Brian Cox thinks cinema is “in a very bad way,” with the Marvel and DC Universes partly to blame.
The legendary actor of stage and screen – who most recently garnered critical acclaim for his award-winning role in HBO’s Succession – spoke at an Edinburgh International Film Festival panel on Saturday. When asked about the recent successes of globally popular TV shows, Cox cited the latest MCU installment Deadpool & Wolverine as a great example of cinematic “party time”.
“What’s happened is that television is doing what cinema used to do,” Cox told the audience of television’s originality. “I think cinema is in a very bad way. I think it’s lost its place because of, partly, the grandiose element between Marvel, DC and all of that. And I think it’s beginning to implode, actually. You’re kind of losing the plot.”
He discussed Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman of Deadpool & Wolverine while referencing how films are “making a lot of money that’ll make everybody happy, but in terms of the work, it becomes diluted afterwards. You’re getting the same old… I mean, I’ve done those kind of [projects].”
Cox starred as William Stryker Jr. in X2: X-Men United (a military scientist who persuades Logan to become Wolverine), and admittedly said he “forgets” about the fact he “created” Wolverine. “Deadpool meets the guy… Wolverine, who I created, but I’ve forgotten. Actually,” he jokes, “When those films are on, there’s always a bit of me [as Stryker] and they never pay me any money.”
“So it’s just become a party time for certain actors to do this stuff,” Cox added. “When you know that Hugh Jackman can do a bit more, Ryan Reynolds… but it’s because they go down that road and it’s box office. They make a lot of money. You can’t knock it.”
Television is pulling ahead, he continued, with incredible shows like Jesse Armstrong’s Succession and Netflix’s Ripley, starring Andrew Scott. “There’s so many [shows] and you’ve got the honor of telling the story over a period of time.” The actor said movies of his childhood such as On the Waterfront are what made him want to “be the actor I’ve become,” but it’s partially eradicated.
Hollywood has trained a lot of people in America to not go to the movies anymore.
It almost feels like the theaters aren’t really for people who truly love movies anymore. They center around these tentpole films like Marvel movies, that usually aren’t the bedrock of what true film lovers have a strong appetite for.
“9th billing from a movie 20 years ago complains about vague use of his character (who had been replaced by two other actors already)”
He argues that TV is better because it can tell stories over a longer period of time, and that movies are becoming bad because they tell the same story over a longer period of time?? This is giving ‘old man yells at cloud’ energy.
I saw that spooky witch horseshit you did, Brian Cox. Absolutely fucking trash but I guess you needed the paycheck.
The guy who provides voice overs for McDonald’s commercials should understand very well that actors go where the money is.
I totally get what he is saying. Although D&P might not be the best example because it has what a lot of movies nowdays are missing.
Love.
The actors love the characters and each other.
It wasnt just another day in The ‘office’. And that reads on screen.
A lot of movies are just soulless right now. If not built by AI then they they are built by committee.
