The fallout from The Irishman director Martin Scorsese’s prior (and double- and tripled-down) criticisms of the Marvel Cinematic Universe continued with Disney chief Bob Iger on Wednesday. While speaking with the Wall Street Journal at an event in California, he acknowledged that it was the Goodfellas and Casino helmer’s “right” to say what he said — but didn’t entirely agree with it. Nor did he agree with Francis Ford Coppola, who backed up Scorsese with much harsher language.
“They want to b*tch about movies, it’s certainly their right,” Iger told the crowd gathered at the WSJ event. As for Coppola’s specific description of Marvel’s movies as “despicable,” though, the Disney CEO was less than forgiving. “I reserve the word ‘despicable’ for someone who committed mass murder… These are movies.”
Iger isn’t the only person with a foot placed firmly in Marvel’s camp to defend the superhero studio against Scorsese and Coppola. On Tuesday, Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau offered his own diplomatic response to the iconic filmmakers’ complaints. James Gunn, Natalie Portman, Robert Downey Jr., and many more have also chimed in with various comments. Hell, even Kevin Smith has repeatedly opined on the subject — and all because Scorsese compared Marvel’s movies to “theme parks” on multiple occasions.
(Via Wall Street Journal)
