Following comments questioning the theatrical value of Marvel Cinematic Universe films by Martin Scorsese, a Marvel executive hits back at the Oscar-winning actor’s claims.
Speaking with Geeks of Color, Marvel exec and Loki producer Kevin Wright addressed Scorsese’s recent comments about comic book movies, believing films like the MCU’s offerings are a “danger” to today’s culture. In response, Wright, while plugging Loki Season 2, disagreed with the notion of Marvel movies not being real cinema. “[Loki] is being built with a lot of love and care, and an eye for the cinematic,” Wright said. “Any of these shows, any of these movies, anything in this world is about making a character-focused story that audiences can connect with. I would challenge anyone watching to say that [this show] is not cinematic, and it’s not built with the highest craftsmanship and care.”
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Wright believes the MCU has significant cinematic value and an eye for good storytelling, contrary to Scorsese’s claims. Whether superhero movies or indie offerings, the executive insists such projects intrigue fans just as much as more dramatic flicks. “Frankly, people just want to see good stories. If you build something beautiful, [the audience is] going to enjoy it, whether it’s a show like this, or an indie film,” he said.
Scorsese has long been a staunch critic of the MCU. During a recent profile with GQ, Scorsese lamented how comic book films have dominated the Hollywood landscape, suggesting they mislead audiences, “Because there are going to be generations now that think movies are only those — that’s what movies are.” Additionally, Scorsese championed fellow helmers like Christopher Nolan, suggesting figures like the Oppenheimer director are needed to “save cinema” from the superhero phenomenon.
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The MCU recently attracted criticism from another prominent director as comic book writer and X-Men franchise helmer Matthew Vaughn expressed his belief Marvel needs to make fewer movies to preserve the MCU’s aura and reduce the effect of superhero fatigue. The MCU has garnered mixed results in 2023 with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania becoming the first non-pandemic MCU movie to lose money while early projections for The Marvels pale in comparison to 2019’s Captain Marvel. On the TV front, Marvel also saw its worst-rated MCU series ever in Secret Invasion, which suffered from behind-the-scenes issues throughout production.
Loki has helped the MCU pick up some much-needed momentum, with Season 2 of the series attracting an 87% critical rating and 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw Jonathan Majors and Owen Wilson, Loki chronicles the titular character and his interactions with the Time Variance Authority (TVA).
Loki Season 2 is now available for streaming on Disney+.
Source: Geeks of Color
Marvel executive and Loki producer Kevin Wright addresses criticisms by Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese about the validity of superhero films. Read More