You gotta admit Marvel has some good ones, says Chris Evans
Chris Evans will still defend the superhero genre, even as he dreams of entering a different genre entirely
Aux News Chris Evans
“Comic book movies in general, for whatever reason, don’t always get the credit I think they deserve,” Marvel’s Captain America, Chris Evans, argued during an appearance at Emerald City Comic Con 2024 (via Variety). Of course, if “credit” is “money,” or “credit” is “rabidly loyal fans,” or “credit” is “the backing of most major studios,” then comic book movies have gotten plenty of credit. But if “credit” is “Martin Scorsese finally tells me I did a good job,” then indeed, the credit is never coming.
Nevertheless, here’s the rest of Evans’ argument. “They are these big, giant movies. There’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen. But the empirical evidence is in: They are not easy to make. If it was easier, there would be a lot more good ones,” he said. “I’m not throwing shade! I’ve been a part of a few that missed. It happens. Making a movie is tough. More cooks in the kitchen doesn’t make it easier. I don’t want to highlight specific films in the Marvel catalog but some of them are phenomenal. Like independently, objectively great movies, and I think they deserve a little more credit.”
For Evans personally, his “favorite Marvel movie” that he was a part of is Captain America: Winter Soldier, which, by the way, sits at a very comfortable 90% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so from whom is he seeking further credit? (Seriously, is it just Martin Scorsese and a handful of other auteur directors?) Regardless, Winter Soldier is an undeniably superior Marvel product, but “It’s not just for the movie itself but the experience,” he explained of why it’s his fave. “The first film, I was so nervous. You know what you’re stepping into and as a result you’re playing defense and you’re playing not to lose. When Winter Solider came around, we were playing to win. And it’s the first movie with the Russo Brothers. We were taking more risks, and the character felt more fleshed out. It was one of the more satisfying experiences I’ve had in my Marvel run.”
Though he continues to defend the genre, Evans has thus far resisted the pull to return to the superhero realm. Instead, he professed on the convention stage that he’d like to try out another genre entirely: “I’m a big fan of fantasy films. I love Lord Of The Rings. I love The Neverending Story. I don’t know if I fit into them. I don’t know if I’m even considered for them,” he said (via Popverse). “Honestly, they’re my favorite type of films, but they’re also big giant movies that are also tough to do well, so a lot of different ingredients have to come together correctly.”
Evans promised that he’d wear pointy ears or shoot a bow if the role called for it, but the bottom line is he’d like to do something different and expansive, whether there’s actual magic involved or not. “Shogun isn’t exactly fantasy, but anything that has a beautiful aesthetic,” he added. “Anything that has that kind of beautiful aesthetic, that kind of world-building.”
55 Comments
The tone of this piece is weird. Ignoring the current state of the MCU (which I’ve personally moved on from), are we going to pretend that the Infinity Saga wasn’t 1) fun as hell and 2) a genuine narrative feat tying together 23 movies over an 11 year stretch?
Agreed. One of my favorite moments from that saga
i don’t see how the article pretends that the infinity saga wasn’t either. they just extrapolated a little on his own quotes and he didn’t seem to bring it up.
It’s possible I’ve been reading this website too long (I’ve definitely been reading this website too long) but I read this whole piece in the voice of “Get a load of this shameless clown throwing out silly arguments to defend the juvenile movies he starred in.”
anything is possible.
idk, I feel like the article stressed multiple times that these moves are often popular, well-reviewed, and enjoyable.
Most contemporary AVC pieces have a weird tone; the writers want to have their snark and eat it, too.
100%. Sitting with my kid and a packed theater of devotees on opening night of Endgame wasn’t just the best movie experience I ever had, it was a celebration of Marvel pulling off something no other studio or filmmaker ever has. It’s frustrating that their achievement gets minimized under the “Ho hum, superheroes” umbrella as often as it seems to. Sadly but unsurprisingly, I find most of post-Endgame to be a messy slog, but those first 23 films were an impressive feat.
I’m also getting a little tired of the Elizabeth Olson/Dakota Johnson thing where they act like they’re slumming it by appearing in the MCU. If you couldn’t elevate the material that speaks to your abilities as an actor. I’m glad that both RDJ and Evans defend these movies and their performances.
Dakota Johnson WISHES she could be in the MCU. She’s in the Sonyverse, which is like if the MCU had flunked out of college but still thinks it’s too good to work for its dad’s dealership. Or something. Idk.
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“a genuine narrative feat tying together 23 movies over an 11 year stretch”This is the true artistic achievement of the MCU.
It’s because “Marvel bad” is easy ragebait, and has been since the Scorcese thing kicked off.It’s completely disingenuous and designed to get people arguing in the comments.
