For everyone excited about The Avengers movie this summer, it’s worth remembering that things could’ve been very, very different indeed. Here’s an excerpt on Marvel’s movie plans as was, from 1985′s Marvel Age Annual #1:
Stan [Lee] is mostly involved with live-action movie projects, featuring the Marvel super heroes. Dr. Strange is currently being worked on by the same folks who brought you the movie hit “All of Me,” which starred Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin. Also in the works is a Captain America film, a Spider-Man film, an X-Men film, and even one starring Howard The Duck (Can you imagine Howard The Duck in live-action??). And last but certainly not least, a Fantastic Four live-action feature is being worked on by the same producers who did the highly-acclaimed film “The Neverending Story.” With all that in progress, no wonder Stan is always so busy!
Just think: Of all of those potential movies, only Howard The Duck made it to the big screen. Sadly, the Marvel Age piece doesn’t have any more information about what the other movies would’ve been like, but I can’t help but wonder if the Cap movie ended up as the much-derided 1990 release from the director of Cyborg and Brain Smasher… A Love Story. “What If…?” as the saying goes…
February 1st, 2012 at 1:02 pm
they also made the fantastic four movie but it was even crappier than the captain america movie.
February 1st, 2012 at 1:28 pm
They also, KIND OF, made the Dr Strange movie (after the option expired) as Doctor Mordrid starring Jeffrey Combs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Mordrid
February 2nd, 2012 at 12:45 pm
What about the talks between Alain Resnais and Stan Lee about a French intellectual Marvel comic movie?
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2011/02/11/comic-book-legends-revealed-300-part-1/
February 4th, 2012 at 3:45 am
A What If indeed. Though I did like the Cap movie, though that maybe because it was the “only” Cap movie available at the time.