Film snobbery isn’t something to be encouraged, but the generational gap continues to grow wider by the day, with James Gunn’s upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 proving to be a repeat offender.
The filmmaker and DC Studios co-CEO is famed for inserting musical needle drops, background Easter Eggs, nods, winks, and references into his work across film and television, but there’s an alarming number of people who haven’t picked up on the blatant homage to Stanley Kubrick’s timeless sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey.
At first, the younger generation were celebrating an MCU blockbuster paying such an overt tribute to video game sensation Among Us, which caused pearls to be clutched among cinephiles everywhere. Needless to say, you can almost hear the gasps of incredulity after Gunn responded to an inquiry as to whether or not he was actually acknowledging animated musical outfit Gorillaz.
Obviously, the sort of people who hold 2001: A Space Odyssey up as a bastion of cinematic excellence – which it is and always will be – may not necessarily be the target audience desperate to check out an irreverent comic book adaptation starring a sentient tree and a talking raccoon on opening night.
That doesn’t mean they can’t shake their fists to the skies and descend into full-blown cloud-yelling territory, though, as the MCU’s more youthful subset of diehard supporters find their minds wandering to Among Us and Gorillaz before even contemplating one of the most seminal science fiction masterpieces the industry is ever going to witness.
