Elizabeth Olsen Has a Message for Marvel Movie Haters

For anyone out there who’s hating on Marvel films, the Scarlet Witch herself has a message for you. Elizabeth Olsen, who stars as Wanda Maxomoff/the Scarlet Witch in several Marvel films, including the most recent Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, spoke to The Independent about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the interview, she hit back against criticism for Marvel films and superhero pictures in general. 

Like any other piece of media, big-budget blockbuster films have had to navigate a fair deal of criticism. However, superhero films, in particular, have been largely criticized in comparison to films that are considered to be more artistic. While chatting with the Independent, Olsen said that she’s done with that kind of criticism, as it does not account for the massive amount of work that goes into making these blockbuster films. 

“I’m not saying we’re making indie art films, but I think [the criticism] takes away from our crew, which bugs me,” Olsen said. “These are some of the most amazing set designers, costume designers, camera operators–I feel diminishing them with that kind of criticism takes away from all the people who do award-winning films, that also work on these projects.” She went on to say that she understands the criticism, especially “from an actor’s point of view.” The Avengers: Age of Ultron star continued, “I totally understand that there’s a different kind of performance that’s happening. But I do think throwing Marvel under the bus takes away from the hundreds of very talented crew people. That’s where I get a little feisty about that.”

As superhero films grow more and more popular, so does the outcry against them. Even celebrated filmmakers such as Martin Scorcese and Francis Ford Coppola have spoken out against such comic book movies, per GameSpot. Although, in recent years, these films have also enjoyed additional awards attention unlike ever before. 

Heath Ledger was posthumously recognized for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight, a performance that he won an Oscar for in 2009. Joaquin Phoenix also won an Oscar for portraying the same iconic comic book villain after appearing in the 2019 film Joker. Marvel’s 2018 film Black Panther became the first superhero film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It may not have won the biggest prize of the night, but the film did walk away with several Oscars for Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design.