Edgar Wright: ‘With Baby Driver, my oldest idea became my biggest hit’

Dorset-born director Edgar Wright, 43, made his name with cult Channel 4 sitcom Spaced before moving into film. He made the “Cornetto trilogy” with long-time collaborators Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, comprising Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End. Since heading to Hollywood, Wright has directed Scott Pilgrim Vs the World and co-written The Adventures of Tintin. He scored his biggest box office hit so far with this year’s getaway car thriller Baby Driver, out now on DVD.

Baby Driver was both a critical and commercial success, so I guess you’ve had a good year?
I can’t complain. It was my passion project. It’s been a long and winding road to get here, but I’m extremely happy with how it came out. Funny how my oldest idea ended up being my biggest hit.

Hadn’t it been two decades in the making?
I’d been thinking about it for 22 years. My initial idea of a car-chase film powered by music goes right back to my flat in Wood Green, when I was 21 and first living in London. Then, between Spaced and Shaun of the Dead, I made a music video for Blue Song by Mint Royale. I hadn’t come up with a concept so I cannibalised the opening scene I’d planned for Baby Driver, with Noel Fielding as a getaway driver. I was happy with the video but also mad at myself for squandering this great idea. But it ended up helping because years later, I had proof of concept. People sometimes say “Is it a Drive rip-off? Did you get the mixtape idea from Guardians of the Galaxy?” and I go: “No, look, here’s a video I made 15 years ago.” It’s backdated evidence. In 2010, I did a film festival Q&A with [fellow director] JJ Abrams and they wanted to show that Mint Royale video. While it was playing, JJ leaned over and said: “This would make a good movie.” I replied: “Trust me, I’m way ahead of you.”

Did you research the art of getaway driving?
Yeah, I interviewed real-life getaway drivers. Two gangland ex-cons in London, which was fascinating. Some details they told me ended up in the film. In the States, I spoke to this extraordinary former bank robber called Joe Loya. He inspired part of the movie too, because he had a post-heist song that he always played when he thought he’d got away.

How was working Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx?
Both were fantastic. I first met Jon in 2008 when he was hosting Saturday Night Live and I happened to be backstage. He’s a huge comedy fan and we became friends, so I wrote the part for him. When Jamie was suggested, I wasn’t sure he’d be up for a supporting role, but he really responded to the script and loved how musical it was. Then Quentin Tarantino called him and said, “You should do Edgar’s film”, which sealed the deal.

Kevin Spacey plays the crime boss in Baby Driver. Were you surprised by the recent revelations about him?
The truth is, I had a really professional experience with him on set. I certainly wasn’t aware of any misconduct during production. So the stories have been troubling and alarming. All I can do is support the victims who have been brave enough to come forward and be aggrieved on their behalf. For a while, I stopped promoting Baby Driver because it seemed insensitive while the story was still developing. But eventually I realised that he’s just one of 200 people who worked on the film. It seems unfair if the private actions of one person tarnish everyone else’s incredible contribution.

With Weinstein and other scandals, has it been a turbulent time in Hollywood?
It all started from redirected anger at Donald Trump, I think. That Access Hollywood tape came out over a year ago. Trump even admitted to saying that stuff and nothing happened. There’s a hypocrisy that in entertainment and other fields of business, people’s careers are ending, but Trump is still ploughing on regardless. It’s an incredibly upsetting thing but will it change the way people think about their behaviour going forward? Absolutely. I think it already has. That’s the good thing to come out of it.

Did you see that John Waters named Baby Driver as his favourite film of 2017?
I did. It’s lovely getting recognition like that. It’s not like I made it to win awards. Sometimes you see movies where their raison d’être is to be Oscar-bait but Baby Driver was never that kind of movie. Although oddly enough, I did joke in one studio meeting that it was a dead cert for best sound editing. Whether that comes true, we shall see! All sorts of unexpected things happen. The soundtrack’s nominated for two Grammys. Trust me, I never thought I’d be a Grammy nominee.

There are now rumours of a sequel. Is that happening?
The studio actually talked about a sequel before the movie even came out, which was a nice vote of confidence. We haven’t done the deal and I’ve not written it yet but potentially, yes.

This year’s top three box-office hits have been female-led - Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Wonder Woman and Beauty and the Beast. Any plans for a female protagonist in your films?
Yes, oddly enough. I haven’t had a female lead before but one of the scripts I’m currently developing does have one. I’d love to make it and it’d be a great thing to do, so we’ll see.

Have you seen The Last Jedi yet?
Yes – and I’m also in it. [Director] Rian Johnson is a friend, so me, my brother [comic book artist Oscar Wright] and [director] Joe Cornish went down to the set and stood around as a resistance fighters in one scene. I play rebel scum with a gun. You’d have to look hard for me but I’m in a three-second shot. I was very proud of Rian. He did a great job.

What have been your films of the year?
I liked Get Out, Dunkirk, The Shape of Water and Call Me By Your Name. Paul Thomas Anderson’s film Phantom Thread [out in the UK in February] is great. Early this year, I loved a French horror film called Raw, which seems to have slipped under the radar. I’m also a supporter of Mother!, right down to the exclamation mark. Not everyone’s cup of tea but I went on an allegorical, surrealistic ride and was thrilled by it.

When did you last eat a Cornetto?
This summer. It was a Classico – the fancy name for vanilla. The US is just about the only place in the world that doesn’t have Cornettos but on our press tour in Malaysia, we pulled over for a break three hours outside Kuala Lumpur. Lo and behold, they had Cornettos. If I see Cornettos in any new country, I have to eat one. I made the entire crew have one too. I do love ’em. That gag in the films came solely from me. Cornettos were my hangover cure at college.

What are your Christmas plans?
I’m in LA at the moment but I’m coming home. It wouldn’t feel right to spend it out here in 81 degree heat, so I’m looking forward to a blast of cold. I’ll experience true festive spirit by walking down a freezing, crowded Oxford Street, then see the parents, eat too much and fall asleep during Doctor Who. A traditional family Christmas.