Marvel Studios chief and master planner Kevin Feige says the near-completed deal that will bring Marvel Comics characters like the X-Men and the Fantastic Four into the Disney fold is “very exciting.”
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“The truth is, I’m excited for all of them. I’m excited, and it’s not just the marquee names you know — there are hundreds of names on those documents, on those agreements,” a giddy Feige told MTV News at Sunday’s Golden Globes when asked which currently Fox-controlled characters he’s most looking forward to integrating into the shared Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“And the fact that Marvel is as close as we may ever get now to having access to all of the characters, is something I’ve been dreaming about for my almost 20 years at Marvel. And it’s very exciting.”
Following Disney’s $71.3 billion acquisition of 20th Century Fox, the company will come to possess the screen rights for Fox franchises Deadpool, X-Men and the Fantastic Four — plans confirmed by Disney CEO Bob Iger, who said in August newly acquired properties like James Cameron’s Avatar and the Marvel offshoots “fit perfectly with our plan to substantially grow our portfolio.”
In July, Feige admitted he had only “vague ideas” and not concrete plans on integrating the high-profile properties into the MCU, home to the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther and Spider-Man franchises.
Feige said development on the former Fox properties would only commence when Marvel is “given the word.”
“I have vague dreams and vague ideas. But right now, bringing to life the 10,000-plus characters that Marvel fully controls is what the gameplan is,” Feige said, noting his attention at the time was on the then-just released Ant-Man and the Wasp as well as 2019’s Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Last January, Feige insisted Marvel was “not thinking about” properties outside the Disney-owned studio’s control, even after Fox accepted the company’s initial bid of $52.4 billion.
“We’re focusing on everything we’ve already announced,” Feige said. “If and when the deal actually happens, we’ll start to think more about it. Until then, we have a lot to do.”
Captain Marvel releases March 8, followed by Avengers: Endgame April 26 and Spider-Man: Far From Home July 5.
