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    Back to The Business

    The Business

    How Edgar Wright makes original movies in an industry obsessed with franchises

    KCRW revisits its conversation with filmmaker Edgar Wright. His music documentary “The Sparks Brothers” celebrates two musicians whose work he loves.

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    By Kim Masters • Oct 22, 2021 • 28m Listen

    This week, KCRW revisits its conversation with filmmaker Edgar Wright. His music documentary “The Sparks Brothers” celebrates two musicians whose work he loves. Ron and Russell Mael are brothers who make up the band Sparks, and they’re a pair of complete originals. Wright is an original, too. His hit movie “Baby Driver” and upcoming thriller “Last Night in Soho” are based on ideas he made up. And he can’t help but wonder why movie studios aren’t willing to take a few more chances on fresh ideas.

    Wright tells KCRW that as a film fan, he’s “grown out of franchises because — and no disrespect to the films — I just think I don’t really need to see another ‘X-Men’ film in my lifetime. I’m good!”

    Wright explains how fellow filmmaker Phil Lord inspired him to turn his obsession with the band Sparks into his new documentary.

    Plus, KCRW has fresh banter about internal strife at Netflix, HBO Max numbers, and IATSE. The below-the-line Hollywood union has a contract, but will its members ratify it?

    In this episode

    2 stories
    1. 1:14

      Internal strife at Netflix, HBO Max numbers, IATSE contract still needs to be ratified

      There’s continued unrest at Netflix following the release of the Dave Chappelle comedy special “The Closer,” which includes material that’s been widely labeled transphobic and homophobic.

      Read the story
      10 min
    2. 11:34

      Replay: Edgar Wright on ‘The Sparks Brothers’ and originality in Hollywood

      “The Sparks Brothers,” a documentary from filmmaker Edgar Wright, goes deep into the enigmatic world of Ron and Russell Mael. The two brothers, now in their 70s, make up the quirky band Sparks.

      Read the story
      17 min
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Kim Masters

      partner/writer at Puck News, host of KCRW's “The Business.”

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Kaitlin Parker

      Producer, 'The Business' and 'Hollywood Breakdown'

      CultureEntertainmentArts

    In this episode

    2 stories
    1. 1:1410 min

      Internal strife at Netflix, HBO Max numbers, IATSE contract still needs to be ratified

    2. 11:3417 min

      Replay: Edgar Wright on ‘The Sparks Brothers’ and originality in Hollywood

    Back to The Business