After the success of What If…? earlier this year, Marvel is betting big on animation, with at least three new animated series in development for Disney+. And while the future looks bright for the House of Ideas’ small-screen slate, it goes without saying that there has been no shortage of successful Marvel cartoons over the years. However, some of the more intriguing projects never saw the light of day, including one unmade Marvel project from Powerhouse Animation, the same studio that brought us Netflix’s Castlevania and Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
In a Twitter thread (via io9), Powerhouse CEO Brad Graeber shared details for a short-form anthology series his studio pitched in 2012. The series was called Marvel Era and would have launched in 2014 in conjunction with Marvel’s 75th anniversary. Each episode of the show would have taken place in a different decade and utilized a different animation style. Additionally, the episodes would have featured different superheroes. You can check out a sizzle reel for the series below.
In 2012-2013, Powerhouse pitched a project called MARVEL ERA. The 75th anniversary of Marvel was approaching in 2014 and the idea was short stories for each decade of Marvel history- and to have each short inspired by the art/animation of that “era.” (1/10) pic.twitter.com/sJJrv4rlnB
— Brad Graeber (@BradGraeber) November 14, 2021
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Graeber explained that he came up with “about 14 rough concepts” for the show, with each installment reflecting the pop culture of a given decade. The ‘40s-set Captain America episode, for instance, was inspired by the work of Fleischer Studios. A later episode featuring the Punisher drew influence from ‘80s crime dramas.
There was also a very cinema 70’s Luke Cage and Iron Fist, an 80’s Punisher story that leaned into SCARFACE and MIAMI VICE, and a DEADPOOL story made based on cheesy 90s cartoons. (6/10) pic.twitter.com/Gb0Sc9gjs8
— Brad Graeber (@BradGraeber) November 14, 2021
Unfortunately, the series never came to be. As Graeber tells it, this is partly because Powerhouse still hadn’t achieved success with Castlevania and Seis Manos. In other words, they didn’t have the time or money to devote to speculative projects like this. It also didn’t help that Disney was still “broken up in silos” after acquiring Marvel in 2009. Or as Graeber describes it, “studio politics were complicated and we were green.”
Would you still like to see a series like this from Powerhouse Animation? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Marvel Encyclopedia, New Edition
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