Sebastian Stan claims it has become “convenient” to criticise Marvel
Sebastian Stan has suggested that it has become “convenient” to criticise Marvel films, defending the studio’s intentions and impact on Hollywood.
Stan first joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2011, playing Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger. The actor has reprised the role of the super soldier several times since then, most recently in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. He is set to return to the franchise next year.
An increasing number of audiences, filmmakers and actors have condemned the MCU in recent years, from Martin Scorsese to Jason Statham. The films have rightly been criticised for their focus on profits and subsequent lack of creativity, but Stan has defended the studio.
During a recent conversation with Variety, the MCU star suggested that it has become “really convenient to pick on” Marvel movies. “And that’s fine. Everyone’s got an opinion,” he added.
However, Stan went on to suggest that the superhero series is integral to the ecosystem of Hollywood. “They’re a big part of what contributes to this business and allows us to have smaller movies as well,” he stated, “This is an artery traveling through the system of this entire machinery that’s Hollywood. It feeds in so many more ways than people acknowledge.”
The actor admitted to sometimes feeling “protective” over the product “because the intention is really fucking good.” Stan continued, “It’s just fucking hard to make a good movie over and over again.”
Stan is set to return to the MCU and to the role of Bucky Barnes next year in Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts, which will follow the superhero team of the same name from the comics. Alongside Stan, the film boasts a star-studded cast including Florence Pugh, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and Harrison Ford.
Sebastian Stan’s new Donald Trump movie The Apprentice
Ahead of his return to the MCU next year, Stan is currently promoting his latest project, The Apprentice. The film was directed by Ali Abbasi and follows Donald Trump through his early business ventures. Stan stars as the businessman-turned-president, while Jeremy Strong and Maria Bakalova take on supporting roles.
The Apprentice premiered at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, receiving an eight-minute standing ovation from viewers. At the premiere, the director spoke about the importance of the film in our current climate, stating, “There is no nice metaphorical way to dal with the rising wave of fascism. There’s only the messy way. There’s only the banal way.”
The Apprentice is scheduled for release on October 11th in the United States.
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