Interview: Jack Ryder

In this edition of Interview, Last Resort Films president Phil Dolan interviews another long-time studio writer, Jack Ryder (Hawkeye, Dishonest), who has been with the studio since the beginning of Season 2.

(Editor's note: the interview was conducted in Season 4 prior to the release of Booster Gold and the announcement of The Banded Ants 2 - The Mortal Enemy)

PD: So far this season you have had the successful Hawkeye and the box office bomb Dishonest. Why do you think audiences embraced Hawkeye but ignored Dishonest?

JR: The audience is unpredictable. I think Hawkeye being an established IP kept the audience interest higher. We did our best with both the films and were confident with both of them but somehow Dishonest didn't interested that many people. Good thing is that the reviews were mostly positive from the people who saw it. I don't what will happen to the story afterwards Dishonest as I had a thin outline ready for it maybe we will publish it as a novel.

PD: Your next film, Detective James, has you branching out into the comedy genre. What made you attempt to tackle a comedy?

JR: Comedy, I believe is the toughest genre to tackle, you need everything to work out here, the script, the direction and the acting. That's the reason it intrigued me, how it is received will tell me how far I have come. Detective James was one of the original ideas I have which predates the LRF studio in another universe but it never came to fruition.  The studio head which is you have really helped me in drafting the team for this movie with a stellar director and an amazing cast. Hopefully in the future I will write some more comedies.   

PD: As a writer, what interests you more: box office success or awards?

JR: It would be a lie if I straight out pick one as both the options interests me differently, while the box office success tells that the audience have resonated with the story and the awards tell me that the critics were enamored by the story. I feel I am more inclined towards box office success though, Awards will definitely bring happiness but box office success means we can pump out more of the beloved characters.

PD: What are some of your favorite films released by the studio?

JR: Raptor Red is phenomenal for me, I am also a big fan of Blood Meridian. I am hyped for the coming Booster Gold and eagerly waiting for Grand Theft Auto.

PD: What's next for you?

JR: I have been exchanging notes with Guillermo Del Toro for my first sequel which can be Inhumans or The Banded Ants, you know the answer for it but the Audience have to wait and see. I am trying to expand my horizons with a Sports and a Martial Arts film and then getting back to some drama films which have always brought me back some love. There is another Marvel property I am working on and I would love to work on more. There are some big ideas in my head which I am planning to soon share with you so maybe we can start a writer room for that. From what we have seen from LRF is that we have been delivering some great superhero films credit to fellow writers D.R Cobb, APJ and other with a DC universe of our own, I think it's time LRF starts running a superhero universe of it's own.