Though he admits he’s a “bit of a snob” in regards to cinema, actor Jared Leto tells Variety that he’s well aware of the state the film industry is in.
The pandemic has accelerated the decline of the theatrical experience with superhero spectacles about the only films making serious money at the box-office – even as acclaimed titles in other genres from “West Side Story” to “The Last Duel” all flopped.
Speaking about his upcoming Marvel & Sony film “Morbius,” the actor admits that the financial health of the whole film industry kind of depends on Marvel films right now – even as it means some smaller films can’t make it to screens:
“If it wasn’t for Marvel films, I don’t even know if theaters would exist. It doesn’t seem like there’s room for everyone, and that starts to become a little heartbreaking.
[But] I also have gratitude for these [comic book] movies because they’re keeping cinema alive. I know how important that was for me as a kid… escaping to the movies. That cultural experience was quite informative and impactful. I saw movies in theaters that changed my life.”
Leto also starred in one of the new non-comic book films that made money in the past year – Ridley Scott’s all-star crime drama “House of Gucci”.