Superhero 'debate' the cry of a film industry in a state of upheaval

Fans of action movies don't need the paternal approval of Hollywood godfathers Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese.

From left: Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Captain America (Chris Evans) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) from Marvel's "Avengers" franchise. Zade Rosenthal

Michael Cavna

Oct 25, 2019 – 9.33am

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Even the yawn of the news cycle around each "look who's bashing superhero movies now" flare-up reads like a beat sheet from an inferior franchise sequel: 1. An iconic veteran Hollywood filmmaker (or comedian) tosses off a negative comment about superhero movies; 2. Media outlets quote the shade and any prominent response; 3. Social media hyperventilates like kids on the playground shouting "Fight, fight!", while largely ignoring the bigger picture.

The most recent case stars Francis Ford Coppola, who ratcheted up the disparaging comments about superhero movies made early in October (and reiterated on Monday) by fellow Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese.

Washington Post