One of the best things that ever happened to the Marvel Cinematic Universe took place so far behind the scenes that a lot of people probably never realized that it ever occurred, but there’s no denying that it was made with the franchise’s best interests at heart.
Once upon a time, studio president Kevin Feige was forced to answer to the notorious Creative Committee, who were capable of vetoing his suggestions or forcing their own ideas upon the MCU. Their existence is one of the main reasons why Marvel Studios and Marvel Television existed as separate entities for so long, before they were merged when the baseball cap enthusiast was named as the company’s chief creative officer.
And yet, it turns out that Creative Committee overseer Ike Perlmutter had such a distaste for Feige that he even tried to have him fired in 2015, before Disney CEO Bob Iger stepped in to make sure it didn’t happen. There’s a reason why the two are regarded internally as arch-nemeses, but even then, it’s a shock to discover that the most successful producer in the history of cinema was almost given his marching orders.
As things stand, then, Perlmutter is reportedly still seething with resentment, but it would be an understatement of gargantuan proportions to say that the MCU is in much better shape with Feige at the helm. He isn’t regarded as the man who changed the face of the modern blockbuster for no reason, and given that Marvel Television was deemed as the red-headed stepchild for so long, it seems that it would have been a call made out of jealousy above anything else.
Published: Feb 9, 2023 11:36 am