Thirteen years ago this week, Marvel announced that Jon Favreau would develop and direct “Iron Man.” The film would be the first of what we would come to know as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a remarkable 23-film series that has become the dominant financial force in studio filmmaking.A scan of the top-grossing action franchises from 2004-2007 reveals how Hollywood’s concept of a big-budget tentpole director has changed.
“Spider-Man” rebooted under the swooping cartoon style of Sam Raimi.
“Transformers” was defined by the clashing metallic ballet of a Michael Bay film.
Gore Verbinski’s playful precision gave “Pirates of the Caribbean” its distinctive verve.
And when the Jason Bourne franchise took a heady, gritty turn under Paul Greengrass, it was a shift defined by the director’s unique handheld approach to action.You could watch 30 seconds of an action scene from any of these films and identify the filmmakers’ fingerprints.
Read full article