As non-blockbuster films are finding it tougher to get a foothold in the modern theatrical landscape, the growing criticisms of the superhero genre have become a familiar and somewhat tedious go-to interview question. Filmmakers of a certain age, such as Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Denis Villeneuve, and most recently Jane Campion, are routinely asked about superhero films and their cultural dominance, which often leads to various criticisms of the genre itself and how it’s ruining the theatrical experience for anyone wanting to make non-blockbuster movies.
Actors that work both sides of the cinematic fence are now chiming in. Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård (“Dune,” “The Avengers”) answered a wave of fan questions pooled online during a recent interview with The Guardian. The actor, who plays Professor Eric Selvig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, gave his take on the superhero film backlash and offered a more nuanced answer than the blunt and harsh responses usually given by those who are asked a similar question.
READ MORE: Jane Campion Isn’t A Fan Of Superhero Films At All: “I Actually Hate Them”
“I’ve got nothing against superhero movies. I’ve been in a couple, and they definitely have a place. The problem is that the system that allows eight people to own half of the wealth in the world enhances the power of the market forces, so small and independent cinemas rarely exist anymore outside a few big cities. There’s no distribution channels for all the mid-budget films that have the best actors, the best writing because they can’t throw up $3m for a marketing campaign. When cinemas let them in, they do so for one week, and if it doesn’t pay off in a week, they’re gone.”
Adding that modern distribution and marketing make it difficult for non-blockbusters/superhero films to make a considerable impact, Skarsgård used Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic “The Godfather” as an example of a movie able to earn a following despite playing on few screens at first and having limited marketing.
“Remember that ‘The Godfather’ first opened in 100 cinemas in the United States – big films now open in 4,000,” he explained. “They had small ads in the New York Times, but it grew and grew because it was such a good film. The people’s opinion has no chance anymore. And that is sad.”
Skarsgård continued by pointing out the main problem is this equation of economic inequality in the arts is the corporate forces driving Hollywood, highlighting AT&T’s meddling at HBO. “I think that we should have Marvel films and more rollercoaster films. We should have other films, too. And that’s the sad thing: when raw market forces come in, studios start being run by companies that don’t care if they’re dealing in films or toothpaste so long as they get their 10% [return]. When AT&T took over Time Warner, it immediately told HBO to become lighter and more commercial. They were always making money. But not enough for an investor.”
Are superhero movies empowering corporate interests? Sure, that’s nothing new as blockbusters and money have gone hand-in-hand since the 1970s. The problem is when smaller, and mid-budget films are increasingly pushed to the margins of streaming or VOD, audiences of all ages will increasingly have to deal with limited options at theaters as studios continue to market towards a specific demographic. The divide between the blockbuster and the arthouse film and their skewered economics is only growing, and Skarsgård raises some compelling points to consider, though how you change and battle the forces of capitalism in all this is a much greater concern and worry.
Skarsgård gave a similar answer in September, and you can watch that below. Suffice to say, maybe you should come to all of Stellan Skarsgård’s Ted Talks, and maybe Marvel can bring back Professor Erik Selvig to teach a political economics industry class or something.
