Quentin Tarantino says he'll never direct a superhero movie because he's not a "hired hand"

Quentin Tarantino
(Image credit: Mirimax)

Quentin Tarantino has said that he would never make a superhero movie as he's not a "hired hand". In his new non-fiction book, titled Cinema Speculation, he talks of '60s anti-establishment auteurs rejoicing when studio musical adaptations fell out of favor and says today’s filmmakers "can’t wait for the day they can say that about superhero movies."

"The analogy works because it’s a similar chokehold," the director told the Los Angeles Times. When asked when that day might be, he continued: "The writing’s not quite on the wall yet the way it was in 1969 when it was, 'Oh, my God, we just put a bunch of money into things that nobody gives a damn about anymore.'"

But would he ever direct a Marvel or DC movie himself? "You have to be a hired hand to do those things," Tarantino said. "I’m not a hired hand. I’m not looking for a job." Ironically, Tarantino once had an idea for a Luke Cage movie back in the '90s, with Laurence Fishbourne in the lead role.

As for other franchises, he was once attached to direct a Star Trek movie, too, which reportedly would have included time travel and gangster scenes. Tarantino's next project remains a mystery for now – the director has long said he'd retire after making 10 movies and his last film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, was his ninth. 

While we wait to see what Tarantino's final movie might look like, check out our guide to the other upcoming movies that should be on your radar in 2022 and beyond.

Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.