Not too long ago, the Daniels — which filmmakers Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert are collectively known as — were best known for helming some memorable music videos, some obscure online short films, and the wonderfully strange fantasy buddy comedy, Swiss Army Man, which has gained a cult following since its 2016 release. Now, having won Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture at the 2023 Academy Awards for Everything Everywhere All at Once, the duo is at the top of the food chain with free reign to do whatever they want to do next.
So, the question is, what should they do they next? Well, personally, I just hope they continue do more of what they have already been doing so well by fusing relatable and emotionally grounded themes with wholly inventive and completely out-of-this-world concepts and visuals — which is exactly what made their absurdist sci-fi dramedy one of the best movies of 2022, if you ask me. However, in terms of what specific genres the Daniels should tackle next, I have a few potential options in mind.
A Superhero Movie
I mean, the next step for an indie filmmaker after gaining widespread acclaim and an award or two is usually superhero movies, right? For instance, Ryan Coogler’s success with Fruitvale Station and Creed led to Black Panther, and Kevin Feige and co. hired Chloé Zhao for Eternals even before her historic Oscar win for Nomadland. However, I do not necessarily want to see the Daniels’ names in the credits of any upcoming Marvel movies or even any upcoming DC movies for that matter.
I once saw a tweet that I, unfortunately, cannot find or remember whom to attribute it to, that urged Marvel Studios to stay away from the Daniels and — as a fan of those movies — I actually, wholeheartedly, agree. I cannot help but fear that being hired to take on one chapter in this shared universe’s overarching story would cause a hindrance to their remarkable creativity. Therefore, I would much rather see them try their hand at a superhero movie that is entirely of their own invention or even inspired by a comic that does not come from Marvel or DC but a lesser-known property that falls in line with their unique sensibilities.
A Dystopian Future Drama
In Everything Everywhere All At Once, we are shown a few glimpses of the alternate reality that Waymond Wang (Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan) originates from — a gloomy, Orwellian world courtesy of the tyrannical rule of Jobu Tupaki (one of two roles portrayed brilliantly by Stephanie Hsu). These brief moments suggest what a dystopian future might look like in the Daniels’ collective imagination, which sort of resembles a Matrix fan film shot by a bunch of teens on a set made of junkyard scraps.
Make no mistake about my feelings about the cheap and amateurish-looking, cyberpunk-inspired production design of those sequences — I freaking adored it and wanted more of that vision. Therefore, I would see the Daniels make a feature-length dystopian thriller that utilizes many of the same concepts and aesthetic that I think would be incredibly satisfying to fans of Mad Max and Turbo Kid, like me.
A Space Travel Epic
If there was one franchise I would actually be excited to see the Daniels become a part of, it would be the Star Wars Universe, and for many of the same reasons that I want to see their take on the dystopian future genre. I think they could come up with something that would really make this galaxy far, far away feel as fresh and outstanding as when George Lucas first introduced moviegoers to it more than four decades ago.
However, when considering the creative disagreements that led Phil Lord and Christopher Miller — another beloved, highly inventive duo — to quit Solo: A Star Wars Story, perhaps it would also be best that Daniels and Lucasfilm also remain separate entities. I would much rather see what entirely new, cosmic worlds they could bring us to, anyway.
A Psychedelic Horror Movie
A genre that is always in constant need of reinventing itself is horror — which, if you look at some of the greatest horror movies of all time, is defined by an ever-evolving rotation of tones and styles that change with each generation. I will say, however, that I think some of the more recent scary movies are proof that the genre is stronger now than ever, but that also means another revamp in creativity will eventually become a necessity.
I believe that the Daniels may have what it takes to, not only give horror cinema a boost in imagination when the time calls for it, but craft a full-fledged masterpiece with the kind of hypnotic and otherworldly imagery that they are now known for and which the genre has only been blessed with every once in a blue moon. While a dip into the supernatural would probably be expected from them, can you imagine what a slasher film would look like in their hands? If they could make that their next collaboration with Oscar-winning long-time Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis, the horror fandom would lose their minds.
A Musical
Earlier, we mentioned how, in the infancy of their career, the Daniels found success by directing music videos — most notably the wickedly bizarre video for DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What,” which earned them an MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction in 2014. I would be interested to see them apply their talents to other projects that sets their visual talents to music, but with a full-length feature this time.
This would also be a great opportunity for the duo to re-team with indie trio Son Lux — whose score and original song, “This is a Life”, from Everything Everywhere All At Once earned them Oscar nominations — and Stephane Hsu, who got her start in theater and even made her Broadway debut in SpongeBob Squarepants: The Musical as Plankton’s computer wife, Karen, in 2017. As for what the story might be, I will leave that all up to them.
At the moment, the Daniels are actually working on their next project, called Mason, which — according to IndieWire — is a surrealist comedy TV show created by and starring comedian Nathan Min. The series is being developed, with Oscar nominee Steven Yeun signed on as an executive producer, for Showtime and that might be what finally gets me subscribed to that network. I am especially looking forward to the duo’s return to the movies and hope to see something along the lines of what I have suggested above when the time comes.
