Kevin Feige On Marvel and DC Crossover: “Never Say Never”

Over the summer came a surprising reveal from filmmaker James Gunn, the only person to direct a movie for both Marvel Studios and Warner Bros.’ DC Films, that he’d spoken with “the powers-that-be” at both studios very casually about a crossover of some kind. As comic readers know this has happened a handful of times in monthly comic books but for it to take place in live-action and on the big screen seems like a near impossibility. Speaking with ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis in an exclusive interview however Marvel head Kevin Feige said the magic words that will light up eyes everywhere: “Never say never.”

When asked what his thoughts were on this unthinkable crossover, Gunn himself having considered the idea of a Harley Quinn/Groot movie, Feige replied: “Well, look, my standard answer to things are ‘never say never.’ I never thought we’d get this far. James has not brought that up, James is deep in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, that will begin filming before the end of this year. Having finished the spectacular The Suicide Squad and selling that movie, he’s well underway of prep on Guardians 3.”

To Feige’s credit, when Marvel Studios first started as an entity it was because the characters they still controlled the rights to were unwanted by the other Hollywood studios. As result crossovers with the X-Men and Spider-Man seemed like they would simply never be in the cards. As we know now, Disney purchased 20th Century Fox outright, bringing back the X-Men and Fantastic Four film rights to Marvel, but they’ve been working with Sony Pictures on Spider-Man movies and appearances for five years now.

“I’ve casually talked to the powers-that-be at both Marvel & DC about it,” Gunn said earlier this summer about the idea. “I would love for it to happen. I don’t think it’s likely, but I don’t think it’s an impossibility either. THAT SAID, just constantly seeing crossovers & mashups is less enchanting to me than a strong story.”

The initial crossovers between DC and Marvel’s comic book characters initially took the form of various one shots like Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man or Batman vs. the Incredible Hulk. In the 1990s the actual Marvel vs DC mini-series, written by Peter David and Ron Marz with art by Dan Jurgens and Claudio Castellini arrived featuring match-ups like Superman vs. Hulk, Spider-Man vs. Superboy, Batman vs. Captain America, Wolverine vs. Lobo, and Storm vs. Wonder Woman.

Perhaps seeing this all playout on the big screen seems like it will remain a pipe dream for fans but if Kevin Feige himself isn’t ruling it out, the calls for it to happen will no doubt continue to grow.