I think it’s pretty obvious that the glut of soulless comic book movies seemingly made purely to exploit the trend are a big part of the reason comic book movies don’t get the respect they “deserve” (whatever that even means). Even when a good one comes out, it’s hard to cut through the noise of MORE COMIC BOOK MOVIES ARE COMING OUT OKAY.But also, that’s what the money and loyal devotion of millions of fans are for.
What is funny is Marvel took a real smart approach early on with making individual movies with just a few hints of connection and, as much as people claim otherwise, really did not change that model until almost the end of Phase 3(if you ignore Iron Man 2 which you should). Post Endgame it feels like everything is connected way to much. I have not seen the Marvels yet but that movie has two of its main characters premier in two different Marvel steaming shows and its lead supporting character has his own, really boring, show that you may want to catch up on first. Thankfully I heard Secret Invasion is not required watching for Marvel, which is good since I am pretty sure no one has managed to stay awake long enough to see all of Secret Invasion
I think if you watched Secret Invasion you might actually be more confused watching The Marvels. The movie seems to ignore the major development at the end of the show.
These movies punish paying attention more than they reward it. You’re better off having as little idea as possible as to who anyone is going into it, because if you remember the plot points from the tv shows or prior movies, you’ll just be irritated that they’re inconsistent or unresolved.
That’s because Secret Invasion was rancid yogurt served out of the ass crack of a diseased baboon and Marvel decided to cut every reference to it in the movie.
i agree that they were smart, but it’s all in the execution, not the percentage of connected things, IMO.the marvels sucked* and captain america winter soldier is great*, but you could say similar things about winter soldier – one of the lead supporting characters is from an iron man sequel, it continues plot lines from 3 other movies and on top of that it’s a direct sequel to a ww2 movie though it’s set in present day. on paper, that’s a mess! *simply my opinion!
Newsflash: You will be able to follow the movie made for children.People complain about how they’re incomprehensible, and and I just remember seeing Empire Strikes Back before seeing Star Wars, and not being confused for a moment.There will be no character in these movies with a motivation (or a plot point with a backstory) so complicated that you need to see another entire movie to understand it.
i’m saying the problem isn’t whether or not they’re interconnected, the problem is the execution. i agree with you.nilus’ point was that the marvels was seemed bad because of everything it was connected to and the homework aspect. i was saying that even a good marvel movie like winter soldier appeared that way on paper, too.
True dat, brother.
The key difference is that the Empire Strikes Back is a tightly plotted 120 minutes, which the MCU hasn’t been for years.
Uh, it’s 124 minutes. Have you even seen it?
The biggest mistake Marvel has made is letting this “Yew have to watch eleventy billion hours of TV and movies to keep up” narrative take hold.
You don’t. You should watch Infinity War before Endgame, but otherwise, you can jump in anywhere.
Wong’s 3 minute exposition while Stark and Strange are comparing dick sizes and talking about ice cream give you all you need in the Infinity Saga.
To be fair, between two Fantastic Fours, Push, The Losers, Scott Pilgrim, and his prolonged Captaincy of America, I imagine he’s scratched his comic-book itch quite comprehensively.
Now if only he could make a sequel to Cellular.
I really like Push.
Saaaame, a very slept-on sci fi movie with a fun conceit, decent enough writing and acting, and I think you’re in and out in an hour and forty.
AKA the kind of movie that is hardly ever made anymore.
I thought I was one of the few that liked that silly movie.
Marvel really needs another Winter Soldier right now. Not only was it a great movie, it managed to pull Marvel out of its first slump. Avengers was a high point but Iron Man 3 had a mixed reception and Thor: Dark World was unloved. Winter Soldier really needed to be a win. That and Guardians vol 1 kinda proved Marvel could sustain itself.Honestly I think post Endgame, they should have taken a few years off and opted to reboot. At that point they had to know that the Fox merger was gonna happen soon and they would regain some of their most beloved properties. The everything everywhere all at once(on streaming and at the theaters) has really killed my affection for the Marvel movies. It doesn’t help that outside of a few fun steaming shows we have not had anything nearly as good as most of what we got during the first three phases
If they can’t stick the landing with F4 it’s all over.
“it’s all over” except even their bad movies still make gobs of money. You may not watch them anymore, but tons of other people will, so they won’t fall into a volcano if FF doesn’t “stick the landing”
Oh I still watch them. It won’t be over right away, but a bad FF movie is the point of no return.
In no other industry would a company be asked to stop making product after a product made $2.8 billion gross.
Whar is my Chris Evans vs Christian Bale – Cap vs Bat?
Whar???
They started with more creator-centric flicks, established a shared universe, used it to create a hell of an epic, and then let it basically become a giant, green-screened neon fight.Get back to the first thing, and they might be able to get back on track. The MCU brand cannot be the star, it has to be the individual characters, involved in stories worth telling.
I think the MCU is at the point (declining sales, convoluted plots) where comic books push the “continuity reset” button. If the recent versions of Batman are any indication, that’s a pretty good way to make money. But also, if the recent versions of Batman are any indication, it’s a pretty good way to take your characters out of the cultural conversation.
