Credit: LionsgateAudiences and critics have begun to sour on comic book adaptations, but few people are as openly disdainful of the idea of starring in one as Twilight star Kristen Stewart, who revealed some pretty harsh thoughts about the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a recent interview.
Kristen Stewart has been acting in big-budget movies like Panic Room (2002) and Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005) (notably directed by future Marvel mainstay Jon Favreau) since she was a child, but she rocketed to global popularity when she was cast Bella Swan in the Twilight series of films. Alongside Robert Pattinson (who portrayed gloomy vampire Edward Cullen), Stewart starred in five adaptations of YA novels by Stephenie Meyer, which collectively grossed $3.3 billion worldwide.
Related: ‘Twilight’ Star Kristen Stewart Says Big Budget Movies “Usually Suck”
The Twilight Saga remains one of the biggest film franchises of all time, so much so that Lionsgate has been looking for a way to revive it for years. Part of the difficulty has always been that the series was unconditionally and irrevocably centered around Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, both of whom have gone on to critically acclaimed film careers in movies like Love Lies Bleeding and The Lighthouse (2019) and, more than that, are not shy about their dislike of Twilight.
But both Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are not above taking on a big-budget role when they feel like it. Stewart has appeared in attempted blockbusters like Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) and Charlie’s Angels (2019), while Pattinson is DC Studios’ most recent and most goth Batman. However, according to the former Bella’s interview on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, she will almost certainly never do a superhero movie and says they sound like a “f-ing nightmare.”
In a somewhat confusing sentence, Kristen Stewart said she enjoyed starring in “big movies because I like people to watch them when I’m in them,” but she “will likely never do a Marvel movie … it sounds like a fucking nightmare.” She went on to explain that part of her reluctance to star in a comic book movie was because “You would have to put so much money and so much trust into one person … and it doesn’t happen, and so therefore what ends up happening is this algorithmic, weird experience where you can’t feel personal at all about it. So likely not. But maybe the world changes, that’s what I’m saying.”
To be fair, Kristen Stewart’s comments about the inflexibility of making movies like MCU blockbusters have been echoed by people with more experience. Anthony Mackie recently revealed his frustration with his role as the Falcon/Captain America in the MCU, saying, “I would say the Marvel thing is completely different, just because it’s such a space of controlled entertainment. Like, there’s only so much you can do. There’s only so much creativity you can bring to the table, because Stan Lee gave us so much content.”
Related: Jenna Ortega Chosen as Next Bella in ‘Twilight’ Remake
It turns out that Kristen Stewart could possibly be brought into the Marvel fold if one condition were met: the movie would have to be directed by Greta Gerwig. The Twilight star said, “If Greta Gerwig asked me to do a Marvel movie, then I would do it.”
While Greta Gerwig may have begun her career in indie films, her directing a Marvel film is actually not that far-fetched. Gerwig moved into big-budget filmmaking with the phenomenally successful Barbie (2023) and will be helming a massively ambitious Narnia adaptation for Netflix, so she’ll probably be busy for a while. But she’s shown her willingness to make big, studio-controlled movies, and if she ever teams up with Marvel Studios, it seems Kristen Stewart might be around too.
What do you think of Kristen Stewart’s comments about superhero movies? Tell us in the comments below!