Monday at Marvel Studios’ Burbank lot in California, there was a press event where Kevin Feige, head of the studio opened up a questions and answers forum, in which he discussed some key things regarding the studio and its future.
For starters, Feige was asked about Joss Whedon’s creative involvement over at DC Films for Batgirl. “He called a couple months ago, which he didn’t have to do and was super cool of him and super nice of him. And we couldn’t be more supportive,” Feige said. “We want to see a Joss Whedon Batgirl film be awesome.”
Next up, the producer confirmed that we will indeed see Spider-Man in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers 4, and then in the second Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man film. “That’s as far as [Sony and Marvel Studios’ deal of having Spider-Man in the MCU] goes for now,” Feige said.
Coincidentally Sony Pictures are making their own Spidey-verse, separate to the MCU with films revolving around Venom and a Silver Sable, Black Cat team-up movie. “We had a very particular plan about Spidey himself,” Feige explained when asked why Marvel wasn’t involved in Sony’s projects with those characters, keeping Marvel Studios’ plans to himself.
James Gunn, director of Guardians of the Galaxy 1, its sequel, and will direct and write Vol.3 of the franchise, might have a role that extends beyond Volume Three, and that the third instalment – which has no release date – would in essence help shape the next few years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“I think James in particular has an amazing connection with these characters and with this cosmic world. So he, I think, could easily oversee additional stories beyond Vol. 3,” said Feige. “And I think has them and just continues to come up with them, which is cool. All of our core writers and filmmakers know what we are doing in other places and help give input on the various projects.”
Fans of these types of films would take notice that Josh Brolin, who plays Thanos – the great villain the comic-book studio has been teasing since the first Avengers film and will show up in Infinity War – has taken a role for Deadpool 2 as Cable. But the actor having two roles like these ones does not mean it is all doom and gloom i.e. Brolin having to drop out of one.
“We don’t have anything written into our contracts about other roles that people can do,” Feige explained. “Indiana Jones and Han Solo are the same person … it hasn’t been a problem. And I think Thanos and Cable are two very different characters.”
R-Rated comic-book films have been here for years now, but up until recently with the likes of 20th Century Fox’s Deadpool and Logan, some have speculated that maybe the MCU might go in that direction, this is not the case however.
“No. Not right now. In the future, who knows?” Feige said when asked. “My takeaway from both of those films is not the R rating, it’s the risk they took.”
With such a successful money-making universe Marvel Studios has created some might wonder, does the studio change the films to maximise the foreign box office? Well it looks like that they do not.
“An amazing thing happened as we started making movies: the world started responding to the movies we were making and therefore we didn’t have to change or cater them in any way outside our own natural instincts,” said Feige. “When it comes to marketing, you’ll find us taking different tactics. But when it comes to the actual film itself, I cannot think of a single example where we altered anything, made a decision based on trying to appeal to the ‘global market.’ “
Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will note that most if not all of the studio’s films have elements of comedy in them, some more than others. But having the comedic tone in the film is not a full-on requirement.
“We don’t sit there and say ‘We need 15 jokes in the first 45 pages,’ but it just is something that we are naturally entertained by,” said Feige. “Certainly in the Guardians films as James would point out, in the Ant-Man films, it might rise to the surface more. It’s been a long time that we haven’t done a screening of a film that humour and action aren’t the top two things that are listed in those movies.”
A few ending notes, Marvel Studios will have a presence at this years San Diego Comic Con in the well known Hall H; the Inhumans project is best suited for the television space for now as Feige would like to keep some things open; the Brie Larson-starrer Captain Marvel begins filming February 2018 with a director announcement coming soon; the folks over at Marvel Studios do take notice of what is happening at DC/Warner Bros. but in a good and supportive way unlike certain fans; Feige and Co. do see an endgame for this gigantic universe, as the old saying goes all good things must come to an end; diversity is a high priority for the studio and their parent company Walt Disney; and finally the studio wishes to bring some productions in Los Angeles in the future.
