Netflix's Devil May Cry creator and showrunner Adi Shankar has praised the amount of free rein given to him by the streamer and Capcom, the video game franchise's custodians.
"I'm fortunate to be in a spot where I have so much control over the show [and] the destiny of the show," Shankar begins in an interview with GamesRadar+ – before turning his attention towards what he dubs an "art by committee" way of thinking.
"There's an art by committee thing that has proliferated through Hollywood as a result of, really, the 'Marvel-ification' of movies, right? The art by committee thing has seeped its way into a lot of things IP, and also not IP," Shankar says.
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Marvel has come under fire in recent years, with the over-saturation of streaming content and a noticeable dip in quality as the focus moved towards a newer generation of heroes. That all culminated in a post-Endgame sense of dissatisfaction among its audience and MCU becoming pop culture shorthand for the current age of CGI-heavy blockbusters and limited series, which are tinkered with by various creatives and producers instead of one visionary.
"I'm in a fortunate position where I'm not part of that. Netflix and Capcom [are] like, 'You have a vision, go execute your vision,'" Shankar continues. Which I think is pretty rare in today's day and age. But I come from the film world, and all the people who mentored me were all auteurs."
Shankar's vision, particularly when it comes to video games, has certainly not been diluted over at Netflix. The first season of Devil May Cry was a cacophony of heavy metal, action, and angst as series protagonist Dante hunted the White Rabbit.
Previously, he has also seen acclaim for his adaptation of Konami's Castlevania and the singular Captain Laserhawk, which presented a twisted take on Ubisoft's most iconic game franchises, including Splinter Cell, Rayman, and Assassin's Creed. Once you put Rayman snorting illicit substances in a show, you'd best believe the leash starts to feel a little looser.
Devil May Cry, meanwhile, is returning for a second season, which focuses on the reunion of Dante and his twin brother, Vergil. You can watch the latest trailer now.
Devil May Cry season 2 is streaming on Netflix from May 12.
For more, check out our picks for the best anime on Netflix.
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