Over the decade that Scott Pilgrim vs. The World has built its profile as a cult favorite, co-writer/director Edgar Wright has felt the love from fans far and wide. But perhaps the most rewarding kudos he’s gotten for his adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s comic opus is from his peers. As it turns out, Hollywood creatives like Jack Black and J.J. Abrams are among the fans who also have kids who really love the film. This has resulted in Edgar Wright getting some unexpected requests to sign Scott Pilgrim posters.
As we discussed the legacy of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, which is being re-released into Dolby Cinema theaters starting this Thursday, Edgar Wright told me a story of a movie that was more beloved than its box office numbers would have indicated. While fans of the film understand that concept, there’s some on the outside who probably still find themselves surprised to hear its name almost 11 years after Universal first debuted it in theaters. As he discussed Scott Pilgrim’s various waves of fandom, Wright dropped some pretty exciting names when it came to the fans who still praise this particular film:
I’m just happy. You know, it’s a very nice thing. What’s interesting about this movie is, and I’ve become more aware of this recently, is there are the people who saw it and loved it at the time. There are people who then discovered it afterwards, either like at home or watching it in [repertory] screenings. More recently, I’ve become very aware that people’s kids like it; and I know that, because I get asked to sign Scott Pilgrim posters for people with children, all the time. And quite a lot from directors … or stars, like Sam Mendes, J.J. Abrams, Jon Favreau, Jack Black the other day, saying ‘Oh, will you sign this Scott Pilgrim poster for my son?’
The home video and streaming circuits have been amazingly beneficial venues for films like Real Steel and, of course, Scott Pilgrim, in the years since their release. Though Bryan Lee O’Malley’s iconic character has also been the subject of many other avenues of fan love, with repertory screenings, fan-anticipated soundtrack re-releases and video games being among the key instruments to keeping Scott Pilgrim alive in the consciousness. Now it sounds like the love of Edgar Wright’s peers is another untapped reservoir of support, which has led to a lot of signed posters going to some famous folks and their kids.
That’s not the end of the affection for Edgar Wright and Michael Bacall’s big screen translation of Scott Pilgrim vs The World, as it’s even carried through the film’s history at Universal. Which is pretty much the reason that we’re getting a big theatrical event out of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World’s return, as Wright and the folks at the studio came to the conclusion that a re-release would be a perfect way to reignite the magic, with AMC Theaters and Dolby Cinema offering their locations to be the vessel for the magic.
Thankfully, those Scott Pilgrim vs. The World signing requests have given Edgar Wright’s signing skills some good practice. Which seems to have come in handy with the big 10th anniversary re-release, as Wright recently signed some posters for the Dolby Cinema re-release, and shared a photo of the results.
Opening weekends are, for the most part, where a movie’s legacy lives and dies. Were that always the case, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World would have been kept in the storage closet of history, never to be seen or heard from again. And yet, the outpouring of good vibes from fans, industry professionals and even the studio that made the damned movie have kept its memory alive. This has led to Edgar Wright’s hyperkinetic love story feeling like it’s always been there, ready for the world to boost it up whenever the occasion called for it.
So if you’ve ever fallen in love with a movie that feels like it has three strikes and seven evil exes out to get it, think back on the story of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Through the powers of love, music, and video games, a movie that seemed to stumble right out of the gate scored the most powerful 1-UP of all. Just as Scott and Ramona got a second chance at a first date, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World gets another chance at an opening weekend, as it's now open in Dolby Cinema locations. Don’t wait too long to pay your respects though, as the movie’s departing next week.
