Kevin Feige Nearly Walked Away from Marvel Over Civil War Clash

Back when Captain America: Civil War was gearing up for production, tensions were running high behind the scenes at Marvel Studios. Kevin Feige, the bloke steering the Marvel Cinematic Universe, found himself at odds with Ike Perlmutter, the then-boss of Marvel Entertainment. The main sticking point? Robert Downey Jr.’s involvement in the film and the costs that came with it.

Budget Battles and Creative Tensions

Perlmutter and his Marvel Creative Committee were notorious for keeping a tight grip on the purse strings. They weren’t too keen on the film’s swelling budget, especially since Civil War was shaping up to be more of an Avengers-style ensemble than a straightforward Captain America flick. The Russo brothers were set to juggle a massive cast, and Downey Jr. was pushing for a bigger slice of the action.

Downey Jr. wanted more screen time, which meant a heftier pay packet and a share of the profits if the film outperformed its predecessor. Perlmutter, known for being a bit stingy, wasn’t having it. He even told the writers to cut Downey Jr. out of the script altogether. Feige, who’d already had to fight to keep Iron Man in the mix, was close to his limit. When more budget cuts were demanded, he threatened to walk away from the whole operation.

Feige’s Stand and the Fallout

Feige’s patience had worn thin. The push to slash spending on Civil War was the last straw. By this point, Feige had built a solid reputation thanks to the success of earlier films, and Disney’s top brass, including CEO Bob Iger, had taken notice.

After the lukewarm reception to Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iger wasn’t thrilled with Perlmutter’s influence. Despite the film raking in a billion dollars, it didn’t hit the mark critically or financially as hoped. The creative meddling from Perlmutter and his committee was seen as a big part of the problem.

So, Iger decided to shake things up. Marvel Studios was restructured so Feige no longer had to answer to Perlmutter or the committee. The committee was soon scrapped altogether. This wasn’t the first time Feige had to dig his heels in to protect a story. During the making of Captain America: The First Avenger, the committee wanted to shift the setting to modern times, thinking punters wouldn’t be interested in a 1940s backdrop. Feige insisted on keeping it as a period piece, leading to some heated rows before his vision won out.

Perlmutter’s Controversial Decisions

Perlmutter’s approach caused plenty of headaches for Marvel in its early days. He was behind the decision to replace Terrence Howard with Don Cheadle as James Rhodes, reportedly dismissing Howard’s request for a pay rise and making a highly questionable comment about casting.

There were other dramas too. Edgar Wright, who was brought on to develop Ant-Man, spent years perfecting the script. But the committee kept pushing for more MCU tie-ins, and when they brought in their own writer for a rewrite, Wright lost faith and left the project.

Perlmutter was also accused of being resistant to female characters. He tried to block Black Widow from joining the original Avengers line-up and delayed the introduction of more women in the franchise. During Iron Man 3, Rebecca Hall was set to play the villain, but the committee forced a change to boost toy sales. The same thing happened with Hela, who was originally meant to appear in Thor 2.

Legacy of the Civil War Showdown

Feige’s willingness to stand his ground during the Civil War saga marked a turning point for Marvel Studios. The shake-up that followed allowed for more creative freedom and set the stage for the MCU’s future direction. These behind-the-scenes battles shaped the films that fans now stream on Disney+.

What do you reckon about the challenges Feige faced during Civil War? Let us know your thoughts below.