Mayank Shandilya
Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the biggest movie production studios at the moment. They have grown from strength to strength because of the huge fan following they enjoy. With audiences interest in superheroes not waning anytime soon, one can rest be assured that MCU will continue its successful run. Anyway, today we will look at the interesting things that you didn’t know about Marvel Cinematic Universe.
12. Robert Downey Jr’s upswing
Robert Downey had a promising start to his career. But then drugs happened and he went through some tough times. Finally, he cleaned up his act in 2001 and around this time with his friend’s PR agency cleaned up his image. This correction landed him up in the universe of Marvel as Iron Man. He received just $500,000 for his role. But after the movie raked $560 million, partly due to his superb act as Tony Stark, he received $10 million dollar contract to return as Iron Man aka Tony Stark. And for Iron Man 3 he received a humongous $50 million. Around 10,000% increase in his salary when compared with what he received for first film. ‘Iron Man’ did him a huge favour and in return they received an actor which gave a new dimension to the superhero’s act.
11. Terrence Howard’s empire dethroned
Terrence Howard had a three movie contract with Marvel, with ‘Iron Man’ as the first project. Also, he was promised an increased pay if the movie Iron Man became a success and was turned into a franchisee. The money deal offered to him was actually way more than what Marvel had offered to Robert Downey Jr. But once the movie made a killing at the Box Office, Howard received only a fraction of what was promised. Hence, Terrence decided to walk away from the project and all the money went to Robert Downey Jr’s pocket. Hence, Terrence Howard was dethroned even before he got used to his act.
10. Gone Norton Gone
Edward Norton was very excited to reprise his character “The Hulk” for the movie ‘The Avengers’. But Josh Whedon was slightly sceptical. The rumour has it they had a sitting too. After the sitting happened, Whedon was onboard with the idea of Norton as The Hulk. But then three weeks later he announced that Mark Ruffalo would be The Hulk in his upcoming movie ‘The Avengers’. Supposedly, Whedon was told by a lot of studio people that Norton was a difficult actor to work with. Hence, he chose Mark Ruffalo over him.
9. Nine lives of Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson is the only one to have a nine movie deal with Marvel. He is the one who sets up the movie. The one who makes the hero, the protagonists sign the deal with the devil. Jackson still has 4 movies to go before the deal expires. Also, a movie spinoff on his character is on the cards that could humanise the Marvel franchisee. A movie that can capture the slick attitude of agent fury. The story of his unbecoming and reckoning. And the unveiling of the deep secrets held close to his cheat and ways that only he can explain.
8. The Mandarin standoff
The Mandarin is the true villain in the world of Iron Man comics. He is the one who keeps bringing new twists and turns in the life of Tony Stark. And he is the one who keeps escaping and evades every attack. But in the movie he was wandered off as a Gag piece. Initially Jon Favreau wanted The Mandarin as the main anti-hero in the first installment of Iron Man. But then decided against it because he felt it would see as too strong for the first part. Hence, dropped the idea altogether. And as history has it, the second part wavered the whole character as a mere pawn of the story.
7. Odinson, Thor Odinson
Yes, you guessed it right. The Thor was supposed to be played by none other than Bond, James Bond. Daniel Craig was offered the role but couldn’t do it because of his contractual terms with the James Bond franchisee. The studio wanted an established name for the Thor’s role. Hence, went for Daniel Craig. But after his refusal, Marvel showed faith in Chris Hemsworth who was relatively new to the screen space. But since then he has made the character his own and is now difficult to imagine someone else with the Hammer. The Australian took what the British couldn’t.
6. Universal got green
Marvel Universe distribution rights have been bought by Disney pictures. But Universal studios still have rights to distribute Hulk’s solo features. Disney can distribute pictures that has Hulk in the star cast, but cannot distribute movies featuring Hulk as the only avenger. The lawyers of Universal pictures need to be applauded for such a clever contract. But in recent times Marvel has been collaborating with other studios. Especially the ones that they have had estranged relationships with like Sony studios. Hence, maybe a solo Hulk is on cards in near future.
5. Chris said NO to Captain America
Chris Evans was apprehensive about two things. Firstly, the body transformation that he needed to go through, and the nine film deal that tagged along with the contract. Chris couldn’t fathom the idea of doing the same character over and over again. But the sketch of Captain America as the first avenger was so cool and fulfilling that he went ahead with the contract.
4. Kevin created Marvel Universe
Kevin Feige is the head honcho of the Marvel Studios. He is the one who came up with the idea of a shared Marvel universe. A franchisee and spinoff world where every superhero could feed off each other and make their presence felt. They didn’t have the rights to some very famous characters. But still had most of them, especially The Avengers. Hence, Kevin took a huge loan to fulfill the Marvel Universe vision and built a huge fantasy world set. And this was the set on which Iron Man was shot. Henceforth started the cinematic experience of Marvel Universe.
3. Shawarma with Avengers
The Shawarma scene that appears after the end credits in ‘The Avengers’ movie has an interesting tale. The scene was shot after the movie’s premiere. The scene had some serious issues with Captain America. Chris Evans was ready to shoot for his upcoming movie ‘Snowpiercer’ and hence had gone bald. Also, he had grown beard for the role. Hence, the make up people had to cover all of this with a wig and a prosthetic jaw. Nevertheless, the scene became a memorable part of ‘The Avengers’ and made the audience roar after Tony’s shawarma line right after the battle of New York.
2. Whedon is the Man
Joss Whedon is the creative consultant on every Marvel movie. He is known to never meddle with any of the director’s vision, but only add a dash of Marvel’s DNA in every movie. He has been a comic fan and understands the ways that make them tick among comic fanatics. He has been behind a lot of brilliant decisions that Marvel has made till date. He was the one who convinced the studio about the prospect of the Marvel Universe and the Avengers movies.
1. Marvel’s money marvel
Marvel studios hit the jackpot with Iron man. But soon after was grounded with an ordinary response to ‘Incredible Hulk’. Then, they decided that they had to go big if they had to make sense of their newly built distribution network. Hence, they came up with ‘The Avengers’ and created the whole notion of Marvel’s shared universe. Since then, they have been adding characters and superheroes. All of it seems to be part of their big plan of the cinematic universe and till now it has been going very well.
