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Marvel film & TV rights shell game - who owns what?
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Started by Bosco685,

345 posts in this topic

markseifert

markseifert

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I'm not sure we can say it was just SOP to hand off the film rights to their top titles, though you are right in that Marvel Studios was not around at the time to drive the film and TV direction. Marvel found itself in a very tough situation at a time in its business lifecycle that could have made or broken the business.

 

Well, Marvel simply was not its own movie studio when they made these other deals. They had to get into business with a movie studio to get stuff made.

 

Selling movie studios the rights to make 'em is the way you do that unless you are incredibly well financed (hence the half a billion dollar loan). To this day, any Image, Oni, Top Shelf, etc rights holder (again, with the exception of DC/WB. I'm not sure how Richardson's deals work, DH may be another exception) who has gotten a movie made has sold an option to some studio entity. Movie studios have the cash fire hose and they use it to maintain control of the projects they are developing (understandably).

 

Hard to remember this now, but there was a time not very long ago at all when this wasn't considered a big deal because with few exceptions (Batman '89), people really didn't understand how to make comic book movies anyway. Remember the ridiculous aborted Roger Corman Fantastic Four movie? That was 1994! Hence this stuff was sold off to major studios without much care.

 

Then Sony Spider-Man changed everything (again).

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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I'm not sure we can say it was just SOP to hand off the film rights to their top titles, though you are right in that Marvel Studios was not around at the time to drive the film and TV direction. Marvel found itself in a very tough situation at a time in its business lifecycle that could have made or broken the business.

 

Well, Marvel simply was not its own movie studio when they made these other deals. They had to get into business with a movie studio to get stuff made.

 

Selling movie studios the rights to make 'em is the way you do that unless you are incredibly well financed (hence the half a billion dollar loan). To this day, any Image, Oni, Top Shelf, etc rights holder (again, with the exception of DC/WB. I'm not sure how Richardson's deals work, DH may be another exception) who has gotten a movie made has sold an option to some studio entity. Movie studios have the cash fire hose and they use it to maintain control of the projects they are developing (understandably).

 

Hard to remember this now, but there was a time not very long ago at all when this wasn't considered a big deal because with few exceptions (Batman '89), people really didn't understand how to make comic book movies anyway. Remember the ridiculous aborted Roger Corman Fantastic Four movie? That was 1994! Hence this stuff was sold off to major studios without much care.

 

Then Sony Spider-Man changed everything (again).

 

Man, you are not kidding. And that Batman movie - I didn't have high hopes when they announced the cast. But when I saw it - WOW!

 

Comic book movies were tough "back in the day".

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revat

revat

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Love Batman Returns

 

oh and the first 4 old Superman movies (Reeve) were received fairly well.

 

Oh and in mentioning my DC movies I forgot 'Catwoman'.

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markseifert

markseifert

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Man, you are not kidding. And that Batman movie - I didn't have high hopes when they announced the cast. But when I saw it - WOW!

 

Comic book movies were tough "back in the day".

 

Yeah, hard to believe that Corman FF was in the mid-90s... seems lightyears ago now.

 

Steven Massarsky, the business guy behind Valiant had plans to do the Marvel Studios type of thing in the 90s, raising the money and controlling it yourself, before things went awry there. Could have been interesting if he'd have had a couple more years to put it together.

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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UPDATE - Black Panther movie rights

 

Marvel’s Black Panther Movie Confirmed?

 

Marvel Studios Looking To Cast ‘Black Panther’

 

CONFIRMED:

 

20th Century Fox

  • Deadpool
     
  • Elektra: Christine Cord/Tatoo, Typhoid Mary/Marry Alice Walker, Kirigi, Stick, Stone
     
  • Fantastic Four: Doctor Doom/Victor von Doom, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Susan Storm, Mr. Fantastic/Dr. Reed Richards, The Thing/Ben Grimm, Nova/Frankie Raye, Alicia Masters, Willie Lumpkin
  • Galactus, Silver Surfer
     
