CNN's Business 2.0 has recently caught up with CEO of Marvel Studio, Avi Arad. The article attempted to take an inside look at Avi Arad's financial history with comicbook characters and -- among the yawn-ish details -- spills a few details on some upcoming projects.
Captain America Waits, Hulk Gets a Villain
One comicbook project that recently earned Avi Arad some added attention was Captain America. Back in February Arad announced that now was the perfect time to unleash Captain American on audiences (here); a comicbook hero has always received the short end of the stick when it comes to marketing.
Well, it looks like Avi may have been jumping the gun, as the crew he was hoping for won't be available until the end of the decade.
And the Marvel plan seems to have already run into snags. Hollywood insiders say Arad had hoped to make Captain America Marvel's debut film. But that's not happening; Arad says he couldn't line up the director he wanted until 2009. Moreover, two films Arad now says could be among those first out of the gate, the Hulk sequel and Iron Man, aren't covered by the Merrill loan, which means Marvel will need another way to finance them.
When it comes to the Hulk, Business 2.0 does mention one hefty little detail before closing out the article:
For that villain, Arad has chosen one of his favorite baddies: Abomination, a former Yugoslav spy who has mutated into a 980-pound freak of terrifying strength and unpleasant demeanor. "He's capable of amazing feats," Arad says, eyes gleaming. And if Arad is right and the Hulk sequel or some of Marvel's other self-made films break into blockbuster territory, people will be saying the same thing about him someday.
There you have it! The villain in the Hulk sequel will be Abomination.
For the entire report on Avi Arad and Marvel, head over to Business 2.0.
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