In a weird way, it's much easier, when I don't have to worry about being a writer, to just worry about the director job, which is really fun.

Filmmaking is incredible introspective. It forces you to sort of examine yourself in new ways.

It's so rare that you meet your idols and they outdo your expectations.

I don't like nihilistic characters. As bad guys they're great, but as heroes they don't work.

I just go with what excites me.

I love superheroes and I love weird horror films... I could definitely feel that there was a lack of movies like The Martian being made: smart genre movies that can appeal to adults.

The truth is, writing and directing are two very different jobs. They're not even remotely the same job. It took me a while, as a director, to understand that.