It's 'Super Depressing' to Hear Tarantino and Scorsese Criticize Marvel, Says Chris Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth, known for his role as "Thor" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently opened up about how it felt when Marvel movies were criticized by directors like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino; the directors compared them to "theme park rides" and claimed that the actors are "not movie stars" and that only the characters they play are well-known.

The director of "Kill Bill" and "Pulp Fiction," Quentin Tarantino, has claimed that Marvel actors are not true cinematic stars. He said on the "2 Bears, 1 Cave" podcast, "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 director of "Goodfellas" and "Taxi Driver," Martin Scorsese elaborated on his criticism in a piece for The New York Times, contending that while "many of the elements that define cinema as I know it are there in Marvel pictures," at last "what's not there is revelation, mystery or genuine emotional danger." As per Insider, he said, "Nothing is at risk, the pictures are made to satisfy a specific set of demands, and they are designed as variations on a finite number of themes."

While speaking to Empire magazine, Scorsese said, "Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn't the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being."

Chris Hemsworth responded to these statements in an interview with GQ Magazine, saying, "That's super depressing when I hear that. There goes two of my heroes I won't work with. I guess they're not a fan of me." 

He told the magazine, "I say that less to the directors who made those comments, who are all, by the way, still my heroes," expressing, "In a heartbeat, I would leap to work with any of them. But I say it more to the broader opinion around that topic. I don't think any of us have the answer, but we're trying."

Despite the criticism, Hemsworth is appreciative of his role in the Marvel universe and the continued moviegoing of fans. "I'm thankful that I have been a part of something that kept people in cinemas." "Now, whether or not those films were to the detriment of other films, I don't know," he added. "I don't love when we start scrutinizing each other when there's so much fragility in the business and in this space of the arts as it is," concluded the actor.