Scorsese's criticisms of superhero movies isn't slowing them down

In November, the filmmaker Martin Scorsese wrote an op-ed in the New York Times in which he argued that superhero movies are often too predictable and too conventional for an art form that should be surprising and challenging.

Scorsese wrote: “...What’s not (in these movies) is revelation, mystery or genuine emotional danger. Nothing is at risk. The pictures are made to satisfy a specific set of demands and they are designed as variations on a finite number of themes.”

Despite Scorsese’s op-ed, the torrent of superhero films shows no sign of slowing down. “Wonder Woman 1984,” “Black Widow” and “The New Mutants” are just some of the superhero flicks slated to come out this year.

There’s little incentive for studios to curb production when films like “Avengers: Endgame” gross more than $2.7 billion worldwide.

But are these movies sucking up all of the oxygen — or funding — from other genres of film?

Two film buffs joined MPR News host Kerri Miller for a conversation about the place of superhero flicks in the pantheon of movies.

Guests:
Lily Percy Ruiz executive producer for On Being Studios and host of its podcast, This Movie Changed Me
Ken Turan, film critic for the Los Angeles Times

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

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