Russell Crowe Says Actors Shouldn't Expect Too Much From Superhero Movies, Calling Them A “Gigantic Machine”

Courtesy of Marvel.

Oscar-winner Russell Crowe in a new interview with British GQ responded to Dakota Johnson's recent criticisms of Sony/Marvel movie ‘Madame Web’ and other superhero instalments, adding that movies feel like art "made by committee."

"I don't want to make any comments to what anybody else might have said or what their experience is, but you're bringing out the impish quality of my humor," Crowe said. "You're telling me you signed up for a Marvel movie, and some f*cking universe for cartoon characters, and you didn't get enough pathos? Not quite sure how I can make this better for you."

Crowe adds that his perception of superhero movies is a "gigantic machine.”

"I've experienced that on the DC side with ‘Man of Steel,’ Zack Snyder, and I've experienced it on the Marvel side via Disney with ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ And I've also experienced the Marvel dark universe with ‘Kraven the Hunter.’”

Russell Crower as Jor-El in ‘Man Of Steel,’ Courtesy of Warner Bros.

"These are jobs," the actor added. "You know: here's your role, play the role. If you're expecting this to be some kind of life-changing event, I just think you're here for the wrong reasons."

Crowe then explained the difficulties with acting in front of blue screen; a commonplace for most modern superhero films: "It can be challenging, working in a blue-screen world, when you have to convince yourself of a lot more than just the internal machinations of your character.”

"I don't know [Dakota Johnson] and I don't know what she went through, and the fact that you can have a sh*t experience on a film — yeah, you can. But is that the Marvel process? I’m not sure you can say that. I haven't had a bad experience. I mean, okay, it's a Marvel movie, but it's Taika Waititi's world, and it was just a gas every day, being silly."

"On Kraven, I'm just bringing a little weight to the circumstances, so the young actors have got an actor they can bounce off," Crowe said about his upcoming movie. "Going to work with JC [Chandor] was fun. You know, so many of these directors have a certain skill level — freaking genius people. Think about what's required, right? It's everything: the composition, the framing, the color, the music, what's left outside the camera. Whether it's Jocelyn Moorhouse or it's Ridley Scott, you're talking about hanging out with geniuses."

In the superhero film world, Russell Crowe is most popular for his portrayal of Jor-El, in Zack Snyder’s 2013 reboot of Superman; ‘Man Of Steel.’ Today being June 14, the film turns 11 years old.

Watch a clip of Russell Crowe from ‘Man Of Steel’ below: