Marvel Blocked Kevin Feige From Adding Punisher, Ghost Rider, and Daredevil to the MCU

A newly released book claimed that Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige were banned from including some characters when they tried to develop independent TV and film companies.

The Rights Of Marvel Characters

As the MCU is exponentially trying to expand its universe with TV and Disney+ shows, some absence includes the characters who starred in the Netflix programs, like Daredevil and Punisher. This led Marvel fans to develop a theory around Marvel Studios, claiming that they were not interested in including the dark characters in the MCU and that is why they didn’t use the characters from the Netflix shows. Apparently, it was the makers who never ever got the opportunity to use characters such as Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Punisher, and others.

With that being said, Marvel Entertainment sold the rights of several characters to others but later regained them as a result of the non-usage. Only the Avengers characters were used to draft the foundation of Marvel Studios in the early days. But as time went by, Marvel regained the movie rights of the characters such as Punisher, Daredevil, and Ghost Rider. While Marvel Studios had a choice to decide whether or not they would do something with the characters, Kevin Feige was banned from using them.

The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

In The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a recently launched book by Marvels, it was found that the makers purposely avoided using some characters. The explanation, however, is being echoed loud in the book itself as “While many observers assumed that this entire stable of characters would go directly into Marvel Studios’ movie development process, it was decided by Marvel Entertainment’s higher-ups that because the movie side was already deeply committed to their successful Avengers characters, and the impending Guardians of the Galaxy characters, that the returnees would instead help build a planned TV empire under the direct control of Marvel Entertainment (entirely separate from Marvel Studios).”

Apparently, it was found that Marvel Studios wanted to use the characters but it never happened. This is because the makers never had any control over the characters apart from having the interest to utilize them. In the end, all the characters went to Marvel itself. As a result, Ghost Rider managed to make an appearance in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and the rest of the characters were also placed in some of the other streaming series.

Now that Marvel has both the right over its TV and film production, there remains no legal barrier over the rights of the characters. Instead, Marvel Studios is taking its time to plan and design the best storyline to fit some characters such as Punisher, Daredevil, and Ghost Rider in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Source: The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and ComicBook.com