James Gunn Loves Martin Scorsese, But Thinks He Trashes Marvel Movies To Get Press

If Martin Scorsese made a list of things he loves, it might include: making movies, a film soundtrack with at least two songs by The Rolling Stones, the word “fuck,” Robert De Niro, mob culture, a good eyebrow grooming kit, and talking shit about Marvel movies. James Gunn, Scorsese fan and superhero franchise director, would kindly like him to knock it off with the last one.

Some of the things that has made Martin Scorsese’s daughter go, “Daaaad, staaaaap!“, have been to describe Marvel’s superhero film adaptations as simple, pedestrian movies – not cinema –  that appeal to the broadest audience for a short amount of time. Some have agreed with him, and some have not. Martin’s comments were made two years ago, around the time he was doing press for The Irishman. Since then, his mind hasn’t changed, although he does seem to have a new grumpy old man target (streaming services). James Gunn has directed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, the sequel, the upcoming 3rd Guardians film, and DC’s The Suicide Squad which premieres in theaters and on HBO Max today. So James Gunn himself has been doing some promotion. And James thinks the reason Martin Scorsese was talking so much shit is that he knew it would get him some attention while trying to get butts in theater seats. via Complex:

James Gunn, who’s got another superhero movie coming out (albeit this time for DC), was asked about Scorsese’s comments as part of an interview for the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Gunn gave his answer as to what he believed motivated Scorsese’s comments.

“I just think it seems awful cynical that he would keep coming out against Marvel and then that is the only thing that would get him press for his movie,” Gunn said. “So he just kept coming out against Marvel so that he could get press for his movie. He’s creating his movie in the shadow of the Marvel films, and so he uses that to get attention for something he wasn’t getting as much attention as he wanted for it.”

Martin Scorsese’s next film, Killers of the Flower Moon, doesn’t have a release date yet. But when it comes time to promote that, James Gunn is hoping Marty keeps Marvel’s name out of his mouth, just for the sake of Martin’s longstanding reputation as an icon of filmmaking. Even if James Gunn does sort of agree with him at times.

“He’s one of the greatest filmmakers who’s ever existed,” Gunn went on. “I love his movies. I can watch his movies with no problem. And he said a lot of things I agree with. There are a lot of things that are true about what he said. There are a lot of heartless, soulless, spectacle films out there that don’t reflect what should be happening. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve talked to film directors before they went and made a big movie, and said, ‘Hey, we’re in this together, let’s do something different with these big movies. Let’s make them something different than everything that has come before them.’ And then see them cater to every single studio whim and be grossed out, frankly.”

Some people might have read into James’ comments as James’ way to tell Martin Scorsese to go home and get his shine box, but James swears he didn’t mean to start a war with Martin Scorsese like that. James hopped on Twitter to clarify that the only issue he has with Martin Scorsese, the “greatest living American filmmaker,” is that they disagree on whether superhero films can be considered “cinema.”

Also for the record, Martin Scorsese is probably the world’s greatest living American filmmaker. I love & study his films & will continue to love & study his films. I disagree with him solely on one point: That films based on comic books are innately not cinema, that’s all. 🙏 https://t.co/By9IBe8HAm

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) August 4, 2021

James Gunn might sincerely own an “I [heart] Marty” t-shirt, but he also thinks Martin Scorsese is wrong about superhero films. And Martin can choose to dedicate his next promo tour to his film, and not treat it like his own personal Burn Book against capes and tights. Which would be for the best. Because anyone who eventually saw The Irishman was surely wondering how Martin Scorsese could have come for superhero movies like he did when his own movie had more obvious CGI than Thanos wiping everyone out with his jewel-studded glove.

Pics: Wenn.com