Scorsese Says Marvel Films Are More Like ‘Theme Parks’ Than Cinema

Listen up, Marvel. Martin Scorsese would like a word.

Though the superhero film franchise has throngs of devoted fans, as it turns out, the 76-year-old director ― whose iconic flicks include “Taxi Driver,” “Goodfellas” and “Raging Bull” ― isn’t one of them.

In fact, he won’t even deign to watch a Marvel movie in its entirety.

“I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema,” he said in a recent interview with Empire magazine.

“Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

The remarks drew the ire of James Gunn, writer and director of Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, who tweeted that he was “saddened” by Scorsese’s take on his work.

Filmmaker Joss Whedon, who directed “The Avengers” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” also spoke out in support of Gunn, stating that “his heart & guts are packed into GOTG.”

Scorsese’s latest film, “The Irishman,” is set to hit Netflix in late November, and tells the story of the 1982 killing of Teamster Jimmy Hoffa through the perspective of alleged Bufalino crime family hitman Frank Sheeran. 

In a follow-up tweet, Gunn said Friday that he “will always love Scorsese, be grateful for his contribution to cinema, and can’t wait to see” his new film.