‘Doon’ filmmaker says recent superhero films have turned audiences into zombies
Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is the latest writer to offer his thoughts on superhero movies, especially those coming out of Marvel, saying these movies are very similar to each other. Villeneuve, the talented filmmaker behind films like “Prisoner”, “Sicario”, “Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049”, is currently promoting his latest feature film “Dune”.
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During his interview with the Spanish newspaper el mundo, the Canadian filmmaker was asked about the artistic relevance of tentpole cinema or films made on a big budget.
Villeneuve said the problem in this case seems to be the Marvel films, which are “cut and paste” versions of earlier films.
“Maybe the problem is that we’re exposed to a lot of Marvel movies that are nothing more than ‘cut and paste’ of others. Maybe these kinds of movies have turned us into zombies…” Villeneuve said. “But big and expensive movies are very valuable, today there are many. I don’t feel at all capable of being pessimistic,” he said.
The filmmaker said that films made by his fellow contemporaries Christopher Nolan or Alfonso Cuarón prove that big-budget films still enjoy great popularity among audiences.
“Think back to the golden age of Hollywood, to see that commercial films could make a different artistic proposition and, therefore, political. I’ve never harmed or hindered myself in having a generous budget to do what I wanted to do. Haven’t felt the way. Reverse.
“Who said a movie on a big budget can’t be artistically relevant at the same time? I’m currently thinking of people like Christopher Nolan or Alfonso Cuarón,” Villeneuve said.
Filmmakers aren’t alone in their takedowns of Marvel movies.
Last year, veteran filmmaker Martin Scorsese ruffled feathers when he said that Marvel movies do not serve the purpose of cinema, but a theme park adventure.
Villeneuve’s latest film “Dune” is a tentpole feature and is currently set for release in the US on October 22.
An adaptation of author Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, the film stars an ensemble cast of Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaacs, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dustmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan- Is. Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem.
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