Michel Gondry has labeled critics of his movie 'The Green Hornet' "fascists".

Frenchman Michel Gondry is about to release the superhero film starring Seth Rogen and spoke out about the "nerds" who are angry at how he's modernised the story.

The 47 year old, who also directed 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind', said: "I usually identify with the nerds but these ones just reinforce the social rules. Their values are fascistic. All those people marching around in capes and masks and boots. The superhero imagery is totally fascist!"

He added: "When you step into this genre, they feel it belongs to them. They want you to conform, or they won't like you. They want the conventional. But it's fine. The movies has been doing very well, I think, whenever we've screened it to normal people."

Comic book fans walked out during Michel's Q+A session in San Diago's Comic-Con this summer because they were unhappy with his casting.

However, the director stands by his choice of choosing Seth to star in what he calls a "super-antihero movie".

He told The Guardian newspaper: "I'm attracted to working with comedians because they don't have that stars' idea of what a hero should be."