White filmmaker Terry Gilliam joined other renowned directors in slamming Marvel movies, but he was particularly harsh on the record-breaking Black Panther motion picture, calling it “utter bulls—.”
Much like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, Gilliam believes Marvel movies are taking up too much space and are produced far too frequently in Hollywood.
“I don’t like the fact they’re dominating the place so much,” Gilliam told IndieWire. “They’re taking all the money that should be available for a greater variety of films. Technically, they’re brilliant. I can’t fault them because the technical skills involved in making them are incredible.”
Gilliam singled out Black Panther for particular condemnation because he thinks it made Black kids believe the fantasy film was real.
“I hated ‘Black Panther.’ It makes me crazy,” he said to IndieWire. “It gives young Black kids the idea that this is something to believe in. Bulls—. It’s utter bulls—.”
Gilliam was just getting warmed up.
“I think the people who made it have never been to Africa. They went and got some stylist for some African pattern fabrics and things. But I just hated that movie, partly because the media were going on about the importance of bulls—”
Contrary to Gilliam’s erroneous beliefs, several cast members have been to Africa, according to Yahoo Entertainment. Director Ryan Coogler reportedly took several cast members on a trek to the Motherland in advance of shooting the film. And Oscar-winning production designer Hannah Beachler and costume designer Ruth Carter told TheWrap how African tribe attire and architecture informed them on their work on the set of Black Panther.
