The superhero film genre is going through some growing pains right now with the studios, filmmakers, and fans. Many of the recently released comic book movies have been box-office disappointments and rough to watch due to their lack of quality.
Gweneth Paltrow has spent a good amount of time in the MCU as Pepper Potts, and she recently shared her thoughts on the genre and believes that Hollywood can only make so many good superhero films.
While a guest on The Hot Ones YouTube talk show, Paltrow she was asked to comment on the recent Academy Awards speech from Cord Jefferson, who won Best Adapted Screenplay for his work on American Fiction. I wrote an article highlighting his speech that you can read here. He said:
“It’s a plea to acknowledge and recognize that there are so many people out there who want the opportunity that I was given. I understand that this is a risk averse industry, I get it, but 200 million dollar movies are also a risk, and it doesn’t always work out. But, you take the risk anyway. And instead of making one 200 million dollar million movie, try making ten 20 million dollar movies, or 50 four million dollar movies!”
In response to his speech, Paltrow said:
“I absolutely understand where he’s coming from. You want to have the best chance of having a strong ROI. People put a lot of money into these things and they want them to be profitable. But I think if I look at the industry as a whole, this big push into superhero movies … you can only make so many good ones that feel truly original, and yet they’re still always trying to reach as many people as possible, which sometimes hinders quality or specificity or real point of view.”
A lot of fans will agree with these comments and right now both Marvel and DC are in the process of making big changes in an attempt to start making great movies and get fans excited about watching these kinds of movies again. Paltrow went on to explain her reasoning, adding:
“I grew up doing those [mid-budget] movies and I sometimes lament the fact that I look back at some movies I made in the ’90s and think that just wouldn’t get made now. You get more diversity of art when there is less at stake and people can, sort of, express their true voice and make a film the way they want to make it. And I think those are generally the more resonant ones.”
I would love for Hollywood to get back to that place. While there is always room for the big tent poll films, I think the studios should start focusing more on mid-budget films that tell great stories! Some studios are doing it, but we need more of them to make an actually impact.
What are your thoughts on the current state of Hollywood and what Paltrow said about superhero movies?
