Jared Leto: Movie Theaters Might Not Exist ‘If It Wasn’t for Marvel Films’

variety.com:

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterJared Leto admits to being “a bit of a snob when it comes to film.”But in this week’s Variety cover story, the “Morbius” actor talked about his concern for the financial health of the entertainment industry.“If it wasn’t for Marvel films, I don’t even know if theaters would exist,” he says. “It doesn’t seem like there’s room for everyone, and that starts to become a little heartbreaking.”COVID-19 has only accelerated the moviegoing trend in favor of superhero spectacles and away from (mostly) everything else.

In the past year, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Venom: Let There be Carnage” and “Black Widow,” which all feature Marvel characters, were pandemic-era box office hits.

At the same time, acclaimed movies in other genres, like “West Side Story,” “In the Heights” and “The Last Duel,” fell flat in theaters. “I also have gratitude for these movies because they’re keeping cinema alive,” he says in reference to comic book adaptations.“Morbius,” a superhero tentpole set in the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, opens on April 1.

It’s the third movie starring Leto to play on the big screen since the pandemic, following Ridley Scott’s starry crime drama “House of Gucci” and the neo-noir mystery “The Little Things” (which debuted simultaneously on HBO Max.)“It’s a privilege to be part of a couple of movies in a row that are supporting cinema,” he says.Leto refers to himself as a life-long cinephile and fondly remembers childhood trips to independent theaters with his mom.