3D movies have a long and fascinating history. Ever since The Power of Love debuted in 1922, the industry has experimented with and improved upon the technology, hoping to give the viewing public the best and most immersive experience possible. However, the behind-the-scenes and business decisions that lead to certain films being released in 3D and others in 2D are rarely discussed.
However, some recent Tweets by James Gunn have given movie fans a fascinating insight into the process.
Gunn’s Tweets are interesting as one of his recent hits, 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1, did have a 3D version. On the other hand, Gunn’s 2021 film The Suicide Squad was only released in 2D, meaning that the legendary director has experience with both sides of the process.
The Tweet thread started when a user tagged Gunn in a tweet asking if there would be a 3D 4K release of The Suicide Squad, with the user saying that they believed that many sequences would look amazing in 3D. Gunn quickly responded, saying that there would be no 3D version of the film, stating that: “there are too many fast-moving, handheld camera shots, & quick cuts, which simply don’t work well in 3D.”
Gunn then went on to add “if a movie is going to be in 3D, I take that into account from the beginning.”
This caused a lot of discussion in the replies, with many people voicing their opinions of 3D. Gunn actually replied to many common questions, giving us further insight into the behind-the-scenes process. When one user said that 3D converted movies didn’t work, Gunn disagreed, pointing to Guardians Of The Galaxy Volume 1.
Gunn explained that he “personally oversaw converting every shot to 3D & I planned for 3D every step along the way.” He then noted that “this is why we won 3D movie of the year, because we put effort & thought into it & I think it’s great in that format.”
When someone doubted how hard it would be to rotoscope the movie, Gunn corrected them, noting that it wasn’t “about the difficulty – it’s about how the final product looks.” Showing how much thought a director has to put into a film if they wish to make a 3D version.
Gunn’s final response in the thread was both fascinating and hilarious. When a user used a SpongeBob meme to suggest that corporate would make a 3D version of the movie regardless of Gunn’s opinion, Gunn shot it down, simply saying “corporate asked me and I said no, and it doesn’t exist.” Showing just how much control Gunn has over his movies.
Gunn’s comments give us a fascinating peek behind the curtain of the movie industry. It is fascinating to see how much work and thought goes into deciding if a movie will be 2D or 3D and how a director must build their plans around this decision. And, as Gunn’s success with both Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1 and The Suicide Squad has shown, a director who understands what this choice means can make some visually stunning pieces of cinema.