'Marvel films are cut and paste of others'

Los Angeles: Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is the latest auteur to offer his views on superhero films, especially those coming out of 'Marvel', saying that these movies are quite similar from one another.

Villeneuve, the genius filmmaker behind movies such as 'Prisoners', 'Sicario', 'Arrival' and 'Blade Runner 2049', is currently promoting his latest feature film 'Dune'.

During his interview with the Spanish newspaper 'Elmundo', the Canadian filmmaker was asked about the artistic relevance of tentpole cinema or movies made on massive budgets.

Villeneuve said the problem, in this case, seems to be 'Marvel' movies, which are just the 'cut and paste' version of earlier films.

"Perhaps the problem is that we are in front of too many 'Marvel' movies that are nothing more than a cut and paste of others. Perhaps these types of movies have turned us into zombies a bit," Villeneuve said.

He added, "But big and expensive movies of great value are many today. I do not feel capable of being pessimistic at all."

The filmmaker said the movies made by his fellow contemporaries Christopher Nolan or Alfonso Cuaron prove that big-budget movies still enjoy considerable popularity among the audiences.

"Just think of the golden age of Hollywood to see that commercial films can make a different artistic proposal and therefore, political. I have never felt like a loss or an impediment to having a generous budget to do what I wanted to do. Upside down. Who said that a movie on a big budget cannot be artistically relevant at the same time? I am currently thinking of people like Christopher Nolan or Alfonso Cuaron," he shared.

The filmmaker is not alone in his takedown of 'Marvel' movies.

Last year, veteran filmmaker Martin Scorsese had ruffled feathers when he said that 'Marvel' films do not serve the purpose of cinema and are rather a theme park adventure.

Villeneuve's latest movie 'Dune' is a tentpole feature and is currently set for release in the US on October 22.

An adaptation of author Frank Herbert's seminal 1965 novel, the film features an ensemble cast of Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin and others.