Luc Besson Slams Superhero Movies, Calls Captain America Propaganda

Despite taking a shot at them himself with Valerian this summer, Luc Besson has had enough of superhero films.

The French director of Fifth Element and Taken is “totally tired” of superhero films coming up in conversation and being released in such rapid succession. Besson revealed as much during an interview with CinePop.

Besson’s list of reasons for despising superhero films is considerable. “It was great 10 years ago when we see the first Spider-Man and Iron Man,” Besson said. “But now, it’s like number five, six, seven; the superhero is working with another superhero, but it’s not the same family. I’m lost.”

More specifically, he is a bit frustrated with the portrayal of America in superhero films. “What bothers me most is it’s always here to show the supremacy of America and how they are great,” Besson said. “I mean, which country in the world would have the guts to call a film ‘Captain Brazil’ or ‘Captain France?’ I mean, no one! We would be like so ashamed and say, ‘No, no, come on, we can’t do that.’ They can. They can call it ‘Captain America,’ and everybody think it normal. I’m not here for propaganda, I’m here to tell a story.”

Besson’s Valerian was met by mixed reviews when it released earlier this summer. “In terms of direction, [Valerian] is signature Besson-style work, mixing imaginative oddity with some offbeat comedy, romance, and violent action into a fine brew,” ComicBook.com’s Kofi Outlaw said. “Unfortunately, The City of a Thousand Planets falls pretty flat on the script level.”