Marvel's Kevin Feige Will Directly Report to Disney Now, and This is a Good Thing!
Since Marvel Studios first started making movies, President Kevin Feige had to report to Marvel Entertainment CEO Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter. This is something that he had to do even after Disney bought Marvel. But that has all changed now. According to THR, Feige will now only have to report to Disney studio chief Alan Horn, which is a good thing for Feige, Marvel, and the movies they make.
The report mirrors things that I've personally heard from people who have worked for Marvel and know what it's like working for Perlmutter. According to these sources, Feige has gone through "several years of frustration" while working with Perlmutter. A Disney spokesperson told the site:
"Marvel Studios is taking the next logical step in its integration with The Walt Disney Studios, joining Pixar and Lucasfilm in centralizing many of its film-related functions in Burbank, with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and co-president Louis D’Esposito continuing to lead the Marvel Studios team reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn."
This is going to make Feige's life so much easier. Perlmutter is described as a "low-profile billionaire who has contributed to Marvel's reputation in Hollywood for frugality and secrecy (as THR reported in a 2014 feature, he attended the premiere of Iron Man in a disguise to go undetected and once complained that journalists at a press junket were allowed two sodas instead of one)."
I've heard even worse stories about him being a hardcore tightwad when it comes to money. One of THR's sources says, "Everybody knows Ike is difficult. This has been a long time coming. Kevin has grown his entire career under Ike and now it just makes sense."
It's been incredible to see what Feige has built with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and that he's done it under such a tyrannical ruler. Imagine what he'll be able to do now with Disney backing his decisions. These Marvel films are about to get even better!
Unfortunately for Jeph Loeb, head of Marvel Television, he still has to report to Perlmutter, who will maintain oversight over Marvel's TV group, publishing, and animation.