Marvel Studios Developing Asian Superhero Film ‘Shang-Chi’

[DKampy]

I have

I personally wanted more of a through story in the Marvel movies, not just minor breadcrumbs in the end credits.

We had characters in Infinity War asking "who's Thanos?". It could have been more clear who the imminent big bad guy was.

Maybe that's an approach to try. I know they didn't want to turn people from seeing off any given movie if it didn't work as a standalone, but is anyone really picking and choosing which Marvel movies they see?

Even if a given movie is far from a "must see" for me, I'm still going to watch it on Disney+. I'm not going to skip any installment. They could increase the serialized storytelling and I would bet it wouldn't impact the bottom line, and might even help. I mean, how many people saw Captain Marvel in theaters because of the implication we needed to prior to Endgame

I have picked and choose… Antman and Guardians were always must see for me and I have only seen the 1st Thor movie… everything else has been somewhere in between…but I do realize I am an outlier with having Antman as my favorite Avenger… I am a film Fan first before any franchise… although with most marvel movies I end up liking as they have been well done

 

[Disney Irish]

So none of the directors, actors/actresses of the MCU are passionate about their projects? Just doing it for the paycheck? That explains a lot about the quality of Phase 4.

That is not what I said and you know it.

There is a difference between a passion project where you literally would do it for nothing just to get it made and being passionate about a film being worked on where you are getting paid.

 

[spacemt354]

That is not what I said and you know it.

There is a difference between a passion project where you literally would do it for nothing just to get it made and being passionate about a film being worked on where you are getting paid.

With the multiverse opening a myriad of paths for stories, and the goal to reduce budgets, it makes sense to me to pursue more passion projects that can garner that star-power at a reduced cost.

That doesn't mean that every project should be that, but rather than mail-in a Thor 4 that wasted my time having Thor 'find himself' again, that $250 million budget could have funded multiple passion projects either for Disney+ or the big screen.

While those are more risky endeavors, as I described before, lately several comic book passion projects have done very well at the box office.

 

[Disney Irish]

With the multiverse opening a myriad of paths for stories, and the goal to reduce budgets, it makes sense to me to pursue more passion projects that can garner that star-power at a reduced cost.

That doesn't mean that every project should be that, but rather than mail-in a Thor 4 that wasted my time having Thor 'find himself' again, that $250 million budget could have funded multiple passion projects either for Disney+ or the big screen.

While those are more risky endeavors, as I described before, lately several comic book passion projects have done very well at the box office.

I don’t see that happening. Not many in Hollywood pitching Marvel characters they want to play for next to nothing. Reynolds literally spent something like 10 years pitching the idea for Deadpool before it was greenlit.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That isn't a way to reign in the costs however.

It’s not…but you have to spend to make.

And that’s really a failing of Bob. Who was rewarded for buying properties but has lost the way by thinking the actors and directors were the “easy part” and buying the IP catalogue was “hard”

But they are 100% backwards

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Here is where they lose though. MCU movies have a salary expectation, especially for top line stars. To go there you blow out budgets even more than what they have in the past - $300 million or more. At some point it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy to NOT be able to make money. Honestly, they would probably be better off going for more young unknowns like they did with Thor to save budget and push lower level Marvel hero's to find a diamond in the rough.

I do think as you probably, they have to hit a homerun with casting for FF and for main Xmen. If for no other reason to push those movies to an even higher height

But that’s not how this goes…once an actor is a draw…then they become the high price you need.

That is what happened with RDJ…who was a nobody and did Ironman for $800,000…but then got a reported $20,000,0000 for 6 minutes in Spider-Man close to home…
That’s how tentpoles work. You get screwed by talent. Which is why I mentioned depp and ford upthread…Iger didn’t like that they lost control of them and were paying huge chunks and pieces to…

Evans has given enough interviews where he towed the “I want to do other things…” while making it known he has a price…when infinity war came out was when he announced he was done…but in Hollywood speak it sure sounded like it was a negotiating impasse. Does that make a bit of sense?
You decide…I’m just the town fool.

 

[Disney Irish]

It’s not…but you have to spend to make.

So something has to go then if you want big name actors that come with big paychecks.

So what you willing to give up? VFX? Can't do the type of stories in the MCU without VFX, so don't know that can work. What else?

