By: Russ Burlingame on May 10, 2012
In a podcast interview with Eric Ratcliffe’s Why I Love Comics, superstar writer Brian Michael Bendis explained the role of the “Marvel Movie Council”–that is, a group of comic book experts including himself, Joe Quesada and Marvel Publisher Dan Buckley who were called upon to consult on the Marvel movies.
“We read every draft of the script including outlines and give notes–sometimes written notes–followed by a phone call to discuss our notes. Sometimes with a filmmaker, sometimes without, depending on the level of critiques and as the script gets closer to final form we’ll come in and sit with the filmmakers.”
The writer says that while different directors and producers have used the creative committee in different ways, the more recent films have really embraced the concept.
“Kenneth Branagh used us wholeheartedly, completely in love with the creative committee,” Bendis told WILC. “He had us come in and acted out the whole movie in front of us; it was super cool. Joss [Whedon], with whom we all had a prior friendly relationship on one level or another, got together with us and that was cool.” Later, he said, ”We usually see the first or second draft of the [movie] and we have long meetings to discuss what’s working and what isn’t working.”
All of that said, Bendis said that while the input from Marvel is solicited and appreciated, at the end of the day it’s the movie division’s call. “We give notes and suggestions, but it is wholeheartedly that the writer of the movie is the writer of the movie and the director is the director. Then we go away during production.”