  • X-Men Mutants: [Agent Zero/Maverick/David North], Angel/Warren Worthington III, Arclight/Phillippa Sontag, Beast/Dr. Henry Phillip “Hank” McCoy, [blob/Frederick J. Dukes], [bolt/Christopher Bradley], Callisto, Colossus/Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin, Cyclops/Scott Summers, [Deadpool/Wade Wilson], Emma (Grace) Frost, Jean Grey/Phoenix, Juggernaut/Cain Marko, Gambit/Remy LeBeau, Glob Herman/Herman Gardner, Iceman/Bobby Drake, Jubilee/Jubilation Lee, Katherine “Kitty” Anne Pryde, [Kestrel/John Wraith], Lady Deathstrike/Yuriko Oyama, Leech, Magneto/Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, Mastermind/Jason (Wyngarde), Multiple Man/James Arthur Madrox, Mystique/Raven Darkholme, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Phat/William Robert “Billy-Bob” Reilly, Professor Charles Xavier, Psylocke/Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock, Pyro/St. John Allerdyce, Quill/Max Jordan, Rogue/(Anna) Marie, Sabretooth/Victor Creed, Sebastian Hiram Shaw, [silver Fox], Siryn/Theresa Rourke Cassidy, (The) Spike, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/Logan
     
  • X-Men Non-Mutants: Drake Family (Steven, Madeline, Ronny), Grey Family (Dr. John, Elaine), Henry Peter Gyrich, Robert Edward Kelly, Dr. Moira Kinross MacTaggert, Dr. Kavita Rao, William Stryker, Bolivar Trask, Warren Worthington II

 

Sony Pictures

  • Spider-Man: Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Doctor Octopus/Otto Octavius, Green Goblin/Norman Osborn, (New) Green Goblin/Harry Osborn, [The Lizard]/Dr. Curt Connors, Sandman/Flint Marko, Venom/Eddie Brock Jr., Betty Brant, Dennis Carradine (Buglar), J. Jonah Jameson, Ben Parker, May Parker, John Jameson, Joseph “Robbie” Robertson, Gwen Stacy, Mendel Stromm, Flash Thompson

 

Marvel Studios - properties reverted back to Marvel control

  • Black Panther - formerly Columbia Pictures
     
  • Daredevil: Daredevil/Matt Murdock, The Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, Bullseye, Jack Murdock, Karen Page, Ben Urich
     
  • Ghost Rider: Ghost Rider/Johnny Blaze, Blackheart/Legion, Phantom Rider/Carter Slade, Abigor, Gressil, Mephistopheles, Wallow, Barton Blaze, Roxanne Simpson
     
  • Powerman
     
  • Punisher: The Punisher/Frank Castle, Jigsaw/Billy Russoti, Microchip/Linus Liberman, Joan the Mouse, Maginty, Mr. Bumpo, Spacker Dave, The Russian, Maria Elizabeth Castle, Detective Martin Soap
     
  • Vampires: Blade, Deacon Frost, Dracula/Vlad Tepes
     
  • Non-Vampires: Hannibal King, Abraham Whistler

 

UNCONFIRMED:

  • Cable
     
  • Namor
     
  • Skrulls (could be connected with Fantastic Four movie rights)
     
  • Watcher (could be connected with Fantastic Four movie rights)

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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UPDATE - Cable movie rights

 

Marvel’s hiring writers (2009) - Cable movie talk

 

Comic Book Casting: The CABLE Movie (2011)

 

CONFIRMED:

 

20th Century Fox

  • Deadpool
     
  • Elektra: Christine Cord/Tatoo, Typhoid Mary/Marry Alice Walker, Kirigi, Stick, Stone
     
  • Fantastic Four: Doctor Doom/Victor von Doom, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Susan Storm, Mr. Fantastic/Dr. Reed Richards, The Thing/Ben Grimm, Nova/Frankie Raye, Alicia Masters, Willie Lumpkin
  • Galactus, Silver Surfer
     
  • X-Men Mutants: [Agent Zero/Maverick/David North], Angel/Warren Worthington III, Arclight/Phillippa Sontag, Beast/Dr. Henry Phillip “Hank” McCoy, [blob/Frederick J. Dukes], [bolt/Christopher Bradley], Callisto, Colossus/Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin, Cyclops/Scott Summers, [Deadpool/Wade Wilson], Emma (Grace) Frost, Jean Grey/Phoenix, Juggernaut/Cain Marko, Gambit/Remy LeBeau, Glob Herman/Herman Gardner, Iceman/Bobby Drake, Jubilee/Jubilation Lee, Katherine “Kitty” Anne Pryde, [Kestrel/John Wraith], Lady Deathstrike/Yuriko Oyama, Leech, Magneto/Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, Mastermind/Jason (Wyngarde), Multiple Man/James Arthur Madrox, Mystique/Raven Darkholme, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Phat/William Robert “Billy-Bob” Reilly, Professor Charles Xavier, Psylocke/Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock, Pyro/St. John Allerdyce, Quill/Max Jordan, Rogue/(Anna) Marie, Sabretooth/Victor Creed, Sebastian Hiram Shaw, [silver Fox], Siryn/Theresa Rourke Cassidy, (The) Spike, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/Logan
     
