Ever since she rose to fame after starring in the hit NBC sitcom Friends, Jennifer Aniston has always remained in everyone’s consciousness. The actress, after all, is ever-present, starring in a string of romantic comedies as well as critically acclaimed films like Dumplin’ and Cake. Aniston also received a lot of praise for her portrayal of host Alex Levy on the Apple TV+ drama The Morning Show (which she also executive produces alongside co-star Reese Witherspoon).
Since she’s always got projects on the horizon, Aniston is typically open to promoting them. At one point, however, she also took the time to call out Marvel and its ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
What Did She Say About Marvel?
2019 marked Aniston’s return to doing series as Apple TV+ released The Morning Show later that year. While speaking with Variety, she explained her decision to go back to filming episodic shows and it had something to do with the “quality” of shows that have been coming out recently. “It wasn’t until the last couple of years when these streaming services were just sort of exploding with this amount of quality that I actually started to think, ‘Wow, that’s better than what I just did.’”
At the same time, Aniston also believed that something in the movie industry was “diminishing.” “And then you’re seeing what’s available out there and it’s just diminishing and diminishing in terms of, it’s big Marvel movies,” the actress further explained. “Or things that I’m not just asked to do or really that interested in living in a green screen.” Aniston also later clarified her comments, saying that there should be a “resurgence” of “the era of Meg Ryan.” “Let’s get the Terms of Endearment back out there. You know, Heaven Can Wait, Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, Goodbye Girl.”
How Fans Reacted
People ultimately saw Aniston’s comments as a dig at Marvel and many took to social media to voice their displeasure. For starters, critic and writer Hanna Ines Flint took to Twitter remarking, “I can accept Martin Scorsese criticising Marvel movies, but Jennifer Aniston saying they are "diminishing" cinema... Really, sis? With your movie record. Lol.” She also attached a screen shot of Aniston’s movies and their corresponding ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.
Others also made comments referencing Aniston’s previous work on the big screen. One pointed out, “Jennifer Aniston who has starred in multiple Adam Sander movies is now complaining about Marvel movies ruining Cinema.” In case anyone needed some reference, Sandler’s films generally don’t do well with critics (although they have high praises for Uncut Gems and The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)). Aniston and Sandler most recently starred together in Netflix’s Murder Mystery, which earned a low 44% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. The critics' consensus describes the movie as “lightweight” and “mediocre.”
Meanwhile, another reaction to Aniston’s comments stated, “I’ll take 30 Marvel movies over anything Jennifer Aniston is involved in.” There was also a reaction that acknowledged the success of comic book-based films lately. At the same time, she questioned, “Does Jennifer Aniston actually believe that she is an artist and that 90% of her theatrical output isn't forgettable trash?”
This Isn’t The First Time That Someone Famously Took A Dig At Marvel
Amidst its growing success, some famous names in Hollywood made it clear that they didn’t appreciate Marvel movies as much as others do. For instance, director Martin Scorsese famously declared that Marvel films are “not cinema.” In an op-ed he wrote for The New York Times, he also clarified his remarks saying, “Many of the elements that define cinema as I know it are there in Marvel pictures.” However, he also said, “The pictures are made to satisfy a specific set of demands, and they are designed as variations on a finite number of themes.” Additionally, director Francis Ford Coppola referred to Marvel movies as “despicable” while speaking with The Hollywood Reporter. He even said that Scorsese was just being “kind” when made his comments.
Marvel President Kevin Feige later weighed in on the comments during The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter Podcast saying, “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone is entitled to repeat that opinion. Everyone is entitled to write op-eds about that opinion, and I look forward to what will happen next.”
At the same time, Jon Favreau, who has directed and starred in several Marvel movies, also told CNBC, “These two guys are my heroes, and they have earned the right to express their opinions.” On the other hand, Disney CEO Bob Iger didn’t take to the directors’ comments kindly. During the Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference, he remarked, “You tell me Ryan Coogler making Black Panther is somehow doing something less than Marty Scorsese or Francis Ford Coppola have ever done on any of their movies? Come on.”
No comments were ever made in response to Aniston’s comments. Meanwhile, the actress later revealed to People that she “wanted to be Wonder Woman, but I waited too long.”