Russell Crowe says actors shouldn't expect too much from superhero movies: 'These are jobs'

"If you're expecting this to be some kind of life-changing event, I just think you're here for the wrong reasons," the "Man of Steel" and "Thor: Love and Thunder" star mused.

Russell Crowe is pulling no punches while discussing comic book movies.

In a new interview with British GQ, the Oscar-winning actor responded to Dakota Johnson's recent criticisms of Madame Web and other superhero tentpoles, including her assertion that such movies feel like art "made by committee."

"I don't want to make any comments to what anybody else might have said or what their experience is, but… you're bringing out the impish quality of my humor," Crowe said. "You're telling me you signed up for a Marvel movie, and some f---ing universe for cartoon characters… and you didn't get enough pathos? Not quite sure how I can make this better for you."

Crowe said he sees superhero blockbusters as being part of a "gigantic machine," and noted that he's played multiple characters across several comic book universes. "I've experienced that on the DC side with Man of Steel, Zack Snyder, and I've experienced it on the Marvel side via Disney with Thor: Love and Thunder," he said. "And I've also experienced the [Sony-produced] Marvel dark universe with Kraven the Hunter."

The actor said he believes that thespians should adjust their expectations on these kinds of projects. "These are jobs," he said. "You know: here's your role, play the role. If you're expecting this to be some kind of life-changing event, I just think you're here for the wrong reasons."

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Crowe went on to explain why making visual-effects-heavy films can be difficult. "It can be challenging, working in a blue-screen world, when you have to convince yourself of a lot more than just the internal machinations of your character," he said. But he still doesn't think that that difficulty always translates into a negative atmosphere on set. "I don't know [Johnson] and I don't know what she went through, and the fact that you can have a s--- experience on a film… Yeah, you can. But is that the Marvel process? I’m not sure you can say that. I haven't had a bad experience. I mean [on Thor], OK, it's a Marvel movie, but it's Taika Waititi's world, and it was just a gas every day, being silly."

Related: Watch Aaron Taylor-Johnson bite someone's nose off in the first Kraven the Hunter trailer

Crowe also teased his upcoming role in Kraven, and praised the creativity of visionary directors. "On Kraven, I'm just bringing a little weight to the circumstances, so the young actors have got an actor they can bounce off," he said. "Going to work with JC [Chandor] was fun. You know, so many of these directors have a certain skill level — freaking genius people. Think about what's required, right? It's everything: the composition, the framing, the color, the music, what's left outside the camera. Whether it's Jocelyn Moorhouse or it's Ridley Scott, you're talking about hanging out with geniuses."

Related: Russell Crowe broke both his legs on the Robin Hood set

In addition to Kraven, Crowe will star in the horror film The Exorcism, set to release June 21. He's also set to play Mark Rothko in a biopic about the painter, and the Nazi leader Hermann Göring in the historical drama Nuremberg. And Crowe is touring with his band Indoor Garden Party this summer.

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