The Curious Case of Spider-Man & Hulk Rights (Or Keep Hope Alive That the Rights Will Revert)

[Spider-Fan]

I don't know much about the comic-book version of the Mandarin, but the Osama Bin Laden type character they showed at the beginning of IM3 was pretty bad ass.

I wouldn't mind seeing more of that character - whether it represents Mandarin from the comics or not.

That character was an actor, though

 

[DarkKnight88]

Subversive.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

That character was an actor, though

But is there a 'real' Mandarin somewhere and Aldrich Killian hired Trevor as a lookalike to play that character? They indicated Aldrich was the Mandarin, but was it stated in such a way that they're really stuck with that character?

 

[Spider-Fan]

But is there a 'real' Mandarin somewhere and Aldrich Killian hired Trevor as a lookalike to play that character? They indicated Aldrich was the Mandarin, but was it stated in such a way that they're really stuck with that character?

At this point, between IM3 and AHTK, the relationship between Killian and the Mandarin is Killian took the history of the Mandarin/Ten Rings and made up his own "Mandarin" based on those legends as a custom terror threat to manipulate the War on Terror, using Trevor Slattery in the role. There is no association between Killian and the Mandarin directly. Even in All Hail the King, the dude from the Ten Rings in that short says Trevor "stole his name, and he wants it back."

So your scenario doesn't fit with what we know already. Unless you retcon, but now it is SUPER convoluted, LOL! More so than it already is.

 

[MbJ]

Why couldn't they have brought back the real Mandarin for Iron Man?

Because they hadn't made an Iron Man movie since 2013.

 

[The Overlord]

Why couldn't they have brought back the real Mandarin for Iron Man? He is his arch enemy in the comics. It's a bit late for that now.

Because the Mandarin is dated in the worst way possible? He is not dated in a fun way like Dazzler is, he is dated in a way that makes the character really hard to work in 2019. Iron Man the Western man who represents progress, innovation, futurism, etc vs. the Mandarin the Yellow peril villain who represents ''savagery, mysticism, barbarism, backward feudalism'', etc. Yeah trying selling that to China, it will likely get the film banned there and if it doesn't it, the local audience will hate it and boycott it. I also do not think Asian Americans would too happy with him.

Maybe with Shang-Chi, it could better, because at least the main hero would be Asian, is to would be less of ''the progressive Western man vs. the backward, regressive Asian man'', but Mandarin is going to be tricky regardless.

I thought Killian was a pretty lackluster villain, but I could see why they nixed ''the real Mandarin'' for him, time has not been kind to him.

 

[babykhris]

Let's say Disney couldn't buy the rights from SONY and Universal would you be OK with them doing a streaming deal with them? Fans would be upset if Spider-Man Homecoming or Far From Home wasn't on Disney+

 

[Kuwolski]

A likely scenario. Just as the Lord and Miller Spidey projects ending up on + or Hulu are.

 

[psylockolussus]

Let's say Disney couldn't buy the rights from SONY and Universal would you be OK with them doing a streaming deal with them? Fans would be upset if Spider-Man Homecoming or Far From Home wasn't on Disney+

Does Sony even have a streaming service other than their PS services?

 

[babykhris]

Does Sony even have a streaming service other than their PS services?

SONY doesn't have one yet....

 

[Zarex]

Sony owns Crackle.

 

[Shuri]

Posted this in the general thread.

 

[TheGuy]

Don't give us hope, Feige.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

I don't actually want "a lot of cool ideas" for Hulk. I want simple, basic Hulk. I want a child-like character who just wants to be left alone, but every time he has a moment of peace, Thunderbolt Ross comes at him with an army and super-powered foes.

I want him to be ostracized, tragic and sympathetic - like the combination of Frankenstein's Monster, King Kong, Godzilla, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Quasimodo that he was in the comic-books.

He was such a great character in the comic books, and they've been so quick to force him into things (probably partly because of the rights mess), that' we've never seen those great comic-book elements.

