Quentin Tarantino is a legend. It's time he stopped being a snobbish boomer with Marvel.
The Academy Award-winning director had a bone to pick with Marvel Studios, blaming the cinematic universe for the “Marvel-isation of Hollywood”. His comments have since sparked an intense debate over the ongoing critique of the Disney-owned enterprise.
It all started when actress Jennifer Aniston lamented Hollywood’s failing glamour in an interview with Variety, saying “there are no more movie stars” in the film industry.
The Django Unchained director seemed to agree with Aniston’s statements as he broke news in his latest interview with Variety…
Though Tarantino clarified that he does not inherently detest Marvel films, he does resent the fact that they’re the only form of cinema anybody ever talks about or that generates any excitement today.
The Inglorious Basterds director joins a list of old, white filmmakers who have consistently voiced their distaste towards Marvel-produced cinema…
Tarantino seems to have sparked a contentious debate across the Internet (yet again). Marvel actor Simu Liu slammed his remarks in a series of tweets defending Marvel movies:
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.
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) November 22, 2022
I loved the "Golden Age" too.. but it was white as hell.
As expected, droves of Tarantino and Scorsese diehards flocked in the defence of the two auteurs, most claiming that the two have done more for inclusivity and representation in Hollywood than anyone else ever.
I may as well put this here too, for added visibility. Scorsese has done much more for world cinema than Marvel has.https://t.co/UGGA5k9Upb
— Michael Avolio (@MichaelAvolio) November 23, 2022
If diversity is what you care about, you’d want more Tarantino films and fewer Marvel films.
— Greg Packnett (@GregPacknett) November 22, 2022
Scorsese made a movie with an entirely Tibetan cast in 1997, whereas Marvel “improved diversity onscreen” by whitewashing a Tibetan comic book character in 2016 so Doctor Strange could be released in China.
— Fiona Cootz (@ficootz) November 22, 2022
Simu Liu is either a dope or a hardcore company man for Disney pic.twitter.com/xCkUUVIBut
Martin Scorsese has quite literally done more for global cinema than most other people on the planet. You have no idea what you're talking about.
— Brian (@thebestbridog) November 22, 2022
The debates were eventually reduced to a childish competition between Tarantino and Scorsese's filmography, contrasted with the expansive Marvel Cinematic Universe.
So, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is more entertaining than...
— Scott Sullivan (@ScottSullivanTV) November 22, 2022
Cape Fear; Taxi Driver; Casino; Goodfellas; The Wolf of Wall Street; The Departed; The Irishman; Once Upon a Time in Hollywood; The Hateful Eight; Django Unchained; Pulp Fiction
... all COMBINED? Uhh....
I've learned about dozens of films from Scorsese & Tarantino (& the French New Wave critic/directors & Coppola & Schrader & Spielberg) - from their lists, films they've produced, distributed, restored. I have learned not a thing from the MCU save how cheaply you can buy loyalty.
— Walter Chaw 周瑜 (@mangiotto) November 23, 2022
"I would have never had the opportunity..."
— Lofti (@loftiyt) November 22, 2022
Tarantino literally blew up Lucy Liu's career, asshole. Money doesn't buy you a legendary performance. Quentin's camera does. https://t.co/lQHY7F3TBx pic.twitter.com/HjN2s11TAo
“Scorsese and Tarantino are cultural gatekeep-“
— Jared Gilman (@realJaredGilman) November 22, 2022
Film twitter: pic.twitter.com/OgkHSAQaBf
Although some semblance of reason still persisted in a few arguments...
No, his point here is that if Tarantino or Scorsese had made Shang-Chi it would've been starring Michael Madsen or Leonardo DiCaprio.
— Aaron (@bucknersrevenge) November 22, 2022
The Marvel logo is the main reason why the majority of people watched Shang-Chi, not because they heard that Simu Liu is playing the lead role
— Jayden (@drsoap8) November 22, 2022
This is all Tarantino’s saying https://t.co/LEbQzcdlyh
So you're watching Deadpool without Ryan Reynolds? Iron man movies with Downey? Ofc sometimes characters are bigger than the actors because those characters haven't finished their story but it's not like actors can keep playing them forever. Tarantino movies stop at 1 or 2
— Indra (@seasand931) November 23, 2022
gonna be a cool day when cbm twitter realizes quentin tarantino loves comic books and superheroes he just doesn’t like the way they’re handled in movies
— John Stewart Green Lantern (@LanternJS) November 22, 2022
I personally don't care for most of Tarantino's output. I respect Scorsese but don't love everything he directs bc there's only so much Italian guys beating each other up and shooting each other I can take. His music docs are incredible though. All utterly subjective opinions.
— Virago-A-Go-Go to the polls🖖🏻🍩♓🐟🐇😷🕎💉💉💉💉 (@ViragoX) November 22, 2022
The fact remains that the 21st century is witnessing a dynamic shift in cinema and its viewers. While auters of yore, the likes of which include Tarantino and Scorsese raise (mostly) valid criticism over the commercialisation of cinema under megacorporate entities such as Disney, they also need to understand that their own standards of cinema won't always resonate with newer, younger generations of audience (The Irishman being the case in point). A shift in perspective and styles of storytelling should be thrown open to critique, however, shouldn't be inherently labelled "bad" just because they're no longer a part of it. Especially considering how the pinnacle of white boomer Hollywood, AKA, the Academy have begun including films of more mainstream appeal into their infamously exclusionary Oscar lineup (à la Black Panther)
That being said, following the release of the latest Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Marvel fans and moviegoers in general are most definitely feeling the oversaturation of the franchise, especially after the bombardment of spectacles that Phase 4 had to offer. It's only a matter of time before inertia sets in hard and the Marvel burnout is more pronounced around the world. Perhaps Tarantino's words would then find greater apppeal. Society, after all, moves in circles.