Marvel Licenses - Who Owns What?
 |
| Marvel has a few characters- Just a few DEADPOOL 27 Guiness Record for most characters on a cover |
Related Posts:
Comics Breaking News!
What is going on with those Characters?
I get questions a lot on who owns what Marvel Characters. As Marvel licensed out many of its more bankable characters years before it started its own studio they are limited in some weird ways when it comes to movies. Their first movie they actually had to team up with another studio because they do not own the Hulk outright. The good news if you read below is that many characters are coming back into the fold. Luke Cage, Ghost Rider, Punisher, Blade, Daredevil, Electra have already returned to the fold. Hulk and Namor should fully revert over the next couple years. With each character returned new doors are opened.
Some may think that many of these characters are too dark and violent to fit into the MCU as has been presented and tied to the Avengers, you are right. This is why Marvel is creating a more adult universe (Technically it still will be same universe) where these characters interact. For now I call this the Hell Kitchen/ Defenders crew. The Hell Kitchen crew will get a Net Flicks series that will introduce each character then at the end they will team up as the defenders. These characters include Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and DareDevil.
I have not heard of Blade/Electra/Ghostrider/Punisher plans yet but they could all fit into the Hell Kitchen series or even make appearances in the phase 3 movie Dr Strange.
Recently purchased licenses back to Marvel.
Some were skeptical that Marvel would do anything with these new licenses because many of them are dark and violent characters. Look at these licenses and tell me if you see plans forming at Marvel. There is a reason behind them buying these all at once.
Luke Cage -Bought back from SONY/Universal, includes all of his villains.
Ghost Rider-Bought back from SONY, includes all of his villains.
Punisher - Bought back from LionsGate. Punisher War Zone was disappointing but have you seen Dirty Laundry Short? The character still has demand if done in the right way. Look for Punisher Cameos in the Hellkitchen netflicks series.
Blade- After Blade 4 failed to get off the ground it was only a matter of time. License should also contain many Blade villains and possibly Morbeous who appeared at a distance in Blade in a cut scene in Blade 1.
Daredevil- Bought back from Fox
Electra-Bought back from Fox
Team up Possibilities:
Defenders - Already announced to occure at the end of the netflicks series will star Jessica Jones, DareDevil, Luke Cage and Iron Fist
Heroes for Hire- Luke Cage and Iron Fist here we come!
Midnight Sons- the team staring Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, Hannibal King, Blade and Morbius is now possible by Marvel. Nothing announced as yet but Marvel now owns the pieces to make this happen.
What do the Outside of Marvel Studios Still Own:
Universal:
Hulk - Universal has Distribution rights only so it is effectively Shared with Marvel this is why Marvel will wait to release another Hulk movie.
Namor- This could revert back to Marvel soon. Trust me Marvel already has plans on this one Namor Easter Egg in Cap 2.
UPDATE: I am hearing that Universal may try to make a Namor movie. This may keep Namor with Universal. I am not sure if it will be built into the Marvel Cinematic Universe or not.
LionsGate:
ManThing-Lionsgate did a direct to video release of a ManThing movie in 2006 I have never seen it. Watch for movement on this as Manthing is being hinted in the Marvel U movies.
Manthing Exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Look at these Easter Eggs
Lions Gate no longer owns the Punisher. Punisher once again is at Marve.
20th Century Fox
Fantastic Four- Related Villains Silver Surfer is still owned here. Galactus, Skrulls, and the Badoon are owned by Fox through this license.
Xmen -Covers most mutants and critical X-Men non mutant characters.
Sony Pictures