 

[Docker2.0]

Maybe Hulk being discussed is a way to introduce Wolverine, who has to be around somewhere. I know it's to early for the X-men but he is an A-lister who's been on the shelf for a minute. The Hulk can't be in his own movie but can be in a movie with someone else so just maybe..........

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

Maybe Hulk being discussed is a way to introduce Wolverine, who has to be around somewhere. I know it's to early for the X-men but he is an A-lister who's been on the shelf for a minute. The Hulk can't be in his own movie but can be in a movie with someone else so just maybe..........

That would be cool. But I also hope the recent Disney/Comcast talks over Hulu will also result in them cleaning up this rights mess. I'm not sure if we'll ever see the Hulk we know from the comics with the associated supporting characters until Marvel has the rights free and clear.

And yeah, while we might have to wait for The X-Men, Wolverine would be a good character to bring in prior to any full X-Men effort.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

If not a comic accurate Defenders film to continue the Hulk story in the MCU then I do very much like this idea of doing a Wolverine solo and having Hulk in it. Mirror the comic story or even ape the HULK VS. animated mini movie in some way and I would be pretty hyped right off the bat.

Hell... Announce a movie based on Alpha Flight, have Logan as part of that group, for whatever reason they go up against Hulk ( before anyone starts... You CAN come up with a lot of reasons to do that even if the current version of the character isn't "classic" Hulk up to and including a slow reemergence of the "other guy" aspect. It is fiction. They can do things like that...) and by the end Logan can become disillusioned with Dept. H or Alpha Flight in general and this spins him off into eventually joining the X-Men.

Or not. In any case I am happy to hear at least some rumblings of more Hulk on screen and I would hope things like gray Hulk, Banner's psyche and classic villains like Leader and the U-Foes (gods but do I wanna see Hulk vs. U-Foes on the big screen) could appear.

 

[Zarex]

If not a comic accurate Defenders film to continue the Hulk story in the MCU then I do very much like this idea of doing a Wolverine solo and having Hulk in it. Mirror the comic story or even ape the HULK VS. animated mini movie in some way and I would be pretty hyped right off the bat.

Hell... Announce a movie based on Alpha Flight, have Logan as part of that group, for whatever reason they go up against Hulk ( before anyone starts... You CAN come up with a lot of reasons to do that even if the current version of the character isn't "classic" Hulk up to and including a slow reemergence of the "other guy" aspect. It is fiction. They can do things like that...) and by the end Logan can become disillusioned with Dept. H or Alpha Flight in general and this spins him off into eventually joining the X-Men.

Or not. In any case I am happy to hear at least some rumblings of more Hulk on screen and I would hope things like gray Hulk, Banner's psyche and classic villains like Leader and the U-Foes (gods but do I wanna see Hulk vs. U-Foes on the big screen) could appear.

I was thinking along a similar line, with Alpha Flight getting trashed by an out of control Professor Hulk (or maybe Joe Fixit?) and a former team member with adamantium claws being cajoled back into service. It seems like an obvious plot line to follow, but so was Hela standing in for Lady Death and that sure as hell didn't happen!

 

[Dark Raven]

I wish Hulk would ditch the Professor Hulk persona. It is so limiting in the stories it allows. He just becomes another brainy scientist. He can do that as Banner, and we'll have that with people like Reed Richards. Bringing him back to a more savage persona (but not completely out of control) allows many more stories from the comics.

 

[Tymminator]

I like the evolution of Prof Hulk actually. Child Hulk is cool but at the same time it’s limiting in that eventually something would have to be done as as he would eventually do something you couldn’t walk him back from and he’s basically hunted forever. In the comics you can stretch that but in films...eh. Me myself I’m glad he’s where he’s at. They can have flashback stories for crazy Hulk. This is all IMO.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I wish Hulk would ditch the Professor Hulk persona. It is so limiting in the stories it allows. He just becomes another brainy scientist. He can do that as Banner, and we'll have that with people like Reed Richards. Bringing him back to a more savage persona (but not completely out of control) allows many more stories from the comics.

