These days, it feels like just about everyone is in love with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
But even though plenty of big name, Oscar-caliber stars have signed on to the MCU, there are
some actors who aren't so enamored with Marvel movies, and aren't afraid to say so. Here's
a look at some big name actors who have criticized the MCU.
Simon Pegg
In 2015, Simon Pegg bit that hand that feeds him by trashing science fiction and comic
book movies, saying society was being, quote, "infantilized" by superhero movies and that
they're, quote, "taking our focus away from real-world issues."
Pegg called out Avengers: Age of Ultron specifically, saying that films used to give us
"challenging, emotional journeys [...] Now we're walking out of the cinema really not
thinking about anything, other than the fact that the Hulk had a fight with a robot."
Unsurprisingly, Pegg also had a bone to pick with Marvel Studios over how they treated
his pal Edgar Wright, saying that Wright's original Ant-Man script was
"Daring, fun, and hugely exciting. Shame we won't see it."
Jodie Foster
The Avengers and their ilk may save the world on the screen, but according to Jodie Foster,
when it comes to the hearts and minds of audiences, they do the exact opposite. Foster told Radio
Times she had no interest in directing superhero movies, and she compared Marvel and DC's films
to literally harming the planet. She said:
"Studios making bad content in order to appeal to the masses and shareholders is like fracking,
you get the best return right now but you wreck the earth. […] It's ruining the viewing
habits of the American population and ultimately the rest of the world."
Guardians of the Galaxy writer and director James Gunn responded on Twitter, saying,
"I think Foster looks at film in an old-fashioned way where spectacle film can’t be thought-provoking.
[…] Creating spectacle films that are innovative, humane, and thoughtful is what excites me
about this job."
George Takei
In 2016, when Tilda Swinton was cast as Stephen Strange's mentor the Ancient One in Marvel's
Doctor Strange, critics accused Marvel of whitewashing. Doctor Strange co-writer C.
Robert Cargill responded by claiming they made the character Celtic instead of Tibetan
in order to avoid angering Chinese censors.
That didn't sit well with Star Trek icon George Takei, who posted on Facebook
"You cast a white actress so you wouldn’t hurt sales…in Asia? This backpedaling is
nearly as cringeworthy as the casting. Marvel must think we’re all idiots.
He went on to point out that they moved the Ancient One's headquarters from Tibet to Nepal
anyway, which should have taken care of the issue to begin with.
"It wouldn't have mattered to the Chinese government by that point whether the character
was white or Asian. It was already in another country."
Jessica Chastain
In August 2014, while speaking to TheWrap about women having difficulty finding good
roles in Hollywood, Jessica Chastain singled out Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow as an
example of a powerful female character and said the fact that Marvel hadn't made a solo
Black Widow movie made no sense.
"I don't understand it, why is it taking so long for this? To me, it's a no-brainer. You
want to make money, put Scarlett Johansson in a superhero movie!"
There's some good news, though: after the success of 2017's Wonder Woman, Marvel finally
began listening, and a Black Widow film is currently in development.
Chloe Bennet
You wouldn't think someone currently working for Marvel would take potshots at them, but
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Chloe Bennet did just that in 2016 when she expressed frustration
with her show consistently being ignored by the movies even though they take place in
the same shared universe. She told a crowd of fans at a comic book convention,
"People who make movies for Marvel, why don't you acknowledge what happens on our show?
Why don't you guys go ask them that? 'Cause they don't seem to care! […]I am kind of,
like, ready for Steve Rogers to make an appearance on our show. I'd be okay with that. And like,
where's Romanoff? Where's the Avengers?"
Christopher Eccleston
Thor: The Dark World star Christopher Eccleston is another onetime Marvel employee who wasn't
quite so happy with the studio, not because they didn't give his character enough attention,
but because they gave him way too much. Eccleston told Graham Norton that in order to play the
evil Malekith, Eccleston had to endure several hours in makeup every day, something he says
Marvel hid from him when he signed on.
"Marvel were dishonest to me. Because they never, ever let me know that there'd be that
amount of make-up."
And he was even more direct when speaking to The Guardian about the experience.
"Thor? Just a gun in your mouth."
So, y'know, don't count on Malekith coming back to pester Thor anytime soon.
Mel Gibson
Considering Mel Gibson once said of a critic
"I want to kill him. I want his intestines on a stick. I want to kill his dog,"
you have to take it seriously when he starts complaining about excess violence.
Calling superhero films "violence without conscience" in an interview with the Washington
Post, he contrasted his approach to the 2016 drama Hacksaw Ridge with Marvel's output.
"Look at any Marvel movie. They’re more violent than anything that I’ve done, but
[in my movies,] you give a s*** about the characters, which makes it matter more. That’s
all I’ll say."
Jason Momoa
Even before Jason Momoa made his debut as Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe, the star,
at a fan's request, personalized an autographed photo with "F*** Marvel" at the Indiana Comic-Con.
The photo, and particularly the offending phrase, traveled quickly across the web feeding
fuel to the decades-old Marvel/DC rivalry.
To his credit, Momoa wasn't too pleased about the autograph going viral, explaining at Pureto
Rico Comic Con that it was just a joke that got blown way out of proportion.
"I love X-Men, I grew up, I love Wolverine. My kids love Spider-Man. It's just silly.
I'll leave my sense of humor at the bottom of the ocean next time."
Thanks for watching! Click the Looper icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Plus
check out all this cool stuff we know you'll love, too!