  • X-Men Non-Mutants: Drake Family (Steven, Madeline, Ronny), Grey Family (Dr. John, Elaine), Henry Peter Gyrich, Robert Edward Kelly, Dr. Moira Kinross MacTaggert, Dr. Kavita Rao, William Stryker, Bolivar Trask, Warren Worthington II

 

Sony Pictures

  • Spider-Man: Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Doctor Octopus/Otto Octavius, Green Goblin/Norman Osborn, (New) Green Goblin/Harry Osborn, [The Lizard]/Dr. Curt Connors, Sandman/Flint Marko, Venom/Eddie Brock Jr., Betty Brant, Dennis Carradine (Buglar), J. Jonah Jameson, Ben Parker, May Parker, John Jameson, Joseph “Robbie” Robertson, Gwen Stacy, Mendel Stromm, Flash Thompson

 

Marvel Studios - properties reverted back to Marvel control

  • Cable
     
  • Black Panther - formerly Columbia Pictures
     
  • Daredevil: Daredevil/Matt Murdock, The Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, Bullseye, Jack Murdock, Karen Page, Ben Urich
     
  • Ghost Rider: Ghost Rider/Johnny Blaze, Blackheart/Legion, Phantom Rider/Carter Slade, Abigor, Gressil, Mephistopheles, Wallow, Barton Blaze, Roxanne Simpson
     
  • Powerman
     
  • Punisher: The Punisher/Frank Castle, Jigsaw/Billy Russoti, Microchip/Linus Liberman, Joan the Mouse, Maginty, Mr. Bumpo, Spacker Dave, The Russian, Maria Elizabeth Castle, Detective Martin Soap
     
  • Vampires: Blade, Deacon Frost, Dracula/Vlad Tepes
     
  • Non-Vampires: Hannibal King, Abraham Whistler

 

UNCONFIRMED:

  • Namor
     
  • Skrulls (could be connected with Fantastic Four movie rights)
     
  • Watcher (could be connected with Fantastic Four movie rights)

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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Never thought of this one.

 

Cable_Neeson.jpg

 

Cable / Stryfe – Liam Neeson: Some people might argue Neeson is too old, but Cable was originally an older character that was de-aged unofficially by artists to look more youthful and capable… but he’s not. He’s a seasoned warrior who’s seen it all and done it all, and Liam Neeson could show that with aplomb. Forgiven the more comedic aspects of A-Team and bring in his hard edge from Taken and you’ve got the ingredients for a riveting portrayal of the prodigal son of the X-Men. And don’t forget, Neeson would also play Cable’s chief antagonist Stryfe as well.

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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is Hulk still with fox, or is he with marvel as he's part of the Avengers?

 

With Marvel Studios including The Hulk in discussions about its Phase Three strategy, it would have to be within its character portfolio.

 

Marvel Phase Three: 'Doctor Strange,' 'Iron Man 4,' 'Hulk' Movies May Be Coming

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Aman619

Aman619

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the roots of Marvel losing control to their characters stems back to the 70s when Stan moved to Hollywood to generated interest in Marvel characters to film and TV studios. The majors werent interested... but smaller international guys, who all folded years later (like Cannon and Golan Globus)) bought the rights for whatever meagre fees Stan could coerce out of them.

 

Over the next 2 decades, these film rights then got folded into various bankruptcy proceedings as the folded companies assets were sold, pledged and abandoned.

 

If you remember, it took years and intense litigation to piece together the complete rights to Spidey and the XMen in the 90s before those films could be made. (The danger was what later happened with Watchmen, where still Fox owned a stake in an incomplete legal transfer of all rights to the project (certain papers/clauses were not included in the final deal memo WB signed), Fox then let WB complete the film, only to sue as the opening date approached. A classic squeeze play!)

 

anyway, Id say that ironically it was Perelman's bankruptcy that SAVED Marvel Films! Because the bankruptcy allowed Ike and Avi to "save" Marvel and begin their ambitious slate of TRUE Marvel Films, by attempting well cast and well crafted big budget Spidey Films.

 

The rest of Phase 1 and 2 is history.

