Edgar Wright didn’t know how to promote Scott Pilgrim

Last Updated on November 22, 2023

Ahead of the release of the anime series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (read our review), Edgar Wright – who serves as executive producer on that series and was a key part of assembling the returning cast, in addition to directing the original movie – reflected on the challenges of marketing Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. And no, it had nothing to do with selling Michael Cera as a leading man.

Speaking with Rolling Stone, Edgar Wright said it was a difficulty pitching Scott Pilgrim vs. the World to both the press and audiences since it is a genuine mish-mash of styles. “We knew, from some of the screenings we had, it’s not about whether there’s an audience out there for the movie. It’s about how to reach them. Maybe a film that has more than one thing going on, you always have to bring a film down to an elevator pitch. And Scott Pilgrim was always difficult to describe in one sentence. At the junkets, people would ask me how to describe the movie, and I would always say, ‘Well, it’s action/romance/comedy/martial arts.’ And as soon as I said more than two genres, I had a voice in my head saying, BZZZT! Pick two! Anything more than two sounds like there’s some kind of strange flop sweat happening. So I would try to say, ‘Oh, it’s a comedy-action film,’ because that was something people could get their heads around.”

Still, Edgar Wright – and the entire cast, judging by their returns – rightfully remains proud of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, which is one of the most exciting and visually enthralling movies of the past 15 years. But the way Wright pitched it – as an action-comedy – seems misleading, even if both elements are obviously part of the DNA. Then again, how do you break it down to best sell it?

Although Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was a box office bob-omb, it stands as a cult fan favorite (hey, you don’t get your own “WTF Happened to This Movie?!” episode for nothing!) that will no doubt translate well into an anime series, also no surprise considering its graphic novel source.

How would you market Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in an elevator pitch? Give us your best one below!