Avi Arad Updates Marvel Slate

[Advanced Dark]

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?id=40111

12:00 AM, 13-FEBRUARY-07

Arad Updates Marvel Film Slate

Former Marvel Comics chief Avi Arad, who is now a producer, said that his plate is full with upcoming Marvel film adaptations through 2010, starting with Iron Man and the sequel The Incredible Hulk. That's in addition to the upcoming sequel for The Punisher, a possible fourth Spider-Man film and a second Ghost Rider; the first one opens Feb. 16.

"We have Iron Man starting in March, and The Incredible Hulk is starting in June, and across town somewhere happening right now is a meeting about Punisher 2," Arad said. "And we will see what happens to Ghost Rider [2], but I would like to get that going."

Coming in 2007 are Spider-Man 3 and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Further out are proposed movies based on Captain America, Bratz: The Movie and Ant-Man. Arad also confirmed that Wolverine and Magneto are coming as spinoffs of the X-Men movies. As for a fourth X-Men ensemble film? "That's a question for Fox," he said.

Films that seem less likely to be developed? Arad had nothing to say specifically about a Thor movie, which is also supposedly in the works. But Nicolas Cage, who stars in Ghost Rider, said that he is looking forward to Arad's proposed Sub-Mariner film. —Mike Szymanski

We'll get a better update in 3 weeks when earnings come out.

 

[Spade]

They're actually considering a movie on the Bratz toy line...? No offense, but Bratz does not take priority. Take the money wasted in that effort and make a genuine film on Thor that is as epic as it should be.

 

[Advanced Dark]

Bratz isn't Marvel it's something Avi's doing on the side with his production company. This was announced last year. Nothing to do w/Marvel.

 

[Spade]

Bratz isn't Marvel it's something Avi's doing on the side with his production company. This was announced last year. Nothing to do w/Marvel.

It's good to hear they're not affiliated, but...why? I haven't heard the animated series garnering enough to get a film based on it. It just sort of seems like making a film for the sake of making a film.

 

[Advanced Dark]

Just google Bratz and Avi Arad and you'll find the old stories when this was announced. I couldn't care less about it but surely there's an audience for it no matter how small.

 

[Still A ThorFan]

It's bad enough they are doing a stupid Ant-Man movie when heroes like Cap, Namor and my beloved Thor are much more important and could be far more superior films than Marvel's previous films, with the exemption of X2 and Spiderman which were well done.
These movies should have been done a long time ago. Marvel is more occupied with nonsense like Shang-Chi, Wearwolf by Night, and Magento.

 

[Spade]

I don't know. If they can pull off a good Ant Man movie it may show the higher-ups that the older material can translate well with a good script and equally good effort. Ant-Man could be the platform film for the characters mired by a complicated or period-placed comic history.

 

[Advanced Dark]

Stillathor fan you really need to understand the evoloution of Marvel and why certain films were made before other's. Marvel was not a studio in the beginning and relied on other studios to buy the film rights. Thor wasn't a priority to them. Now that Marvel is a studio it is on their slate and they do have a writer, as they also have a writer for Captain American and the other's you mentioned. Sometimes things work out where a project gets off the ground faster than another. Ant-Man already has a director and everything because honestly it doesn't have some of the difficulties that Cap has or Thor. They both require the perfect script and they're both epic in nature. Also Ant-Man has a director who really wanted to make an Ant-Man film. It's wasn't a fluke that we got Edgar Wright.

 

[chiefchirpa]

Cap, Thor, Wolverine, X-Men, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk - 1st Tier Priority

DD, Moon Knight, Deadpool, Black Panther, Punisher, Namor, Dr. Strange - 2nd Tier Priority

The rest are fillers.

 

[Mr. Socko]

Wow, don't expect Ant-Man to be a stellar hit.

 

[Advanced Dark]

First Tier doesn't mean easy script on the fast track. Many of these properties take years to get to get an approved script perhaps even a decade if not longer. Now with Marvel in control you can see the priorities they have made and while working on a Thor script right now...if the ant-man one comes first then great. Don't expect ant-man not to be a hit either Mr. Socko. Edgar Wright is an awesome director and has a huge worldwide cult following. Hot Fuzz won't make 200 million in the US but it's also not that type of film. I still think it's gonna be a big moneymaker though.

