9 Things We Learned From Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe 1. No one wanted to write Iron Man. The first two films out the gate were The Incredible Hulk (2008) and, of course, the original Iron Man, still considered by many to be the best Marvel Studios movie to date that isnt The Avengers. We were tasked with doing two movies right off the bat, said Marvel producer Kevin Feige. We chose Hulk because we believed there was more to be showcased out of the character and we chose Iron Man because we believed in the content and the concept. Apparently no one else did, though. 30 writers passed on Iron Man, said Marvel executive producer Jeremy Latcham. And it eventually took four to get it done: Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway. 2. Joss Whedon thinks RDJ is dope. What really got fans clamoring for an Iron Man movie was Marvel bringing Robert Downey Jr. on board to play the title role, a bit of casting that was met with near universal approval and excitement. Even future Avengers director Joss Whedon could hardly contain himself. The only time I ever went up to somebody in a restaurant was when I went up to Kevin Feige after they announced Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, said Whedon. I said, Kevin, that was the dopest move ever. 3. Gwyneth Paltrow and Jon Favreau made each other shed tears of happiness. Robert Downey Jr. revealed that the casting of Gwyneth Paltrow as Tony Starks trusted assistant and confidante Pepper Potts was something of an emotional experience for both Iron Man director Jon Favreau and Paltrow herself. When Gwyneth Paltrow went into his office, Jon Favreau started crying because he knew he had all the elements he needed for the film, said Downey Jr. And Gwyneth went Oh baby and started crying about something else. Not quite the kind of beginning youd expect for a superhero movie ... With all of us sitting there weeping youd think we were getting together to do some really important Merchant Ivory movie, Downey Jr. added, obviously still impressed by the moment. 4. Theres no hiding Samuel L. Jackson. Kevin Feige got a cold call from Samuel L. Jackson asking Hey, is there anything for Sam? Feige responded with, Actually, do you think hed want to do a cameo? And thus the famous post-credits scene featuring Jackson as Nick Fury in the original Iron Man was born. Marvel tried to keep Jacksons involvement a secret. They didnt even walk him from his trailer to the sound stage where the scene with RDJ as Tony Stark was being filmed — they actually had him drive his car onto the stage itself, get out, shoot the scene, get back in his car, and drive away. Alas, the attempt at S.H.I.E.L.D.-level security was for naught — several publications, including Aint It Cool News, posted about Jacksons casting the very next morning. 5. Agent Coulson is usually the last to know about his assignments. Theres a scene near the end of Iron Man 2 (2010) in which Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) tells Tony Stark that hes off to investigate an incident in New Mexico. This, of course, sets up the events of Thor (2011), but Gregg didnt know that until after he shot the scene. I asked Whats in New Mexico? and they said Oh, Thor! Didnt anyone tell you? Youre in Thor! revealed Gregg with a laugh. Gregg at least was told about his big death scene in The Avengers ahead of time ... but in a rather indirect way. Kevin Feige told me that what happens to Agent Coulson is what brings the Avengers together, said Gregg. And I said, Uh, Kevin ... is this my last Marvel movie? Agent Coulson, considered by Gregg and many others to be the glue of the Marvel Universe, has lived on to star in the ABC series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 6. Bruce Banner is a tragic hero of Shakespearean proportions. Bruce Banner has gone through more actors than any other Marvel character to date (no, were not counting Frank Castle/The Punisher -- are you?), played by Eric Bana in Hulk (2003), Edward Norton in The Incredible Hulk (2008) and finally Mark Ruffalo in Marvels The Avengers. Bruce Banner is kind of like this generations Hamlet, said Ruffalo. Everyone takes a shot at it. To smash or not to smash? SMASH, of course! 7. Captain America will set the stage for The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, opening April 4, has been referred to by co-star Anthony Mackie (who plays paratrooper Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon) as The Avengers: Part 1.5. Kevin Feige confirms this as he reveals its the events in The Winter Soldier that directly lead up to Age of Ultron. Captain America is responsible for altering the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so when everyone re-teams in Avengers 2, things are very different from when we left them at the end of Avengers 1, said Feige. Its primarily due to the adventure that Cap goes through in The Winter Soldier. 8. Hulk Smash Iron Man! Well, at least Iron Mans outfit, as some concept art from The Avengers: Age of Ultron revealed the Green Goliath locked in conflict with Tony Starks Hulkbuster armor, which appeared as a prototype in last summers Iron Man Three. We dont know if Stark himself is actually in the armor in this scene — itd be a shame if he had to fight his favorite rage monster, the one that brought him back to life with a CPR-like roar in the first Avengers. 9. Meet the new recruits: Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Weve known for some time that the brother-sister team of Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) will be appearing in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, but some concept art finally reveals what theyll be looking like. And they look awesome. Once you have the origin of the team, the question becomes how does this paradigm sustain itself after theyve digested their shawarma, said Whedon, referencing the greatest post-credits scene ever put to film. And apparently that sustaining involves bringing in new blood, with Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch as fresh additions to the team — though their orientation may not be too smooth at first. Whedon said the sibling team are not bestest friends with the Avengers at first. Its a little more grown up, a little scarier, a little funkier, said Whedon about the much-anticipated sequel coming in the summer of 2015. And yes, Whedon added, there may be some punching.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 12:13:18 +0000
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