The superhero genre continues to be a powerful force in the entertainment industry. with Marvel studios putting out blockbuster movies as well as additional content that's available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow was there at the MCU's start in Iron Man, and some fans are still hoping she'll reprise her role as Pepper Potts in an upcoming Marvel movie. Paltrow recently didn't hold back her criticism of the genre, saying "you can only make so many good ones."
Despite appearing so many times as Pepper, it's no secret that the Oscar-winning actress has a unique relationship to the genre. Paltrow famously forgot she was in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and isn't the superfan that so many of us are. While appearing on Hot Ones, she offered her perspective on the massively expensive superhero genre, saying:
I think if I look at the industry as a whole, this sort of big push into superhero movies, I mean, you can only make so many good ones that feel truly original. And yet they're still always trying to reach as many people as possible, which sometimes hinders quality or specificity or real point of view...I do think that you get more diversity of art when there's less at stake and people can sort of express their true voice and make a film the way they wanna make it, and then I think those are generally the more resonant ones.
There you have it. It looks like Paltrow isn't too happy with how the comic book genre has influenced the film industry as a whole. Luckily for her, Paltrow is mostly retired these days, instead focusing on her lifestyle brand Goop. Still, her perspective is key as someone who has spent so many years as a film star.
Those of us who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know there has been concern over superhero fatigue. Since various studios have their own cinematic universe, there is a ton of new comic book projects coming to theaters at any point. And as Paltrow points out, it's hard for these projects to stand out as something wholly original.
Paltrow's criticism of the genre comes as the MCU has been struggling at the box office. After the record-breaking success of Avengers: Endgame, the shared universe has failed to meet that same success. Both Eternals and Ant-Man 3 were box office disappointments, and The Marvels has become the lowest grossing MCU film ever.
It should be interesting to see what comes next for Marvel, and if Paltrow is ever convinced to pop back up as Pepper Potts. For her part, the actress only seems interested if it includes more work with Robert Downey Jr.. And indeed, there are rumors that the OG Avengers could be back for a new project.
The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Deadpool & Wolverine on July 26th. For now check out the 2024 movie release dates.
