The Massive Classic Quentin Tarantino Denies Agreeing to Direct: “I never even read it”
Quentin Tarantino has enjoyed a legendary career since breaking into Hollywood with Reservoir Dogs. He’s swept at both the Oscars and the Golden Globes. But his success is no accident. A lot of it comes down to smart choices and saying ‘no’ a lot. When studios have offered him the chance to work as a director for hire, he’s always passed for one reason or another. It seems staying true to his vision and telling the stories he wants to tell has served him quite well over the years.
I think the ability to know in advance what you can make magic with and what isn’t within your wheelhouse is rare. But Tarantino has that kind of foresight. Sometimes just hearing the elevator pitch is enough to help him make an informed decision. Take Men in Black. Via an interview with The New York Times, Tarantino revealed that he was offered the chance to direct the picture but ultimately passed.
“The other real big movie offered to me was Men in Black,” Tarantino said. “I never even read it.”
That might sound flippant. But I think it comes down to knowing your strengths and sticking to them. Men in Black isn’t his brand. That doesn’t mean the film is bad or that directing it would have ruined Tarantino’s career. But it would certainly be an odd duck in his filmography. I think most would agree that Barry Sonnenfeld was the right choice to make the film.
I have much respect for Tarantino for knowing his strengths and understanding that just because someone offers you the chance to direct a film doesn’t mean you should jump. There’s real wisdom in that.
In case you’re unfamiliar, the setup for Men in Black goes like this:
They are the best-kept secret in the universe. Working for a highly funded yet unofficial government agency, Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) are the Men in Black, providers of immigration services and regulators of all things alien on Earth. While investigating a series of unregistered close encounters, the MIB agents uncover the deadly plot of an intergalactic terrorist who is on a mission to assassinate two ambassadors from opposing galaxies currently in residence in New York City.
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