- “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn defended Marvel movies after Francis Ford Coppola denounced the franchise.
- In an Instagram post, Gunn wrote that superheroes were “simply today’s gangsters” – a nod to “The Godfather” director.
- “… not everyone will be able to appreciate them, even some geniuses. And that’s okay,” he wrote.
- Coppola had called Marvel movies “despicable” after fellow director Martin Scorcese likened them to theme parks.
- A number of other actors and directors involved in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Samuel L. Jackson, have since defended the franchise.
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“Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn stood up for the Marvel Cinematic Universe after it faced criticism from veteran directors Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.
Gunn defended the franchise in an Instagram post featuring two of the most beloved characters from his own films: Groot and Rocket Raccoon.
Read more: Here’s how Groot and Rocket Raccoon look without visual effects in ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2’
“Many of our grandfathers thought all gangster movies were the same, often calling them “despicable,'” Gun captioned the photo in a nod to the work of Coppola and Scorsese, which includes “The Godfather” trilogy and “Goodfellas” respectively.
He added that the MCU was just cinema's latest evolution: "Superheroes are simply today's gangsters/cowboys/outer space adventurers.
"Some superhero films are awful, some are beautiful. Like westerns and gangster movies (and before that, just MOVIES), not everyone will be able to appreciate them, even some geniuses. And that's okay."
Gunn's comments were made after Scorsese said that Marvel films weren't cinema in an interview with Empire magazine (via ScreenRant). He instead compared the superhero movies to theme parks.
Speaking to journalists in Lyon after being awarded the Prix Lumiere for his contribution to cinema, Coppola threw his weight behind Scorsese's remarks, and went a step further.
"I don't know that anyone gets anything out of seeing the same movie over and over again," he said, according to AFP.
"Martin was kind when he said it's not cinema. He didn't say it's despicable, which I just say it is," he added.
Read more: Jennifer Aniston says the film industry is 'diminishing' because of 'big Marvel movies'
Gunn wasn't the only one to defend comic book adaptations in light of their reprovals.
"Of course it's cinema! It's at the movies," "Thor: Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi told AP Entertainment.
Samuel L. Jackson was among the actors who have defended the movies, telling Variety: "I mean that's like saying Bugs Bunny ain't funny. Films are films. Everybody doesn't like [Scorsese's] stuff either.
"Everybody's got an opinion, so I mean it's okay.
"Ain't going to stop nobody from making movies."
With Marvel's "Avengers: Endgame" earning $2.79 billion globally, Jackson is probably right.
Read more:
Gwyneth Paltrow defends her confusion over which Marvel movies she's been in: 'There are so many'
