Chloé Zhao is defending superhero movies at a time when Hollywood continues to debate the future of the genre.
The Oscar-winning director, who helmed Marvel’s “Eternals,” said filmmakers and audiences should not dismiss comic-book stories simply because some critics do not consider them high art.
Speaking at the Venice Film Festival, Zhao argued that superhero stories have a place in cinema.
“It is important to not write off stories because we do not consider them high art.
Zhao also described comic-book stories as something that people from different backgrounds can share.
It is something we all share.
Her comments come several years after “Eternals” received a mixed response from critics and audiences.
Despite that experience, Zhao has not turned against the superhero genre.
Instead, she continues to defend the idea that popular stories can have cultural value even when they do not fit traditional ideas of prestige cinema.
The director’s comments also arrive as Marvel and other studios continue to search for the next big superhero hits.
For Zhao, the genre still deserves a place at the table.