked on a remake of live-action Disney sci-fi oddity “The Black Hole” with “Dune” screenwriter Jon Spaihts, which was undone by their script’s similarities to Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar. ” Still, Kosinski would love to work with Disney again and still yearns to figure out a viable take on “The Black Hole.” “I still feel like that movie is one of the most unique that Disney’s ever made, the original I mean. It’s wild,” Kosinski said. “The idea of a journey to a black hole is still one of those things that is very intriguing because it’s not science fiction. They really exist, and all the effects that happen around them are real physics. So there is a great story to be told about that journey. I just, at this point, I haven’t figured out what that would be for me yet.”

Netflix

Sci-fi, even more grounded sci-fi like “Spiderhead,” still speaks to Kosinski’s sensibilities and history. Kosinski comes from a background in architecture and design and “sci-fi gives you a lot of opportunity to create a world.” (Kosinski attended Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and studied under postmodern legend Robert A.M. Stern. Before “Tron: Legacy,” he was an adjunct professor. )

The architecture of “Spiderhead” is just as striking as anything in “Tron: Legacy” or “Oblivion,” his existential 2013 epic that also starred Cruise. The facility is all sharp angles; its inherent prison-ness only discernable by the brutalist exteriors and the poured concrete, the surfaces that can easily be hosed down if splattered with blood or smeared with excrement. Inside, it is discerningly plush, a place you would want to spend time in (like Jennifer Connelly’s homey beachfront abode in “Top Gun: Maverick”). It’s only sinister in a certain light.

It’s this architecture – not only of the physical spaces the characters inhabit but in the way that Kosinski frames things geometrically and in the symmetry between character and theme, narrative motivation and a willingness to simply be – that ultimately defines all of Kosinski’s work.

He was drawn early on to the work of Stanley Kubrick and “The Shining,” where the Overlook Hotel felt like a character in the story. “When the architecture is specific and you treat it that way, it creates a film that feels very much in its own kind of hermetically sealed universe that to me sucks you into the space of the film, and it becomes very immersive,” Kosinski said. “And I think I’m always drawn to that.”

From a compositional standpoint, his almost mathematically controlled frames have always been important. “I find I get a lot of pleasure out of setting the frame and trying to make the most of every moment, regardless if it’s an insert or a wide shot, never let any shot go to waste because you have this opportunity to create something special, so try to do that at every moment,” Kosinski said. “From a process point of view, I do feel like there’s a lot of parallels between architecture and filmmaking. The script and the blueprint are related. The role of an architect and having to create a building.”

Another key way that architecture and film are related, whether it’s a sprawling action epic like “Top Gun: Maverick” or an intimate character study like “Spiderhead,” is that it takes a whole team of extremely talented people to build something. “The more that you can engage and motivate your team who are all there to help you, the more you can accomplish 1,000 times more than you could by yourself. I think there are a lot of parallels between the two professions,” Kosinski said.

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Where Kosinski became frustrated with architecture was that, whether you’re building a home or a private building, only a handful of people will ever see it. “Film is such a medium that travels so widely that it can be shared with everyone, and everyone can have the same experience regardless of where you are,” Kosinski said. “I think that was the draw for me to move into film.”

The two projects that Kosinski built this year have been seen by countless viewers the world over, already, whether it’s an IMAX-sized sequel you have to experience in a theater or a more intimate thriller that you can dial up on your living room Samsung. And no matter which film you watch, the views are spectacular.

“Top Gun: Maverick” is in theaters now and “Spiderhead” is streaming on Netflix.

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Top Gun: Maverick’s saddest scene has already been copied on Netflix’s

flop

May 25, 2023 Category: MovieBy admin

Top Gun: Director Maverick has already spoofed the killer final scene of the sequel in Spiderhead, a 2022 Netflix flop most viewers never even saw.

Although 2022 film directed by Joseph Kosinski Spider Head was not as successful as his previous hit Top Gun: Maverick , the Netflix satire allowed the director to parody the ending of his own blockbuster. Following the film, Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick released the sci-fi satire Spiderhead from Netflix. On paper, this sounds like an unexpected choice. Top Gun: Maverick was an unabashedly goofy movie that recreated the tone and style of Tony Scott’s original cult classic 19’86 Top Gun . In contrast, Spiderhead was a dark comedy sci-fi satire about a futuristic prison that offered a snarky critique of pharmaceutical ethics by adapting George Saunders&rsquo. sensational story Escape from the head of a spider .

SCREEN VIDEO OF THE DAY

However, spider head “The underappreciated elimination of jail time might not be that far off the plot of Top Gun: Maverick “. After all, Iceman’s cameo in Top Gun: Maverick already implied that Top Gun 3 could return to Scott’s original plot for a sequel. A story that focuses on drones replacing human pilots and rendering the Maverick irrelevant, this plot will combine the themes of the Top Gun franchise with Spiderhead A satirical message about machines taking human lives. Not only that, but Spiderhead also bizarrely (and perhaps unintentionally) parodies Ending Top Gun: Maverick k’s. Although the two films were released almost simultaneously due to the release date being pushed back, Spider Head was filmed after Kosinski completed work on Top Gun: Maverick .

