GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Director Fires Back At Award Season Superhero Movie Haters

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Director Fires Back At Award Season Superhero Movie Haters

"If you, as a "serious" filmmaker, think you put more love into your characters than the Russo Brothers do Captain America...or I do a talking raccoon, you are simply mistaken." Hit the jump for more of James Gunn's thoughts on the recent wave of superhero movie bashing...

By JoshWilding - Feb 23, 2015 02:02 PM EST
I didn't really find the Jack Black superhero jokes offensive, did you guys? It was, like, a joke. I'm not sure if you guys noticed, but the writing on the Oscars didn't seem to be all that well thought out.
 
As far as Dan Gilroy saying that attendees of the Independent Spirit Awards have survived against a "tsunami of superhero films" - well it seems a bit weird coming from a guy whose wife has acted in two Thor films - really, that seems like you've drowned horribly in that tsunami. But I know I just kind of make up stuff as I go along on these awards shows, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
 
Whatever the case, the truth is, popular fare in any medium has always been snubbed by the self-appointed elite. I've already won more awards than I ever expected for Guardians. What bothers me slightly is that many people assume because you make big films that you put less love, care, and thought into them then people do who make independent films or who make what are considered more serious Hollywood films.
 
I've made B-movies, independent films, children's movies, horror films, and gigantic spectacles. I find there are plenty of people everywhere making movies for a buck or to feed their own vanity. And then there are people who do what they do because they love story-telling, they love cinema, and they want to add back to the world some of the same magic they've taken from the works of others. In all honesty, I do no find a strikingly different percentage of those with integrity and those without working within any of these fields of film.
 
If you think people who make superhero movies are dumb, come out and say we're dumb. But if you, as an independent filmmaker or a "serious" filmmaker, think you put more love into your characters than the Russo Brothers do Captain America, or Joss Whedon does the Hulk, or I do a talking raccoon, you are simply mistaken.


Wow. Talk about well said! It does seem that comic book movies are receiving more hate now that the majority of them are actually good than when we were forced to suffer through the likes of Fantastic Four and Spider-Man 3, and their success appears to be a big part of the reason why. Doing this job means I follow a lot of journalists who resent reporting on these adaptations despite never having picked up a comic book in their lives. It basically all comes down to pretentiousness!

Four major superhero movies were released last year, but apparently that's too much. The next few years will admittedly be much busier for the genre, and it will be interesting by 2020 to see whether or not moviegoers are still interested or that begins to fade. Either way, what the Guardians of the Galaxy director says sums the whole thing up better than I ever could. Do you agree with him? 
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Kyos
Kyos - 2/23/2015, 2:26 PM
Dang it! My article on this would have been ready in about five minutes. :D
Pasto
Pasto - 2/23/2015, 2:28 PM
Gonna drop a philosophical bomb in this thread before the pee-on with the Mister Terrific avatar opens his mouth. Here we go...

People who dislike CBMs can



Peace bitches, I'm out!
ALegendaryPanda
ALegendaryPanda - 2/23/2015, 2:29 PM
Itsbeenfun
Itsbeenfun - 2/23/2015, 2:29 PM
I'm fully expecting what Snyder brings to the DC Cinematic Universe to be both a mind-boggling spectacle and be deep rooted in philosophical undertones.
sKeemAn
sKeemAn - 2/23/2015, 2:30 PM
They love to hate CBM's!!
Pasto
Pasto - 2/23/2015, 2:30 PM
"It's about the passion to create. Not the greed to imitate."

Most logical thing you've said/copied on here, manny.
sKeemAn
sKeemAn - 2/23/2015, 2:30 PM
I see the hate getting much stronger as these movies continue to grow and get better.
marccampos
marccampos - 2/23/2015, 2:32 PM
Yes!!!!
FordEl
FordEl - 2/23/2015, 2:33 PM
I agree with his points that haters shouldnt automatically assume they put less thought into a movie bevause its a big budget or a superhero movie. It bothers me when naysayers doint view it as a genre, because thats what they are now.
TheEpicJuicebox
TheEpicJuicebox - 2/23/2015, 2:33 PM
How can they hate superheroes???? There's nothing to hate
ALegendaryPanda
ALegendaryPanda - 2/23/2015, 2:33 PM
Pasto
Pasto - 2/23/2015, 2:33 PM
*Hate us cause they anus
kinghulk
kinghulk - 2/23/2015, 2:34 PM
" But if you, as an independent filmmaker or a "serious" filmmaker, think you put more love into your characters than the Russo Brothers do Captain America, or Joss Whedon does the Hulk, or I do a talking raccoon, you are simply mistaken."

well said James Gunn, well said.
Pheezmatic
Pheezmatic - 2/23/2015, 2:34 PM
Werd...same shit I was saying yesterday.
FordEl
FordEl - 2/23/2015, 2:34 PM
@Bazinga

Im excited for DC bc we can tell theyre going to have a diffrent voice from Marvel. We Would be in trouble if every comic book movie were mindless action comedies, fun etc. Its nice to have some variety
DRJ01
DRJ01 - 2/23/2015, 2:34 PM
Hell Ya!
CaptainObvious
CaptainObvious - 2/23/2015, 2:35 PM
Hollywood needs to stop acting like they're above superhero movies and blockbusters in general. Those movies are what is keeping the industry alive.
SageMode
SageMode - 2/23/2015, 2:35 PM
Gunn knows what the [frick] is up and I love the dudes straight-to-the-point honesty.
LEVITIKUZ
LEVITIKUZ - 2/23/2015, 2:35 PM
@EzioKenway1225

SuperiorMrGod
SuperiorMrGod - 2/23/2015, 2:36 PM
@Bazinga

I hoped for something like that in Man of Steel and look at what we got.....
SoFresh
SoFresh - 2/23/2015, 2:37 PM
[racial slur] WENT IN!!!
WOOOOOOOO!
PARTY THREAD!!
🎉
A2K
A2K - 2/23/2015, 2:37 PM
I didn't like Guardians but good on him for speaking out, if nothing else he's a vocal proponent of the CBM/Superhero genre.
Slader
Slader - 2/23/2015, 2:37 PM
MCU continues without winning Oscars ... maybe MCU means Mediocre cinematic universe? 10 movies and no Oscar? This really is terrible
Pasto
Pasto - 2/23/2015, 2:38 PM
Who would win?

Itsbeenfun
Itsbeenfun - 2/23/2015, 2:38 PM
@FordEl

"We Would be in trouble if every comic book movie were mindless action comedies, fun etc. Its nice to have some variety"

Amen to that! Variety is a good thing, and I think it's clear by now that they are trying to distinguish themselves in style etc.
FordEl
FordEl - 2/23/2015, 2:39 PM
Wasnt a fan of Guardians but I'm liking what he's saying here.
skidz
skidz - 2/23/2015, 2:39 PM
That's one of the most eloquent beatdowns I've read in quite some time.
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