‘Shang-Chi’ star Simu Liu slams anti-Marvel critics: Old Hollywood was ‘white as hell’

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Simu Liu is fed up with listening to Marvel critics — even if the people attacking the popular superhero films are esteemed directors Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese.

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During his appearance on the 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast this week, Tarantino groused about the effect Marvel movies have had on the state of the film industry.

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“You have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters, but they’re not movie stars,” he said. “Captain America is the star. Thor is the star. I mean, I’m not the first person to say that. I think that’s been said a zillion times. It’s these franchise characters that become a star.”

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood… writer-director went on to lament how superhero films are “the only things that seem to be made.”

“My only axe to grind against them is they’re the only things that seem to be made, and they’re the only things that seems to generate any kind of excitement,” he continued. “They are the entire representation of this era of movies right now, and there’s not really much room for anything else.”

Liu, who starred in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, spotted the remarks and took aim at Tarantino and director Martin Scorsese, who likened Marvel movies to theme park rides in a 2019 interview with Empire.

“I don’t see them. I tried, you know?” Scorsese said. “It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

“If the only gatekeepers to movie stardom came from Tarantino and Scorsese, I would never have had the opportunity to lead a $400 million plus movie,” Liu fired back in a tweet. “I am in awe of their filmmaking genius. They are transcendent auteurs. But they don’t get to point their nose at me or anyone.”

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The Kim’s Convenience star continued: “No movie studio is or ever will be perfect. But I’m proud to work with one that has made sustained efforts to improve diversity onscreen by creating heroes that empower and inspire people of all communities everywhere. I loved the ‘Golden Age’ too.. but it was white as hell.”

But on social media, Liu’s fighting words didn’t draw the support he was hoping for.

“You are proving Tarantino’s point. With all due respect, people went to see the character not you,” one person tweeted. It could have been anyone else and people still would have attended anyway. That’s what he’s referring to. The movie wasn’t advertised as ‘Liu’s film’, but as a ‘Studio name film’.”

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“You led a $400M movie and you’re not a movie star and that is THE whole point Tarantino is making,” another offered.

“I watched your $400 million movie and never thought about it once again,” a third jabbed. “Scorsese and Tarantino films will live rent-free in my head for a lifetime. DiCaprio and Pitt are true film stars, MCU actors are glorified social media influencers there to sell lunchboxes.”

One more dismissed Liu’s criticism, writing, “You do not have the filmography to defend yourself like this.”

Meanwhile, Tarantino defended the violence in his movies and his propensity for using racial profanity in his films in a chat with CNN’s Chris Wallace.

“You talk about being the conductor and the audience being the orchestra. So when people say, ‘Well there’s too much violence in his movies. He uses the N-word too often.’ You say what?” host Chris Wallace asked Tarantino.

“If you have a problem with my movies then they aren’t the movies to go see. Apparently I’m not making them for you,” the Oscar winner replied. “See something else.”

Liu isn’t the only Marvel star to spar with filmmakers who aren’t a fan of superhero cinema.

While promoting his Oscar-winning Birdman, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu called Marvel movies a form of “cultural genocide,” which led Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. to respond: “For a man whose native tongue is Spanish to be able to put together a phrase like ‘cultural genocide’ just speaks to how bright he is.”

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