To read more onAvengers: Infinity War, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands now.
For most kids, these might be distractions.
For Kevin Feige, they were tools hed someday use to reshape pop culture storytelling.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
When she made 2000sX-Men, she gave Feige an associate producer credit because the kid was invaluable.
He knew comic book lore the way Bruce Banner knows where to get durable purple pants.
In fact, his approach often turned those casual fans into hardcore comic book geeks.
MARCO GROB/Marvel Studios
Theyd make the movies themselves.
It sounded absurd to most Hollywood powerbrokers (Ant-Man?
Is he, like, half bug?
All in on stuff we believe in, before the audience tells us what they think.
Youve heard us talk ad nauseam about the fact that we were in production onAvengersbefore eitherThororCaptain Americawas released.
Same thing with the whole third act ofInfinity Warbeing in Wakanda.
What role does Wakanda play going forward?
It seems like kind of a new anchor point for the MCU.
Thor: Ragnarokreally demolished that stage.
I like that you play rough with your toys.
There have been plenty of those conversations as we were putting together the firstBlack Panther.
We have ideas and a pretty solid direction on where we want to head with the second one.
WithInfinity War, youve talked about this being an endpoint or a climax.
That doesnt mean there are no movies after that.
It means the movies after that will be changed.
Again, it goes to the comics.
These are the ones that are keeping us busy.
Now you’re free to start thinking about it, is when well actually start thinking about it.
Those stories will continue.
I think theyll continue in surprisingly different and unexpected ways after these twoAvengersfilms.
Thats notnecessarilywhat were talking about.
That to me is one of the best series finales ever.
That wasnt about death.
If it happens, will it be for real this time?Yes.
I would just say, yes.
People need to be careful what they wish for.
You mentioned before that Marvel Studios was all-in at important junctures.
We always have A, and B, and C plans.
That doesnt mean the B or C plan wouldnt have worked.
It just meant it would have been different.
Had those movies failed, wouldAvengershave become basicallyIron Man 3?The real answer is we were all-in.
God forbid those films had [flopped] … A lot of studios would love to have four franchises that they can keep doing sequels to.
One could consider those risks, whenever youre doing something new and its not proven.
Doing a third version ofSpider-Man.
We want to be the Marvel Studio.
Years back, you listed all of those new movies as possible projects you wanted to make.
Now most of them have happened.
So, whats on your wish list now?Well, there are lots.
Its a testament to the 8,000-plus characters in Marvel Comics.
This would be a good story.
We want to continue to do that.
Obviously, Ryan Coogler directingBlack Pantherwas a landmark for representation.
If you do that, audiences will notice it, and appreciate it, and support it.
I wanted to ask you a little Marvel.
Its set in the 1990s.
You know, we first met Nick when he told Tony, Youre part of a big universe.
You just dont know yet.
That meant she could be the singular hero, but place it within timing of the MCU.
It also got us talking about different genres, exploring this notion of sort of the 90s action film.
What defines a 90s action film?
Like all of our genre inspirations, there are bits and pieces here and there.
You openedBlack Pantherwith a prologue set in 1992.
I mean, in terms of Captain Marvel and a young TChaka in 92, no.
Thats not where were headed.
Weve kind of screwed up, and I want to change it.
Theres that moment where all of the ancestors come behind TChaka.
We would joke and go, I want to see … whats their story?
Who was Bashenga, the first king of Wakanda?
Whos that third to the left, behind TChaka?
What was their story in Wakanda in 1938?
That would be cool.
It all starts as conversations like that.
Usually, we get three stand-alone movies for a single hero, then some team-ups.
But is there potential inBlack Pantherbeyond that?
I see people saying, I want a Dora Milaje movie.
I would like a Shuri movie.
I think Shuris astounding, and youll see much more of her in our universe.
Okoye, I think Id watch three action films just Okoye.
Im not saying were doing that, but Im saying that were intrigued by them.
We already talked aboutX-MenandFantastic Fourcoming back to Marvel.
Then, of course,Spider-Manis still with Sony, independent of our agreement to do the films together.
But most of them are home now.
If that Fox thing happens, yeah, thatll be the majority.
