This past week, Marvel Entertainment changed forever, and I’m not speaking hyperbolically.
We’ll talk about the layoff heard around the world in the latest MarvelBlog News.
Disney Lays Off the Person Who Sold Them Marvel
Image: Marvel
That’s a real headline, folks…an actual thing that happened.
During the 1990s, Isaac “Ike” Perlmutter acquired Marvel Entertainment over the bid of the other competitor, Carl Icahn. Yes, that Carl Icahn.
In 2009, right after Marvel Studios rolled out its first theatrical releases, The Walt Disney Company recognized a potential gold mine.
Source: Marvel Studios
Disney made Perlmutter an offer he couldn’t refuse. Marvel sold for $4 billion, which made Perlmutter rich(er) and also a giant shareholder at Disney.
Alas, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Perlmutter proved to be oil and water. They hated each other.
For that matter, pretty much everyone else at Marvel hated Perlmutter, too.
Source: Marvel Studios
We don’t want to re-live the trauma much, but Perlmutter is famously one of the cheapest corporate leaders ever.
At one point, Perlmutter bristled at the high cost of catering for Hollywood blockbuster movies.
People throw these lavish parties to set the tone for critics. When you roll out the red carpet for someone, they perceive you more favorably.
Source: Marvel Studios
Perlmutter didn’t care and risked films that cost tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars. He suggested that his staff serve the critics…potato chips instead.
The dude pinches pennies to a cartoonish degree. Oh, and that’s not even his bad trait.
Solving the Perlmutter Problem…
Source: Marvel Comics/Sideshow Collectibles
As we’ve discussed on MarvelBlog, Perlmutter’s social opinions aren’t the least bit modern.
Perlmutter is the reason why Marvel didn’t have a female star anchor a superhero movie for many years. He didn’t even want to sell action figures of them.
Eventually, Kevin Feige had enough of Perlmutter, his direct report/boss at the time.
Source: Marvel Studios
Feige threatened to leave Disney, which forced Iger to restructure the company. Since 2015, Feige has reported to Iger instead.
Meanwhile, Disney took away the entire film division from under Perlmutter’s thumb.
This caused the executive to prioritize Marvel television and comics more. Remember when The Inhumans developed a bigger profile and gained a TV series?
Anson Mount portrayed Black Bolt in ‘Inhumans’ on ABC. Photo: Getty Images
Yeah, that was because of Perlmutter. Also, do you remember how terrible Inhumans looked as a TV series? That was Perlmutter’s cost-cutting in practice.
By 2019, Disney stripped Perlmutter of his control over Marvel TV as well. Since then, he’s been little more than a figurehead at Marvel.
Then, in 2022, Perlmutter recognized weakness in the company and tried to gain more power via a friend, Nelson Peltz.
Source: Marvel
They fought a proxy battle to gain a seat on Disney’s Board of Directors. Once Iger returned as CEO, the attempt had no hope of succeeding.
So, the billionaires backed down in exchange for Iger’s concession to perform thousands of layoffs at Disney. You can see where this is going…
Yes, Disney just laid off Isaac Perlmutter and ended his division, Marvel Entertainment, once and for all.
Source: Marvel
As an additional punishment, Disney also laid off anyone at Marvel perceived as one of Perlmutter’s loyalists.
In short, Iger just told Perlmutter and his crew to get out and stay out.
We’ve entered a new era of Marvel, one that rejects everything Perlmutter represented.
The Daredevil Update
Source: Marvel Studios
Reports recently surfaced that Sandrine Holt of Better Call Saul would co-star in Daredevil: Born Again.
Generally, Marvel doesn’t release plot details or character descriptions regarding its upcoming titles. In fact, it doesn’t always acknowledge acting hires.
However, we recently learned who Holt would play…from the actress she’s replacing.
Source: Marvel Studios
Ayelet Zurer, who appeared in Daredevil as Vanessa Fisk, won’t return as The Kingpin’s wife. Instead, Holt will play the part.
Zurer demonstrated remarkable grace in discussing this heartbreaking turn of events. She even added that she will “always be (Kingpin actor Vincent D’Onofrio’s) biggest fan.”
Other reports have suggested that Deborah Ann Woll and Eldon Henson won’t return as Karen Page and Foggy Nelson.
Source: Marvel Studios
Some recent reports dispute that notion, hinting that Nelson will appear in some capacity. Will Henson portray the role? That’s unclear at this time.
Even so, production stills that came out in March suggest that Wilson Fisk will run for Mayor during Daredevil: Born Again.
So, the idea of D’Onofrio with that story arc is rather exciting.
Marvel Miscellany
Image: Marvel
We’ve got several other stories to cover this week. For starters, representatives for Johnathan Majors claim to have evidence that exonerates him.
Since the details of the dispute remain unclear, all we can confirm at the moment is that it appears to be an unfortunate he said/she said.
Still, the actor stands accused of a serious crime, and we shouldn’t diminish that unless/until he’s absolved.
Image: Marvel Studios
Marvel’s other legal drama playing out behind the scenes involves Victoria Alonso, whom Disney fired two weeks ago.
At the time, Disney fired the executive for cause, which negated the need to pay her a lump sum.
Alonso hired Patty Glaser, an attorney for the most powerful people in Hollywood, as her legal representative. Since then, Glaser has swung hard at Disney.
Image: Marvel Studios
However, a recent Puck article suggests that Alonso and Disney are negotiating a settlement. If true, the split isn’t as acrimonious as it sounds.
Should the discourse grow more inflammatory in the coming days, there’s obviously no deal in the offing, though.
Image: Marvel Studios
In Captain America: New World Order news, Liv Tyler has confirmed that she’ll return as Betty Ross.
Since Thunderbolt Ross plays an antagonist here and in Thunderbolts, the return of his daughter, Betty, makes perfect sense.
Photo: Columbia Pictures
Marvel also could have hired Jennifer Connelly to return to the role, which she played in Ang Lee’s Hulk.
That wouldn’t have been someone from the MCU, though. We should all be happy Marvel chose Tyler instead.
Finally, the release date for Secret Invasion has possibly been leaked. Insiders suggest the series will premiere on June 21st.
Image: Marvel
Some of those same sources believe a Secret Invasion commercial will debut as soon as…tonight!
Given everything that has happened lately, Marvel really needs this one to be a grand slam.
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