Brave New World Tim Blake Nelson on Keeping Cinema Alive

While some directors and critics believe that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the harbinger of the endtimes for “cinema,” one actor disagrees, believing that the MCU is the reason people still watch movies in theaters. Tim Blake Nelson, who returns to the MCU for Captain America: Brave New World, first appeared as Samuel Sterns/The Leader in The Incredible Hulk in 2008. It has become trendy for cinephiles and the universally hated “film bros” to downplay or criticize the effect the MCU has had on cinemas. But, Nelson can only see the positive side.

Captain America: Brave New World

Captain America: Brave New World (formerly titled New World Order) marks Sam Wilson’s first MCU big-screen appearance as Steve Rogers’ successor after receiving the suit and shield in Phase 4’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie returns as the titular Avenger alongside Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumby as Isaiah Bradley, and Tim Blake Nelson as The Incredible Hulk’s former ally Samuel Sterns. Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.

Release Date

February 14, 2025

Director

Julius Onah

Speaking to TheWrap about his long-awaited MCU return, Nelson praised Marvel Studios’ impact on the film industry. The MCU was arguably the first (and is undoubtedly the biggest) franchise to feature characters jumping from standalone films to large scale team-ups, and vice versa in a shared universe. Not only was this approach to storytelling unique, it is also tremendously popular. Of the ten highest grossing movies of all-time, four are MCU films. Nelson explained:

“Marvel has become this phenomenon that’s unprecedented in the history of cinema. These scores of movies with characters moving in and out of one another’s storylines, coming together, going back apart, fighting against one another in a single universe: it’s never happened before in movies. When people attack these movies as, ‘Well, it’s not real cinema’ or, ‘It’s the death of cinema,’ I actually think it’s keeping cinema alive, and I really mean that.”

Why Are Marvel Movies Being Attacked?

Any popular movie or franchise is bound to face opposition from contrarian audiences. Especially in the age of social media and the internet, it has become “cool,” and incredibly easy to hate the most popular cultural phenomenon. However, criticism towards Marvel movies has seen a dramatic rise since 2019. Speaking to Empire Magazine, legendary director Martin Scorsese compared Marvel films to theme park rides, saying:

“I don’t see them. I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema. Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

Those who hold a similar opinion took Scorsese’s words and ran with them. In the director’s defense, he later clarified that some of his fans took his words to mean an extreme hatred of all Marvel movies, when the director was simply sharing his opinion as a classic filmmaker. But, despite his initial intentions, Scorsese’s words sparked an online war, which is still being fought on X/Twitter by die-hard Marvel fans and their cinema-purist counterparts. Caught in the middle are audiences who just want to enjoy a good movie, no matter where it comes from.

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Whether Marvel movies count as “cinema” is a purely subjective. Despite ones personal opinions and stance, Marvel movies are here to stay. Deadpool & Wolverine has helped get the MCU back on good footing, receiving strong reviews and dominating the box office. Its success has put Marvel Studios in a strong position for the upcoming release of Captain America: Brave New World next year.