 

[spacemt354]

I don’t see that happening. Not many in Hollywood pitching Marvel characters they want to play for next to nothing. Reynolds literally spent something like 10 years pitching the idea for Deadpool before it was greenlit.

It doesn't matter to me whether you see it happening or not. It's a viable suggestion to combat inflated budgets which has been successful in the past with previous films.

So what you willing to give up? VFX? Can't do the type of stories in the MCU without VFX, so don't know that can work. What else?

You don't need a massive CGI background to tell a compelling Marvel story. The overreliance on CGI is part of the problem of recent films

 

[Disney Irish]

It doesn't matter to me whether you see it happening or not. It's a viable suggestion to combat inflated budgets which has been successful in the past with previous films.

Most of those Hollywood A-listers and their agents that you guys want would like to have a talk with you then.....

Can't get the big names without the big paychecks to go with them. Its how the game works. As I said those actors aren't looking to do passion projects where they work for next to nothing in the MCU. They will work in the MCU for a fat paycheck, but not for next nothing which is what you're suggesting. This is why bringing in fresh faces works better as they can be paid scale for their first couple films.

Also we aren't the deciders here, this is just a discussion. So just because you think its a viable suggestion doesn't mean Marvel/Disney or the rest of Hollywood agrees with you.

You don't need a massive CGI background to tell a compelling Marvel story. The overreliance on CGI is part of the problem of recent films

Physical sets and such aren't going to work with a lot of these stories. You have to have those VFX shots. If you don't then you're going to end up with just a bunch of static background shots. That is boring and doesn't sell tickets.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So something has to go then if you want big name actors that come with big paychecks.

So what you willing to give up? VFX? Can't do the type of stories in the MCU without VFX, so don't know that can work. What else?

I don’t have the answers…that why they don’t pay me the big bucks
…at least not for marvel

I do for lucasfilm…that’s rather easy…but nobody wants that

 

[Disney Irish]

I don’t have the answers…that why they don’t pay me the big bucks
…at least not for marvel

I still have trust in Feige to keep the MCU going in the right direction. And a few bumps aside he appears to be doing just that. We'll see how the rest of Phase 5 and 6 go, you have least F4 to look forward to in 2025.

I do for lucasfilm…that’s rather easy…but nobody wants that

Rumors abound regarding some announcements coming out of Celebration Europe next month. So I'm sure we'll have more to talk about after that, in its own thread of course.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I still have trust in Feige to keep the MCU going in the right direction. And a few bumps aside he appears to be doing just that. We'll see how the rest of Phase 5 and 6 go, you have least F4 to look forward to in 2025.

F6?
You know that these have to continue to Perform…and better…right?
They don’t have financial carte Blanche to keep going

Rumors abound regarding some announcements coming out of Celebration Europe next month. So I'm sure we'll have more to talk about after that, in its own thread of course.

Well until then…but I’d cover all bets that it’s a lot of promised hoopla because bobs ego isn’t good right now.

 

[erasure fan1]

So something has to go then if you want big name actors that come with big paychecks.

So what you willing to give up? VFX? Can't do the type of stories in the MCU without VFX, so don't know that can work. What else?

Maybe Disney needs to hire better people? Like most things they do, they just buy their way through it. They don't seem to have creative people who can find better ways to get things done. The bloat in how Disney does things is second to none.

 

[Disney Irish]

F6?

Phase 6, as what has already been announced to come after the current Phase 5. Phase 6 is when the big Avenger level movies come with Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.

Also just to be clear when I say F4 I mean Fantastic Four as the MCU has stylized the 4 as part of the logo, hence F4. But I'm sure you know that.

You know that these have to continue to Perform…and better…right?
They don’t have financial carte Blanche to keep going

And this is where I come back to getting the budgets lower on these movies. If you can do an MCU film for $150M or lower then a $500M-750M Box Office is not losing money.

Well until then…but I’d cover all bets that it’s a lot of promised hoopla because bobs ego isn’t good right now.

Not sure it'll have anything to do with Bob, but that can be discussed after Celebration.

 

[Disney Irish]

Maybe Disney needs to hire better people? Like most things they do, they just buy their way through it. They don't seem to have creative people who can find better ways to get things done. The bloat in how Disney does things is second to none.

I don't disagree with that. They have to find a way to bring down these budgets, an over $200M budget for an MCU film isn't going to cut it any more.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Phase 6, as what has already been announced to come after the current Phase 5. Phase 6 is when the big Avenger level movies come with Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.

