This year, Madame Web marked another low point for Marvel. Sony’s superhero blockbuster starring Dakota Johnson was a commercial disaster and also a complete flop with critics.
Afterwards, the leading actress expressed her criticism of the way blockbusters of this kind are made, no longer allow any artistic space In a recent interview, Gladiator star Russell Crowe, who has played roles at both DC and Marvel, was asked about Johnson’s statements. His reaction was clear.
Russell Crowe explains what it means to play superhero roles
Speaking to Bustle in early March 2024 after the disastrous Madame Web box office results, Dakota Johnson said that superhero blockbusters are too many committee decisions instead of individual decisions of the filmmakers are ruined:
Decisions are made by committees, and art doesn’t thrive when it’s made by committees. Films are made by a filmmaker and a team of artists around him. You can’t make art based on numbers and algorithms.
In the current GQ interview, Russell Crowe was asked what he thought of Johnson’s statement. His opinion is clear, without personally attacking his colleague:
You’re telling me you signed up for a Marvel movie and a damn universe for comic book characters… and you didn’t get enough pathos? I’m not quite sure how I can improve that for you. It’s a gigantic machine, and they make movies of a certain size. […]These are jobs. You know: Here is your role, play the role. If you’re expecting this to be a life-changing event, I think you’re here for the wrong reasons.[…] [}
Here you can watch a German Madame web trailer if you really want to:
Madame Web – Trailer (German) HD
For Russell Crowe, superhero blockbusters and artistic impulses are not mutually exclusive
Crowe speaks from experience, having played Jor-El in Man of Steel and Zeus in Thor 4: Love and Thunder. In the GQ interview he says that the Shooting in front of green screens for superhero films is challenging and the conditions may be just as tough as on any other set.
He also cannot fully agree with the statement that artistic impulses are not possible. In his opinion, the filming of Thor 4 was influenced by Taika Waititi’s vision and the upcoming Kraven film with Crowe in a role is said to have also attracted positive attention due to the talent of director JC Chandor.