 

 

 

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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It would not surprise me if Cable was one of those murky characters like Quicksilver where he could be produced under the Fox and Marvel Studios banner for two separate movies.

 

 

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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It would not surprise me if Cable was one of those murky characters like Quicksilver where he could be produced under the Fox and Marvel Studios banner for two separate movies.

 

 

I bet you are right. And if there is money to be made, both sides will figure this one out ricky tick.

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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Turns out Namor is not a Marvel movie property.

 

Vin Diesel as Namor?

 

However, in late August 2013, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige revealed to Empire Magazine that Universal still had the rights to Namor the Sub-Mariner. One interesting thing that happened in between Quesada claiming Marvel had the rights back and Feige revealing that Universal actually still had the rights is that Marvel Studios met with Vin Diesel. Could Feige realizing that Universal still had the Namor rights have prompted the Vin Diesel meeting?

 

UPDATE - Namor movie rights

 

CONFIRMED:

 

20th Century Fox

  • Deadpool
     
  • Elektra: Christine Cord/Tatoo, Typhoid Mary/Marry Alice Walker, Kirigi, Stick, Stone
     
  • Fantastic Four: Doctor Doom/Victor von Doom, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Susan Storm, Mr. Fantastic/Dr. Reed Richards, The Thing/Ben Grimm, Nova/Frankie Raye, Alicia Masters, Willie Lumpkin
  • Galactus, Silver Surfer
     
  • X-Men Mutants: [Agent Zero/Maverick/David North], Angel/Warren Worthington III, Arclight/Phillippa Sontag, Beast/Dr. Henry Phillip “Hank” McCoy, [blob/Frederick J. Dukes], [bolt/Christopher Bradley], Callisto, Colossus/Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin, Cyclops/Scott Summers, [Deadpool/Wade Wilson], Emma (Grace) Frost, Jean Grey/Phoenix, Juggernaut/Cain Marko, Gambit/Remy LeBeau, Glob Herman/Herman Gardner, Iceman/Bobby Drake, Jubilee/Jubilation Lee, Katherine “Kitty” Anne Pryde, [Kestrel/John Wraith], Lady Deathstrike/Yuriko Oyama, Leech, Magneto/Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, Mastermind/Jason (Wyngarde), Multiple Man/James Arthur Madrox, Mystique/Raven Darkholme, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Phat/William Robert “Billy-Bob” Reilly, Professor Charles Xavier, Psylocke/Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock, Pyro/St. John Allerdyce, Quill/Max Jordan, Rogue/(Anna) Marie, Sabretooth/Victor Creed, Sebastian Hiram Shaw, [silver Fox], Siryn/Theresa Rourke Cassidy, (The) Spike, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/Logan
     
  • X-Men Non-Mutants: Drake Family (Steven, Madeline, Ronny), Grey Family (Dr. John, Elaine), Henry Peter Gyrich, Robert Edward Kelly, Dr. Moira Kinross MacTaggert, Dr. Kavita Rao, William Stryker, Bolivar Trask, Warren Worthington II

 

Sony Pictures

  • Spider-Man: Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Doctor Octopus/Otto Octavius, Green Goblin/Norman Osborn, (New) Green Goblin/Harry Osborn, [The Lizard]/Dr. Curt Connors, Sandman/Flint Marko, Venom/Eddie Brock Jr., Betty Brant, Dennis Carradine (Buglar), J. Jonah Jameson, Ben Parker, May Parker, John Jameson, Joseph “Robbie” Robertson, Gwen Stacy, Mendel Stromm, Flash Thompson

 

Universal Pictures

  • Namor

 

Marvel Studios - properties reverted back to Marvel control

  • Cable
     
  • Black Panther - formerly Columbia Pictures
     
  • Daredevil: Daredevil/Matt Murdock, The Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, Bullseye, Jack Murdock, Karen Page, Ben Urich
     
  • Ghost Rider: Ghost Rider/Johnny Blaze, Blackheart/Legion, Phantom Rider/Carter Slade, Abigor, Gressil, Mephistopheles, Wallow, Barton Blaze, Roxanne Simpson
     
  • Powerman
     
  • Punisher: The Punisher/Frank Castle, Jigsaw/Billy Russoti, Microchip/Linus Liberman, Joan the Mouse, Maginty, Mr. Bumpo, Spacker Dave, The Russian, Maria Elizabeth Castle, Detective Martin Soap
     
  • Vampires: Blade, Deacon Frost, Dracula/Vlad Tepes
     
  • Non-Vampires: Hannibal King, Abraham Whistler

 

UNCONFIRMED:

  • Skrulls (could be connected with Fantastic Four movie rights)
     
  • Watcher (could be connected with Fantastic Four movie rights)

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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Skrull movie rights

 

Marvel President Kevin Feige: Yes, Skrulls have a big connection to Fantastic Four. So there are some contractual limitations about who can do what when it comes to Skrulls. Though that is not why we didn’t do Skrulls. There is already enough going on in this movie.