Also Namor is a 1st Tier property and it's gonna take time to get that one together but when it's done it'll be bigger and more epic than any Marvel film we've seen yet.

 

[Ironhide]

Personally, I can't wait for Captain America movie!!!! Also, Thor, Dr. Strange & Namor!!!!

 

[chiefchirpa]

Also Namor is a 1st Tier property..

It used to be in the 1st Tier grouping back in the 40's-60's t:

 

[Still A ThorFan]

Stillathor fan you really need to understand the evoloution of Marvel and why certain films were made before other's. Marvel was not a studio in the beginning and relied on other studios to buy the film rights. Thor wasn't a priority to them. Now that Marvel is a studio it is on their slate and they do have a writer, as they also have a writer for Captain American and the other's you mentioned. Sometimes things work out where a project gets off the ground faster than another. Ant-Man already has a director and everything because honestly it doesn't have some of the difficulties that Cap has or Thor. They both require the perfect script and they're both epic in nature. Also Ant-Man has a director who really wanted to make an Ant-Man film. It's wasn't a fluke that we got Edgar Wright.

True, but my fear is that when they make the films of Ant-Man and other non important, well known characters they will most likely bomb (I mean the FF, DD and Punisher did and they are main characters) so when that happens Marvel will be discouraged as will other studios or directors to make the films of their more important well known characters.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Good that Punisher 2 was mentioned, they really need to get that going.

 

[Advanced Dark]

True, but my fear is that when they make the films of Ant-Man and other non important, well known characters they will most likely bomb (I mean the FF, DD and Punisher did and they are main characters) so when that happens Marvel will be discouraged as will other studios or directors to make the films of their more important well known characters.

Non-important to who? Ant-Man could be a visual thrill ride. Whether the public has read an ant-man comic before doesn't mean a thing. Not every character has to be Spider-Man.

 

[chiefchirpa]

I'm less thrilled on Ant-Man than Ghost Rider, but anyhow I'll see it anyway.

Ok 2008, what's gonna be? My choice:

1. Captain America (around July 4th? - is this going to kill Cap movie overseas?)
2. Wolverine (May)
3. Ant-Man (Spring or Fall). If I have the choice I would substitute it with Dr.Strange starring Pierce Brosnan or Deadpool.

 

[Advanced Dark]

Cap is NOT coming out in 2008. Try 2009/2010 at the earliest. It's an important franchise to Marvel that they wont' screw up. It's gotta be done right and it's a delicate topic as far as the international audience on how to pull it off.

 

[blind_fury]

The "slate" is lame. Most are sequels or spin offs.

I guess Marvel is saving some new franchises for later. Could be a smart alternative to burning out early.

 

[chiefchirpa]

Isn't Cap to be next in line?

I recall an interview with one of the Marvel guys saying the sequence would be Cap -> Ant-Man -> Thor -> BP -> Avengers.

Anyway, the only thing to put off much of international scrutiny is by setting Cap in WW2. As much as I don't like it, it's the only way to be done now.

 

[blind_fury]

If I was Marvel the slate would look like this:

2008 - Punisher 2, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk

2009 - Ghost Rider 2, FF3, Magneto, Luke Cage

2010 - Wolverine, Thor, Spider-man 4, Iron Man 2, Incredible Hulk 2

2011 - Luke Cage 2, Captain America, Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Deadpool

2012 - Black Panther, Namor, Thor 2, Iron Man 3, Wolverine 2, Incredible Hulk 3

2013 - Spider-man 5, Dr. Strange 2, Silver Surfer 2, Deadpool 2

2014 - Captain America 2, X-men reboot, Black Panther 2

 

[Advanced Dark]

Deadpool 2.

 

[zeptron]

Captain America should have been done a long time ago.

 

[Buford The Sly]

Captain America should have been done a long time ago.

It was and it was terrible.

 

[Advanced Dark]

Cap is a problem because it costs a load of money to make and it's not something you can just whip together by copying the whole origin and expect huge returns. It's a hard franchise to translate into something the masses on a Global level would want to see.