James Gray disclosed that the version of his 2019 film “Ad Astra” released in theaters was not his original cut and was extended beyond his original vision by 20th Century Fox.
Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival while promoting “Paper Tiger,” he explained that the film underwent extensive reshoots following poor test screenings, which altered his original vision.
“I control everything completely on this [‘Paper Tiger’] and, actually, I didn’t on ‘Ad Astra.’ That film was taken away from me. That’s not my cut of the movie,” he stated during an interview. ” It would have been a very different movie. It would be 12 minutes shorter. I’m the only director who makes a shorter director’s cut. I hope someday I’ll do it. I mean, it’s obviously not up to me, but I would love to do it — it would be thrilling for me.”
He added: “I like to work on that scale because I don’t think it’s productive for people to just change your movie around and you get the blame anyway.”
He added: “I like to work on that scale because I don’t think it’s productive for people to just change your movie around and you get the blame anyway.”
“Paper Tiger,” a 1980s crime drama starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, premiered in competition in Cannes. Despite solid reviews, it wasn’t among the award winners.