As a long-time comic book fan and someone who has witnessed the evolution of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), I can’t help but feel a deep sense of appreciation for Kevin Feige‘s unwavering belief in the potential of Marvel’s “C Team” characters. When I first heard about Iron Man back in 2008, I must admit that I shared the skepticism of many fans and media outlets. The idea of a solo film dedicated to a relatively obscure character seemed like a risky move, especially when Marvel didn’t hold the rights to some of their most popular characters like Spider-Man or X-Men.
Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Iron Man has gained massive popularity in films, while this character was relatively insignificant in Marvel Comics when Kevin Feige and Jon Favreau were pushing for his cinematic introduction in 2008. Favreau’s “Iron Man” movie revolutionized the film industry, paving the way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the superhero craze that swept through the 2010s. It’s challenging to picture audiences being uninterested in Iron Man after the film’s release; however, many fans didn’t give it a second thought prior to its premiere.
In a recent interview with Deadline, Feige discussed the upcoming MCU film, “Deadpool & Wolverine.” During the conversation about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Feige reminisced about its early days, sharing a memory from San Diego Comic-Con in 2008. Although Marvel Studios now owns Hall H at Comic-Con, it was a less impressive scene back then. Feige recollected:
In 2007, as I excitedly prepared for our trip to Comic-Con with the groundbreaking Iron Man project spearheaded by Jon Favreau, an intriguing headline from a media outlet caught my attention: “Marvel Takes a Stand for Their ‘B-Team'” (paraphrasing: When we were on our way to Comic-Con in 2007 with Iron Man and Jon Favreau leading the charge, one media outlet published an article titled “Marvel Rallies for Their ‘B-Squad'”).
During that period, the president of Marvel Studios was under pressure from fans due to limited control over popular characters. At the time, Fox owned the X-Men rights, and Sony held the reins for Spider-Man and his villains. Consequently, generating excitement for an Iron Man film was a struggle, as some viewers saw him as a less significant character. Feige added:
As a passionate gamer, I used to ponder over the skepticism surrounding lesser-known Marvel characters, wondering if they could truly shine without the presence of heavyweights like Spider-Man or X-Men. Some folks believed that Marvel’s roster was shallow and lacked depth beyond these iconic figures. But my friends and I, filled with excitement and curiosity, were determined to prove them wrong. With a collective enthusiasm and an arsenal of 8,567 other compelling characters at our disposal, we set out on a mission: to create a captivating and immersive gaming experience that showcased the true potential of Marvel’s diverse cast. We were confident that the audience was craving for a fresh take on the Marvel universe and were eager to deliver a top-notch piece of entertainment that would leave them wanting more.
Kevin Feige Thanks Blade & The X-Men for the MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has significantly expanded the “C-list” characters into major franchise players, most notably turning Iron Man into a blockbuster film series worth over $30 billion. It’s simple to overlook the earlier superhero and comic book movies that laid the groundwork for the MCU’s success.
According to Kevin Feige, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) achievement can be traced back to two pivotal comic book films: “X-Men” from 2000 and “Blade” released in 1998. The X-Men were already beloved by comic book enthusiasts, but “Blade,” which starred Wesley Snipes, was largely unknown to the average person. Feige noted that this added to the shock of how successful and popular the film became.
For a prolonged period, I’ve emphasized that Blade and X-Men were Marvel’s early successes prior to my tenure. While Blade was an unfamiliar comic book character to most people, X-Men held the top spot as the bestselling comic for fifteen years leading up to its film release. Both productions achieved remarkable results, instilling in us a valuable lesson: it’s not just about the number of issues sold or the popularity of the animated or live-action adaptations from the 1970s. Instead, we should focus on creating captivating characters and offering fresh cinematic experiences based on those characters.
Iron Man
and the rest of the Marvel movies are available to stream on Disney+.
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2024-07-17 15:01