Robert Downey Jr. made an empire out of the rubble when he first stepped into the Marvel industry with Iron Man. But the recent attack and the demonizing trait that Hollywood’s greats have begun to badger MCU with has been distasteful and relentless in their unforgiving criticisms. Quentin Tarantino’s motive behind refuting the efforts of Marvel actors in its entirety left the fandom surprised when he backed up his statement by claiming that Captain America or Thor was the star, instead of the actors who portray these comic book legends. Robert Downey Jr. recently responded to these negatory remarks with counterclaims of his own.
Robert Downey Jr. Expresses Gratitude to BO Successes
Hollywood exists as a platform for the creative and the artistic to express themselves in their potential capacities, not simply for such masterweavers like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino to produce classically Oscar-worthy movies. In light of auteurs expressing their distaste for what Marvel has been transforming the industry into, the Django Unchained director claimed that the “Marvel-ization of Hollywood” has erased the dynamic landscape that once produced movie stars. In response, Robert Downey Jr. said,
“Let’s just get over it. We’re all a community. There’s enough room for everything and thank God for Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water. That’s all I have to say. We need the big stuff to make room for films like Armageddon Time.”
Of all the subjects that have been problematic within the industry, Marvel is the least of the audience’s worries. But at the same time, when a franchise as immensely popular, successful, and celebrated as the MCU is repeatedly tarnished and backed up into a corner, the inevitable bite back from one of its foundational fathers was only a matter of time.
Simultaneously, however, Robert Downey Jr. finds the grace to thank and be thankful for such productions as Top Gun: Maverick which saved the box office after the pandemic prospered the practice of direct-to-streaming productions. When compared to the rabid attacks against MCU, RDJ’s comments stand out due to the well-rounded arguments that he serves up while also successfully maneuvering against Tarantino’s diss against the MCU.
The Relevance of the MCU in Contemporary Hollywood
The resurrection of Marvel Studios from the dust is a story as inspirational as the comeback of the Iron Man actor. The almost bankrupt franchise which had resorted to selling off its IPs one by one to the highest bidders during the 90s within a decade turned itself around and became one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time. But the beauty of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its overarching plotlines that never fail to drive home, and its streamlined continuity become impressive because there is none other like it.
In that respect, Robert Downey Jr. delivers a strong argument for Marvel when he claims, “thank God for Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water” because if every movie had been parallel to the artistic ingenuity of projects like Shutter Island and Inglorious Basterds and Titanic, the appreciation for the variable genre would be lost among the crowd of masterpieces unsuited to every demography’s taste. Marvel shuns those chained limitations when it produces heroes and gives them their personal arcs to fulfill in stories that extend beyond a simple one-part narrative. And it is primarily one of the reasons why the audience keeps coming back to it even after the heartbreaking episode dealt with the franchise’s Phase Four oeuvre.
Source: Deadline
