Throughout the ‘80s, Jim Shooter’s tenure as Marvel’s editor-in-chief was not without controversy. However, Shooter also helped deliver one of Marvel’s biggest hits as the writer behind Secret Wars. Regardless of its origins as a Mattel toy tie-in, it was also a best-seller during its initial 12-issue run in 1984-85. And according to Shooter, Marvel Studios may be developing its own adaptation of the classic story.
Shooter dropped this bombshell while appearing at last week’s Megacon in Orlando. Via CBR, the video was posted by Geekosity Mag. When a fan asked for his thoughts about the MCU’s future, Shooter detailed a bizarre phone call he received from “an executive of property management” (presumably at Marvel) asking if he would be willing to write a Secret Wars novelization.
Upon receiving a retroactive work-for-hire contract, Shooter turned the offer down. But he later received another call from Marvel’s David Bogart, who apologized for the previous call and offered another retroactive contract for $10,000.
Shooter stressed that he knew that his original Marvel stories were work-for-hire. But Bogart apparently told him that Marvel “didn’t have a single piece of paper” verifying that they owned the rights to characters like Beyonder, Titania, and the Julia Carpenter version of Spider-Woman. After finally signing the contract, Shooter decided to ask the million-dollar question:
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“I said, ‘This means you’re making a movie, right?’” recalled Shooter. “He said, ‘Well, I’m not allowed to tell you that’. I said, ‘I think you just did.’”
In Secret Wars, a cosmic entity known as the Beyonder kidnapped several Marvel heroes and villains. The Beyonder brought to them his patchwork planet, Battleworld, where they were forced to fight. The story also famously the first chronological appearance of Spider-Man’s black costume, which paved the way for Venom’s debut several years later.
The Russo brothers have previously expressed an interest in helming a potential Secret Wars adaptation for Marvel Studios. But this wasn’t exactly confirmation that such a project is in the works.
How do you feel about a Secret Wars adaptation? Would the project work better as a movie or TV series? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Secret Wars
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