We had been circling each other as actors for so many years, and it was wonderful to finally get the chance to work with Tom.
It was right in my wheelhouse – creating characters using CG.
When Tom gave me a call out of the blue, saying he thought it would be great if I directed the sequel and asking me to come on board, I think it was because he wanted a director who would be capable of safeguarding his performance, translating it into a visual-effects realm, with some degree of authority from experience with that.