Over on my multiply page (apeltala.multiply.com), I basically wrote a review fellating everyone who had anything to do with the brand-spanking-new comic book adaptation, Iron Man, from Robert Downey, Jr. to Stan Winston and ILM to the Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby to Jon Favreau. I'm totally gay for all of those people now for making what I feel is the best comic-book based movie of all time. What I didn't mention in the review, which reached epic lengths, was how totally proud I was of Marvel studios for having successfully put to bed their very first movie as a studio.
Of course, the success of the endeavor will be decided in the coming days as the opening weekend grosses are determined, and more so in the weeks that follow as audiences will determine if the movie is nothing but a one-weekend-wonder (assuming it even achieves that) or a bona fide smash hit. Based on reviews and building internet buzz (generated by people who've already seen it), I'm willing to bet on the latter.
Granting that Marvel does bag its first box office smash right out of the gate, I think they should set in motion a number of things, which may or may not already be on their to-do list:
1. They should start aggressively buying back their properties from the studios they have existing deals with. Spider-Man is pretty much out of the question considering Sony's made billions out of just three movies and have at least another three contracted. Besides, it was Sam Raimi's vision and Sony's laissez faire attitude that were responsible for the thoroughly brilliant first two films and Avi Arad's intervention and desire to pander to fanboys that were responsible for the crapfest that the third movie turned out to be. So I think Sony should be left to their own devices with respect to Spider-Man, even assuming they wouldn't fight tooth and nail to keep him in their stable. Fox, however, has basically ass-raped the X-Men, repeatedly clipping Bryan Singer's wings and churning out the pure dreck that was X-Men 3 two years ago. They also ruined Daredevil and the Fantastic Four even though I actually enjoyed the second FF movie quite a bit. A buy back is definitely in order here, and given Tom Rothman's track record and visible disdain for these properties I wouldn't be surprised if all he'd ask Marvel would be "how much are you willing to pay for them?"
2. They should fast-track the Captain America and Thor movies. After the end credits of Iron Man, Marvel dropped a big-fat letter of intent to make the Avengers movie a reality. This won't happen, though, until the characters of Captain America and Thor, the only other two members of the team whose popularity would, theoretically, support their own movies, are well-established in Marvel's movie-verse. Thing is, Downey, Jr. has well and truly established himself as Iron Man with his portrayal, but the guy's already into his middle age. I give him a seven-year window at the very most before he starts looking ridiculous parading around as a super hero, so if they want to make an Avengers movie, they'd better do it while he's still got spring in his step. Iron Man's done and dusted bring on Cap and Thor and do it quick.
3. In this connection, Marvel should lure new talent. It's rather striking that in the course of over a dozen movies, Marvel have repeated themselves in terms of cast and crew and I don't just mean actors returning for sequels. No, some actors have starred in films based on two different properties, like Rebecca Romijn moonlighting between X-Men and Punisher and Sam Elliot moonlighting between Hulk and Ghost Rider, to name a couple. Worse still, however, is their woefully small stable of writers and directors. After the debacle that was Daredevil, writer/director Mark Steven Johnson shouldn't have been allowed near another Marvel property again, and yet he ended up making lightning strike twice with the comprehensively awful Ghost Rider. Screenwriter Zak Penn may have had a hand in the handsomely crafted X2, but he was also responsible for garbage like Elektra and X3. Despite the bad reception these films have gotten he was given another bite at the Marvel apple with The Incredible Hulk, even though Edward Norton supposedly made some major rewrites. While it makes sense to retain the services of those who've delivered for them, like Sam Raimi and Alvin Sargent, for example, Marvel should really and truly try to keep their talent pool fresh and perpetually growing in order to keep their concepts fresh. The four writers of Iron Man are a pretty good start in the right direction; their script crackles with intensity and intelligence. They, and not Penn, should be given a crack at the inevitable Captain America movie (and please, please get MATT DAMON to play Steve Rogers!).
If their concern is respect for the material, they should know there's no shortage of Hollywood writers and directors out there who'd love to sink their teeth into a Marvel property. They just have to know how to bring them in, and now that they have their own studio, they are free to do just that.
Iron Man could and probably will be the start of something big for Marvel. It could signal their transition from peripheral player to heavyweight contender in Hollywood, and if they are able to gain that foothold with this and their upcoming Hulk movie they should really make the most out of that goodwill because as with so many other things in tinseltown it could well be fleeting.
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