Samuel L Jackson weighs in on Quentin Tarantino's Marvel comments
Samuel L. Jackson has defended the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its actors after Quentin Tarantino recently took aim at the "Marvel-isation of Hollywood" and insisted the main character in such movies is "the star" rather than the actor.
Samuel L. Jackson has hit back at Quentin Tarantino, after the director took aim at the "Marvel-isation of Hollywood".
The 73-year-old actor has played Nick Fury in 11 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, and he has challenged Tarantino's comments that the main character in such superhero movies is "the star" rather than the actor.
Speaking on 'The View', he said: "It takes an actor to be those particular characters, and the sign of movie stardom has always been, what, a**** in seats? What are we talking about?
"That’s not a big controversy for me to know that apparently these actors are movie stars. Chadwick Boseman is Black Panther. You can’t refute that, and he’s a movie star."
Last week, 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' director Tarantino lamented the fact there are "no real movie stars" anymore and blamed the fact that "franchise characters" in superhero movies are what become celebrated, not the talent of the actors bringing them to life.
He said: "Part of the Marvel-isation of Hollywood is… you have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters, but they’re not movie stars. Right? Captain America is the star. Or Thor is the star. I mean, I’m not the first person to say that. I think that’s been said a zillion times … but it’s like, you know, it’s these franchise characters that become a star.”
The 59-year-old filmmaker insisted he doesn't "hate" Marvel films but admitted he is frustrated that the comic book genre has overshadowed any other movies being made in the modern age.
He said: “Look, I used to collect Marvel comics like crazy when I was a kid.
“There’s an aspect that if these movies were coming out when I was in my twenties, I would totally be f****** happy and totally love them.
"I mean, they wouldn’t be the only movies being made. They would be those movies amongst other movies. But, you know, I’m almost 60, so yeah. No, I’m not quite as excited about them.
“My only axe to grind against them is they’re the only things that seem to be made.
“And they’re the only things that seem to generate any kind of excitement amongst a fan base or even for the studio making them. That’s what they’re excited about.
"And so it’s just the fact that they are the entire representation of this era of movies right now. There’s not really much room for anything else. That’s my problem.”
