Nowadays, asking filmmakers their thoughts on superhero movies has become a pretty standard procedure, which has resulted in renowned filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino criticizing the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It caused a lot of reactions around Hollywood and raised topics of racial representation and other issues. Recently, one film executive by the name of Victor Migalchan re-echoed the two movie behemoth’s thoughts on the MCU.
We decided to reach out to Victor Migalchan, a Los Angeles-based film director and showrunner, who, among all his other projects, is known for the “My American Family” TV series, which is believed to have one of the most diverse casts in Hollywood. We asked his opinion about the current controversy involving the said directors and one of the actors known for portraying Shang-Chi in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Simu Liu.
“People play with fire when they use manipulations and use different forms of hate, such as racism, sexism, etc., for their benefit,” shares Victor. “Mr. Scorsese and Mr. Tarantino weren’t personal in their statements. Many actors don’t see the big picture, don’t carry the responsibility for the whole project, have insecurities, and simply try to get something for themselves, whether it is a role or a piece of publicity. You know what they say: the worst PR is no PR.”
The whole school of thought around the MCU grew legs when Scorsese made news for declaring superhero movies to be dull. The award-winning filmmaker’s opinion became a trending topic in 2019 for equating them to theme parks. “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,” Scorsese said at the time.
“Shang-Chi” actor Simu Liu recently shared his thoughts on Twitter, saying, “Tarantino’s era in film was ‘white as hell’ after the director’s comments on Marvel. If the only gatekeepers to movie stardom came from Tarantino and Scorsese, I would never have had the opportunity to lead a $400 million plus movie,” Simu said. “I am in awe of their filmmaking genius. They are transcendent auteurs. But they don’t get to point their nose at me or anyone.” Hot opinions like these tend to polarize discussions live and online, with some standing with the iconic directors while others are standing up for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Simu Liu received the starring role in Shang-Chi; however, as many experts, including Victor Migalchan, shared, Hong Kong and Hollywood heavyweights handled the production and helped the two lead actors to deliver. It was good teamwork. As Quentin and Martin correctly pointed out, children and teenagers are more interested in the characters—most notably Captain America—than the actual actors.
We asked Victor Migalchan his perspective on Simu Liu’s comment on Tarantino’s movies being whitewashed. “I think distorting the image and manipulating society is unnecessary and wrong. Unfortunately, Hollywood faces pressure to have quotas of representation, some sort of censorship and other political manipulation. As a business person, I firmly stand on my position that no quotas—not even in Hollywood—are appropriate for any industry. When I was working on My American Family, I didn’t consider any forced quotas. My goal was to show authentic cultures and how we all can come together as one family.”
“Filmmakers like myself consider the broader picture when planning a project, carrying responsibility from the beginning—with all marketing research and pre-production—to the end of the distribution,” says Victor. “The chosen actors simply have to show up on set, be prepared, play their parts, and then depart, basking in their alleged celebrity. Some people have lengthier careers than others due to their blunders. I am aware that common sense has had limited use. However, imagine for one second that ancient artists such as Michelangelo or Rembrandt were set to pain in certain limitations or being able to use only a limited amount of certain elements or colors. When the story is created, it is up to the creator which characters to create and develop. It is the director’s choice how to bring this story to life. It is up to the business team to hire appropriate personnel, crew and cast, who, as they believe, can deliver trusted parts and the project will sell. We are responsible for ROI, sales and distribution; employees aren’t. And yes, unfortunately, we see that when there is a lack of activity in the lives of celebrities, they try to create buzz out of nothing. Sometimes it works, sometimes – it fails, their careers end, and they get blacklisted. In this specific case, Mr. Scorsese and Mr. Tarantino are correct: there are films that become classics, legends and iconic. There are popcorn movies. Both types have their market and of course, you cannot put them on the same line. It’s like putting on the same line, for example, high-end Italian or French cuisines and fast food. Some people prefer caviar as an appetizer and some potato crisps. There is no hate or disrespect to the people who choose one or the other when calling fast food fast food. I have huge respect for people who work hard and create films, TV projects and events. We all have to start somewhere. We create, we make mistakes, and we learn and grow. That’s the process. No project is perfect since there is no such thing as perfection, it’s a process. Even Mozart had his mistakes. We are happy to see when our employees and partners grow with us, and if they don’t, we are also happy to part and celebrate each other’s victories in the future,” says Victor Migalchan.
“Mr. Martin Scorsese, Mr. Quentin Tarantino, Mr. Steven Spielberg, Mr. James Cameron, Mr. Francis F. Coppola, Mr. Edward Burns, Mr. Frank Darabond, Mr. Peter Jackson, Ms. Marta Fran Kauffman, Ms. Greta Gerwig, Mr. Doug Ellin, among others, are the legends and titans of Hollywood. They all created iconic films and TV shows which are and shall be watched by many generations,” he added.
“Hollywood and the media have enormous power. No matter who does it, we must put an end to these attempts at manipulation and the development of any kind of hatred. Look what is going on with the world: wars, hate. Asian people are being attacked, Jewish people are being attacked, etc. What’s next? A worldwide massacre? We all need to calm down, stop separating and start uniting. I also believe studying the Bible will help a lot. We need to develop certain rules or even laws that will end any type of use and spreading of lies and hate. We are all people; yes, we come from different cultural backgrounds, but we are all Americans. We care for the good of our great country, businesses, and families. If someone from the business side acts wrong against the employees in Hollywood or any other industry, if they spread and use any type of hate, they have to face responsibility and be prosecuted. The same responsibility has to be for employees who try to manipulate these very sensitive matters for their own benefit. Hollywood is a business and has to be run by regulations of the free market economy, but certain lines must never be crossed no matter how much fame or vision of fame some people believe they have,” Victor explains further. “Before everything became so politicized, sensitive, and insane, we used to enjoy movies and laughter. What we have now is not suitable for the future or us.”
As Victor puts it: “Puppies bark, caravan moves. If we didn’t have these iconic directors, we all would have had a very different Hollywood, if anything, this great at all. When masters speak, we all listen and thank them for the lesson. Respect, first of all.” Reacting to our question on Simu Liu’s statement regarding the issue, Victor added, “It’s better to create something quality and help change the world to a better place. If someone can’t, it’s always great to practice silence and work on their own insecurities. No need to spit in the well, you might need to drink water one day.”
