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Rumor: Marvel to Introduce New Characters with Short Films?

by Ethan Anderton
June 21, 2010
Source: Latino Review

While the studios seem to be more concerned with keeping the heavy hitters of the comic book universe like Batman, Spider-Man, Superman and the X-Men as the most prominent feature film subjects, we found out back in April that Marvel Studios was making a push to develop smaller scale movies featuring third tier characters like Dr. Strange (seen above), Luke Cage, another superhero ensemble known as the Power Pack and more. Now Latino Review has word that Marvel plans to introduce some of these characters to audiences by making 10-minute short films that will play in front of their tentpole feature length films.

As of now, it's unknown when Marvel intends to release the first short film (Thor, Captain America or The Avengers seem like logical choices) or what characters will be the first to get the short film treatment. And seeing as how Iron Man 2 seemed to be more than a little convoluted due to the inclusion of characters like Nick Fury and Natalie "Black Widow" Romanoff, the short film route is a much better way to introduce third tier characters to new audiences and see how they're received without wasting millions of dollars on a movie like Jonah Hex (I know he's a DC Comics' character, but you know what I'm talking about). For now, LR is careful to classify this as a rumor, but stay tuned for updates as they arrive. Do you guys like this idea?

Find more posts: Movie News, Opinions, Rumors

18 Comments

Nope - it will just confuse the great unwashed masses. Fanboys will love it - but fanboys alone can't make these film moneymakers. It's a clever idea, but I think execution is key. It has to be done in a way that makes it clear that the first ten minutes you are seeing is not related to the movie.

Matt on Jun 21, 2010

I think it is a great idea, bc it will answer questions about characters and save the film money that can be used for other stuff

mattdamon on Jun 21, 2010

#1 Have you never seen a pixar film before , its quite simple to run a short before a movie before without confusing people.

matt on Jun 21, 2010

These need to be 45 minutes, (NOT the brief and easily-engaging length of Pixar shorts). There's just no way anything could be conveyed, introduced, ratcheted-up or incredible with anything less than 45 minutes. I am also not willing to pay full price for such brevity, but will happily pay for a 3-some of these movies in one sitting.

Voice of Reason on Jun 21, 2010

I like it. I want to see my MARVEL characters get there shine but i dont want whole movies and have them end up like ELEKTRA. Thank God for Disney.

Josef on Jun 21, 2010

This is a great idea because now we won't have to see a ton of long superhero movies that, in my opinion, are a waste. A short and to the point script will suffice for the less known batch of superheroes in the only way this generation understands; on a big tv.

Eli on Jun 21, 2010

That makes a lot of sense.

Darunia on Jun 21, 2010

This sounds like a great idea. Just think about it--One of your favorite heroes that haven't had a film made about them yet appears (i.e. Hawkeye, Black Panther, etc). You get introduced and it starts to build them up and you get more and more engaged and then-----BAM! That's it. Time's up. It leaves you wanting more. Then people like all of us will discuss it and word will spread and it can show what characters will be popular and should be focused on for independent films or inclusion into things like The Avengers. It's a perfect marketing strategy and not to mention a full-on nerdgasm for people like myself. But I'm just talking out loud 🙂

Cinephile on Jun 21, 2010

Great idea kinda like the old serials. it shows Marvels dedication to bringing quality to the screen and keeping the marvel universe as in tack as they can at this point, now get spidey back GR FF and X Men then hit 88 mph and then we could really see some serious shit.

Jimmy Love on Jun 21, 2010

@8 Perfectly stated, EXACTLY what I was thinking. I want to see a Cable short!!

Cmurder on Jun 21, 2010

Sounds awesome for us fans!

RT on Jun 21, 2010

Brilliant! Sheer brilliant! Not only is it brilliant, in that it introduces audiences to Black Cat, She Hulk, Miss Marvel, Dazzler, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, The Falcon, Black Bolt and the The Inhumans, Power Man, Iron Fist, Rom...it is brilliant because it demonstrates most visibly why the versions of Marvel Movies not controlled directly by Marvel creatively were indeed crap and the people that created Daredevil/Elektra/Fantastic Four/Punisher/etc...were morons. They always tried to make a movie about a comic character and in doing so always short-stroked the very part of the story that made a Marvel character great...the universe. Marvel is simply taking the comic books, using them as storyboards, and giving life to their stories. The Kree-Skrull War ain't no story that Sony or Fox could have ever pulled off...but Marvel can. They have to attempt to top all the war movies ever done to date...Gladiator/Ran/LOTR/Star Wars/Matrix/Pearl Harbor/Independence Day/and so on...with one of the biggest storylines from The Mighty Avengers. Ragnarok is a huge story. It has to be coming if the Thor movie is any good. As a sequel. If the dumb asses at Fox and Sony were fired and replaced with guys that had 2 neurons, they'd 'sell' creative control of their properties back to Marvel, let Marvel make em, and split the pie. Then you could have Spider Man and the Fantastic Four back into the mix as well. But instead, those morons will try to put out one off Marvel content that can't be in the Marvel Universe proper and in fact could end up having actual Marvel Universe characters not acknowledging the Fantastic Four. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Right wing ayn randian bean counters suck, and can't count. That's why the failure films left so much money on the table...dumb asses can't see it.

tivdatsun on Jun 21, 2010

I love the idea of short films with smaller characters. That'd be GREAT! Just make them quality and I'm down. Just keep Disney's Jonas Brothers away from them...

harm on Jun 21, 2010

That pic of Doctor Strange reminds me of the creepy digital Cain face in RoboCop 2...

casting couch on Jun 22, 2010

Yeah that's cool

Daniel Felts on Jun 22, 2010

great idea. good way to test the audience as well as seeing how far they can push certain concepts. I also like the idea of having these shorts in front of the big tent pole movies because it helps show the range of characters that exist without relying on huge promotions, hype etc... Look at the fake trailers in "grindhouse presents" not much went into them but the returns where great! Enough to get a few of those rolling into REAL movies!!! Marvel has that chance (so does any studio) with taking this approach, test your characters and ideas before an audience, word of mouth spreads and then you know wether or not making a "Powerpack" movie is worth it (the comics werent so hot so why this title is up for consideration baffles the F#$K out of me) shorts=good idea

lando is a system not a man on Jun 22, 2010

Just gimme the Grey Hulk & his wiseass attitude, Vegas enforcer ways - and I'll ramp you up to a solid blockbuster follow up, once the wiseasses wake up to how cool that movie could actually BE.

Christopher Nolan on Jun 22, 2010

Doctor Strange and Luke Cage ain't 3rd-tiered Marvel characters... I can't believe that they said 3rd-tier. Anyway, short films are definitely a great way to introduce characters to audiences. And on a side-note: Please get the movie rights back from those idiots and gradually gel the heroes back in. And try getting those actors/actresses back in the Avengers series. Imagine having Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Jessica Alba, Tobey Maguire, Anna Paquin etc appearing in later installments. That would be awesome....

18 on Jul 6, 2010

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