Dude…did you know there was to be 3 solo movies and at least 1 more “anthology” movie? They were announced. So can I buy tickets yet?

Also just to be clear when I say F4 I mean Fantastic Four as the MCU has stylized the 4 as part of the logo, hence F4. But I'm sure you know that.

Oh yeah…that right

Not sure it'll have anything to do with Bob, but that can be discussed after Celebration.

Um…my son…it’s been 20 years…everything has been about Bob. I warned everyone at least 15 years ago

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Maybe Disney needs to hire better people? Like most things they do, they just buy their way through it. They don't seem to have creative people who can find better ways to get things done. The bloat in how Disney does things is second to none.

What a novel idea?

 

[spacemt354]

Most of those Hollywood A-listers and their agents that you guys want would like to have a talk with you then.....

Can't get the big names without the big paychecks to go with them. Its how the game works. As I said those actors aren't looking to do passion projects where they work for next to nothing in the MCU. They will work in the MCU for a fat paycheck, but not for next nothing which is what you're suggesting. This is why bringing in fresh faces works better as they can be paid scale for their first couple films.

Also we aren't the deciders here, this is just a discussion. So just because you think its a viable suggestion doesn't mean Marvel/Disney or the rest of Hollywood agrees with you.



Physical sets and such aren't going to work with a lot of these stories. You have to have those VFX shots. If you don't then you're going to end up with just a bunch of static background shots. That is boring and doesn't sell tickets.

Hugh Jackman did Logan for reportedly around 10 million. That's not 'next to nothing' - that's more than most people make their entire lives. You are the one who keeps saying they are doing it for next to nothing, all I have said is on a discount to pursue something they are passionate about. And again, I've never said that this should be the only thing they pursue. Having new faces also comes with risks and even new faces are getting ballooning budgets so your suggestion doesn't completely help either.

And of course physical sets can work for these stories, especially ones like Captain America, Spider-Man, etc. There will always be VFX shots, but you don't have to film most of a movie on green screen with tons of CGI for it to be successful. And you don't have to press your VFX department by pumping out film after film at such a high rate.

 

[Disney Irish]

Dude…did you know there was to be 3 solo movies and at least 1 more “anthology” movie? They were announced. So can I buy tickets yet?

Oh yeah…that right

Can't buy tickets just yet, wait just a bit longer....

Um…my son…it’s been 20 years…everything has been about Bob. I warned everyone at least 15 years ago

First, I'm not your son grandpa..... Second we can discuss this more after Celebration.

 

[Disney Irish]

Hugh Jackman did Logan for reportedly around 10 million. That's not 'next to nothing' - that's more than most people make their entire lives. You are the one who keeps saying they are doing it for next to nothing, all I have said is on a discount to pursue something they are passionate about. And again, I've never said that this should be the only thing they pursue. Having new faces also comes with risks and even new faces are getting ballooning budgets so your suggestion doesn't completely help either.

And sometimes actors do take pay cuts in order to make films, but that is a not a guarantee that will happen for every big name actor and for every film. Jackman did it for Logan in order to secure an R rating for the film from the studio. But again its not guaranteed that all actors will do that for every film. If a studio gets known in the industry for trying to get your actors to always take a pay cut you don't get the big name talent.

Also this can't be a long term thing, you can't ask an actor to take a pay cut for a part that is going to be in 3-6+ movies. Actors tend to want to get paid out for multi-picture deals that includes points on the back end. Its just how Hollywood works, its not unique to Marvel. So yeah you might be able to get an actor to do one movie for a pay cut, but if you want that actor to come back for future films for the same character you're gonna have to pay.

And trust me I know that actors are making more than most people make in their entire lives. I really wish most didn't make the money they do make because they aren't worth it most of the time. But we don't live in that world, we live in the world where you get a big name actor ending up making $100M or more per film with a deal for both front end and back end paychecks.

And of course physical sets can work for these stories, especially ones like Captain America, Spider-Man, etc. There will always be VFX shots, but you don't have to film most of a movie on green screen with tons of CGI for it to be successful. And you don't have to press your VFX department by pumping out film after film at such a high rate.

Not sure if you've seen the slate of movies coming up, but a lot of these aren't going to be doable with a majority of shots on physical sets. Maybe they can go back to that after 2026.

Also they are slowing down the releases which should give the VFX teams a break.