Not everyone likes his stuff either, says Marvel film stalwart, in response to director’s negative comments

This article is more than 11 months old

This article is more than 11 months old

Samuel L Jackson has responded to Martin Scorsese’s negative comments on Marvel’s film output by saying not everyone likes “[Scorsese’s] stuff either”.

Scorsese provoked uproar by telling Empire magazine he had tried and failed to get interested in Marvel films, and said they were “not cinema”.

Martin Scorsese says Marvel movies are 'not cinema' Read more

Jackson’s response came as he was speaking to Variety at the much-hyped launch of Tyler Perry’s studio facility in Atlanta, Georgia. Jackson, who has appeared as SHIELD head Nick Fury in 10 Marvel films, including The Avengers series, the Iron Man and the Captain America films, said “that’s kind of like saying Bugs Bunny ain’t funny”.

“Films are films. You know, everybody doesn’t like his stuff either. I mean, we happen to, but everybody doesn’t.

“There are a lot of Italian-Americans that don’t think he should be making films about them like that. Everybody’s got an opinion, so it’s okay. It’s not going to stop anyone from making movies.”

James Gunn (@JamesGunn) Martin Scorsese is one of my 5 favorite living filmmakers. I was outraged when people picketed The Last Temptation of Christ without having seen the film. I’m saddened that he’s now judging my films in the same way. https://t.co/hzHp8x4Aj8

Other industry figures have stepped in to defend Marvel’s cinematic output. Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn tweeted that he was “saddened” by Scorsese’s comments, and one of the film’s actors, Karen Gillan, defended Gunn’s films on artistic grounds: “[the films are] a very big representation of who [Gunn] is as a person and therefore it’s very cinematic”.

The Avengers director Joss Whedon also posted a defence of Marvel on social media, quoting the Incredible Hulk: “I revere Marty, & I do see his point, but ... Well there’s a reason why ‘I’m always angry’.”