Kumail Nanjiani says Martin Scorsese has “earned the right” to criticise Marvel movies

Kumail Nanjiani

Kumail Nanjiani has said directors Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino have “earned the right” to criticise Marvel movies.

The actor, who played Kingo in Marvel’s Eternals, discussed Scorsese and Tarantino’s past criticisms of Marvel movies during an interview with Esquire.

“I obviously love the movies Tarantino makes or Scorsese makes,” Nanjiani said. “And I may disagree with Scorsese’s opinion on superhero movies, but I mean, who else has earned the right to have an opinion?

“If Scorsese hasn’t earned the right to have an opinion on movies, then none of us should have an opinion on movies. It’s so strange that people get upset about it.”

Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese. CREDIT: Mike Coppola/FilmMagic

In 2019, Scorsese compared Marvel movies to theme parks. “I don’t see them,” Scorsese told Empire. “I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema.

“Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

In November last year, Tarantino claimed Marvel actors aren’t real movie stars. “Part of the Marvel-isation of Hollywood is… you have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters. 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.”

Samuel L. Jackson, who plays Nick Fury in the MCU, recently pushed back against Tarantino’s comments. “Chadwick Boseman is Black Panther. You can’t refute that, and he’s a movie star,” the actor said.

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