Kevin Feige Was A Major Supporter Of A Surprising Marvel Adaptation

We all have to start somewhere, including Kevin Feige. The president of Marvel Studios is the highest-earning producer of all time, and when you think of just how many massive box office blockbusters have come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that's not very surprising. All told, his films have grossed more than $26 billion (via TheNumbers.com).

It seems strange to say so now, but comic book superheroes weren't always such a massive draw. In fact, there was a time, not so long ago, when a pitch for a movie based on a comic book was just as likely to have the door slammed in its face. Back when Feige was still new at Marvel Studios, the "Spider-Man" and "X-Men" movies had proven to be solid successes, but most of the IPs under Marvel's purview had not been licensed out. It was around then that Feige started to wonder if a shared, multi-film universe might be possible, as noted by The Boston Globe.

Feige would, of course, be named Marvel president of production in 2007, and from there, the initial seeds of the MCU would be planted. Before then, however, he had to nurture Marvel in whatever chance presented itself.

Yes, Man-Thing. One of the lesser-known (though no less beloved) Marvel heroes, Man-Thing premiered in the Marvel comics in the 1970s. It is the former scientist Ted Sallis who, after taking a swim in a magic swamp and injecting himself with half-baked super soldier serum, is transformed into a grotesque, slow-moving, empathic monster with very little memory of its time as a human. Man-Thing ends up the guardian of the Nexus of All Realities, which is about as dramatic as it sounds.

And in 2005, Man-Thing got a live-action movie. Originally intended for a theatrical release, it ended up seeing the light of day on the Sci-Fi Channel (which had yet to stylize itself into SyFy). Directed by Brett Leonard, "Man-Thing" took certain liberties with the source material, with the titular swamp monster turned from hero to villain and no mention of a super soldier serum (via IGN). It was also a flop. "Man-Thing" currently has a bleak 17% on Rotten Tomatoes.

According to Leonard, though, Kevin Feige was a big champion of the film during its production. In an interview with ComicBook.com, the director had high praise for the then-second-in-command at Marvel. "He was actually one of the greatest supporting energies because when I sent the dailies, he really loved the dailies," Leonard said. "He loved how I was moving the camera. He was very, very helpful. He was a great guy. And he was just a sweet man, and is to this day. His success is well deserved." 

Meanwhile, rumor has it that Man-Thing will be returning to the screen soon, reportedly making an appearance in Disney+'s upcoming Marvel Halloween special "Werewolf By Night."