Jennifer Aniston made headlines after her comments about the Marvel actors, “There are no longer any movie stars.” As indicated by the director’s recent discussion on the “2 Bears, 1 Cave” podcast, Quentin Tarantino agrees with this statement (via Mediaite). Tarantino linked the demise of Hollywood’s film stars to the “Marvel-ization” of the industry.
Tarantino criticized the ‘Marvelisation of Hollywood’ and its impact on the industry in an interview with Tom Segura on his podcast, 2 Bears 1 Cave, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“My only beef is that those are the only items that appear to be produced,” Tarantino stated. “And they’re the only things that appear to spark any sort of enthusiasm among fans or even for the company producing them… Therefore, it is just the fact that they reflect the entirety of this age of films. There is very little place for anything else. That is my dilemma. It’s a representational problem.”
He further stated that these superhero films simply made the characters famous, not the actors who played them. “As part of the Marvel-ization of Hollywood, you have all these big actors portraying these characters,” he continued.
However, they are not film stars. Right? Captain America is the main character. Thor is the main character. I am not the first to state this. It’s been stated a gazillion times, but these franchise characters have become famous.”
Simu Liu, the star of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, responded to Tarantino’s remarks via Twitter.
“Had Tarantino and Scorsese been the only gatekeepers to movie success, I would have never had the opportunity to lead a $400 million-plus film,” Liu wrote.
“I am awed by their filmmaking brilliance. They are transcending auteurs. But they have no right to look down their nose at me or anyone else. No film studio is or will ever be perfect. However, I’m delighted to work with a studio that has made ongoing efforts to increase diversity onscreen by developing heroes that empower and inspire people from all communities worldwide.”
However, in the interview, the director stated that he neither “hates” nor “adores” the films. “I do not despise them. But I do not cherish them. I mean, I used to collect Marvel comics obsessively as a child.”
He continued, “If these films had been released while I was in my twenties, I would have been absolutely f——-g thrilled and adored them. However, they would not be the only films produced; they would be produced alongside other films. I’m nearly 60, so I’m not as enthusiastic about them.”
Previously, Scorsese publicly criticized Marvel films by labeling them “theme parks” and “not cinema,” which prompted a response from Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, among others, as reported by THR.
Liu closed with a jab at Hollywood’s reputation for ‘whitewashing’ films: “I also loved ‘The Golden Age,’ but it was as white as hell.”
