Hollywood has been dominated by franchise culture for over a decade. Presently, the industry boasts a myriad of franchises ranging from intimate two-film series to epic universes like Marvel or Star Wars. Legendary director Martin Scorsese has been a vocal critic of this trend, especially concerning Marvel productions, as the director once called these movies “theme parks”. Recently, the director made headlines, urging the industry to save itself from these movies.
Martin Scorsese slams Marvel movies for eroding film artistry
Martin Scorsese has recently been critical of the franchise culture of Hollywood, arguing that it has taken away the artistic quality of the industry. Scorsese, in an interview with GQ magazine, expressed his concern over franchises like Marvel dominating the industry, stating “Well, the industry is over”, thereby underscoring the challenges faced by small and independent films.
.”The danger there is what it’s doing to our culture,” he said. “Because there are going to be generations now that think movies are only those—that’s what movies are.”
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The director explained that the issue is that the studios now heavily prefer franchise films and are pushing out other kinds of films, thus training the audiences to expect only comic book movies or sequels at the movie theater. He even went critical of Warner Bros., who suggested he expand his classic movie The Departed into a franchise by altering its ending.
“What they wanted was a franchise. It wasn’t about a moral issue of a person living or dying.” It was about having a character that could survive in another film”.
From the director’s point of view, it was also observed that the studios have been prioritizing more sequels, prequels, or spin-offs to ensure guaranteed success and maximize profit. In the 2023’s top 20 blockbuster lineup, only Oppenheimer and Barbie have come out as original content, while others are part of some existing franchises.
Martin Scorsese urges the filmmakers to save cinema
The director suggested that filmmakers should step up and push back against the dominance of franchise culture in Hollywood. He emphasized that change should begin at the “grass-roots level”, with filmmakers taking the lead.
“We have to fight back stronger. And it’s got to come from the grassroots level. It’s gotta come from the filmmakers themselves. But at the same time, the theaters have to step up to make them places where people will want to go and enjoy themselves or want to go and see something that moves them”.
He also mentioned notable filmmakers like the Safdie brothers and Christopher Nolan, who are capable of producing original content and can challenge the industry’s franchise-oriented model. At the same time, the director pointed out that Nolan, who is known for making the Batman trilogy, has also significantly made money from original content, including his recent hit Oppenheimer. He added that it the indeed a crucial time for the industry to make the change and “got to save cinema.”
Martin Scorsese questions Marvel’s lasting Impact beyond visuals
He also refers to Marvel movies as “manufactured content” that is released focusing on financial gain and lacks integrity and artistic expression. He likens it to AI creating film, suggesting it is far away from the human touch and artistic depth.
“It’s almost like AI making a film. And that doesn’t mean that you don’t have incredible directors and special effects people doing beautiful artwork,”
The Taxi Driver director also acknowledged the creative team behind these movies is doing visually stunning work. However, he questions whether these movies offer anything more than a fleeting experience, but they fail to leave a lasting impact, rather than merely serving as consumable entertainment.
Source: GQ magazine
Frequently asked questions
What did Martin Scorsese actually say about franchise culture ruining movies?
Scorsese warned that franchise dominance is reshaping how audiences understand film, saying "there are going to be generations now that think movies are only those—that’s what movies are," and even remarking "the industry is over" in that respect. His core worry is that studios are conditioning viewers to expect only franchise spectacle, comparing it to "AI making a film." He urged that "we have to fight back stronger" from "the grassroots level" to protect other kinds of cinema.
Why did Scorsese bring up Warner Bros. and The Departed?
He used The Departed as an example of franchise pressure inside the studio system, recalling that Warner Bros. wanted a character to survive so the film could continue as a franchise. As he put it, "what they wanted was a franchise… it was about having a character that could survive in another film," rather than the story’s moral stakes. For Scorsese this showed how franchise thinking can override a story’s creative intent.
Does Scorsese think every big-budget or popular movie is bad?
No. His criticism targets formulaic, franchise-driven "manufactured content" he likens to "theme parks," not commercial filmmaking as a whole. In the article he points to Christopher Nolan and the Safdie brothers as filmmakers making original work that still succeeds, noting that in 2023’s top blockbusters only Oppenheimer and Barbie were original rather than franchise titles. His point is a distinction between personal artistic vision and assembly-line output, not a blanket dismissal of popular films.