Ending of Spiderhead’s Subverts Top Gun: Maverick’s Most Tragic Moment

At the end of Top Gun: Maverick , Miles Teller’s troubled mentor Maverick apparently crashes his plane into a mountain near the film’s climax, but exits from the wreck whole and unharmed. At the end of Spider Head , Miles Teller’s troubled mentor, does crash his plane up a mountain shortly before the film’s climax, but is not as lucky as Maverick. While Iceman was right in calling Maverick “ the dangerous ,” Top Gun: Maverick proved that the heart of the franchise’s anti-hero is in the right place. In contrast, Chris Hemsworth’s amiable tech billionaire Steve Abnesti seemed to be a charismatic and trustworthy character for most of the adaptation, for only Spider Head ends to reverse this perception.

Cashier’s character spends all Top Gun: Maverick fights Maverick only to rely on him at the end of the movie. In Spider Head , Teller’s character spends the entire story of the film working alongside Abnesti, only to realize at the end of the film that he cannot trust this mentor. Thus, Kosinski’s first film since Top Gun: Maverick managed to perfectly turn history Top Gun: Maverick . As if to emphasize this comparison, the Rooster from Top Gun: Maverick needed to learn to fly faster and more intuitively, and the hero of Spiderhead went to jail because of a car accident in which he lost control of his inhibitions and his car.

Spiderhead’s story is the exact opposite of Top Gun: Maverick

Abnesti Chris Hemsworth, like Maverick, is a renegade who plays not by anyone else’s rules, but by his own. However, in his case, this is a terrible thing, and he soon finds himself a megalomaniac scientist who has gone mad with power. Although trippy story Spider Head was not a critical success, the adaptation allowed Kosinski to explore the story of Top Gun: Maverick from a new perspective and offered a very different narrative. Anyway, Spiderhead deserves credit for finishing the turn perfectly Top Gun: Maverick &rsquo.

‘Spider Head’ Went to Big Science Film – Reviews News Wildly Helpful Tips for Choosing Electronics

✔️ 2022, 06:17:14 – Paris/France.

Chris Hemsworth started a professional relationship with Netflix on Tyler Rake and seems to enjoy working with the platform. We recently saw him appear in The Interceptor and Tyler Rake 2 is in full post-production. Also this Friday, June 17, he returns to the world of walking in live streaming with ‘Spiderhead’.

director Joseph Kosinski is currently very popular for his excellent work on Top Gun: Maverick. Spider Head is an adaptation of a science fiction novel written by George Saunders but also a movie that almost seems like the perfect example of a project that could be done when the coronavirus restrictions were especially tight.

Good idea in a hurry

There are hardly a handful of characters in Spider Head, and only three end up having real plot weight outside of a particular scene. In addition, the action takes place almost entirely in a closed space, which allows you to keep everything under control. Everything is good, but problems when it comes to making something with a bright background from where it is beyond the scope of his presentation.

Written by Ret Reese and Paul Wernick , the same duo who wrote the screenplay for Deadpool, takes us to an isolated facility where some prisoners have agreed to undergo a series of drug experiments that alter their emotions. The first minutes of filming are the best in this sense, even flirtatious with a certain presence of humor to emphasize the peculiarity of the situation that these volunteers faced.

Moreover, we have Hemsworth at the head of these experiments, who here has the opportunity to show his playful side – although in return his intentions are too obvious from the very beginning -. And it shows that the protagonist of Thor: Love and Thunder is having a good time, but there comes a time when the approach to Spider Head puzzles dries up, he includes the same ideas, and when he puts all the cards on the table It’s been a long time since since we realized that history is moving in that direction.

Lights and Shadows “Spider Head”

So, one could almost say that “Spider Head” becomes a flashy version of the Black Mirror episode, but also a version that takes the story too far and can become boring. What’s more, all speculation about the technological dangers of is soon set aside in favor of the more conventional narrative of , which avoids collapse in part thanks to the work of its protagonists and Kosinski’s solvent work behind the cameras.

And the fact is that Hemsworth is the one who entertains, and those who provide dramatic energy are Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett , elevating material that, on paper, did little on its own. It is they who keep the film alive when things have stalled, when what is happening is crystal clear, by being able to express the trauma their characters endure, rather than the genuine interest in that past that brought them there.

Pour sa part, Kosinski tried to fix the worst part of the story. , especially in scenes of extreme importance, such as the one in which the character played by Teller uses the perfect opportunity to get information. I wish the script had captured the moment better to heighten the tension that the film strives so hard for and only gets drops of.

At least the staging work is accurate and consistent with that aseptic air that is always felt in installations – there the use of space is quite well measured by Kosinsky – also strengthens over the years minutes, but not enough to make for the fact that he tells a story , which is told in an unappealing way, as if they wanted to keep its content to a minimum in order to make it as accessible as possible.