Quentin Tarantino: Marvel-ization of Movies Means Captain America Is a Bigger Star Than Chris Evans

Director Quentin Tarantino has once again spoken out about superhero movies, saying that the entertainment industry is losing movie stars because the superhero characters are more famous than the actors playing them.

Appearing on an episode of the 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast (via Mediaite), Tarantino called this the “Marvel-ization” of moviemaking.

“Part of the Marvel-ization of Hollywood is… you have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters,” Tarantino said. “But they’re not movie stars, right? Captain America is the star. Or Thor is the star. I mean, I’m not the first person to say that. I think that’s been said a zillion times… but it’s like… it’s these franchise characters that become a star.”

Tarantino added that he doesn’t hate Marvel films, and he doesn’t mean to put down their stars either. The director doesn’t like superhero movies because it’s all that Hollywood seems interested in at the moment, saying, “there’s not really much room for anything else.”

“There’s an aspect that if these movies were coming out when I was in my twenties, I would totally be f***ing happy and totally love them. I mean, they wouldn’t be the only movies being made. They would be those movies amongst other movies. But, you know, I’m almost 60… I’m not quite as excited about them.”

This isn’t the first time Tarantino has voiced his disdain for the superhero genre. Earlier this month, the director of Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood, Kill Bill, and Pulp Fiction said he has no interest in making a Marvel or DC movie. He also said today’s filmmakers “can’t wait for the day” superhero movies fall out of favor.

Simu Liu, star of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, spoke out against Tarantino’s comments, saying “If the only gatekeepers to movie stardom came from Tarantino and Scorsese, I would never have had the opportunity to lead a $400 million plus movie.” Liu also said he’s proud to work with a studio that has made “sustained efforts to improve diversity onscreen”.

For more on what Tarantino’s up to while staying away from superheroes, check out how the director wants to make a TV show in 2023. Or, read what Tarantino thinks his best film is.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.