Should Marvel Studios Eventually Start Doing Non-Comic-Based Films?

[KenK]

I think with Marvel having its own independent film studio, they should eventually branch out into films that aren't exclusively based on their comic properties, or any property for that matter. There are a glut of comic creators that are actually just doing comics 'cause they want to get the attention of film studios, and I feel like now's a perfect time to nip that BS in the bud. I think Marvel stands to put themselves in a somewhat unique position, and buck one of the trends people complain about, in regards to films always being based on something else, or being a remake of something else, etc. If there are concepts that, admittedly could work as comics, but the true desire is for them to become movie properties, Marvel should take the opportunity to give those concepts a home as they're originally intended to be presented.

EDIT: If someone's already started a thread similar in topic, feel free to let me know, and close this one.

 

[Wesley Dodds]

Heh.

How funny would it be if marvel started making DC's films for them?

 

[Wesley Dodds]

Heh.

How funny would it be if marvel started making DC's films for them?

 

[Spidey-Quad]

Naa, stick to what they do well. Let Disney do the rest. That's my nickle.

 

[Raiden]

I do think that Marvel should have a separate entity like DC's Vertigo, so they can have ideas for movies that do not feature any superheroes. Thanks to Vertigo, they have movies like V for Vandetta, Jonah Hex, and The Losers; Marvel should have had invested in a comics studio similar to Vertigo as well.

 

[Steve Holt]

I do think that Marvel should have a separate entity like DC's Vertigo, so they can have ideas for movies that do not feature any superheroes. Thanks to Vertigo, they have movies like V for Vandetta, Jonah Hex, and The Losers; Marvel should have had invested in a comics studio similar to Vertigo as well.

isn't that why they have Icon?

 

[KenK]

Basically, I'm asking if Marvel Studios should eventually get into developing films from scratch, without any connection to a pre-existing comic book or comic-related property.

 

[Wolfman]

No, I don't think they should. They got so much comics that could be turned into movies, that I see no reason to develope anything fomr scratch. Who's going to make them if not Marvel? Fox? No thanks.. heh.

 

[KenK]

They're gonna eventually run out of viable properties to adapt, though. They're only going to get so much mileage out of the properties they've got in the pipe now. And what do they do during lulls? They can't afford to have the studio be inactive for too long, while they wait for another property-related film to be finished.

 

[Silvermoth]

They could do a bio-pic on Stan Lee t:

 

[Red Mask]

Vertigo is pretty much the rest of DC's non-mainstream movies.

 

[Deaths Head II]

I think they have plenty of projects under their belt right now and don't need to consider making new material yet. The studio is pretty young and they have years of source material to work on. Even if the comic isn't popular, they could make a C-List or B-List characters become the next Blade or whatever.

 

[The Overlord]

They're gonna eventually run out of viable properties to adapt, though. They're only going to get so much mileage out of the properties they've got in the pipe now. And what do they do during lulls? They can't afford to have the studio be inactive for too long, while they wait for another property-related film to be finished.

But kind of movies would they make then? If they make a sci fi, horror or crime movie, how would be different then similar movies being released by the major studios, who would have more money?

 

[Doc Ock]

No, I think Marvel should stick to doing comic based films until there is no more room left!

 

[Anubis]

What would be the point? Unless it's to give comic writers a chance to finally get that script they've been working on in their spare time for the last 10 years made.

I can see it now. Brian Michael Bendis' "Oy! My Tucas!" The Musical.

 

[KenK]

But kind of movies would they make then? If they make a sci fi, horror or crime movie, how would be different then similar movies being released by the major studios, who would have more money?

By that logic, smaller studios like Screen Gems and Lionsgate, hell even Summit, shouldn't be making those films kinds of films either, if there's just going to be a bigger studio with more money. No one studio (or a collective of larger studios) corners the market on a specific genre of film. If they can get known filmmakers like Joe Johnston, Jon Favreau, and Kenneth Branaugh to do their comic films, whose to say they can't get comparably known filmmakers to do films that aren't comic-related? To say nothing of taking young, lesser known filmmakers, and given them their first break.

