Director Quentin Tarantino has criticized Marvel films, stating that the studio doesn’t produce movie stars and Marvel films are “the only things that seem to be made”, prompting a backlash from Marvel star Simu Liu.
Speaking of the 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast, Tarantino said that the decline in movie stars is due to “the marvelization of Hollywood”.
“You have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters,” Tarantino said. But they are not movie stars. Right? Captain America is a star. Or Thor is a star. I mean, I’m not the first to say that. I think it’s been said a million times… but, you know, it’s these franchise characters who become stars.”
Tarantino has said that while he does not “hate” Marvel films, he does not like their current ubiquity.
“Look, I used to collect Marvel comics like crazy when I was a kid,” he said. “There is an aspect that if these films came out when I was in my twenties, I would be damn happy and would love them. I mean they won’t be the only films being made. It would be those films among other films. But, you know, I’m almost 60, so yeah. No, I’m not exactly thrilled with them.
Fellow director Martin Scorsese has also been a vocal critic of Marvel, calling them “theme parks” rather than “movies”. Scorsese remarks: “I don’t think that’s true. I think it’s unfortunate.”
On Wednesday, Deadpool creator Robert Leifeld called Tarantino’s comments “the hottest of hot takes” while Liu, star of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and Legend of the Ten Rings, dismissed Tarantino’s assessment and praised Marvel’s efforts to improve diversity on screen.
“If the only gatekeepers in showbiz were Tarantino and Scorsese, I would never have had the opportunity to do a $400+ million film. I admire their genius in cinema. They are transcendent authors. But they cannot dictate what to do,” he tweeted.
“No film studio is perfect. But I’m proud to be working with a company that makes an ongoing effort to improve diversity on screen by creating characters that inspire and inspire people from all communities around the world. I loved The Golden Age too…but it was white as hell.”
Earlier this month, Tarantino said he would never direct a Marvel movie because “you have to be an employee to do it. I am not an employee. I’m not looking for a job.”