Marvel's Kevin Feige Says Putting A Superhero in A Movie Is Not A "Cheat-Code To Success"
Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige says that putting a superhero in a movie is not a "cheat-code" to success. Some film fans are still debating what Spider-Man: No Way Home's box office success says about the state of theaters. Well, it would be easy to look at that kind of massive box office and say it's totally because of the hero and his massive fanbase. But, Feige and viewers think that No Way Home has fared so well because of the story and the emotion carved out over 20 years. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter the executive, series star Tom Holland, and other Sony brass discuss the idea of an Oscar for the biggest movie of the year. A lot of people have just accepted the fact that no superhero movie will claim Best Picture. But, all of the individuals quoted for the piece wonder why that is. Feige personally has overseen tons of these projects during his career. Not all of them end up being smashes, no matter what heroes you put out there.
"Making a commercial film that can say something and mean something to a lot of different types of people around the globe is extremely difficult to do and, I think, is dismissed often as easy," Feige asked. "'Well, you have a superhero in it, and that's a cheat-code to success.' It's not. Putting on a costume is not the secret. The secret is having artists and storytellers and craftsmen that can bring an audience on a journey. And when critics recognize that and audiences recognize that, it feels like it's worthy then to talk about the Academy recognizing it. And that, I think, is what we'll continue to talk about over the next few weeks."
In the same article, the Marvel Studios head talks about some of the disadvantages the genre faces on the Awards circuit.
"I think both of these types of films deserve recognition." Feige mused. It's a good thing when people are in a theater and they stand up and cheer. It's a good thing when people are wiping tears because they're thinking back on their last 20 years of moviegoing and what it has meant to them. That, to me, is a very good thing — the sort of thing the Academy was founded, back in the day, to recognize."
Do you think Spider-Man: No Way Home could actually challenge for an Oscar? Let us know down in the comments!