Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame co-director Joe Russo recently poked fun at Martin Scorsese on Instagram, reigniting a long-standing debate about the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and its impact on the film industry. Scorsese, a known critic of the MCU, was the subject of Russo's joke, which featured a video of Russo interacting with his own dog, before throwing a punchline referencing Scorsese's well-documented criticisms of Marvel's box office dominance.

Russo's playful video sparked quick reactions from the internet, with many defending Scorsese and even poking fun back at Russo. Particular focus was placed on the ongoing Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike negotiations, with one Instagram user offering a pointed comeback related to the issue.

A few tweets deemed that Russo's video, meant to mock low opening weekend box office numbers of a recent Scorsese's movie, might have backfired on him instead drawing criticism. Scorsese is known for his disregard of franchise cinema which he argues is overshadowing other forms of cinematic artistry.