Kevin Feige is probably used to being dubbed the ruination of cinema at this stage, with the list of actors and filmmakers decrying the perceived negative impact of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the industry growing longer by the day.
However, you’ve got to wonder if Adam DeVine blaming superhero stories for the downfall of the studio comedy is an opinion that holds any water, seeing as he’s been known to lend his talents to quite a few awful examples himself. In fact, he’s currently starring and producing in Netflix’s The Out-Laws, which was unsurprisingly panned by critics.
Not only that, but some of his previous credits include Magic Camp, Jexi, Game Over, Man!, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and Why Him?, none of which scored over 40 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. And yet, he was happy to point the finger of blame at the MCU in an interview with Theo Von.
“My theory is I think Marvel ruined it. I feel like superhero movies kind of ruined comedies, because you go to the theater, and you expect to watch something that cost $200 million to make. And comedy movies aren’t that. So, you’re like, ‘Well, why would I spend the same amount of money to go watch a little comedy in the theater, if I could spend the same amount of money and go see something that is worth $200 million?’
Then they still make those movies kind of funny. I mean, they’re not comedies, but they’re like, ‘Oh my god, is that raccoon talking? That’s hilarious!’ Which, it is. But, it’s not a real comedy. Nowadays, you get to the end of what you think is a comedy, and you’re like, ‘Was that about global warming? Was there some deep-seated message that I’m supposed to recycle more?'”
The good news for DeVine is that superhero stories are losing a lot of their luster at the box office while broad comedies are embarking on a resurgence of sorts, so the possibility of getting the best of both worlds remains on the cards.