A Viral Short Film’s Brutal Dig at Marvel/Disney Inspired by a Dune: Part 2 Incident Will Forever Change the Way You Look at Denis Villeneuve’s Magnum Opus
- Jim Cummings released a new short film based on Marvel/Disney charity screenings.
- The film also reportedly takes inspiration from a similar incident that happened during a private screening of Dune: Part 2.
- The fan for whom the screening was organized couldn't watch the movie till the end.
There was a time when parodies were looked down upon and cast the makers in a negative light. But today, when everyone has the freedom to express their thoughts and opinions, parodies are actually seen as a way to shed light on some overlooked aspects of movies and production houses.
The most recent parody by Jim Cummings features an executive from Marvel/Disney who visits a dying child’s house with the early copy of Captain America 4, a situation that happened in reality with Dune: Part 2. The conversation between the executive and the kid soon takes a turn for the worse as he raises questions about LGBTQ+ characters among others.
What inspired Jim Cummings to make such a short film?
The latest short film parody by Jim Cummings is titled Is This a Good Time? He has directed and acted in the movie as the Marvel/Disney executive who takes the movie to a dying child as he wishes to see Captain American 4 before he passes away. As Cummings takes the movie to him, he takes away all phones and devices so that the movie cannot be replicated or recorded.
He further jokes about the countless NDAs and agreements that were signed before the kid could watch the movie. In an interview with IndieWire, Cummings explained how this idea came about and what inspired him to talk about this.
They had a fan that wanted to watch the film, and he died halfway through. And so that PR campaign of like, hoping that people would see it as this beautiful thing for this person who wanted to see the film then became this joke on the internet of, ‘Well the movie is too long.’ It’s the exact opposite of what these corporations would want. We saw it as this perfect lens with which to talk about the stuff that we love to talk about — what makes good movies, what is a good use of our time here on the planet, why movies are important, and what movies we really value.
"IS NOW A GOOD TIME?"
🚨 Now on @X 🚨 pic.twitter.com/23qcdAzry9— Jim Cummings (@jimmycthatsme) July 22, 2024
Cummings is apparently talking about the film of the year in this interview, Dune: Part 2. When he heard about a similar incident happening at a private screening of Dune: Part 2, Cummings found it incredibly funny. This further got him thinking about the value of time and how many production studios are known to curb artistic opinions and voices. As an independent artist, Cummings values his autonomy above all else.
What happened at Dune: Part 2 screening?
In a heartwarming move, director Denis Villeneuve fulfilled a dying man’s wish to see the Dune saga continue in the sequel before he passes away. Villeneuve sent his assistant to the fan’s house along with his laptop which had the full movie on it. Recognizing that these are the fans who truly appreciate cinema and storytelling, Villeneuve wanted to ensure everything went well.
However, during the screening of the movie, the fan suffered in pain due to his illness. He could not sit through the entire 2 hours and 46 minutes of the film runtime. A few days later, the news of his death was reported. While fans already criticized the movie for being far too long, this incident added another dimension to the situation.
Despite being such a long movie, Dune: Part 2 somehow felt rushed in the climax sequence. Perhaps the makers of the film could have managed their time better. In this day and age of ever-shortening attention spans, it’s impossible to assume fans would want to sit through a movie for 3 hours straight. They need quick, digestible content that keeps them entertained and satisfied.
Dune: Part 2 is streaming on Max.
