I've been a viewer of this site for many years, and this is my first editorial. Having worked in television and film my entire life, (albeit not in any Hollywood blockbusters or anything even close) I do understand how movies are made. Also, being a huge CBM fanboy since I was a kid, I also see why fans get upset over recasting of their favorite actors by "cruel and ignorant" studios.
Thus, I will try to bridge the gap between Marvel/Disney and the huge numbers of fans who are seemingly enraged by the recent decision not to bring Ed Norton back as Bruce Banner in “The Avengers,” or future Hulk movies.
First, a little history: ten years ago, Marvel Entertainment was on the brink of bankruptcy. In a desperate attempt to save the company from going under, Avi Arad began making deals with Hollywood studios by offering them the rights to some of their most well-known characters as motion picture properties. The first was Blade, sold to New Line Cinemas and starring Wesley Snipes. It was a hit. New Line made a profit, green lighting two sequels. Marvel made pennies on the dollar, but it was enough to keep the company alive.
Marvel continued this practice, selling the rights to X-Men, Daredevil, and The Fantastic Four to Fox, The Hulk to Universal, and Spider-Man and Ghost Rider to Sony. The overall blockbuster success of Spider-Man, as well as the others, still only paid pittance to Marvel, but a small percentage of billions was enough to refuel Marvel. That's when Marvel decided to take a huge financial risk, and create their very own studio.
The gamble was simple. They went to the bank and offered them the rights to what remaining big name properties they still had control, (Captain America, Iron Man, Nick Fury, Dr. Strange, Iron Fist, and others,) as collateral on a $500+ million loan. With that money, Marvel produced “Iron Man” starring recovering has-been Robert Downey Jr., and directed by Jon Faverau, who had very little directing experience, (Zathura, anyone?). The gamble paid off. Iron Man was a smash hit, and Marvel proved the power they had when they have complete control over their properties.
After Universal's controversial and lack-luster attempt with Ang Lee's “Hulk,” Marvel bought the rights back, and hired a big name, Edward Norton, to take the role. However, Norton had certain stipulations. He demanded to re-write the script, and wanted complete control over the film, including the final edit. When he didn't get his cut of the film, he caused a huge public stink, refusing to promote the movie and trashing Marvel every chance he got.
Although Louis Leterrier's version could've been better, I think most fans agree that it was a far better film than Ang Lee's version. However, it made no more money than the 2003 movie for Universal. Marvel, still with a huge debt to pay and little time to earn it, did the only thing they could do. They put their money behind their Iron Man franchise and continued towards their goal of unveiling first one, then two movies every summer. (Something their rivals, DC, would never have dreamed of doing.)
But Marvel's plan all along was more than just making comic book movies. Using the comics themselves as a guide, they wanted to be able to create an entire cinematic Marvel Universe, where characters from one movie can come and go freely in other films. Once again, they took a huge financial gamble. They hired Samuel L. Jackson in an unprecedented nine picture deal, and began using him, and others, as the starting point for "cross-over" moments.
Even before “Iron Man 2” was released, Marvel hired relative unknown Chris Hemsworth to play Thor, also locking him into a multi-picture contract. No doubt Chris Evans as Captain America has at least agreed to a multi-film deal, working for less per picture than he might have received otherwise. Other actors, big and small, have also been signed to multi-film deals, including Scarlett Johannson, Tom Hiddleston, and Clark Gregg. The goal isn't to just make “The Avengers” the biggest summer blockbuster ever, but to use it to launch spin-off films, as well as continuing with past films that have succeeded with sequels.
This brings us back to Ed Norton.
I like Ed Norton as an actor. I really do. Although I liked his Bruce Banner, I have to look at it from the studio's side. Norton didn't sign a multi-picture deal with Marvel. He demanded too much control over the movie, undermining both the director and the studio. He played cat-and-mouse games for years afterwards, saying things like "I'll return for ‘The Avengers’ if the fans sign a petition." This was nothing more than an attempt to strengthen his leverage against Marvel. Why leave your career up to the fans? If he wanted to continue as Bruce Banner, all he had to do was cut his rate, sign a multi-picture contract, and let the studio do what they do best: create their universe with you involved.
If he refused to play by the rules, he gets sent away from the playground. 'Nuff said.
With Marvel recently purchased by Disney, they have no doubt paid off their loan to the bank. There should be no fear of Marvel going under, or losing the rights to their remaining characters. As for the characters still lost in limbo at other studios, it is only a matter of time before each deadline is missed, and the rights revert back to Marvel. I have low expectations for Sony's Spider-Man reboot. When the day comes when Sony actually fails to make money off a Spider-Man movie, should that ever happen, a decade later we might just see Spider-Man joining Iron Man, Cap, Thor, and the rest in a future Marvel team-up movie. Same goes with all of Marvel's other lost properties. It's only a matter of time.
But Marvel's goal is a long-range one. Things don't end with “The Avengers” in 2012. In fact, they're only just beginning. Eventually all the actors who have signed multi-film contracts will fulfill their deals. Some will no doubt grow older, grow tired of playing the same characters, or just want to retire. Then, they will have to be recast. Recasting is inevitable. Iron Man is here to stay, no matter how long RDJ stays in the role.
But I, for one, support Marvel's initiative and brilliant risk-taking that is bringing us “The Avengers” in 2012. Perhaps, by 2013, DC will actually do what they should've done ten years ago, and get that Justice League movie going. Only time will tell.
Thanks to anyone who actually read this whole article. Feel free to sound off below.