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Over the past few years, superhero movies have become the most profitable genre in the business. Plenty of studios have their own shared universes, after the MCU revolutionized serialized storytelling. But recently, acclaimed filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola have shared their negative feelings toward these blockbusters. And Winter Soldier actor Sebastian Stan is the latest to defend the impact of the MCU.
Sebastian Stan has played Bucky Barnes in a whopping five movies in the MCU, not counting cameos in Ant-Man and Black Panther. But he's also appeared in Oscar favorites like I, Tonya and The Martian. And following the recent comments dismissing the franchise and even calling it "despicable", Stan spoke to how important those blockbusters are to the fans. As he put it:
He's one of my heroes and I was listening to him and meanwhile, I just spent the day with all of you. People have been going up to me like 'Thank you so much for this character,' 'This movie helped me out so much,' 'This movie inspired me. Now I feel better. Now I feel less alone,' so how can you say these movies are not helping people?
Bucky Barnes has a point. There are countless fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the massive franchise has been able to affect them emotionally. And if that's the requirement for great cinema, then Marvel Studios has done its job.
Sebastian Stan's comments at Fandemic Tour Houston (via Comic Book) are in direct response to the recent comments made by Francis Cord Coppola. The legendary Godfather filmmaker maintained that superhero movies don't affect audience. What's more, he thought that Martin Scorsese's previous comments were too kind, and that comic book movies were "despicable."
The Captain America actor first acknowledged that Francis Ford Coppola was a personal hero of his, before Sebastian Stan offered an argument against his feelings. The fact that he was speaking at a convention was evident that moviegoers have been affected by the genre, especially the 23 movies that have made up the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
What's more, the comics have been read for decades before they were adapted for the big screen. The Winter Soldier has lead his own series alongside Black Widow, and his story in the MCU will continue on his upcoming Disney+ series.
Related: James Gunn Reacts To Francis Ford Coppola Calling Marvel Movies 'Despicable'
Francis Ford Coppola's recent "despicable" comments quickly went viral, with certain contributors to the genre coming to its defense. Coppola is widely considered one of the best filmmakers of all time, so his opinion carries weight. And they come shortly after Martin Scorsese's comments that comic book movies were "not cinema."
It looks like the conversation around superhero movies in the wider cinema world will only continue. Certain movies have been recognized by the film academy before, with Logan and Black Panther receiving Oscar nominations in major categories. And Marvel Studios is showing no signs of slowing down, with plans for Phase Three and Phase Four moving forward.
The next installment in the MCU will be Black Widow on May 1st, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
