Hm, I’m not positive how big a release it got, but The Punisher came out earlier. It sucked, but it came out earlier.
Name the movie:
“I love Chow Yun Fat too, but I just don’t see him as Batman.”
At one time IWACBN. The Hulk is a Marvel character. He was a founding member of the Avengers. Wolverine made his first appearence in the Hulk. Definitely Marvel.
Just for the sake of completeness, here’s a list of old-time serials based on comic-book characters:
The Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)
Batman (1943)
Captain America (1943)
The Vigilante (1947)
Superman (1948)
Batman and Robin (1949)
Atom Man vs Superman (1950)
Blackhawk (1952)
Marvel comics didn’t exist at the time, but Captain America is currently one of their properties, so I guess it sort-of qualifies as the first Marvel film treatment.
To further confuse the issue, Captain Marvel eventually became a DC property.
[Full On Geek Mode]
On preview Dr. Rieux outgeeked me, but I typed too damn much to let this go to waste. Just remember that while reading this.
Actually, Bryan, Marvel has always owned the rights to Captain America, they just haven’t always been known as Marvel. They were called Timely Comics when Captain America first appeared and when the super-hero revival occured in the sixties they chose to rename themselves Marvel Comics after a monthly they published in the forties with the same name whose number one issue had the first appearances of the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner.
Ultimately I think that Bryan has hit the nail on the head by naming the old Captain America serial. It fulfills all of the requirements of the question by being a Marvel (more or less) movie that had a nationwide theatrical release.
As for more modern movies, I’m not sure but I think that the Punisher was a straight to video release and I know the Captain America movie was. Really I can’t think of any movie (with a theatrical release) from the forties on that was a movie version of an original Marvel character until Blade (1998).
However if we want to play a bit lose with the definitions Men In Black (1997) was the first Marvel movie with a nationwide theatrical release. Men In Black was originally a series published by Malibu Comics in the early nineties that only lasted a handful of issues before being cancelled. However, in what seems common nowadays*, it wound up being optioned for a movie. Before the movie was completed however Marvel had bought out Malibu and the rights to all of its characters, so by the time the movie was released the Men In Black were Marvel characters. If you go back and watch the movie again Marvel (IIRC) gets mention in the opening credits.
And on a quick trivia note there was actually a movie version of the Fantastic Four that was shot and completed in 1994 but never released. Rumor has it (possible UL) the real reason the main producer bought back the full rights was because he was so embarrassed by the finished product that he didn’t want it released and his reputation tarnished.
*When I say common there are a ton of comics that get optioned for movies, although they don’t always bear fruit. Recent examples (not Marvel) that did (and you might not know about) include From Hell and Ghost World. The latter is nominated for an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.
[/Full On Geek Mode]
There have been several lousy Captain America movies; all of the modern ones stank. However, the first two (from 1979) were made-for-TV movies, and I’m pretty sure that the 1992 Matt Salinger crapfest never got wide distribution.
Just to clear something up: Captain Marvel (the character in the serials Brian Ekers mentions) was published originally by Fawcett. DC eventually bought Fawcett (and thus the rights to Captain Marvel), but did not own either at the time the serials were being produced. Furthermore, the Fawcett/DC Captain Marvel is not to be confused with three(!) separate characters that have been published by Marvel Comics, all named Captain Marvel. (This it part of a trademark protection strategy to prevent DC from printing comics with the word “Marvel” on the cover. It worked.)
The infamous * Fantastic Four* movie (a Roger Corman production, with all the quality that implies) was never officially released commercially at all (Corman produced it essentially because his rights were about to expire, and that would be his last chance to do so). Granted, you can get bootlegs of it easily, but that doesn’t count as a release.
Ah, those old Captain America movies with the plexiglass shield! During this same time period there were several made-for-TV Spider-Man films as well, and a Dr. Strange. Much later, IIRC there were some TV movie revivals of the old Hulk TV show, one of which featured Thor and one which featured Daredevil.
Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) is directing the upcoming Hulk picture.
I have to say I haven’t seen the trailer to Spiderman yet but my brother and his friend are big comic book fiends and they can’t wait. They are both 33 and I’m 30 and I remember Superman with Chris Reeves, it was awesome!
The problem with Hollywood superhero movies is that their either T.V. movies or they turn out to be some shoddy produced crapfests by Golam and Globus. ie. Low Budgeted
I remember Spiderman the T.V. movies and also Captain America played by the big surfer looking dude on T.V.
If Hollywood put all of their PR people and hype into a superhero movie like Captain America or The Punisher or who ever and had comic book consultants their to make sure you don’t stray from the character, you would have yourself a hit!
Do I think the 90’s Batman movies were good? Yes and no.
Tim Burton, if you know the director well, added a bit too much of his style to the film. Yes, he is a dark director and the film was shot in a dark way, (The Dark Knight) Batman, but I talked to a lot of comic book friends and it was iffy-iffy.
I believe if they took the same approach to Superman -C.Reeves with Spiderman then Spidey would be a hit! Then again I hope it becomes a hit. Superman was HUGE when it came out- good producers and an awsome director Richard Donner( Lethal Weapon movies). Why not take the same approach yet again? Any feedback my fellow brutha’s and sista’s? Again my message is MORE GOOD superhero movies!!! Folks… we need them now more than ever…Sept 11th?
ie. Low Budgeted