THE AVENGERS Screenwriter Zak Penn Originally Advocated For An X-MEN Cinematic Universe

THE AVENGERS Screenwriter Zak Penn Originally Advocated For An X-MEN Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe exploded with popularity after the release of The Avengers, but screenwriter Zak Penn has now revealed there was once a time where the X-Men were considered top priority...

By MattBellissimo - Apr 02, 2018 08:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Avengers
Source: THR
The Marvel Cinematic Universe laid its groundwork for a few years with solid releases such as Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger, but it was the release of 2012's The Avengers that really saw the cinematic venture explode into the public consciousness. Now, with the MCU set to wrap up its first decade with Avengers: Infinity War, screenwriter Zak Penn has revealed some interesting information from Marvel's past. 

Penn, who wrote the original Avengers script and recently wrote the screenplay for Ready Player One, told THR that before the MCU was even a thought, he originally advocated for a cinematic universe featuring Fox's X-Men characters. "It wasn't just me," Penn said. "I would say myself, Kevin Feige, Avi Arad, Ari Arad, all of us [said], 'This is going to last. This isn't going anywhere.'" The suggestion certainly makes sense, at least for the time, considering the initial popularity and financial success of the X-Men franchise in the early 2000's.

Penn also says he was warned by colleagues against writing The Avengers when Marvel Studios first asked him to do so. "It was considered risky, believe it or not. I know that seems crazy right now, but a number of people said, 'You're really going to to go with this startup company and they're going to make [and finance] their own movies? That never works out,'" recalls Penn.

Penn admitted that his script originally tried to diminish Thor's role, as he wasn't so certain that the character would be a hit with audiences. "Originally I was trying to reduce how much Thor was in the movie. Once it was clear that, no, this is going to work and they were excited about it, then I did not [reduce Thor in the script]. I stopped doing that." 

In the end, it's clear that Penn made the right choice overall; seven years after writing the film's first script, The Avengers have gone on to be a massive influence in film and popular culture alike, while the X-Men franchise has staggered in comparison, with the rights soon returning to the hands of Disney.
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aflynn
aflynn - 4/2/2018, 8:21 AM
Bring him back for X-men after he finishes making Rom.
LEVITIKUZ
LEVITIKUZ - 4/2/2018, 8:25 AM
I don’t think a X-Men cinematic universe can work as well as Avengers or DC because the X-Men work best as teams. They aren’t really solo heroes with a lot of stories to them outside of Wolverine.

I mean you can make a Cyclops film or a Storm film but they don’t have as much history in the comics as Iron Man or Thor

Even a film like Logan & Deadpool; we have these mini teams with Logan, Charles, & Laura on one team & Deadpool, Colossus, & Negasonic Teenage Warhead. Only The Wolverine is the only real solo film in the Fox-Men franchise & works due to a fish out of water type story of Logan in Japan
gambgel
gambgel - 4/2/2018, 8:25 AM
Zak Penn was also a writer of X-Men: The last stand. next to Simon kinberg

just saying
LEVITIKUZ
LEVITIKUZ - 4/2/2018, 8:31 AM
@gambgel - Whedon also said Penn’s Avengers’s script was garbage

And with Incredible Hulk, Ed Norton rewrote Penn’s script because Ed was a Hulk fan
Origame
Origame - 4/2/2018, 8:51 AM
@LEVITIKUZ - Actually Edward Norton is pretty notorious in Hollywood for taking control of any project he's involved with. I'm sure him being a fan played a role too but this is his thing.
LEVITIKUZ
LEVITIKUZ - 4/2/2018, 8:57 AM
@Origame - I mean Norton doesn’t really do big franchise stuff plus he said he grew up on Hulk

I grew up with Banner and Hulk and have been a fan of every incarnation.

http://herocomplex.latimes.com/uncategorized/edward-norton-hulk-marvel-avengers/

Why is it so hard to believe an actor couldn’t have had a love for a character he plays especially with Hulk since before Marvel movies; Hulk was the only one who did well having a hit TV show

I mean before Blade; the only hot live action show or film Marvel had was The Incredible Hulk show which aired when Ed Norton was 9 years old
Origame
Origame - 4/2/2018, 10:16 AM
@LEVITIKUZ - I'm not denying his love for the character. I'm just saying it's his thing to try to take control of productions. This includes attempting to rewrite and making suggestions to the director. It's just that when he works on a movie he has a particular vision for what it should be and does whatever he can to turn it into that vision even if it's against what the director and writers want.
L0RDbuckethead
L0RDbuckethead - 4/2/2018, 12:40 PM
@gambgel - Zak Penn also wrote Elektra.
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