Around Comic Con, I expressed pointed doubt that Sin City 2 would actually ever come together, since RR made it clear that it would have to happen now or it would happen never. Apparently the money wasn’t too far away at that point though, as Robert has now stated that everything is in place except for the latest draft pages that will mark the start of shooting. The same is true of Machete Kills (which will feature a trailer for the space-based Machete Kills Again).

Is it just my asshole that instinctively clinches up when a director admits that every element is in place and money is set, and all that’s preventing shooting is for the screenwriting to be done?

“We’ve already got the budget, just waiting for the script. As soon as we’re finished writing we get to start the shoot.”

Ya know? It’s just so much the opposite of promising to hear the writing process –the part of the process that typically comes first, because there are stories and ideas that drive someone to collect them so that they may be transformed into a film– be casually regarded as merely a roadblock to shooting. I know RR loves the principle photography process, but damn. Sin City is a film so indulgent in its gimmick as to become a slog*, while Machete entirely fails to understand or capitalize on its gimmick as to become an incoherent mess of flat jokes and clumsy homages. So the idea that it is again the concepts of these film merely existing that is more compelling to the filmmaker than the actual story being told is… a bummer. I fucking hate film critiquing that relies on calling a movie out for being “in love with itself” or “not as smart/cute/funny as it thinks it is,” but I suspect these RR franchises might be apt targets for such appropriately lazy criticism.

We should being seen materials for these flicks soon, as RR churns this stuff out with the quickness once he gets started.

Am I an asshole, or are you as non-plussed by these sequels as I am… hit twitter, dump in the comments, or plop in the boards to state your opinion(s).

Source | WeGotThisCovered (via DarkHorizons)

* 17-year-old Renn thought Sin City was the baddest shit ever when it came out, and even then I knew it was punishingly paced.