Springs Creative Products Group has entered into a licensing agreement with Marvel Entertainment, Inc. for the Spider-Man brand. This agreement will allow Springs Creative Products Group, LLC to incorporate Spider-Man and the classic characters from the Spider-Man comic book series -- including Black Cat, Electro, Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin and Rhino -- into their lines of retail fabrics and craft kits.
Marvel Entertainment, Inc. reported operating results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2009. Marvel also raised the low end of its financial guidance for 2009, reflecting a stronger than expected first quarter performance in its licensing and film production segments and a decline in the anticipated full year tax rate.
NEW YORK -- Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:MVL) has promoted Alan Fine, 58, to Executive Vice President, Office of the Chief Executive. Mr. Fine joins David Maisel and John Turitzin in this position. Messrs. Maisel, Turitzin and Fine, along with Marvel's Chief Executive Officer, Issac Perlmutter, comprise the Office of the Chief Executive, which oversees all of Marvel's divisions and operations.
Marvel Ent. is looking to assemble a group of writers to pen scripts for various upcoming film projects, according to VARIETY.
The program will be similar in nature to one Disney has had since 1990, in which a dozen writers are hired to work with creative execs to develop films for the studio and TV shows for the Disney Channel, ABC and ABC Family.
Up to five writers a year will work on specific projects and can include current staff working on Marvel's comicbooks. Agencies are currently pitching writers to Marvel.
Gazillion Ent. entered into a worldwide licensing agreement with Marvel Ent. to develop and publish MMO games featuring Marvel's iconic universe of more than 5,000 superheroes, including elements from its films and animated series. The first game in development is a casual MMO for younger audiences based on Marvel's SUPER HERO SQUAD property. SUPER HERO SQUAD features an exciting, super-stylized look for the greatest superheroes, including Iron Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Thor, Fantastic Four, Captain America and many others.
Marvel Studios confirmed Thursday that Sony Pictures Entertainment will release SPIDER-MAN 4 on May 6, 2011. Additionally, Marvel Studios has revised the release dates for THOR and CAPTAIN AMERICA as part of its release strategy for an uninterrupted road to THE AVENGERS, now debuting May 4, 2012.
A Marvel character-based film will now launch the summer box office season for three years in a row, from 2010 through 2012.
Samuel L. Jackson and Marvel Ent. have come to a deal for the actor to play Nick Fury in IRON MAN 2 and up to nine more future Marvel superhero releases, reports VARIETY.
Marvel reportedly upset Jackson when he was offered pittance to reprise his role in future films, which has also been the root of problems in offers to talent like Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell, according to sources, despite a gross of upwards of $600 million for IRON MAN.
Cartoon Network has picked up 26 episodes of the new MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD animated series to debut on the network in late 2009. MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD is an action-packed show featuring super-stylized versions of its most popular characters including Captain America, Silver Surfer, Hulk, Wolverine and Iron Man.
Hasbro will retain rights through 2017 to make toys and games based on new Marvel and Columbia Pictures theatrical releases and on Marvel's globally popular portfolio of superhero brands, including franchises such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Avengers, X-Men, Thor and Captain America.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports that shareholders from an old Stan Lee venture are looking for a settlement amounting to $750 million in profits from films and other works based on Marvel comic characters like SPIDER-MAN, X-MEN and IRON MAN.
Marvel Comics' new issue of SPIDER-MAN will feature soon-to-be inaugurated President-Elect Barack Obama.
Written by Zeb Wells with art by Todd Nauck and Frank D'Armata, the story takes place in Washington, D.C. on Inauguration Day and finds one of Spider-Man's oldest foes attempting to thwart the swearing in ceremony of the 44th President of the United States.
Tim Connors has been named Chief Operating Officer of Marvel Studios, the Hollywood subsidiary of Marvel Ent. In his new role, Connors will manage Marvel Studios' day-to-day business operations as well as oversee the business transactions for all studio productions including the anticipated releases of IRON MAN 2 on May 7, 2010, THOR on July 16, 2010, THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA on May 6, 2011, THE AVENGERS in July 15, 2011 and ANT MAN.
