Add another Oscar-winning director to the list of major industry players who are over superhero movies. Alejandro González Iñárritu has spoken out once more against superhero flicks, securing his place alongside the likes of Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, and on and on and on.
At a recent event, Iñárritu took the chance to bash superhero movies, wondering if they’re necessary. “I see heroes every day. I see beautiful people really going through very difficult situations and doing incredible things. And that is the people that I kind of connect with. But these kinds of superpower heroes, really do we need that?” He added, “If you need that, is there something missing…instead of admiring what we have, the possibilities that we have?”
There are some issues here. One reading of Iñárritu’s comments seems to suggest he’s saying that because there are heroic figures in everyday life–say, those providing for others while in an unfortunate living situation–there is no need for anyone with a cape. But aren’t Batman and Superman and Captain America inspirational characters? Aren’t they, no matter how fictional, heroic entities to millions of children around the world? Also, doesn’t “superpower heroes” sound like a dollar-store knockoff of Justice League action figures?
Iñárritu has made anti-superhero movie remarks before, but his most recent comments ensure his name will be uttered alongside some of the aforementioned directors who have also come out against superhero and comic book movies. In 2019, Martin Scorsese penned an op-ed piece in The New York Times suggesting that Marvel wasn’t cinema, writing, “Many of the elements that define cinema as I know it are there in Marvel pictures. What’s not there is revelation, mystery or genuine emotional danger. Nothing is at risk.” Francis Ford Coppola supported his friend, saying, “He’s right because we expect to learn something from cinema, we expect to gain something, some enlightenment, some knowledge, some inspiration.” Meanwhile, Quentin Tarantino called such franchise directors hired hands.
What do you think of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s comments about superhero movies? Let us know in the comments section below.