If you recall the history of Marvel Comics in cinema, it was a grim landscape before Blade showed up, the X-Men scrambled to the screen, and then Spider-Man blew the roof off it. Even amidst all that, there were still subpar Marvel movies like Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Punisher, Elektra, etc., but when Marvel Studios finally took the reins of their own properties, we got the amazing run of movies starting with Iron Man that continues to this day. Now, it seems as though they’re trying to do the same thing with live theater.
The train wreck that was Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark on Broadway is now legendary, but there is still something to be said for live-action superheroics, which is why next year will bring us Marvel Universe LIVE!, which promises to wash away that infamous disaster with a brand new spectacle spanning the entire Marvel pantheon. The official description is thus: “Produced by Feld Entertainment, Marvel Universe LIVE! will bring Marvel’s most iconic heroes and fearsome villains to life like never before during a live-action arena spectacular that will tour 85 North American cities in its first two years. It will redefine the live show experience by integrating a Marvel character driven story with state-of-the-art special effects, pyrotechnics, aerial stunts, martial arts and countless other show elements.”
Many characters have already been announced, and now Crave Online can exclusively reveal that the show will also include Wolverine and Cyclops of the X-Men alongside the Avengers, Spider-Man and many more. Also, be sure to check out the Marvel Universe LIVE Facebook page for one more bonus reveal! In the meantime, take a look at this composite sketchwork for Cyclops’ look, which is not yet final, of course.
“Cyclops’ look for the show is influenced by knight’s armor,” says costume designer Cynthia Nordstrom. “This inspiration first came from imagining the lenses of his eyewear and the similarities it shares with the viewing window in a knight’s helmet. This was the jumping off point for the costume, which also incorporates similar materials to give more lines and direction as well as to bend his color in a distinct path.”
“Marvel Universe LIVE! isn’t just the name of the show, it’s our principal mission as we bring X-Men, The Avengers and Spider-Man together before audiences around the globe for the first time!” explains Juliette Feld, Executive Vice President and Producer of Feld Entertainment. “We continue to collaborate closely with Marvel to create groundbreaking, never-before-seen stunts and an engaging storyline worthy of such iconic characters.”
How are they going to bring a guy like Wolverine to life? Well, you can check out this behind the scenes video to get a hint of the kinds of things going into this production, which will most likely hew a lot closer to the actual Marvel Comics superheroes than that Broadway show managed to do, although the previous character reveals would seem to indicate a movie-heavy flavor, as well as a bit of Ultimate flair, if that Green Goblin image is to be believed.
And if that’s not enough, here’s a quick peek behind the scenes at the Wolverine claw apparatus in development, which will allow the Ol’ Canucklehead to get his snikt on.
Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada first mentioned this at New York Comic-Con and said “Marvel Universe LIVE! is going to blow people’s minds.I have personally been involved and collaborating with the unmatched talent and expertise of the Feld team. The way in which they will be bringing the Marvel Universe to life is truly mesmerizing and there is no doubt in my mind it will be a can’t miss event for Marvel fans of all ages.” He’s also promised that they will be pulling off Marvel characters you would never expect they could recreate live.
Gotta admit, it sounds pretty interesting! You can follow the developments on the above FB link, or head to @MarvelOnTour on Twitter.
