Chris Hemsworth will not endure harsh comments on his Marvel movies from reputed filmmakers like Martin Scorsese.

After years of commitment towards Marvel and establishing himself as an action figure in Hollywood, Chris Hemsworth was delighted to land the role of warlord Dementus in George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The new role made him realize that he has spent a long time feeling he was “stuck”. But that didn’t stop him from defending his superhero movies from criticism.

Chris Hemsworth as Dr. Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Following the repeated criticisms from the acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese, Chris Hemsworth dropped his comments in defense, claiming it was harsh of the director to bash superhero films. Scorsese previously compared Marvel films with theme park rides in 2019, and later elaborated his opinion stating that comic book movies are a “danger” to culture, in 2023.

Chris Hemsworth Defends Superhero Flicks Against Martin Scorsese’s Criticism

Awaiting the release of his upcoming movie Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga on 23 May 2024, Chris Hemsworth who played warlord Dementus in George Miller’s prequel film sat for an interview with The Sunday Times. Speaking fondly of his career and his commitment to Marvel, Hemsworth eventually addressed how delighted he was to land a role in the Mad Max franchise, which left him feeling invigorated.

Admitting that he was pigeonholed into the role of action star after appearing as MCU’s Thor, Chris Hemsworth mentioned that Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga came as a breath of fresh air for him. Although he was glad to have landed the role of the Norse God of Thunder, Hemsworth mentioned that he had started feeling “bored” with his role.

“I felt stuck in what I had been doing. I’d run out of things to say creatively and Furiosa reinvigorated the artistic energy that was dormant. I felt spent at the end of a day, rather than… It’s a departure. I was bored of myself, yeah. I was not bored of the opportunities I’d been given, but it all started to feel familiar.”
Chris Hemsworth as Warlord Dementus
However, despite his boredom and claims of being pigeonholed after appearing as MCU’s Thor, Chris Hemsworth refused to take harsh comments against superhero movies. As the interviewer asked him about his opinion on the comments made against Marvel blockbusters by Martin Scorsese, Hemsworth admitted being “bothered” by it.

“It felt harsh. And it bothers me, especially from heroes. It was an eye-roll for me, people bashing the superhero space. Those guys had films that didn’t work too — we all have. When they talked about what was wrong with superheroes, I thought, cool, tell that to the billions who watch them. Were they all wrong?”

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in MCU’s Thor: Love and Thunder

“And cinema-going did not change because of superheroes, but because of smartphones and social media. Superhero films actually kept people in the cinemas during that transition and now people are coming back. So they deserve a little more appreciation.”

Chris Hemsworth openly slammed Martin Scorsese for his comments against superhero flicks and Marvel in general and moved ahead with the interview.

Martin Scorsese’s Repeated Mockery of Superhero Movies

Associated with his latest movie Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese had previously expressed his disappointment in superhero flicks. Famously known for his critically acclaimed projects, the filmmaker repeatedly bashed the commercially successful superhero genre and compared Marvel movies to “theme park rides”.

Back in 2019, Martin Scorsese stirred controversies following his bold declaration regarding Marvel and superhero movies via Empire magazine. Admitting to have tried watching the fan-favorite genre, Scorsese quickly decided they were not for him, that’s when he claimed that Marvel films are “not cinema”.

“I don’t see them. 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.”
Martin Scorsese at the 74nd Berlin International Film Festival 2024 | image: Wikimedia Commons
Following his 2019 comments, the filmmaker faced severe backlash which later led him to elaborate his comments further. Therefore, he waded into the comic book movie debate once again, in 2023. Elaborating his views to GQ, Scorsese claimed that the comic book genre is dangerous for our culture.

“The danger there is what it’s doing to our culture because there are going to be generations now that think movies are only those – that’s what movies are. They already think that. Which means that we have to then fight back stronger. And it’s got to come from the grassroots level. It’s gotta come from the filmmakers themselves.”

“And you’ll have, you know, the Safdie brothers, and you’ll have Chris Nolan, you know what I mean? And hit ’em from all sides. Hit ’em from all sides, and don’t give up. Let’s see what you got. Go out there and do it. Go reinvent. Don’t complain about it. But it’s true because we’ve got to save cinema.”

Martin Scorsese’s comments have certainly offended more than just Chris Hemsworth. However, despite engaging an entire fanbase and facing backlash, the filmmaker stood by his comments and repeatedly clarified his opinion.