Oscar Winner Declares He’ll Never Work for Marvel

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Sean Baker isn’t trading Cannes for capes anytime soon.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the director of the film “Anora,” who achieved historical success at the Oscars by winning six awards for the independent hit – including Best Picture and Best Director – unequivocally stated that he has no plans to collaborate with Marvel Studios in the future.

As a cinephile, I’d like to share some insight: “You won’t find a Marvel-esque flick coming my way. It’s safe to say that it’s not in the cards.

Baker Rejects the Marvel Path for Full Creative Control

Instead of transitioning to superhero movies like some independent filmmakers such as James Gunn, Taika Waititi, and Chloé Zhao have done, Baker chooses to keep working within his current sphere. The main motivation behind this decision is the ability to maintain full creative authority over his projects.

As a passionate cinephile, I firmly believe that being independent is the key to having complete creative freedom in my cinematic journey. Unlike many who work under studio contracts, I’m proudly self-producing my movie.

Baker Doubles Down on Indie Film, Snubs Studio System

The movie “Anora” by Baker, winning both the Palme d’Or at Cannes and the Oscars, solidified his status as a dominant figure in independent filmmaking. Unlike numerous previous Oscar winners, he is turning down the Marvel franchise and instead opting for low-cost, character-centric narratives.

He mentioned during his passionate speech at the Independent Spirit Awards earlier this year, that some people aspire to create movies for public viewing in cinemas, which might not get approved by major film studios due to their unique themes.

He added, “What we’re aiming for is total creative autonomy and the ability to choose actors based solely on their suitability for the part, rather than their potential box office draw or social media popularity.

No Avengers Here — Baker Sticks With Indie Roots

The baker hasn’t revealed his upcoming work yet, but it will likely be similar to “Anora,” “The Florida Project,” and “Tangerine,” rather than something like “The Avengers.

“Expect more of the same,” he said. “I enjoy working in this space of 100 percent independent.”

Even Oscar Winners Struggle Under Marvel’s Control

It’s clear that Baker’s viewpoint about Marvel movies resonates, given the fact that The Marvels director, Nia DaCosta, publicly acknowledged that the movie was more of a Kevin Feige production rather than her own.

Brie Larson, who received an Oscar, has had success in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but her achievements as Captain Marvel were largely influenced by the films Infinity War and Endgame.

Fans of Marvel have eagerly anticipated the arrival of Blade for six long years now, a project initially proposed by two-time Academy Award laureate Mahershala Ali to Kevin Feige. Can’t help but wonder what’s causing the delay?

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2025-06-03 01:02