James Gunn Responds To Jodie Foster’s Criticisms Of Superhero Movies
Recently, Jodie Foster shared her thoughts on major blockbusters and superhero movies, expressing her lack of interest in working on a film with a big budget. She went so far as to say that she believes that the superhero genre is even “ruining the habits” of basically an entire generation of people who head to theaters to see movies. While she may not like what superhero movies seem to be doing to the industry and its audience, that does not mean there are not plenty of filmmakers out there who are especially talented and are more than willing to bring those talents to the genre. In fact, one of those filmmakers, James Gunn, was asked on Twitter about his thoughts on Jodie Foster’s criticisms.
In a series of tweets, Gunn actually responded to Foster’s comments in a well-thought-out and thought-provoking manner. As Cinema Blend reported, even though James Gunn might be known for his own superhero films, he did admit that there is a basis of truth to Jodie Foster’s beliefs. The Guardians of the Galaxy director said that he believes “Foster looks at film in an old-fashioned way where spectacle film can’t be thought-provoking.” While he may not agree with this idea completely, James Gunn did say that in some cases her belief is true, and even relatively common, because there is a basis of truth behind how she feels.
According to Gunn, the reason he feels that there may be some basis to her thoughts is because, in his opinion, “most studio franchise films are somewhat soulless – and that is a real danger to the future of movies. But there are also quite a few exceptions.” While the director might see some truth in Jodie Foster’s comments, he also said that in order for cinema to continue to thrive and grow, even spectacle movies like those in the superhero genre, need to have the heart and vision that has been lacking in many. As with any genre, there needs to be an evolution in order to keep things fresh and allow for continued growth.
Jodie Foster: Hollywood Is ‘Ruining the Viewing Habits of the American Population and Then Ultimately the Rest of the World’ https://t.co/hESSBuiSDZ pic.twitter.com/SwkpIw9qkc
— IndieWire (@IndieWire) December 30, 2017
James Gunn might have been responding to Foster’s recent comments in his series of tweets, but he also took the time to defend her by pointing out to his followers that what she said is based on her own personal experiences in the industry. The director said that based on what he could see from her quotes, “she seems to see filmmaking as something that’s primarily about her own personal growth.” While Gunn said that this is also a part of why he does what he does, there is also more to making a movie for him, because he sees filmmaking as being about communication as well.
Although James Gunn might have his own reasons for making movies, which do not seem to fall completely in line with Jodie Foster’s reasons for making films, he did say that he respects her opinions. He wrapped up his comments by saying that he has a lot of respect for what she has done for films and even the way she perceives Hollywood and its unique landscape.