Could work, but you’d need about five more years to let the appetite build, and I don’t think they’re willing to make that hard of a pivot.IDK, I’m hoping that Fantastic Four is a return to form. I don’t want to see any crossover shit, beyond the requisite 10-second post-credits stinger. Hell, don’t even do that. Have them shunted to the modern day, and do not explain why.
genuinely, i just think feige has lost the sauce. i feel like he’s stuck in this weird limbo where he obviously still has a TON of material to pull from, but in one way or another he’s used a lot of stories and characters that best fit movies/tv.maybe his grand plan for kang would have made sense if there was no pandemic or strikes or majors-issues, but that always felt like something way too challenging and confusing for a general audience. compared to say, civil war or even ant man.i also don’t think fantastic four, another cosmic and far-out property, is gonna be the one that people find relatable. they have their work cut out for them, at least.
Alternatively, the quality has remained relatively consistent, but the mass audience finally succumbed to that thing that media writers had been trying to make happen since the turn of the millenium: “superhero fatigue.” Phase 4 wasn’t that different than Phase 1, which had its stinkers too, and most of the complaints people are making are things that didn’t bother them in the past.The bigger the universe gets, the more it becomes like the comic Marvel Universe, a thing that has a devoted fan base but never gets the numbers of blockbuster films. But there’s only so long that something can be a massive cultural juggernaut before people turn against it. Remember when Harry Potter seemed like such an eternal joy that everyone was getting tattoos and shit? That sure fell apart.
??? Harry Potter literally just had a game release in 2023 that broke all kinds of sales records. It’s still the main attraction at Universal Orlando here in 2024. Idk if it’s just pure cope or being out of touch, but Harry Potter hasn’t gone away in the slightest.
I would even go so far and say Phase 4 is better than 1 and 2. But it is worse than 3 and that is the new standard.
Yeah, rose-colored glasses and all.
Phase 4 wasn’t that different than Phase 1,See, that’s exactly the problem for us normies.
Not according to most of you normies when complaining online.
fun fact: chris evans hasn’t been in a theatrically released live action film in 5 years.
A lot of the big 2000s/10s stars seem to have quietly half-retired. George Clooney hasn’t been in a theatrical live action film in 8 years. Jennifer Lawrence went almost 5 years after Dark Phoenix (2019). Hugh Jackman has made I think 1 live action theatrical film since 2017s The Greatest Showman (until Deadpool 3 comes out). Leo went 4 years between Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to Killers of the Flower Moon
evans has been working like crazy, it’s just all been streaming stuff. i just think it’s wild nothing he’s been in has come out in a theatre in 5 years.
George Clooney was in a blockbuster last summer, but besides the film I wont mention he also totally did a film last year with Julia Roberts “Ticket to Paradise” or whatever.
Here’s what I like about this.He doesn’t feel the need to shit on the genre/franchise that changed his life for the better.The Mount Rushmore of ungrateful assholes are.
Sean Connery, who was fucking polishing coffins before he got Dr. No and was box office poison until Costner rescued him.
Leonard Nimoy, who came crawling back to the franchise and basically did nothing but Trek and directing increasingly bad comedies.
David Duchovny, who is better known for being the asshole who LOST Tea Leoni than anything since X-Files.
And yes, Harrison Ford, who is the most successful of the ungrateful assholes, but he still had to go crawling back to Han and Indy after some truly baffling movie choices.
Evans may never do anything that makes so much as $10 at the box office again. But he isn’t going to shit on what put him in that position. I respect that.
Leonard Nimoy, who came crawling back to the franchiseI think that’s a simplistic take on it. Nimoy was upset, rightfully so IMO, at the studio for using his likeness in advertisements. He only came back when an amicable deal was reached. basically did nothing but TrekOh, and he was great on Fringe.
They’re fun movies but no, they’re never going to be considered cinematic masterpieces. Because at the end of the day, they are about superhumans shooting lasers out of their eyes and stopping the bad alien guy from getting his space McGuffin and snapping his fingers magically. They’re kids movies. Sure, they have some dark moments, but they’re kids movies.
from whom is he seeking further credit?Well, the internet commentariat seem to have a middling-to-low opinion of superhero movies. If you’re arguing that he shouldn’t bother “seeking further credit” from that segment… yeah, I’ll buy that.
Dammit Chris Evans we don’t need your level headed, sane takes in here, this is the Internet!He’s a little late to the Scorsese “Marvel movies are rollercoasters” take, but Evans is correct that he’s been a part of some great superhero movies, some trash ones, and that they were probably difficult to make. He also sounds like he desperately wants some Henry Cavill treatment, where he went from Superhero to big burly action man to pure nerd living out his most fantastic roles while also being a big burly action man. What I’m saying is, someone please just cast him as Gideon Jura for the inevitable Magic the Gathering movie.