Chris Hemsworth voiced his discontent during an interview with The Times of London regarding critiques of Marvel films by certain directors whom he admires personally, including Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.
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Chris Hemsworth Responds to Marvel Critics: Defending Superheroes and Challenging Hollywood Icons
Hemsworth, known for his portrayal of Thor, one of the founding Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), made his debut in a standalone film in 2011, subsequently appearing in three sequels and featuring prominently in various “Avengers” films until 2022.
“It felt harsh, and it bothers me, especially from heroes. It was an eye-roll for me, people bashing the superhero space,” Hemsworth told The Times. “Those guys had films that didn’t work too — we all have. When they talked about what was wrong with superheroes, I thought, cool, tell that to the billions who watch them. Were they all wrong?”
Martin Scorsese initially voiced his criticisms of Marvel films in the autumn of 2019, famously referring to them as a “theme park” experience rather than authentic cinema. The Oscar winner later clarified that his concerns were not about the quality of Marvel movies but rather their overwhelming presence in the market. He contended that superhero films were displacing indie and mid-budget productions from theaters.
Francis Ford Coppola echoed the sentiments of his longtime colleague, elaborating on his agreement in a 2022 interview with GQ magazine. “There used to be studio films. Now there are Marvel pictures. And what is a Marvel picture? A Marvel picture is one prototype movie that is made over and over and over and over and over again to look different.”
During his interview with The Times of London, Hemsworth criticized the viewpoints of Scorsese and Coppola, asserting that “cinema-going did not change because of superheroes, but because of smartphones and social media. Superhero films actually kept people in the cinemas during that transition and now people are coming back. So they deserve a little more appreciation.”
Hemsworth Challenges Marvel Critics and Explores Career Evolution with ‘Furiosa’
Hemsworth also expressed discontent with Marvel critiques coming from actors who have starred in the MCU. Although he didn’t specify individuals, The Times referenced Idris Elba, who previously described his Marvel experience as “torture,” and Christian Bale, who criticized the “monotony” of filming on the set of “Thor: Love and Thunder,” as notable examples.
“It’s, like, ‘They’re films that are successful — put me in one. Oh, mine didn’t work? I’ll bash them,’” Hemsworth said. “Look, I grew up on a soap opera. And it used to bother me when actors would later talk about the show with guilt or shame. Humility goes a long way. One of the older actors on ‘Home and Away’ said, ‘We don’t get paid to make the good lines sound good, but to make the bad ones work.’ That stuck with me.”
“But hey, it’s all a lesson,” he continued. “And if I ever went back to [Thor] I’d wonder how we could change it again. But there is a superhero curse in the sense you get pigeonholed, and I’ve felt a little hamstrung with what I could do, so [I] desperately wanted something to scare the shit out of me. And ‘Furiosa’ did.”
Hemsworth has been making the press rounds in support of “Furiosa,” George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” prequel that is world premiering at the Cannes Film Festival ahead of its theatrical release this month. The actor is playing a demented and villainous warlord, which is a far cry from his trademark Thor role. He admitted to Vanity Fair last month that he grew frustrated with Thor during his tenure with Marvel.
“Sometimes I felt like a security guard for the team,” Hemsworth said. “I would read everyone else’s lines, and go, ‘Oh, they got way cooler stuff. They’re having more fun. What’s my character doing?’ It was always about, ‘You’ve got the wig on. You’ve got the muscles. You’ve got the costume. Where’s the lighting?’ Yeah, I’m part of this big thing, but I’m probably pretty replaceable.”
Hemsworth further commented that he has eagerly awaited the opportunity to showcase more than just his skills as a “muscly action guy,” and he believes that “Furiosa” offers him precisely that chance. The film, distributed by Warner Bros., is set to open nationwide on May 24th.
