by In response to the continuous criticism of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Black Widow‘s Florence Pugh spoke out in a recent interview.
The scrutiny that the MCU has been subjected to from fans and filmmakers has been a hot topic of discussion.
Martin Scorsese, the filmmaker of The Wolf of Wall Street and The Irishman, was blunt when he said that Marvel movies are “not cinema,” and Denis Villeneuve, the director of Dune, even said that the movies are “cut and paste.”
Despite this, the cavalry arrived to defend the MCU, with DC Studios president James Gunn being forthright about the director’s statements and Spider-Man star Tom Holland calling Scorsese out for admitting that he “doesn’t know what it’s like” shooting a Marvel movie.
Florence Pugh Becomes a Defender of the MCU
The Black Widow actress Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena Belova in the MCU, spoke with Total Film through GamesRadar on joining the superhero franchise and defending it from detractors.
Pugh recalled that when she first signed with Marvel, her colleagues in the “indie-film world” informed her that she would “never going to go back to small movies again:”
“When I first signed onto Marvel, lots of people from the indie-film world were all telling me that I was never going to go back to small movies again, and it always kind of wound me up.”
The Thunderbolts actress continued by pointing out that “there’s beauty in the massive epic storylines” being told by franchises like the MCU and Dune, calling them “amazing, mega movies:”
“Because I think there’s beauty in all types of those films. There’s beauty in the massive, epic storylines like ‘Dune,’ like Marvel, like even ‘Oppenheimer’ that I did. They’re amazing, mega movies. And then there’s also beauty in all these little ones that not everyone is going to see, but are going to affect the right person at the right time. I’ve never, ever only thought that I was going to just do one type of movie. I’ve always known that I want to dabble in all areas.”
Pugh also expressed her desire to be a director in the future, adding that she needs to “learn a bit more” in perfecting her craft:
“It’s also good for my brain to dabble in all areas. I would love to direct. I know how important it is to have a good dialogue with your director. I know how crucial it is. And I just feel like you can’t just throw yourself at it, and hope that the spaghetti sticks. I need to learn a bit more, and understand why things go where [they do], and really watch all these people that I have been watching.”
The Logic of Florence Pugh’s Marvel Defense
There is no questioning the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it seems sense that celebrities like Florence Pugh are supporting the franchise’s defence.
Despite the fact that Phase 5 of the MCU is off to a shaky start, Pugh’s remarks about admiring the “beauty” of these blockbuster movies give viewers a chance to consider the type of entertainment the franchise promotes.
Together with Pugh, Tom Holland, and James Gunn, other Marvel celebrities have also been outspoken in support of the genre.
Tobey Maguire, who played the original Spider-Man, previously mused on the superhero genre, stating that despite being “more unpredictable,” “it kind of got more cohesive in time.” Mark Ruffalo, the actor of Marvel‘s The Hulk, added that the company’s artists are free to “recreate each piece to their own style, their likeness.”
Hopefully more Marvel stars will speak out in support of the MCU as Phase 5 develops.
When Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts debuts in theatres on July 26, 2024, viewers will get another chance to see Florence Pugh’s Yelena.
