Director Francis Ford Coppola received his own star on the Hollywood walk Of Fame recently. He cemented his status of an auteur with the likes of The Godfather trilogy, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now and more. During his conversation with Variety, the celebrated director ended up reigniting the ‘how cool it is to hate Marvel’ debate. While every coin has two sides this particular debate seems to have no end. Every once in a while, an actor, director or producer is asked for his thoughts and the fandom gets a field day.
How it began?
The debate began back in 2019 with Coppola’s gangster movie peer Martin Scorsese criticized Marvel movies. In an interview with Empire magazine, The Wolf of Wall Street director said, “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.” Further adding insult to the injury he remarked, “It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”
“He didn’t say it was despicable, which is what I say.” Coppola had shared Scorsese’s sentiment back in the day claiming that his friend was ‘being kind’. He later doubled down on those comments speaking to GQ saying that Marvel movies are…
“…one prototype movie that is made over and over and over and over and over again to look different.”
Francis Coppola
How is it Going?
Coppola who comes from generations of moviemakers has established himself as an auteur. His works are cited by film students and critics alike. So a star on the Hollywood walk of fame seems to have come so late to him. The director notes “The way that it works is that when a picture opens, the studio that has financed or distributed it pays to get your name on the street. Since I have either financed or distributed my own movies, I’ve never had the good fortune of having a studio take that event.”
The director whose work is recognized as unparallel in bringing a new world to screen was asked about the filmmakers he’s excited by today. He was quick to take the name of his granddaughter Gia Coppola along with citing the names of filmmakers Denis Villeneuve and Cary Joji Fukunaga. He called them ‘wonderful filmmakers of big-budget films.’ Continuing his criticism of big-budget studio-backed movies.
“I don’t think they necessarily get the chance to make the films in their hearts. I think they’re being asked to make movies that are not against the grain. We have an abundance of rich, great talent and I would give them more responsibility because they’re capable of it.” However, for it not to seem like he simply hates all big-budget films, he added,
“I liked Deadpool, I thought that was amazing.”
Deadpool Loves Coppola too
Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool wasn’t an easy movie to make. The actor for years rallied behind Fox Studio for the movie to get made and as the last resort ‘someone’ accidentally leaked the Deadpool test footage.
To This day neither Reynolds nor anyone has taken the responsibility for the leak, but the actor confirmed they got the green light shortly after it. As soon as the news broke that Coppola doesn’t hate Deadpool, Reynolds’ responded on Twitter, ‘Deadpool likes Francis Ford Coppola’.
Deadpool made history by becoming the ninth highest-grossing film of all time. It earned over $782 million against a $58 million budget. Deadpool 2 earned $785 million at worldwide box office on a budget of $110 million.
Despite being a superhero movie the Merc with a mouth’s story is no different than an independent movie struggling to be made. Maybe, that changed Coppola’s mind or let’s just say Deadpool is too hard to resist!
