Marvel superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Brian Cox
Former Marvel actor Brian Cox has said superhero movie franchises are ruining cinema.
The Succession star said that film was in a “very bad way” owing to the financial draw of comic-book adaptations.
Cox said that the glut of high-paying, high-grossing films has made it “party time” for actors who can get a big payout from such movies, but is harmful for cinema overall.
The actor, 78, has first-hand experience of the phenomenon, having dabbled in the genre in 2024 when he starred in X2: X-Men United alongside Hugh Jackman.
He played Dr William Stryker, the man responsible for creating Wolverine.
Speaking at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Cox said: “What’s happened is that television is doing what cinema used to do.
“I think cinema is in a very bad way. I think it’s lost its place because of, partly, the grandiose element between Marvel, DC and all of that. And I think it’s beginning to implode. You’re kind of losing the plot.”
Cox raised concerns that the financial incentives for studios and actors meant that the churn of films would be likely to continue.
He said his acting colleagues were “making a lot of money that’ll make everybody happy, but in terms of the work, it becomes diluted afterwards”, adding “you’re getting the same-old”.
Since 2008, 33 Marvel films have been released, and they have dominated the box office.
Avengers: Endgame made almost $3 billion and became the highest-grossing film of the last 10 years. Three other Marvel films feature in the top 10.
Spider-Man, which has been made nine times in various different ways, initially had three instalments from 2002 to 2007 with Tobey Maguire starring.
Since that time, Spider-Man has been portrayed by Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel; and Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far from Home.
The character was then voiced by actor Shameik Moore in the animated version of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
There have, to date, been three Guardians of the Galaxy films, and Robert Downey Jr starred in three Iron Man films before his character was swept into the four Avengers crossovers, which bring together characters from different Marvel franchises.
This crossover features the character of Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, who has also played the character three times in a separate trilogy.
The Hulk has been played by Eric Bana, Edward Norton and Mark Ruffalo in the character’s multiple cinematic outings, while Australian star Jackman has appeared in his role as Wolverine in 10 different films, with another scheduled for release this year.
This is a crossover with the character Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds, who has already appeared in two prior films in the franchise.
Hollywood star Chris Evans has played the character of Captain America in 11 different films, and the character is set for another franchise instalment this year, with Anthony Mackie taking over as the shield-bearing superhero.
Samuel L Jackson holds the record for appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has appeared as the character Nick Fury 15 times since 2008.
The production line of comic-book films has been criticised by many for lacking artistic seriousness, and Cox told an audience in Edinburgh that actors “who do this stuff” can “make a lot of money” by accepting roles in the various spin-offs.
He warned, however, that “in terms of the work, it becomes diluted afterwards”.
Cox is not the only actor to have accepted a Marvel job and then spoken out against the dominance of the brand, with Sir Anthony Hopkins complaining that it was “pointless” trying to act in the Thor franchise he appeared in.
Idris Elba, who had played Nelson Mandela in a prior role, said that “it ripped [his] heart out” to see himself absurdly costumed in the same Thor franchise.
Ben Affleck, who played the superhero Daredevil, described what he perceived to be the studio approach to superhero films in 2003, saying: “There was a cynical sense of ‘put a red leather outfit on a guy, have him run around, hunt some bad guys and cash the cheque’.”
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Concerns about the Marvel product have also been shared by those making the films.
Earlier this year, Disney announced that it would cut production of Marvel films and TV spin-offs to avoid interest in the franchise being exhausted.
Bob Iger, the company’s chief executive, said it would aim to “focus more on quality” and reduce its output of superhero fare.
The films have been commercial hits, and but recent underperformance at the box office has led to some concern that the appetite for the franchise has begun to wane.
However, more films are in the works, with two more Avengers films set to be released in 2026 and 2027, respectively, and an entirely new branch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Fantastic Four, is set to be launched in 2025.
