Marvel Studios is celebrating 10 years of filmmaking and much of that success is due to its president, Kevin Feige. Now a veteran producer with over $16 billion in ticket sales to his credit and two of the top 4 movies of all-time in the U.S., Feige is on the precipice of having Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther” crack the Best Picture race for the studio for the first time. And, of course, there is another blockbuster on the way, Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man and The Wasp.”
Feige is a fun interview because if you ask the right question he’ll give you a revealing answer. If you ask it incorrectly he won’t necessarily volunteer an answer on the subject you were interested in. This past weekend he took 10 minutes out from the “Wasp” press day to discuss how the Ant-Man sequel fit itself into the timeline of “Avengers: Infinity War,” the possibilities of awards season love for “Black Panther” and dealing with lofty expectations after producing one critically lauded hit after another. He also answered some questions about the future of LGBTQ+ heroes and/or heroines in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and after release, we’ll have some details on the amazing de-aging CG work done on a few of the legendary stars of “Ant-Man and the Wasp” (and next year’s “Captain Marvel” too).
In the meantime, when Feige speaks trust us when we tell you that everyone in town is listening.
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The Playlist: The first “Ant-Man” is known for its rocky pre-production. Was there anything for this movie that you’re really intent on wanting to get done the first time around that might have gotten lost in that process?
Kevin Feige: No, I mean, the miracle of the first movie is that, even with all that, it was more of the press focusing on that. What Peyton and Paul and everyone who came to the table on that movie did was amazing and made a great movie. This one, the job number one was always the Wasp, was always fulfilling the promise at the end of that first movie to showcase the Wasp as the co-title hero. Just today, talking with people, mainly female journalists, being like, “Thank you that she wasn’t just the sidekick.” They’re all like, “She’s the title.” So, I’m very glad that people notice that. Evangeline [Lilly] is amazing and even on just on this panel we did today, so commanding and embracing this role. It’s a great role.
You’ve had these plans for different phases of Marvel’s cinematic narrative over the past 10 years. At what point did you realize, “Okay, we need ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ after ‘Infinity War’?” Did you know it after the success of the first “Ant-Man” movie or was it something that just happened organically in the production process?
The realities of where the schedule is, obviously, dictates something to a certain regard. But when the first film succeeded and we knew we wanted to move forward with “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” it made sense for this three-year mark, for this to be the place. In a particular sense, because we loved the placement of the first “Ant-Man” film we had done. The big Avengers Ultron film, then a fun, totally different Ant-Man film. We knew we’d be coming off of “Infinity War” so you had the same rhythm. A big, giant ensemble picture and then going back to a fun, family-oriented “Ant-Man and theWasp” film. With most of our films, particularly look at the past six films, even past seven films from “Doctor Strange” it was totally different from “Guardians 2” totally different from “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Ragnarok,” “Panther,” “Infinity War,” [and now] “Ant-Man and the Wasp.” That is a wonderful example by design and also partially by production requirements to keep showcasing that we want all of these movies to be very different, ’cause we want the movies to be tonally very different. As we were getting more specific into the specifics of ‘Infinity War’ and the specifics of “Ant-Man and the Wasp” it became clear that it was even more perfect because if “Infinity War” worked, and I think it did, people would be very traumatized leaving that movie. Therefore, this could be the best antidote or a pun that Alan Horn said, “Ant-idote” to that, because it is fun and it is relatively self-contained. It is focusing back on the family and the fun of the scale and the kick-assness of these two heroes. That, I think, again, works perfectly in terms of the timing. The story always was meant to take place in the post-Civil War area. What was the fallout of Scott’s involvement in ‘Civil War’ on his relationship with Hank and Hope?
Unlike the first movie, there are no other Marvel characters who show up this time around. Same with “Black Panther.” Was that a decision you guys made, I guess now it would have been a year and a half ago, to make them all a little more self-contained?
It really comes down to the story we want to tell. Scott had just interacted with the other heroes in “Civil War.” It felt like it was right to get back to his crew and to elevate Wasp to title status and to see that relationship and deal with Janet and her mother and the search for that, while still introducing…and Cassie, who I love that people are [embracing].
Well, we got to wait, what, 10 years for her to take over the mantle? You guys are thinking that far ahead?
[Slight pause.]
I’m making a joke. I don’t even know if that’s your plan.
That’s what happens in the comic.