Filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar Says Marvel Movies Aren’t Sexy Enough For Him
Filmmaker and director Pedro Almodóvar, known for his filmography that explores all types of sexuality, recently said in a Vulture interview during Film at Lincoln Center’s 50th-anniversary gala that the Marvel movies aren’t sexy enough for him. In particular, he believes that superhero movies sap sexuality from their characters.
“Here, perhaps, there is a kind of self-censorship that doesn’t allow the writers to write other kinds of stories. There are many, many movies about superheroes. And sexuality doesn’t exist for superheroes. They are neutered. There is an unidentified gender, the adventure is what’s important. You can find, among independent movies, more of this sexuality. The human being has such sexuality! I get the feeling that in Europe, in Spain, that I have much more freedom than if I worked here.”
The director suggests that this approach to sexuality is just one of the reasons that he doesn’t see a Marvel movie in his directorial future.
“It’s too big for me! I like to see what I’m doing, to direct movies the same day.”
Almodóvar said that big movies require too much waiting to see the results of a director’s hard work. In addition, the 69-year-old director said he likes the creative control that comes from creating movies outside of the Hollywood system and points to his 21 films as examples of how this route works for him.
Pedro Almodóvar Wants Sexier Marvel Movies and Superhero Films: 'They Are Neutered' https://t.co/8UIYt7209L pic.twitter.com/JzSD4lWXBY
— IndieWire (@IndieWire) April 30, 2019
According to IndieWire, Almodóvar’s new movie, Pain and Glory, is heading to Cannes Film Festival in May where it will compete for the Palme d’Or. Its competition includes new films from Jim Jarmusch and Bong Joon-ho.
Pain and Glory stars Antonio Banderas and Penélope Cruz — who have worked with Almodóvar in the past — and follows an aging filmmaker that looks back at all the most influential figures in his life. Sony Classic Pictures is handling the film’s domestic release, and the movie is Almodóvar’s first since his 2016 melodrama Julieta. A release date has yet to be announced.
Although Almodóvar might not be a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its most recent installment, Avengers: Endgame, was a huge success. As of two days ago, it already grossed more than $1.2 billion in its opening weekend alone, as The Inquisitr reported. The film’s success helped it smash numerous box office records, including best opening weekend (domestic, foreign, worldwide), the highest-grossing weekend in May, and top opening theater average. The movie also broke daily records, including the highest-grossing single day.
