Like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino is not the biggest fan of MCU movies. Recently, the director spoke about how the Marvel and DC movie franchises have been detrimental to Hollywood by destroying the notion of the ‘movie star’. He has also spoken about how he is no fan of Disney, saying that when one of his movies was released alongside a Star Wars movie, the company allegedly attempted to force his movie out of certain theatres.
He has come under fire for some of his criticism, but whether you agree or disagree with his (often controversial) comments, the director is almost always worth listening to. He remains one of the most creative and passionate filmmakers in Hollywood, as has made violent drama movies that rank among the all-time greats.
Now, the director has given his explanation for why young, teenage movie-goers have so much love for the Marvel series of superhero movies. Speaking on the Howard Stern show, he said “I met a kid I’d never met before at a party the other day, and he started a conversation with me. And, he asked me what I felt about superhero movies. And this kid is – I don’t know how old he is – 16/17, maybe a little older. But, he’s talking about how he saw the first Iron Man when he as 4 or 5. So, to him, Marvel movies and DC movies are movies!”
He continued, expanding on his point “And there’s been no competition to show him that here can be anything else. So going to the movies, means going to see those movies. And if it’s not that it’s the Star Wars movies, if not that it’s the Harry Potter movies, if not that it’s the Transformers movies.”
Tarantino’s comments show that he believes the Marvel movies are crowding out other releases, and that they’re shaping young people’s perspectives of what movies can be. It’s an interesting explanation for the popularity, whether you agree or disagree, and will be sure to get everyone, including Marvel fans, thinking about the future of cinema.
For more on the MCU, check out our guide to The Marvels release date, or the Ant-Man 3 release date.