Though Marvel and Disney have formed a lucrative partnership, the former has been dominating the superhero genre thanks to movies like Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Disney’s animation arm is trying to close the gap a tad with the release of the heroic Big Hero 6 this November. Does that mean that a full-blow team up of Marvel and Disney’s animators could be coming down the chute? Not necessarily.
John Lasseter, the Pixar head who helped right the ship at Disney Animation, was presenting to media on behalf of Big Hero 6, and was asked by Vulture if the studios have had conversations about joining their forces. Big Hero 6 is an adaptation of a less-than-popular Marvel title, but it has a distinct Disney flair to it, aiming it squarely as kids. But Lasseter, despite the potential of such a pairing, tossed cold water in the concept, at least for now. He replied:
Not yet. No, we haven’t. If we went directly into the Marvel Universe, that would mean we’d work more directly with Marvel. … Without question, [Big Hero 6] was made 100 percent here. They’d forgotten the books existed."
That’s not to say that a feature-length crossover isn’t possible. But for now, it likely will remain on television, where the channel Disney XD programs regular television programming with the Marvel superheroes. The channel’s Marvel Universe currently screens Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., Marvel’s Avengers Assemble (with Iron Man and Captain America), and Ultimate Spider-Man.
They also hosted a massive crossover event between Marvel’s top heroes and the wonderful characters from Phineas and Ferb.
Disney has explored similar partnerships between its animated brand and the Star Wars universe – which is why Star Wars Rebels will be an event you experience in your home and not in a movie theater. That’s not to say these larger events can’t eventually happen one day. But for now, Big Hero 6 looks to be the exception that proves the rule, with Marvel and Disney both having more than enough on their respective plates to prevent a crossover from happening.
