By all accounts, Kevin Feige is a fairly laid back, affable guy who is always open to collaboration and listening to new ideas - but as the head of one of the biggest movie studios in the world, he is obviously going to have to put his foot down on some things!
In an excerpt from the new tell-all book, MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios (via Dexerto.com), it's claimed that out of all the actors, directors and producers that have come and go in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years, there are only two people that Feige would refuse to work with again.
"If the Inhumans could be rehabilitated, apparently everyone in MCU history was on Feige’s call list—except Edward Norton, the franchise’s first Bruce Banner, and Joss Whedon, whose Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. characters remained in limbo."
Not a massive shocker, is it?
Norton was replaced by Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner in The Avengers after reportedly becoming very difficult and uncooperative during The Incredible Hulk's production, and Feige didn't sugar-coat his official statement at the time.
"We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers," Feige said. "Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert [Downey Jr.], Chris [Hemsworth], Chris [Evans], Sam [Jackson], Scarlett [Johansson], and all of our talented casts."
As for Whedon, you might assume Feige's reluctance to welcome the disgraced filmmaker back into the fold stems from the various allegations of unprofessional and outright abusive behaviour (which could also be a factor), but it actually has more to do with their experiences working together on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
We have heard rumors that the two butted heads about the direction Whedon wanted to take the Marvel TV Avengers spin-off series, and the book suggests that Feige wasn't too happy Whedon's plans for the show because they contradicted the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
In the forward to another new MCU-focused book, Marvel Studios: The Marvel Cinematic Universe - An Official Timeline, Feige basically confirmed that AOS and the other defunct Marvel-based shows are "canonical," but take place in a different timeline in the Multiverse.
"The timeline presented in this book is specific to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline through Phase 4. But, as we move forward and dive deeper into the Multiverse Saga, you never know when timelines may just crash or converge (hint, hint/spoiler alert).”
Did you guess the two names straight away? Let us know in the comments section.