Avengers: EndGame director Joe Russo takes a jab at Martin Scorsese

The feud between Martin Scorsese and Marvel is long-dated. Scorsese has criticized Marvel multiple times, first diving into the debate in 2019. In The Directors Roundtable interview by Variety, he stirred controversy by saying Avengers movies are more like "amusement park rides" than cinema.

Recently, Scorsese again criticized Marvel films, urging audiences to support directors like Christopher Nolan of Oppenheimer fame instead. He also posted a video with his dog Oscar, instructing the dog to "show sadness."

Apparently, his censure has ushered a wave of retaliation. This is because recently, Joe Russo, the Avengers: EndGame director, has taken a jab at the director for his critical remarks.

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How did Joe Russo take a jab at Martin Sorcese?

A still of Martin Scorsese (Image via Instagram/@martinscorsese_)

Joe Russo responded by humorously poking fun at Scorsese, the director of the latest movie Killers of the Flower Moon. Russo aimed his video at Scorsese and captioned it, "It appears we have the same muse @martinscorsese." Furthermore, the four-time Marvel movie director posted a video on his Instagram handle saying:

“Aw look, he has a schnauzer. I love schnauzers. And he named it Oscar. That’s really cute. Oscar.” [Then he holds his own schnauzer and says] Alright, come on, Box Office.”

To understand this better, one must look at the comments posed by Martin Sorcese during an interview with Empire Magazine. He later faced questions about these views from GQ UK while promoting Killers of the Flower Moon.

In the interview, Martin Scorsese expressed his belief that manufactured content isn't true cinema. He compares it to films made by AI. He acknowledges that these films have talented directors and special effects artists. However, he questions the film's deeper meaning. Moreover, Martin wonders what value they add to viewers beyond brief entertainment. Scorsese said:

“I do think that the manufactured content isn’t really cinema... No, I don’t want to say it. But what I mean is that it’s manufactured content. 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. But what does it mean? What do these films – what will it give you?... Aside from a kind of consummation of something and then eliminating it from your mind, your whole body, you know? So what is it giving you?”

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How Loki season 2 took a nuanced dig at Martin Scorsese

Loki season 2 takes a nuanced dig at Martin Scorsese (Image via Sportskeeda)

Loki Season 2 quickly sets the stage for the beloved MCU villain's future roles in Marvel. Episode 2 introduces a subplot that seems to nod to a famous director. The episode significantly ups the stakes. The reason is that fan-favorite characters have a tense reunion, and the heroes suffer a major defeat.

The episode features Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Mobius (Owen Wilson) searching for Hunter X-5 (Rafael Casal). Fans had earlier seen X-5 looking for Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino). Interestingly, X-5 is on Earth as Brad Wolfe, an actor in the Zaniac film series. When Wolfe/X-5 seeks feedback on the films, he calls them "cinema." This has, in turn, sparked speculation about a subtle dig at Martin Scorsese.

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Final thoughts

The ongoing feud between Martin Scorsese and Marvel challenges us to rethink the essence of cinema. Whether it's Joe Russo's playful jabs or subtle nods in Loki Season 2, the debate is far from over. It prompts us to question what we seek in films—mere entertainment or something more profound.