Feige gave minor updates on a number of Marvel's upcoming slate while talking to EW, and a big part of the discussion centered on the Hulk. Ever since Mark Ruffalo took on the "Jade Giant" and made him popular again after two average solo movies, rumors have been running rampant about a third crack at getting it right.Feige addressed recent rumors that Marvel might decide to take on the popular Planet Hulk storyline, which sends him off into deep space as an arena gladiator...
Feige: “What we’re excited about exploring and expanding is Mark — and Banner’s not in Planet Hulk at all. The fun of the Hulk is his interaction with humans.”
Considering the amount of excitement just the mere mention of Planet Hulk generated, Feige might be wrong on that score. But he does seem to be willing to consider a solo film somewhere down the line....
Feige: “Mark could stand in his own movie. … We’re talking about it. We’re excited to sit down and go, ‘What is a stand-alone Hulk movie?’”
This came after Feige addressed Ruffalo's prior concerns about being too old for the character....
Feige: "If anyone could be a great 55-year-old Hulk, it’s Mark so I’m not worried about that."
Another character Feige has been championing is the Master of the Mystic Arts, Dr. Strange. The film has been percolating for years, and Feige has previously stated he will be a part of Phase Three somewhere. Whether that means he'll assemble with the Avengers or get a solo is still up in the air, although all signs point to the latter....
Feige: “I would love Strange to be a part of that only because he’s a great character. He’s a great standalone character. He’s got a great origin story, for the most part. And that world of pure magic, we haven’t done yet. There’s a whole supernatural/magic alternate dimension going on in the Marvel comics that we haven’t ever touched on. So I think that’s exciting.”
As for who gets to wear the all-seeing Eye of Agamotto? Some of the earliest, most shaky rumors had Patrick Dempsey in the role (*snort*), but recently it was Viggo Mortensen and Justin Theroux named as possibilities. Feige seems to be keeping his options open, though....
Feige: “I think there’s any number of actors who would be chomping [sic] at the bit to play this guy.”
Could the quirkiness of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the family squabbles of Thor: The Dark World open the door for The Inhumans to be Marvel's next big space-faring feature? A film based on the alien "Royal Family" has been talked about for a couple of years, with Feige confirming they were on his radar. But it sounds like the time may be right, with Feige looking towards the X-men as an example why....
Feige: “Inhumans is cool, they’re really great characters. The most powerful guy is the king who doesn’t say a word and if he does — lookout. That’s awesome. And the notion of the Terrigen Mists, this notion that you go through and don’t know what you’re going to be on the other side, is incredibly compelling dramatically. In other words, all the craziness that comes with Inhumans, we’ve done in the other movies already, but this would have some of the social drama that we haven’t really done yet. [Fox’s] X-Men, obviously, has been touching on that stuff for a while.”
We already know that there's no hurry to get recently returned properties like Daredevil, Punisher, and Ghost Rider back on screen, and despite reports that a Blade movie has a script in development, Feige reiterates that nothing's being done with any of these characters. Not yet, anyway. But at the same time, it does sound as if he's ready to start preparing for a cinematic universe without Robert Downey Jr. in it. Contract talks for a potential Iron Man 4 have been contentious, and Feige appears to be willing to use the "James Bond" model when it comes to casting Tony Stark....
Feige: "I believe there will be a fourth Iron Man film and a fifth and a sixth and a 10th and a 20th. "I see no reason why Tony Stark can’t be as evergreen as James Bond. Or Batman for that matter. Or Spider-Man. I think Iron Man is a character just like that.”
Even if Downey heads for the exits, Stark will still have a major impact on an 'Avengers' sequel.While talking to IGN, Joss Whedon revealed that the decisions Stark has made will factor into his story. Major Iron Man 3 spoilers in his comments, so beware....
Whedon: “Well, I feel like in Iron Man 3, even though he said, ‘I’ve changed' -- he blew up his remote suits, but I don’t think anybody thinks he doesn’t have one anymore. The question is, if The Avengers are called, does he show up? And the answer is, ‘Yes!’”
Whedon also confirmed a recent story and his own tease that brother/sister duo Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch would be in the next 'Avengers' film, and as of right now it sounds like he they'll be debuting as villains...
Whedon: “You know, they had a rough beginning. They’re interesting to me because they sort of represent the part of the world that wouldn’t necessarily agree with The Avengers. So they’re not there to make things easier. I’m not putting any characters in the movie that will make things easier.”
Although they are the children of Magneto, and thus a part of the X-men family, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are long-standing members of the Avengers. Through a special deal struck between Marvel and 20th Century Fox, they can appear in the former's films as long as Magneto is never mentioned.
Unfortunately, the Marvel film I was most eager for may be in development limbo. Runaways is the uber-popular team of teen heroes created by Brian K. Vaughn (Y the Last Man), and at one time was being eyed for a potential Phase Two debut. Drew Pearce's script has been in the can for awhile, but then it was put on hold to concentrate on other titles. According to Feige, its window may have closed....
Feige: “It’s a matter of where it fits. The way the business is working now, you either have really inexpensive, sort of surprise movies that can come out and be hits, but don’t cost much. Or you have the big giant summer blockbusters that really swing for the fences. Right now, we’re just swinging for the fences every time. Runaways sort of falls in between those, in a way. We just haven’t found where or how to do it… right now.”
I've always felt that going the animated route would be a better option for Runaways, and after seeing the early footage for Big Hero 6, I'm even more sure of that. Whedon is such a huge fan of Runaways that he wrote a major time travel arc in the comic, so maybe he'll use his pull to get something done.
Good lord there's always something going on at Marvel's House of Ideas. We'll see most of this come together when The Avengers 2 opens on May 1st 2015.
