HOME TRAILERS RELEASE DATES PODCAST REVIEWS POSTERS INTERVIEWS MOVIE NEWS ABOUT US APPS FSnetwork

LATEST NEWS

Kevin Feige's Quick Update on Upcoming Marvel Projects

by Alex Billington
May 5, 2009
Source: Empire

Now that we've kicked off the summer movie season, let's check in with Marvel's president of production Kevin Feige. Well, we don't really have his phone number (that would be awesome), but Empire did get in touch with him, and did get him to give an update on at least two important upcoming Marvel projects - Thor and The Avengers. A few weeks ago, Kenneth Branagh finally confirmed that they'll be shooting Thor starting next January. Feige confirms the same and adds that they're working on some "spectacular animatics already for our first action scene" as well as "a rewrite of the draft" to have ready fairly soon.

But most importantly, what about casting. We've heard plenty about the production, but all we want to know is who they've cast. "We will probably be having cast announcements in the next month or so on Thor," Feige says. "We're looking to cast Loki and Odin soon, and the main female role. And we'll also hopefully have lockdown shortly, gearing towards the beginning of production, which will be early next year. So I think there will be a lot of announcements between now and then." Good! And don't forget that in March, we rumored that Natalie Portman was in, although last I heard, the position of Thor was still open.

And last but not least, what's the latest on The Avengers - the only movie in Hollywood that's actually slated for 2012? "Zak Penn is already on board The Avengers [as writer] and he’s spending a lot of his time looking into what we're doing with Iron Man, Thor and Captain America, seeing how we're tying it all together. And he's beginning to outline the script now – he'll be doing that over the summer." Unlike some other Marvel projects (e.g. Wolverine), they definitely aren't rushing this, and are giving plenty of time to Zak so that he can get a feel for the other three movies that will tie in. Thanks for the update, Kevin.

Pin It

Related categories: Hype, Movie News, Opinions

Trey

First!..... good news especially the part about not rushing like Wolverine!
jesse

Got to love how every now and then Marvel comments on FOXs poor control over their characters.
Alfredo

*sighs* if only Marvel Studios were somehow able to snatch the rights from FOX, I would be a happy camper. In any case, can't wait to see who they cast as Thor.
ju-on

what about the Hulk?
http://www.bleepinggeek.com Pete the Geek

Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!!! Back that train right the f**k up... You mean they're handing writing duties for the biggest superhero crossover movie in our lifetime over to the guy who wrote Elektra, X-Men 3, Fantastic Four, and the live action Inspector Gadget? WTF, MARVEL!?!? Did you lose a bet to Zak Penn in some kind of hack-writers poker tournament? Why would you entrust something that big and groundbreaking to someone who's written more bad movies than good? Just because you're not Fox doesn't mean you can skate by with a crap script. Fans will hold you accountable for that kind of thing. Let's hope that this is just one of those "he's working on the basic plot, then we'll hire someone else to actually come in and write the damn thing" scenarios or I just lost my desire to see Avengers come to the big screen.
Ajax

#4 I wanna know about that too. From what I heard, Ed Norton still hasn't signed on for any other movies, so idk. I would really like to see him though. Even though the film wasn't as good as Iron Man, and the Hulk isn't really a team player, it would be wrong to leave him out.
Hey Ya

Ya know, I've been first and never been douche bag enough to state it. I'm with #5 though. It's not like he has the best track record.
carl

A writer called Zak Penn lol
Julian

Number 4 mentioned that Zak Penn wrote a slew of Marvel films that sucked ass big time...im not a fan of Thor or anything but the fact that this guy is writing the script makes me not want to see the film...I think I'll just stick to Iron Man for now.
dave13

to be fair, the guy's experience doing Marvel movies have been under the production of Fox. who suck. as shown by Wolverine's unfinished scenes and illogical and contradictory to past X-Men films plot details. however, wtf.
elessar

Number 9: Penn is writing THE AVENGERS, not THOR. THOR's script was done a while ago by someone else, and was recently revised by J Michael Stryzinski. Agreed that Penn doing THE AVENGERS isn't encouraging, but I'm betting that there will be some major revisions by someone else. Maybe Norton will rewrite it like he did with INCREDIBLE HULK.
Keith

Marvel did not produce Wolverine, Alex. Fox did. Marvel is listed as one of the production companies behind the film, but all they did was lease the rights to the character to Fox. Besides that they had no input.
Blue Silver

I have a hunch Zak Penn is due to impress us BIG TIME! I sure hope Marvel does get the rights to 'Deadpool' and not FOX. And please Marvel, secure back the rights to as many characters as you can, like FF and Daredevil. .... Then relaunch!!!
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

#12 - Yep, I already know that. I meant to say projects based on Marvel comics characters, not necessarily projects produced by Marvel Studios. Sorry for that confusion.
Keith

I know I don't comment on here as much as I used to, but you refer to me by comment # now?! The world is coming to an end!
Fisherr

Bring a good "The Avengers" movie please
9mm

I heard it wont be live action. Figure 20-30 million EACH for Ed Norton RDJ 10+ million? whoever plays thor (assuming hes an unknown) whoever plays cap (assuming hes an unknown) Samuel Jackson whoever directs.. Youre talking 100 million plus before you even starting thinking about the cost of actually making the damn thing. Think Avengers in the style of beowulf, with voice overs.
S

Does anyone know how long Fox has the rights to characters? I assume it's not infinite.
zetsu

casting for loki & odin plus the main female lead(i hope it's the enchantress that would be shit hot.)i think the avengers is the comicbook movie i'm most looking forward to(deadpool a close second.)michael bay to direct the avengers (sun glare,slow motion walking & fighting scenes perfect.).also marvel make the thunderbolts.(that would be fucking great.)
Dave Lister, J.M.C.

@ #18: I'm not sure I have this exactly right, maybe Alex can fill in the details if he checks in on this again. Anyway... I think Fox' rights renew each time they make a new film, which shows they are continuing to develop the property. They may only stand to lose the rights if they stop making films based, on the characters. Should they stop making the films, (which they won't likely do as long as they see openings like Wolverine had last week) I think I read somewhere that the rights won't revert to Marvel, unless the property remains dormant for a certain number of years. Anybody have the exact details on that? Alex?
Eric

I have high hopes for anything Marvel. Heres to a good Deadpool movie.
chick

Captain America should be our main concern here, not Thor, God willing this will be my final list of captain america candidates. I will post more as it narrows down, until they actually make their selection……….Its been narrowed down to 10 or so. And wether you like it or not, these candidates, these are it, from what I have gathered…keep in mind, they have already selected a shit director to do the film………….Joe Johnston: Honey I shrunk the kids, Jumanji, Jurassic park III....Don't think he's the right fit for ole' Cap, but in retrospect, I guess it could alwats be worse. NOT IN ANY SPECIFIC ORDER: 1. Nael Mcdonough 2. Cole Hauser 3. Patrick wilson 4. Chris Klein 5. Karl Urban 6. Mathew Mcgoghnahey…already said no 7. Leonardo Dicaprio….will never do it 8. john cena……"L.A. style riots" all over the country would be imminent if cast 9. Channing Tatum...Said to be a frontrunner 10. Josh Hartnett 11. Aaron Eckhart 12. Colin Farrell My confidence is becoming more, and more shaken since i had read Will Smith was also offered the role too…..I'm done getting high hopes for these movies. I think they just need to Cast Samuel L. Jackson, he'll undoubtably be in it anyway in some capacity or another……… P.S. …I know this might be a stretch, but what does anybody think of Kevin Durand?? This is a list of who's in line for it right now…..whatcha think?