Marvel is the master of its movie universe
On the heels of my post yesterday about the emerging “shared universe” in the Iron Man and Incredible Hulk movies comes this piece in The Hollywood Reporter comparing the abilities of Marvel and DC to transfer their characters to the big screen.
In the piece, writer Boris Kit zeros in on that shared-universe aspect, which he describes as one of Marvel’s hallmarks, dating back to 1961: “… What happened in one book impacted another. If Spider-Man injured his arm helping the Fantastic Four fight Paste Pot Pete in an issue of Fantastic Four, readers found Spidey swinging with a sling in the next issue of The Amazing Spider-Man.”
Now, he writes, Marvel is at it again, with Nick Fury’s cameo in Iron Man, in which he mentions the Avengers Initiative, and Tony Stark’s appearance in the upcoming Incredible Hulk. And then there’s the apparent glimpse of Captain America’s shield in Iron Man, and the role of the Super-Soldier Serum in Hulk.
That seamless integration is something DC and Warner Bros. haven’t mastered yet — or, really, even seriously attempted, given the on-again-off-again status of the beleaguered Justice League movie. The live-action Teen Titans movie, which may be picking up steam, could change that, as the sidekicks would have to reference their mentors in some way. Wouldn’t they?
But DC/Warner Bros. probably would be better off taking its cues from Marvel: Instead of viewing Justice League: Mortal as a launching pad for solo movies from Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and The Flash, it should use those characters as the building blocks for an all-star Justice League franchise.
The Ticker
• Amid all of the excitement over Iron Man and Marvel’s upcoming movie slate, did you forget about the planned Ghost Rider sequel? Well, you’re not alone. Star Eva Mendes says the film has either stalled or been abandoned completely. [MTV Movies Blog]
• Speed Racer may have flooded its engine at the box office, but comics writer Peter David thinks it may be a movie ahead of its time: “I suspect you’re going to see tricks from Speed Racer showing up in other films in the next years, and it’s going to be one of those movies in which, years from now, film students are going to be seeing the basis for many subsequent films.” [Peter David]
• At the risk of making this look like Dump On DC Day, SaveSuperman.com is a website for fans brought together by a dislike for Superman Returns. There’s also an online petition calling for a reboot of the movie franchise. That should go well. [Pop Candy]
• Rumor mill: Could a young Beast be making an appearance in the Magneto movie? [Latino Review]
• Rumor mill: This one makes me laugh. Supposedly, Marvel would love Brad Pitt to star in the Thor movie. Well, sure. They’d probably love if Steven Spielberg would direct it, too. A studio can dream, can’t it? [Latino Review]
May 14th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I remember reading a Spidey comic as a kid where Peter was having a particularly bizarre day, then it started snowing. In July. He just shrugged his shoulders and commented on the weirdness. An editor’s box in the corner explained that we needed to read the current issue of Thor to understand the strange weather.
That’s the kind of shared universe details that I like. It didn’t really impact Spidey at all, other than the weird weather accentuating the weird day. It’s a much subtler kind of thing than having another hero actually appear in the comic. It’s like when I found an unused grocery bag in my mail the other day. Sometimes weird stuff happens in life and you get no explanation for it. They don’t have a major affect on your life, they just hint at other things happening to other people.
I’m glad that Marvel is finding a way to get in some inter-connectivity between their films. It will suck a little if any of those films aren’t good and we see them anyway for the interconnections. But overall it’s a good thing. You’d think WB would be able to do that since they make all the DC movies, but all I can remember is a mention of catching a bus to Metropolis in Batman Forever.
May 14th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Agreed, Peter David…I was thinking the same thing the whole time…regardless of its showing the movie at as a whole was the most beautiful-fun picture I’ve seen in forever.
May 14th, 2008 at 10:57 am
“I remember reading a Spidey comic as a kid where Peter was having a particularly bizarre day, then it started snowing. In July. He just shrugged his shoulders and commented on the weirdness. An editor’s box in the corner explained that we needed to read the current issue of Thor to understand the strange weather.”
The reprint of that issue (Marvel Tales?) is the first comic I ever bought…it dealt with the symbiotic costume and SM going to the FF for help. When they remove the costume he has to web sling home with a bag on his head. lol
May 14th, 2008 at 11:09 am
I completely agree with both Peter David and “ejulp”. Regardless of it’s box office take, Speed Racer was an outstanding film.
May 14th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I looked for Samuel L. Jackson in Iron Man but I didn’t see him…?
May 14th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Ummm…Nevermind. Googled and realized we didn’t stay through the credits.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
“This one makes me laugh. Supposedly, Marvel would love Brad Pitt to star in the Thor movie. Well, sure. They’d probably love if Steven Spielberg would direct it, too. A studio can dream, can’t it?”
I dont quite see the joke, why would Pitt be any harder to get in a movie than the dozens of other big stars that have starred in previous Marvel Movies?
You cant really compare to him Spielberg, Pitt is a popular actor (although not on the level he has been) but he is no different than any other actor in that he will take a role in a movie that pays what he wants and/or interests him
May 14th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Shared universes are a nice idea but ultimately limiting in practice if you have an expansive (10+) line of books. It’s a nice nod every now and then but continuity should generally be ignored and replaced with a obsession with good storytelling, rather than where the pieces fit together.
That having been said, movies are different because you’re looking at +- 120 minutes of entertainment, a small, contained universe of shared characters that interact every now and then but generally do their own thing (except for in (obviously) team-up or team movies). I guess that’s a cool thing.
But I honestly hope DC doesn’t follow the shared universe model Marvel’s developing, and just focus on making *great* movies, period. I can’t see Nolan’s Batman existing in the same world as Singer’s Superman or Johnson’s Steel. Eww.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
IT’S POSTS LIKE THESE LAST ONES ON THE MOVIES THAT HAVE PEOPLE WONDERING IF NEWSARAMA IS IN MARVEL’S PAYROLL. EVERY TIME DC IS EITHER IGNORED OR MADE FUN OF, WHILE MARVEL IS USUALLY SEEN AS ‘MASTER OF THE DOMAIN’ IN FLATTERING AND DETALIED POSTS. NOT TALKING ABOUT MOVIES ONLY, BUT COMICS TOO. A BIT OF FAIR TREATMENT FOR THE SAKE OF JOURNALISM (WITH A CAPITAL “J”) IS ALWAYS GOOD.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I think that’s the first time … ever … that Newsarama was accused of being pro-Marvel. Wha buh?!
May 14th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
(WITH A CAPITAL “J”)
Apparently, not only the “J” is capitalized.
May 14th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
“I dont quite see the joke, why would Pitt be any harder to get in a movie than the dozens of other big stars that have starred in previous Marvel Movies?”
Pitt is one of today’s top actors. Of course Marvel would want one of today’s top actors to star in their film. The rumor was stating the obvious, which is funny, and Kevin merely pointed it out.
-r-
May 15th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Iron Man was practically flawless as a super hero flick; it drops pretty obvious hints that would indicate a sequel as well… i’m thinking the next one should be equally great