Marvel Animation is expanding its slate of offerings with 26 action-packed half-hour episodes of an all-new animated television series based on THOR. The THOR series will be self-produced by Marvel and is scheduled to launch fall 2010 following Marvel's live-action THOR feature film in summer of 2010.
Marvel Studios has hired Joe Johnston to direct FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA, reports THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
The studio is hearing pitches and is expected to hire a writer soon to adapt the classic comic book character. Kevin Feige with Marvel is producing.
Starting with IRON MAN, Marvel has set in motion a film path leading to a big AVENGERS film for 2011. THOR, the IRON MAN sequel and CAPTAIN AMERICA (set for May 6, 2011) all will lay the ground work.
For Q3 2008, Marvel reported net sales of $182.5 million and net income of $50.6 million, or $0.64 per diluted share, compared to net sales of $123.6 million and net income of $36.3 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, in Q3 2007. The year-over-year improvement reflects an earlier-than-expected recognition of approximately $60 million in film revenues associated with the box office performance of Marvel's IRON MAN feature film.
However, with the lack of a new film scheduled for 2009, Marvel Chairman Morton Handel expects next year to be more modest.
TELETOON Canada Inc. and Marvel Animation have entered into a multi-year output deal that sees TELETOON become the home of Marvel Animation in Canada. Beginning in spring 2009, a broad spectrum of Marvel animated series will air on TELETOON networks in both English and French. The agreement sees Marvel deliver a minimum of 182 episodes of first-run animation for broadcast and includes rights for additional platforms including broadband, video-on-demand, mobile and other online opportunities.
Paramount Pictures will distribute Marvel Studios' next five self-produced feature films on a worldwide basis.
The deal, an extension of the original agreement made by Brad Grey when he arrived as CEO and Chairman of Paramount, includes theatrical distribution in foreign territories previously serviced by Marvel through local distribution entities (Japan, Germany, France, Spain and Australia/New Zealand). This new worldwide distribution pact capitalizes on Marvel and Paramount’s successful efforts with IRON MAN, which has grossed $574 million worldwide for Marvel.
Director and actor Kenneth Branagh is in negotiations to direct Marvel Studios' THOR, per VARIETY.
THOR is set for a July 16, 2010 release date, just more than two months after IRON MAN 2 bows on May 7, 2010. Branagh, known best for his Shakespeare films, has not directed a film heavy on action since HENRY V in 1989, about the play about the English king's bloody conquest of France.
For the first time, Marvel Ent. is creating comic book series exclusively for the Web with new IRON MAN and THE INCREDIBLE HULK series coming this fall. They will only available via an online subscription service, Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited at www.marvel.com/digitalcomics.
Marvel Entertainment is partnering with Japanese animation studio Madhouse to create brand new characters inspired by the Marvel Universe for the Japanese market.
Lionsgate has acquired the home entertainment distribution rights to WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN, a new animated series from Marvel Ent, extending the current relationship between the two companies.
Lionsgate will retain the United States home distribution rights to all 26 half-hour episodes of WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN,(a co-production with Toonz Ent., Singapore and First Serve International), scheduled to air on Nicktoons Network beginning in January 2009.
Marvel is reportedly close to a deal with writer Justin Theroux to pen the sequel to IRON MAN, per VARIETY.
The comic's film division is also close to a deal to bring back director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey, Jr. for a film it has already announced it will release in April 2010.
Theroux is an actor-writer, best known for roles in CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE, HBO's SIX FEET UNDER and miniseries JOHN ADAMS. He recently wrote DreamWorks comedy TROPIC THUNDER, arriving from Paramount in August.
RUNAWAYS is the latest Marvel Comics book to run for the big screen for Marvel Studios, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Co-creator Brian K. Vaughan is writing the screenplay and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will producer. Vaughan is also a co-producer and writer for ABC's LOST.
THQ Inc. and Marvel Ent., Inc. announced that they have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement to create videogames based on the burgeoning, kid-friendly MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD franchise. As part of the multiyear agreement, THQ has obtained the exclusive, worldwide rights to publish content for all current and next-generation consoles, handheld systems, as well as Windows PC. The initial MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD game is scheduled for release in fall 2009.
