It’s a strange thing to show your disinterest in the film industry when you’re promoting your next film. But that’s just what Civil War director Alex Garland is doing, adding that he may very well be done with directing altogether.

Speaking with The Guardian, Alex Garland seemed weary and wary of the business, ultimately saying, “I’m not planning to direct again in the foreseeable future.” He even noted that he had fallen out of love with filmmaking as a whole. One reason may be the lack of communication, instead being put on tour to promote a movie instead of having more intellectual conversations about it. As he told the reporter, “I do actually love film, but film-making doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It exists in a life and also in a broader context. I have to interact, in a way – without being rude – [by engaging in such a manner].”

Alex Garland also said that other aspects of the industry related to trust have kept him up at night. One concern is that he has to try to convince his cast that anything he says will be on the blue screen behind them will in fact be what appears on the big screen, saying, “The pressure doesn’t come from the money. It comes from the fact that you’re asking people to trust something that, on the face of it, doesn’t look very trustworthy.” Another comes from a far more serious place, adding, “Alicia [Vikander] and Sonoya [Mizuno] are trusting that nudity is going to be dealt with thoughtfully and respectfully…[when] cinema leans towards not doing that.”

At just 53 and with just four features (in terms of directing, at least) to his name, it does seem far too soon for Alex Garland to hang it up. But these do appear to be genuine concerns of his in terms of not just his own sets but the industry as a whole, especially when it comes to his aforementioned point regarding nudity. Intimacy coordinators grew in popularity within the industry in the late 2010s as a means to promote safety and limit exploitation on sets when it comes to sexually geared scenes. But one does wonder just how closely such roles are being implemented; and even if they are rigorous, what can you really say to completely put the actor at ease, especially with how much disgraceful behavior has taken place before?

We’d hate to see Alex Garland retire so early, especially since his films, like Ex Machina and his latest, have generated worthy conversation about our society. Hollywood would absolutely be suffering a loss if Garland steps away.

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