Summary
Before starring in FX’sThe Bear, Jeremy Allen White had decades of experience on television. However, he was unimpressed when brought up for a superhero audition.
Many superhero franchises – particularlyMarvel– have flooded the market with comic book films. When the trend started in the early aughts, it would be years between feature films. Now, there is seemingly no escaping it, which has prompted many people in Hollywood to make their sentiments on the genre clear, such as Martin Scorsese.Avengers: Endgamedirector Joe Russo fired backagainst the director only to get slammed by cinema lovers.
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White’s perspective on the subject is perhaps not as incendiary as the drama on social media, but he did make his opinion known when he toldGQabout a failed audition. “I had a meeting for a kind of Marvel-y movie, and I had an attitude. I think I played it all wrong,” White admitted. He laid out the scene, explaining that he said at the time, “‘Tell me about why should I do your movie.’ They were like, ‘F*** you.’ And I was like, ‘Right on.’” White also questioned how it seems to be a foregone conclusion that rising actors will star in a superhero movie, saying, “I am confused at how the pinnacle of an actor’s career has ended up in that place.”
White did not specifically vocalize complaints about superhero movies generally, but his meeting still spoke a thousand words. By asking superhero executives to pitch him their movie, it made a clear statement that he didn’t hold the project in high regard. This isn’t exactly surprising, considering White’s body of work. After starring in a character-driven drama inShameless, he is now part of one of the most highly regarded new series.The Beartakes the high stakes of kitchen workand spins a harrowing tale of grief, guilt, and addiction. Starring in a Marvel or DC movie may not have been on his bucket list.
Marvel feels like a dime a dozen at this point, and it’s all because of the oversaturation of the brand. With so many Marvel movies and television series, keeping up with the franchise is almost impossible. Phase 5 has become a hodgepodge of content that lacks the consistency of earlier phases. And with the critical flops ofThor: Love and ThunderandSecret Invasion, it is easy to write off the genre.
That isn’t to say interesting things aren’t coming down the pipeline. The news surrounding the soft rebootDaredevil: Born Againhas been dramatic, but it may be for the best. Firing the entire writing staff could mean that Marvel Studios could have more character-driven content. The same goes for Marvel Spotlight’s series,Echo,which some believecould be the MCU’s Andor. Advertised as a gritty and violent drama, this could be a new era for Marvel. No word yet if White has any interest in participating.
The Bearseasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Hulu.
