Martin Scorsese says Marvel is 'not cinema'; James Gunn is 'saddened' by the judging

Martin Scorsese isn't a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The iconic filmmaker – who has directed the likes of "Taxi Driver," "Goodfellas," "The Departed" and most recently "The Irishman" – told Britain's Empire magazine that he doesn't follow along with the comic book franchise because it's "not cinema."

Instead, the Oscar-winner compared the superhero blockbusters to an amusement park. "Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well-made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks," Scorsese, 76, said.

"I don’t see them. I tried, you know?" he added. "It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being."

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"Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn caught wind of Scorsese's remarks, admitting that they "saddened" him.

"Martin Scorsese is one of my 5 favorite living filmmakers," Gunn, 53, tweeted Friday. "I was outraged when people picketed 'The Last Temptation of Christ' without having seen the film. I’m saddened that he’s now judging my films in the same way."

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Despite their differences of opinions, Gunn said he "will always love Scorsese, be grateful for his contribution to cinema, and can’t wait to see 'The Irishman."

"The Irishman" will be released in theaters Nov. 1 in New York and Los Angeles, before expanding wider. It will then debut on Netflix on Nov. 27.

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Although Scorsese may not be a fan, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has dominated the box office. Earlier this year, "Avengers: Endgame" crept past "Avatar" to become the highest-grossing film of all time.

Contributing: Patrick Ryan

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Martin Scorsese says Marvel is 'not cinema'; James Gunn responds