Edgar Wright isn’t the kind of director who turns down superhero work on principle. Aside from co-writing and directing “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” he co-wrote and was set to direct “Ant-Man” before a falling out with Marvel. The director told Variety in 2017 that what really happened behind the scenes on “Ant-Man” was, while he was interested in making a Marvel movie, Marvel wasn’t interested in making a Wright movie. He also mentioned that emotional investment was crucial to his creative process and that if it’s lacking, “you start to wonder why you’re there, really.” Whether it’s 2017 or 2023, Wright’s messaging is the same — if the project is close to his heart, he will follow through. If it strays, it’s better off in someone else’s hands.
Wright’s disinterest in Gambit must extend to the rest of the X-Men because Simon Kinberg has been trying to rope him into a superhero film for years. During a 2023 interview with /Film, Kinberg said, “He’s one of my favorite directors of all time and one of my favorite people, just a super great guy. Obviously a cinephile … I’ve chased Edgar for ‘X-Men’ movies. I’ve chased him for literally every possible thing. We have talked about every movie.” Despite Kinberg’s pressure, Wright has never worked on an X-Men film.
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