Even though the superhero genre remains extremely successful at the box office (with a few exceptions), Hollywood veterans quite often criticize such studios as Marvel and DC for focusing on making money instead of creating «quality movies». This time, actor Tom Hanks also spoke out in favor of the creators of superhero films.
In the latest episode of the «Happy Sad Confused» podcast (via Variety), the actor said that he has never met with Kevin Feige or James Gunn to discuss joining the Marvel or DC universe — and seems to have no regrets about it, as he prefers real stories to comic books with special effects (which he believes is what moviegoers need)
«The industry often says that if it works, it will work again. But the audience is way ahead of that,» Hanks says. «They say: “I’ve seen this before. What’s next?” I think we’re in new territory».
Hanks also noted that the superheroes of the 1970s and 1980s were harder for studios to come by, and that had its charm:
«Remember in the 1970s and 80s they tried to make a TV version of «Captain America» and «Spider-Man»? Even Adam West’s Batman. There was no technology that would allow you to recreate it like in the comics. And now it exists. You can do anything you want»
The actor added that the first to come close to modern VFX effects was probably «Superman» Christopher Reeve:
«All thanks to the advanced technology that allowed us to remove the wire. We believed that man could fly when we saw him. It was quite extraordinary».
Whereas now, according to Hanks, you can’t surprise the viewer with technology, so you need to focus on the story first:
«You can drain Lake Michigan, fill it with cuckoo clocks that form a three-headed dragon that breathes fire and destroys Chicago. You can do it. But for what purpose? What is the story and what does it say about us? We had 20 years to research these things (special effects),» says Hanks.
At the same time, actors who have joined the DC universe, on the contrary, actively defend superheroics: for example, Harrison Ford, who plays Thaddeus «Thunderbolt» Ross/Red Hulk in the movie «Captain America: Brave New World», stated that only «fools» refuse Marvel movies, and Sebastian Stan, who has played Bucky Barnes since «The First Avenger» said that «movie without MCU — black hole» and advised critics to «shut up» without better suggestions; while Chris Hemsworth, known for his role as Thor, said he was annoyed by «unjustified criticism» of Marvel (especially from colleagues) and emphasized that«billions who watch the studio’s films can’t be wrong»
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