To say Kevin Smith is a Marvel fan would be an understatement. The writer/director provides frequent commentary on the MCU and years ago, was even able to get Stan Lee to cameo in Mallrats. So with such a love for the brand, would he ever join a Marvel movie? Naturally, he would, but not in the way you might think.
Kevin Smith recently spoke about wanting to join Marvel and what he’d want that to look like. However, he's not exactly interested in joining in a directing capacity. Here’s what he said:
I love Marvel, but I don't necessarily want to go play in their universe. I'm okay to watch those movies. I never watch one of those movies and go, 'Boy, I'd like to make one.' I always watch those movies and go like, 'Boy, I'm glad somebody made that.'
Kevin Smith's comments during the first episode of Dan Fogler’s 4D Xperience come as a bit of a shock, considering Kevin Smith is a Marvel superfan. You’d think he’d at least want to take a crack at directing one of his own Marvel movies. Then again, considering many Marvel movies have huge budgets and take risks, Kevin Smith might not want that kind of heat on his back. After all, he's hilariously said that the best way to have a long career in Hollywood is to keep your budgets low.
Although he has little interest in making a Marvel movie, he still had an idea of what he’d like to do if he ever joined a Marvel movie. He later said:
I would never want to make a Marvel movie, but give me one scene. Put me in one of them Marvel movies that makes a billion dollars and shit. That way when all this Jay and Silent Bob shit is done I can go to the Comic-Con, sit in the back of the room and tag fucking photos of myself in a Marvel movie at 20 bucks a pop. That shit pays for life.
Well, I did not expect that! That would certainly be a good way to earn some passive income. Though I doubt many actors have that in mind when they seek out work on Marvel projects.
Despite saying he doesn’t want to play in Marvel’s sandbox, Kevin Smith did have an animated Howard the Duck project in the works for a while at Hulu. Unfortunately for Kevin Smith and Howard the Duck fans, the TV project will likely never see the light as it was reportedly canceled by Marvel earlier this year.
I don’t think I’d ever rule out Kevin Smith joining the MCU or directing a feature. He’s a long-time director with his finger on the pulse of superhero culture, and he knows what fans want. But in the meantime, fans will just have to settle for his superhero commentary.
