What Makes Sean Baker Reject the Marvel Model?

June 3, 2025: Fresh off the massive success of Anora, award-winning filmmaker Sean Baker has made it crystal clear: don’t expect him to swap gritty indie storytelling for superheroes anytime soon.

In a candid conversation on The Hollywood Reporter’s podcast, Baker opened up about his future in filmmaking and firmly shut down any speculation about joining the Marvel or studio blockbuster world.

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“Don’t expect a Marvel film. It’s not going to happen,” he said. “I’m intentionally going to stay in the same wheelhouse and with the approximate same budget. I enjoy working in this space of 100 percent independent.”

Anora, which earned Baker global acclaim, won the Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and swept the Oscars with five major wins, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress for Mikey Madison. Despite the high-profile success, Baker remains devoted to his indie roots.

He admitted he’s still exploring ideas for his next film but promised fans “more of the same” in terms of style, tone, and budget. “I’m not working for even a mini studio,” Baker said. “I’m making my film independently and then going the old school route of hopefully a bidding war or somebody licensing the movie.”

That creative freedom, Baker emphasized, is non-negotiable. “I think that’s the only way to have full autonomy and control over your vision.”

At the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards, Baker delivered a heartfelt speech, underlining his loyalty to independent filmmaking. “I’m an indie film lifer,” he declared. “There are others like me in this room — those who don’t see indie films as calling cards, those who don’t make them to land a series or studio film.”

Baker’s message is clear: he’s in it for the art, not the franchise.