James Gunn Responds To Jodie Foster’s Criticism Against Superhero Films

Academy-Award winning Jodie Foster went on a spree yesterday, bashing the comic book movie genre without any hesitation. Comparing superhero movies to fracking, the actress went on to say that she"d never "want to make $200 million movies about superheroes," explaining that the genre was ruining cinema.

Speaking in defense of the genre, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has decided to share his thoughts on the matter on Twitter.

"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."

1. 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. https://t.co/IgthsjsSYm

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn)

January 2, 2018

Gunn does have a point. Though the film market is saturated with comic book movies, that doesn't mean that there aren't any good superhero films. The filmmaker goes on to explain his point, saying that it's possible to deliver cathartic and human spectacle.

"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."

Though Gunn could have easily flown off the handle, the filmmaker wrote a pretty comprehensive response to Jodie's criticism. Admitting the genre's flaws, Gunn provides good points for other comic book movie directors to consider. It's good to know that Marvel didn't make a mistake in picking Gunn to work on the Marvel Cosmic Universe.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 doesn't have a release date just yet, however, Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and the rest of the Guardians are set to appear in Avengers: Infinity War which premieres on May 4, 2018.

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