At the end of the day, Marvel Studios IS a movie studio. And eventually, their survival is gonna depend on how well they can adapt to the Hollywood landscape in general? What happens when there's a lull in comic book films? 2008 was a juggernaut for comic book films, and going back in years, every year for the past eight years or so, you had on average about three or four comic movies, and you could usually count on one of those films to be a Marvel-based film. This past year? Not much of anything beyond Watchmen, which had critics and fans decidedly split right down the middle, and has had to rely on DVD and blu-ray sales to turn a profit. Surrogates, which was a critical dud, and barely made a dent at the box office, either. And then Whiteout, which had been on a shelf for about a year and a half, and failed on a remarkably epic scale. I don't think the film even cracked the top ten when it was released, and was one of the worst reviewed films, period, of last year.

So I do honestly think Marvel as a film studio should be cognizant of those kind of factors. And not every third tier character can be what Blade was. I think their partnership with Lionsgate kind of proved that. Man-Thing, anyone?

 

[Deaths Head II]

So I do honestly think Marvel as a film studio should be cognizant of those kind of factors. And not every third tier character can be what Blade was. I think their partnership with Lionsgate kind of proved that. Man-Thing, anyone?

Man-Thing wasn't made by Marvel Studios. Marvel Studios has thus far shown way more attention to their properties. If they make a good movie, they will have a brand new franchise to milk. Iron Man wasn't really an A-Lister until the movie came out but now everyone in the world know who he is. All you need is to make a good movie. Every B-List, C-List, or Z-List character that didn't take off didn't do so because the movie they were in sucked and the movie they were in sucked because the studio didn't handle them the right way.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Except Marvel Studios is no longer an independent studio. It's a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.

You would have had a point if Disney didn't own Marvel, but now that it is, there would absolutely be no need for Marvel to go outside the comic book genre since Disney already has Touchstone Pictures to do more adult oriented live action films.

 

[KenK]

Except Marvel Studios is no longer an independent studio. It's a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.

You would have had a point if Disney didn't own Marvel, but now that it is, there would absolutely be no need for Marvel to go outside the comic book genre since Disney already has Touchstone Pictures to do more adult oriented live action films.

Who said anything about adult-oriented films? I said any kind of film, just non-comic related.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Okay, then since The Walt Disney Company has both the Walt Disney Pictures banner and Touchstone Pictures banner which focuses on non-comic films, along with production deals with Jerry Bruckheimer Films (National Treasure, Pirates of the Caribbean, Prince of Persia) and distribution deals with Dreamworks there is absolutely no need for Marvel Studios to go outside of the comic book genre.

You also have to take into account that Disney does not want to venture outside the blockbuster "genre" of films, hence their selling of Miramax. Which limits what a non-comic book Marvel Studios film can do and the major sticking point of MARVEL STUDIOS IS NOT AN INDEPENDENT STUDIO ANYMORE.

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

If they want to produce my movie(s), give Kevin my contact info.

 

[Red Mask]

I'd like to see their take on G.I.Joe.

 

[E-Man]

I think they have enough comic properties that need to be developed before thinking of original content. I'd rather see an animated New Warriors movie than something the studio cooked up.

 

[Spidey-Quad]

They're gonna eventually run out of viable properties to adapt, though. They're only going to get so much mileage out of the properties they've got in the pipe now. And what do they do during lulls? They can't afford to have the studio be inactive for too long, while they wait for another property-related film to be finished.

I respectfully disagree. There is so much untapped, plus as time goes by and technologies evolve you will natural get your "RE-BOOTS". So no I do not see Marvel running out of options.

 

[Rac]

I do think that Marvel should have a separate entity like DC's Vertigo, so they can have ideas for movies that do not feature any superheroes. Thanks to Vertigo, they have movies like V for Vandetta, Jonah Hex, and The Losers; Marvel should have had invested in a comics studio similar to Vertigo as well.

isn't that why they have Icon?

Kind of. Icon books are creator owned though, I don't think Vertigo titles are. WildStorm, Homage and America's Best Comics titles are creator owned, aren't they? That's why stuff like Red, LXG, Road to Perdition and Kick-Ass are not done by Warner and Marvel, they (DC and Marvel) don't own them.

Before Icon Marvel had Epic, but I'm not sure whether it was creator owned or not, because they published Marvel characters (Silver Surfer, Elektra etc.) under it too.

I think it could have been nice if Marvel would have purchased the distribution rights to Kick-Ass, but I guess the ultra violence didn't suit their policy, although in the comic world it does. Or Vaughn maybe still holds a grudge?