Actor Samuel L Jackson, better known as Nick Fury in the blockbuster Avengers franchise, has called out Martin Scorsese for his comments on the Marvel Studios films’.
Earlier in an interview with Empire magazine that the veteran filmmaker had, he had likened the superhero films to theme parks.
Calling those films ‘theme parks’ he said that he had tried to see Marvel’s movies “But that’s not cinema.”
“Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being,” he continued.
In response to the Raging Bull director, Samuel L Jackson said that films were films and not everybody likes ‘his (Martin’s films) stuff either’.
“I mean that’s like saying Bugs Bunny ain’t funny. Films are films. Everybody doesn’t like his stuff either. Everybody’s got an opinion, so I mean it’s okay. Ain’t going to stop nobody from making movies,” he told Variety at the opening of Tyler Perry’s new studio in Atlanta.
The filmmaker’s comments drew a massive response from Twitter where not just fans, but members of the American film fraternity responded to his statement.
Joss Whedon, The Avengers director, took to Twitter to respond to the criticism on Saturday. He tweeted, “I first think of @JamesGunn, how his heart & guts are packed into GOTG. I revere Marty, & I do see his point, but…Well there’s a reason why “I’m always angry”.
Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn also pitched in to say, “Martin Scorsese is one of my 5 favorite living filmmakers. I was outraged when people picketed The Last Temptation of Christ without having seen the film. I’m saddened that he’s now judging my films in the same way.”
He further tweeted, “That said, I will always love Scorsese, be grateful for his contribution to cinema, and can’t wait to see The Irishman.”
“And I’m not saying religious zealotry is the same as not liking my movies, or in the same category. What I’m saying is I’m not fond of people judging things without actually seeing them, whether it’s a movie about Jesus or a genre,” he concluded.
Many other celebrities have also criticized Marvel films in the past, including the Titanic director James Cameron.
Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame became the highest-grossing film in the history of cinema in the summer of 2019 with more than US$ 2.8 billion at the global box office.
Meanwhile, Scorsese’s The Irishman featuring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro is slated to debut on Netflix on 27 November.
“It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”
I first think of @JamesGunn, how his heart & guts are packed into GOTG. I revere Marty, & I do see his point, but…
Well there’s a reason why “I’m always angry”. https://t.co/Wh3ptU2KBp
— Joss Whedon (@joss) October 4, 2019
Martin Scorsese is one of my 5 favorite living filmmakers. I was outraged when people picketed The Last Temptation of Christ without having seen the film. I’m saddened that he’s now judging my films in the same way. https://t.co/hzHp8x4Aj8
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 4, 2019