You obviously never read David's run on the Hulk.

 

[ADollarADay]

I don't actually want "a lot of cool ideas" for Hulk. I want simple, basic Hulk. I want a child-like character who just wants to be left alone, but every time he has a moment of peace, Thunderbolt Ross comes at him with an army and super-powered foes.

I want him to be ostracized, tragic and sympathetic - like the combination of Frankenstein's Monster, King Kong, Godzilla, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Quasimodo that he was in the comic-books.

He was such a great character in the comic books, and they've been so quick to force him into things (probably partly because of the rights mess), that' we've never seen those great comic-book elements.

That would be cool. But I also hope the recent Disney/Comcast talks over Hulu will also result in them cleaning up this rights mess. I'm not sure if we'll ever see the Hulk we know from the comics with the associated supporting characters until Marvel has the rights free and clear.

And yeah, while we might have to wait for The X-Men, Wolverine would be a good character to bring in prior to any full X-Men effort.

That's why it's so frustrating they seemingly didn't get those Marvel rights from Comcast when they did the Hulu deal. They could have yet another Hulk arc now that they

Endgame spoiler

Spoiler

have done Professor Hulk.

They could have Hulk and Banner start clashing again because of Nat's death. Given that the rumors are saying they have plans for The Leader, Abomination, and Thunderbolt Ross they could in parallel develop Hulk with that struggle and have an interesting story in TIH 2 that would eventually lead to World War Hulk.

I think Marvel knows some fans are upset on how the Hulk has been treated. I hope they rectify it, but they need to get those rights from NBCU to do so.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

That's why it's so frustrating they seemingly didn't get those Marvel rights from Comcast when they did the Hulu deal.

Has there been any clear statement one way or the other on that? I haven't really been paying attention to the details (and I thought it was still ongoing).

It seems like Feige has been talking more Hulk recently. Is it possible they got the rights but just didn't say anything publicly yet?

 

[ADollarADay]

Has there been any clear statement one way or the other on that? I haven't really been paying attention to the details (and I thought it was still ongoing).

It seems like Feige has been talking more Hulk recently. Is it possible they got the rights but just didn't say anything publicly yet?

Nothing has been said, but it hasn't been asked either. Feige was asked about Comcast's Marvel rights (and Sony's Spider-man's rights) during the reddit AMA, but he just ignored them. Iger wasn't asked during the financial or Nathanson's call.

The Marvel rights are really small, small potatoes. No one outside of us nerds care about those that much. Iger has never been asked if he plans to acquire the rights from Comcast or from Sony. The only time I remember him being asked anything close to this was during a shareholder's meeting where someone asked about the Orlando rights to which he replied that they hadn't talked to them about an agreement or whatever.

In general I tend to assume status quo continues until I see evidence saying otherwise.

 

[Zarex]

Nothing has been said, but it hasn't been asked either. Feige was asked about Comcast's Marvel rights (and Sony's Spider-man's rights) during the reddit AMA, but he just ignored them. Iger wasn't asked during the financial or Nathanson's call.

The Marvel rights are really small, small potatoes. No one outside of us nerds care about those that much. Iger has never been asked if he plans to acquire the rights from Comcast or from Sony. The only time I remember him being asked anything close to this was during a shareholder's meeting where someone asked about the Orlando rights to which he replied that they hadn't talked to them about an agreement or whatever.

In general I tend to assume status quo continues until I see evidence saying otherwise.

A similar sentiment was held by many posters regarding the Fox rights prior to the acquisition closing. But after the deal was done the Marvel rights reversion was a major focus of the announcement press release and Iger interviews. With studios looking to build cinematic universes around Grim Ghost and Wulf the Barbarian, rights to name characters like Hulk and Subby are a big deal.

The Mouse and Kabletown have closed two major deals recently with Sky and Hulu, so it seems reasonable to suspect that they will do so again with film distribution and Marvel theme park rights.