The 79-year-old Brit grumpily unleashed on cinema's genre du jour in a new interview with Digital Spy, while promoting his upcoming BBC period thriller Taboo, starring Tom Hardy.

"Superhero movies are not my kind of thing – that's why I've never really done one," he said.

"[I've been asked] several times, but I can't believe in the thin, gossamer tightrope of the non-reality of the situation of the superhero."

It's perhaps an odd statement coming from the man who brought us giant goopy xenomorphs that burst out of people's chests and feed on their faces (unless you walk around in a foil hat, Alien's not exactly considered cinema verite).

But Scott further explained why he's apparently knocked back film opportunities from Marvel and DC, despite their current box office relevancy.

"I've done that kind of movie – Blade Runner really is a comic strip when you think about it; it's a dark story told in an unreal world," he said.

"You could almost put Batman or Superman in that world, that atmosphere, except I'd have a f---ing good story, as opposed to no story!"

Considering five of 2016's top ten grossers were comic book adaptations, and 2017 has another string of anticipated superhero films on offer, including Logan, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2, Wonder Woman and Spiderman: Homecoming, it's understandable that even an Oscar-nominated icon like Scott might be feeling wary of his place in Hollywood's blockbuster machine.

The director – whose next few projects include the Sydney-shot Alien: Covenant, starring Michael Fassbender and James Franco, the sixth instalment in his hit franchise and the second prequel following 2012's Prometheus, as well as executive producer roles on Blade Runner 2049 with Ryan Gosling and Murder On The Orient Express with Daisy Ridley and Johnny Depp – is trying to remain optimistic.

"Cinema mainly is pretty bad," he told the website.

"I want to keep doing cinema, and I hope it doesn't affect those of us who still keep making smart films. I'm hoping it doesn't affect me."