Lesser art? Elizabeth Olsen defends Marvel films

Actor spoke out against Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, who have earlier bashed the superhero films


Entertainment Desk May 10, 2022

Elizabeth Olsen, who is currently garnering attention for her role as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch in the recently released Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, has strongly defended Marvel projects from filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, who have earlier bashed the superhero films, reported Variety.

According to The Independent, Olsen said she gets frustrated when people make Marvel movies "seem like a lesser type of art."

The actor asserted, "I'm not saying we're making indie art films, but I just think it takes away from our crew, which bugs me. These are some of the most amazing set designers, costume designers, camera operators - I feel diminishing them with that kind of criticism takes away from all the people who do award-winning films, that also work on these projects." 

Olsen added, “From an actor’s point of view, whatever, I get it; I totally understand that there’s a different kind of performance that’s happening. But I do think throwing Marvel under the bus takes away from the hundreds of very talented crew people. That’s where I get a little feisty about that.”

As per a report in Variety, Scorsese infamously compared Marvel movies to theme park rides while discussing how superhero movies have reshaped exhibitions in a way that's harmful to non-superhero movies. Coppola was quoted in 2019 calling Marvel movies "despicable," although he later clarified that he wasn't talking about Marvel movies specifically, but referring to how the film industry now values commerce over art.

However, Coppola shaded Marvel movies in a February interview with GQ Magazine. Coppola told the magazine, "There used to be studio films. Now there are Marvel pictures. And what is a Marvel picture? A Marvel picture is one prototype movie that is made over and over and over and over and over again to look different."

Nicolas Cage, who is the nephew of Coppola, came to the defence of Marvel movies in the wake of Francis, bashing them. "Yeah, why do they do that?" Cage asked the outlet about filmmakers criticising Marvel. "I don't understand the conflict. I don't agree with them on that perception or opinion."

He further shared, "I think that the movies that I make, like Pig or Joe, are not in any kind of conflict with Marvel movies. I mean, I don't think the Marvel movie had anything to do with the end of the tweener. By tweener, I mean the $30 to $50 million budget movie. I think movies are in good shape. If you look at Power of the Dog, or if you look at Spencer or any of Megan Ellison's movies. I think that there's still Paul Thomas Anderson."

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