Quentin Tarantino was slammed for saying Marvel movies don’t produce movie stars, they only make famous characters.
In an interview with Tom Segura for his podcast, 2 Bears 1 Cave, Tarantino discussed the ‘Marvelisation of Hollywood’ and how that was impacting the industry, via The Hollywood Reporter.
“My only axe to grind is they’re the only things that seem to be made,” Tarantino said. “And they’re the only things that seem to generate any kind of excitement amongst a fan base or even for the studio making them… So it’s just the fact that they are the entire representation of this era of movies right now. There’s not really much room for anything else. That’s my problem. It’s a problem of representation.”
He also added that these superhero movies were only making the characters famous rather than actors making them movie stars. “Part of the Marvel-isation of Hollywood is you have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters,” he added.
"But they’re not movie stars. Right? Captain America is the star. Thor is the star. I’m not the first person to say that. I think that’s been said a zillion times, but it’s these franchise characters become a star.”
Tarantino’s comments were then slammed by Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu, who tweeted out in response.
“If the only gatekeepers to movie stardom came from Tarantino and Scorsese, I would never have had the opportunity to lead a $400 million plus movie,” Liu wrote.
“I am in awe of their filmmaking genius. They are transcendent auteurs. But they don’t get to point their nose at me or anyone. No movie studio is or ever will be perfect. But I’m proud to work with one that has made sustained efforts to improve diversity onscreen by creating heroes that empower and inspire people of all communities everywhere.”
Liu concluded with a jab at the Hollywood’s notoriety for ‘whitewashing’ movies, “I loved the ‘Golden Age’ too.. but it was white as hell.”
However, in the interview, the director noted that he didn’t “hate” the movies but “doesn’t love them” either. “I don’t hate them. But I don’t love them. I mean, look, I used to collect Marvel comics like crazy when I was a kid.”
He continued, “There’s an aspect that if these movies were coming out when I was in my twenties, I would totally be f-----g happy and totally love them. [But] they wouldn’t be the only movies being made, they would be those movies amongst other movies. I’m almost 60 so I’m not quite as excited about them.”
Previously, Scorsese famously likewise critiqued Marvel movies, calling them “theme parks” and “not cinema,” prompting a response from Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, among others, per THR.