Jodie Foster has commented negatively regarding the superhero blockbuster genre and now James Gunn has written a response.
Foster had recently compared superhero films to fracking, saying: “You get the best return right now but you wreck the Earth.”
Putting aside the interesting choice of analogy, these aren’t exactly complimentary comments and now the director of both Guardians of the Galaxy films has issued a response on Twitter.
Asked for a response, Gunn said: “I think Foster looks at film in an old-fashioned way where spectacle film can’t be thought-provoking. It’s often true but not always. Her belief system is pretty common and isn’t totally without basis. I say not without basis because most studio franchise films are quite soulless – and that is a real danger to the future of movies. But there are also quite a few exceptions.
“For cinema to survive I believe spectacle films NEED to have a vision and heart they traditionally haven’t. And some of us are doing our best to move in that direction. Creating spectacle films that are innovative, humane, and thoughtful is what excites me about this job.
“But, to be fair, at least from Foster’s quotes, she seems to see filmmaking as something that’s primarily about her own personal growth. For me, that may be part of why I do this, but spending many millions of dollars on a film has to be about more than that – it’s communication – so my experience is merely one spoke on that wheel. But I respect Foster and what she’s done for films and I appreciate her different way of looking at Hollywood’s landscape.”
It’s obviously a subject Gunn cares about greatly, but how do you feel about his response? Do you think his measured approach is the correct one? Sound off in the comments.