 

UPDATE - Skrull movie rights

 

CONFIRMED:

 

20th Century Fox

  • Deadpool
     
  • Elektra: Christine Cord/Tatoo, Typhoid Mary/Marry Alice Walker, Kirigi, Stick, Stone
     
  • Fantastic Four: Doctor Doom/Victor von Doom, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Susan Storm, Mr. Fantastic/Dr. Reed Richards, The Thing/Ben Grimm, Nova/Frankie Raye, Alicia Masters, Willie Lumpkin
     
  • Galactus, Silver Surfer
     
  • Skrulls (could be connected with Fantastic Four movie rights)
     
  • X-Men Mutants: [Agent Zero/Maverick/David North], Angel/Warren Worthington III, Arclight/Phillippa Sontag, Beast/Dr. Henry Phillip “Hank” McCoy, [blob/Frederick J. Dukes], [bolt/Christopher Bradley], Callisto, Colossus/Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin, Cyclops/Scott Summers, [Deadpool/Wade Wilson], Emma (Grace) Frost, Jean Grey/Phoenix, Juggernaut/Cain Marko, Gambit/Remy LeBeau, Glob Herman/Herman Gardner, Iceman/Bobby Drake, Jubilee/Jubilation Lee, Katherine “Kitty” Anne Pryde, [Kestrel/John Wraith], Lady Deathstrike/Yuriko Oyama, Leech, Magneto/Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, Mastermind/Jason (Wyngarde), Multiple Man/James Arthur Madrox, Mystique/Raven Darkholme, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Phat/William Robert “Billy-Bob” Reilly, Professor Charles Xavier, Psylocke/Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock, Pyro/St. John Allerdyce, Quill/Max Jordan, Rogue/(Anna) Marie, Sabretooth/Victor Creed, Sebastian Hiram Shaw, [silver Fox], Siryn/Theresa Rourke Cassidy, (The) Spike, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/Logan
     
  • X-Men Non-Mutants: Drake Family (Steven, Madeline, Ronny), Grey Family (Dr. John, Elaine), Henry Peter Gyrich, Robert Edward Kelly, Dr. Moira Kinross MacTaggert, Dr. Kavita Rao, William Stryker, Bolivar Trask, Warren Worthington II

 

Sony Pictures

  • Spider-Man: Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Doctor Octopus/Otto Octavius, Green Goblin/Norman Osborn, (New) Green Goblin/Harry Osborn, [The Lizard]/Dr. Curt Connors, Sandman/Flint Marko, Venom/Eddie Brock Jr., Betty Brant, Dennis Carradine (Buglar), J. Jonah Jameson, Ben Parker, May Parker, John Jameson, Joseph “Robbie” Robertson, Gwen Stacy, Mendel Stromm, Flash Thompson

 

Universal Pictures

  • Namor

 

Marvel Studios - properties reverted back to Marvel control

  • Avengers, The
     
  • Black Panther - formerly Columbia Pictures
     
  • Cable
     
  • Captain America
     
  • Daredevil: Daredevil/Matt Murdock, The Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, Bullseye, Jack Murdock, Karen Page, Ben Urich
     
  • Ghost Rider: Ghost Rider/Johnny Blaze, Blackheart/Legion, Phantom Rider/Carter Slade, Abigor, Gressil, Mephistopheles, Wallow, Barton Blaze, Roxanne Simpson
     
  • Incredible Hulk
     
  • Iron Man
     
  • Powerman
     
  • Punisher: The Punisher/Frank Castle, Jigsaw/Billy Russoti, Microchip/Linus Liberman, Joan the Mouse, Maginty, Mr. Bumpo, Spacker Dave, The Russian, Maria Elizabeth Castle, Detective Martin Soap
     
  • Thor, Loki, Odin
     
  • Vampires: Blade, Deacon Frost, Dracula/Vlad Tepes
     
  • Non-Vampires: Hannibal King, Abraham Whistler

 

UNCONFIRMED:

  • Watcher (could be connected with Fantastic Four movie rights)

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