Quentin Tarantino says directors ‘can’t wait’ to see superhero movies again and claims only ‘hired hands’ are working on them – but warns ‘not yet on the wall’ of when they will disappear
Oscar-winning director said superhero movies have a ‘stranglehold’ on Hollywood
But the 59-year-old thinks it will be a while before their popularity wanes
His comments come after similar comments from Hollywood legend Martin Scorcese
Tarantino also said ‘you have to be a mercenary’ to direct superhero movies
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Quentin Tarantino has said movie directors “can’t wait” for the hype around superhero movies to die down.
The Oscar-winning director, 59, said Marvel and DC blockbusters have a “stranglehold” on Hollywood.
In his new book, Cinema Speculation, Tarantino says current directors “can’t wait for the day” when the genre’s popularity wanes — and likens today’s superhero mania to the 1960s obsession with studio music adaptations.
In a recent interview, he expanded on the vision, adding, “The analogy works because it’s a similar stranglehold.”
Tarantino says superhero movies will fall out of favor, but the ‘writing isn’t quite on the wall yet’
Two of the highest-grossing films of 2022 are superhero films, including Marvel’s Dr Strange
The latest Batman movie, starring Robert Pattinson, is also one of this year’s biggest earners
Tarantino, whose list of acclaimed works includes Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill movies, told the LA Times he hasn’t touched the genre because ‘you have to be a mercenary to do those things.
‘I’m not a mercenary. I’m not looking for a job.’
But “the writing isn’t quite on the wall yet” for a decline in superhero movie popularity.
Tarantino said the popularity of musical adaptations ended in the 1960s when movie studios realized, “Oh my gosh, we just spent a ton of money on things nobody cares about anymore.”
Two superhero films appear in the current top five highest-grossing this year.
Oscar-winning director Tarantino compared superhero mania to similar trends in 1960s cinema
Tarantino’s first film was Reservoir Dogs, the beginning of a legendary Hollywood career
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a Marvel Comics film, was third on the list, making $955,775,804.
The Batman, a DC Comics movie, came in fifth with $770,836,163.
Tarantino’s comments follow similar comments from Hollywood legend Martin Scorsese in December 2019.
The 79-year-old Taxi Driver director expressed concern that the genre is pushing other films to the fringes of the film industry.
He said: ‘We are now in a situation where the theaters only show the latest superhero movies.
Fellow Hollywood icon Martin Scorcese was also critical of the genre’s hold on Hollywood
“You have 12 screens – and 11 is the superhero movie. You like superhero movies, fine, but you need 11 screens?
‘It’s crazy for a picture like, you know, Lady Bird or The Souvenir. Those movies may not be hugely commercial per se, but there are movies that are humble and heartfelt and find big audiences.
‘Just because a movie is commercial doesn’t mean it can’t be art. What has consumed the theaters is product. A product has to be consumed and thrown away.’
He asked sharply, “How are we going to protect the art form?”