Michael Wilkinson, fresh off an Oscar nomination for designing the film “American Hustle” has been a costume designer for years. Now with his latest project “Man of Steel 2” on the horizon he sat down with Flickeringmyth.com to discuss his approach on the superhero film.
“I would never say as a rule that I don’t do this type of film. For me I read the script. If there’s something about it I find challenging that I’ve never done before or if there’s a director I greatly admire attached or actors I’ve always wanted to work with those are the different types of criteria that I use when choosing my next job. I would never say as a rule that I don’t do this type of film. I don’t what it is about me. Maybe it’s because I have a short attention span. I like to mix things up. I like to show the world that I’m not just a superhero or sword and sandals or period or science fiction guy. I’m all of those. For me, costume design is a creative act and by mixing things up so much it keeps my imagination recharged, refreshed and alert.”
“There’s a new approach and way of dealing with the design brief. What I 
learned from David O’Russell was to be brave with my design decisions and be happy to go out on a limb and dig deeper into my investigations into the psychology of all of the characters. I’m bringing that to all of my projects now. I could say the same thing about Zack Snyder. There’s a sense of trust that he has when we work together that builds a confidence in me and allows me to develop my ideas. With each director you learn something new and the combination of all those new things help you to grow as a costume designer.”
Mr. Wilkinson was then asked about the approach he plans on taking regarding working on “Man of Steel 2” and with Zack Snyder again (Watchmen 2009), “I feel like the process is similar. We dive into the source material and make sure that we have a firm knowledge of that. We make sure that we’re respecting the source material but then at the same time trust our intuition and imagination to take us into interesting areas. Maybe what has changed is the shorthand. Like any relationship over the years we get there quicker. There’s so much trust and mutual respect that the ideas flow freely. There’s no sense of being judged or being afraid that there’s anything such thing as a bad idea. That makes everything a tighter, wonderful and gratifying experience.”
The man seems to have his head on straight and seems very focused in regards to this upcoming blockbuster, so I for one am very eager to see what the acclaimed designer comes up with. I’m still waiting on the pictures that reveal what Ben Affleck’s Batman will look like! The “Man of Steel” sequel is set to come out in 2016.
Source: Flickeringmyth
