Anthony Hopkins thinks acting in Marvel films is “pointless”
As the debate about the cinematic worth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe still rages, it’s interesting to glean some insight into the argument from someone involved in it. The legendary Welsh actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, 85, has played Nordic God Odin in three Thor films spanning six years and has recently come forward with his own thoughts on the hugely popular franchise.
Hopkins had initially thanked the efforts of director Kenneth Branagh, with the first Thor film in 2011, for restoring in him a passion for acting and for persuading him not to retire from the industry altogether.
Recalling a conversation between him and Branagh in the 2021 book The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hopkins said: “Branagh gave me back the chops to work. I was gonna give it up, really.”
The acclaimed actor continued to shower praise on the director, adding: “Working with Ken was quite an injection of new energy into my life. His enthusiasm, his attitude, is so positive, that he brings out the best in everybody”. Branagh, however, relinquished the directing helm after the first instalment and did not return to the franchise.
Since then, it seems that Hopkins has had a particularly drastic change of heart. Almost ten years after first playing father to the God of Thunder, the actor has come forward and dismissed his participation in the MCU as “pointless”.
Speaking with The New Yorker in a broader piece about the monopoly Disney/Marvel has over Hollywood, Hopkins revealed his current opinions on the whole thing. Recalling the brusqueness of the filmmakers, he explains the particularly passionless experience he was subjected to: “They put me in armour; they shoved a beard on me. ‘Sit on the throne, shout a bit.’”
For such a critically acclaimed and classically trained actor, it must have been a far cry from the likes of working on Silence of the Lambs or War and Peace. Commenting on the heavy reliance on CGI, Hopkins added, “If you’re sitting in front of a green screen, it’s pointless acting it.”
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