James Cameron calls Avatar heroes more real than superheroes who ‘never have kids’; Marvel fans remind him of Iron Man

Filmmaker James Cameron has said that his upcoming film Avatar The Way of Water is intended to be a light ‘rebuke’ of the current superhero films. The filmmaker said that Na’vi–the alien race of warriors in his film–were more real than many of the superheroes on screen today as they have children and responsibilities. His comments have elicited sharp responses from fans of superhero films. Also read: James Cameron criticises Marvel and DC films’ character developments

Cameron’s Avatar (2009) remains the highest-grossing film of all time and it was only momentarily challenged by a superhero film–Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame. In fact, over the last few years, it has largely been superhero films from either Marvel or DC stables that have been the big summer blockbusters. But James Cameron isn’t a fan as he feels the superheroes in these films don’t ‘deal with real things’.

In a new interview with GQ, the filmmaker said, “I was consciously thinking to myself, all these superheroes, they never have kids. They never really have to deal with the real things that hold you down and give you feet of clay in the real world.”

In a separate part of the same interview, he stressed on the same saying people with kids can act ‘crazier’. He added, “What do two characters who are warriors, who take chances and have no fear, do when they have children and they still have the epic struggle? Their instinct is to be fearless and do crazy things. Jump off cliffs, dive-bomb into the middle of an enemy armada, but you’ve got kids. What does that look like in a family setting?”

However, fans of the superhero genre were not too pleased with the director’s comments, more so because they pointed out several superheroes who not only have kids but their arc revolves around them. Referencing the recent Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a fan tweeted, “Phase 4 of the MCU has literally made a whole unsubtle point of setting up the next generation and giving it’s Heroes offspring to pass the torch to. Lol!”

Some fans pointed out heroes like Iron Man, Ant Man, and Hawkeye all have kids, as does Black Adam. “Why the disrespect for Hawkeye, Mr. C? And didn’t Reed and Sue have a kid?? And didn’t Peter live with his Aunt? Ma and Pa Kent were just accessories,” tweeted a fan. Many others pointed out that the premise of WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was all about Wanda’s desire to be with her kids.

Avatar The Way of Water is set to release globally on December 16. The film, touted to be one of the most expensive ever made, is also one of the most heavily-anticipated releases of recent times.