Alejandro González Iñárritu says Robert Downey Jr. hasn’t apologized and doesn’t care if he doesn’t

When in 2015 Alejandro González Iñárritu (Love Dogs (92%), Revenant: The Revenant (82%)) released his film Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (91%)superhero movies were already dominating the box office, but Marvel still hadn’t achieved their biggest hits (Avengers: Infinity War (79%) Y Avengers: Endgame (95%)). At that time, the Mexican director called superhero movies “cultural genocide,” and the actor’s response Robert Downey Jr. It was downright racist, but Iñárritu says he has not received and does not expect an apology.

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For those who do not remember clearly, we refresh your memory. In 2015 Downey Jr. was promoting Avengers: Age of Ultron (75%)and in an interview with Guardian He was asked what he thought of what Iñárritu said about superhero movies. He replied: “Look, I respect you. I think for a man whose native language is Spanish, being able to put together a phrase like ‘cultural genocide’ speaks to how brilliant he is.”

It is more than clear that the words of the American actor were quite offensive and sarcastic. In September of that year, the Mexican director had addressed the issue in an interview with Indie Wireand now he did it again when questioned by The Independent about whether he had received an apology from Downey Jr., seven years after the controversial statement (via Indie Wire):

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This year Iñárritu released his first film since Revenant: The Revenant, Bardo, false chronicle of a few truths (58%), which was not very well received by critics, but which is a very personal work where he reflects his experiences and his perspective on art and artists. It was released in theaters in Mexico but is now available on Netflix.

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Superhero cinema fulfills a very important function, which is to offer entertainment for the masses, but many film directors believe that other types of films should not be displaced just to show what is fashionable. This prevalence of the hooded responds to the market and how much the public needs these mythologies that are often reactionary and ideologically harmful.

Criticisms of superhero movies are not new, they already existed before Iñárritu, and after him there were filmmakers like Luc Beson, Martin Scorsese Y Quentin Tarantino those who attacked the subgenre. Of special relevance was the criticism of Scorsese, who went down in history for having denied Marvel films from being considered cinema.

Although the director clarified that he was not belittling them, but rather highlighting that their cultural value was different from auteur cinema, angry fans have not stopped complaining ever since. Tarantino’s criticisms, on the other hand, are aimed at the fact that Marvel and superheroes monopolize movie theaters and displace other genres, and because he kills off movie stars.

In November of last year, while promoting Bardo, false chronicle of a few truthsIñárritu gave an interview to total films (via slashfilm) where he said he respects what Marvel Studios does, but also admitted that he doesn’t understand it and couldn’t make a movie like that:

Don’t leave without reading: Kumail Nanjiani Says Martin Scorsese Earned The Right To Criticize Marvel