Variety reports that Fox’s Fantastic Four exchange program extension request has been rejected, and so the film rights to Daredevil will now revert back to Marvel Studios and Disney. While no official announcement has been made, director Joe Carnahan has let it slip on Twitter.
The current agreement dictates that the studio had to put a film into production by 10 October, or the rights would revert to the House of Mouse. Fox were excited for a hard R-rated vision of Daredevil, from Joe Carnahan. Today that dream seems to be over, with Carnahan tweeting: “Think my idea for a certain retro, red-suited, Serpico-styled superhero went up in smoke today kids”.
He later added: “Guys. To clarify. DD pitch was tremendous and everyone flipped for it. The clock ticked down at Fox, that’s why it went tits up”.
So for those of you scratching your heads over this, what does it all mean? Back in 2009, Marvel and its subsidiaries were sold to Disney. Marvel Studios has been financing its own productions since 2005. However, characters such as Spider-Man, Venom, Ghost Rider has existing obligations with Sony, while the X-Men, Wolverine, Fantastic Four, the Silver Surfer, Elektra, Deadpool and until recently Daredevil all sat with Fox.
This meant that while all of these characters played with each other in the world of comics, the filmed Spider-man, Daredevil and The Avengers could never share the same Marvel Cinematic Universe on-screen, all existing in parallel cinematic New Yorks. However, it is now theoretically possible for Daredevil and the recently reverted Punisher to make cameos or starring performances in the same world as Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and The Avengers. It also means that characters like the Kingpin, staples of NYC in the comics world, can hit the town as well. It’s an old-fashioned geek-out, but what happens when Matt Murdoch’s Foggy Nelson meets Tony Stark’s Happy?
Carnahan has also shared his two sizzle reels with the world as to how he saw Daredevil going down on-screen. The first of these is an “NC-17” rated reel, while the second tones it down to a PG. As you can see, the mash-up of influences would have made for a phenomenal vibe. Anybody want to start a petition for Marvel Studios to consider this?
