Kevin Feige Remembers The Meanspirited Comment That Spurred Him When Iron Man Was Heading To Theaters, And It’s A Doozy

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Kevin Feige Remembers The Meanspirited Comment That Spurred Him When Iron Man Was Heading To Theaters, And It's A Doozy

As a long-time fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), I can’t help but marvel at how far this franchise has come since the release of the groundbreaking “Iron Man” back in 2008. I remember the initial skepticism and doubt surrounding Marvel’s ability to bring lesser-known comic book characters to the big screen and create a successful cinematic universe without the rights to their most popular properties, such as Spider-Man or the X-Men.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has faced some challenges recently, but it remains unrivaled in the world of cinema. The notion of translating comic book stories to the big screen has proven incredibly effective, leaving numerous attempts in its wake. It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, the success of the first Iron Man film was uncertain. Despite initial doubts, it became a sensation and paved the way for this cinematic universe.

As the release date for Deadpool & Wolverine draws near and Marvel’s latest production predicted to rake in big box office numbers, it’s challenging to recall a moment when anyone doubted Marvel’s strategies. However, not so long ago, skepticism was rampant. In an interview with Deadline, Kevin Feige recalls presenting Iron Man at San Diego Comic-Con, which sparked media speculation about Marvel’s potential for success without control over its most iconic characters. One particularly harsh headline still echoes in Feige’s mind.

During our visit to Comic-Con in 2007, as we introduced Iron Man with Jon Favreau, an article appeared in one publication asking the question, “Marvel Rosters Its ‘B’ Team.” Some wondered if Marvel could create compelling stories around lesser-known characters without the presence of heavyweights like Spider-Man or X-Men. They assumed Marvel had nothing more to offer. But we knew differently – with a staggering roster of 8,567 other potential projects, our goal was to deliver an outstanding piece of entertainment to the audience.

As someone who has worked in the entertainment industry for a number of years, I can understand why Sony might have made that decision back then. When I started out, it was a common belief among studio executives that certain characters just didn’t have the same box office potential as others. Spider-Man, with his iconic red and blue suit and web-slinging abilities, was an obvious choice. But looking back, I wish they had taken a chance on the other Marvel characters.

Among comic book enthusiasts and beyond, the fame of Iron Man and Captain America paled in comparison to the mass appeal of Spider-Man and the X-Men. This disparity was even more pronounced among the average public. Marvel boasted an extensive roster of characters, but there was no guarantee moviegoers would take interest.

According to Kevin Feige’s explanation, there was an existing example of a relatively obscure comic book character turning into a blockbuster movie. Marvel had proven that both well-known and less-familiar characters could bring success to the big screen. Thus, they were confident that their new strategy had potential. Feige added…

For a considerable period, I’ve maintained that Marvel’s early success stories, prior to my tenure, were Blade and X-Men. Few recognized Blade as a comic book character before his films. In contrast, X-Men was the top-selling comic for fifteen years leading up to its movie release. Both productions achieved great success, leading us to believe that what truly matters is not the number of comic issues sold or the fame of past animated shows or ’70s live-action series, but rather how captivatingly we can develop a character and introduce a fresh cinematic experience with that character. Our objective with Iron Man, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, and Guardians of the Galaxy was to embody this philosophy.

Although not all MCU films have been blockbusters, it’s evident now that the success of a movie isn’t solely dependent on the character. Any Marvel character has the potential to star in a great film. For instance, the initial success of “Blade” has generated excitement for the upcoming MCU movie featuring the vampire hunter. Even lesser-known Marvel characters have achieved blockbuster status. In fact, there seems to be no clear distinction between the “A” and “C” teams within Marvel anymore.

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2024-07-20 16:37