Former Marvel Studios Boss Says Board ‘Thought I Was Crazy’ for Casting ‘Addict’ Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man Over Timothy Olyphant
Zack Sharf Digital News Director David Maisel might not be a name Marvel fans think of when they talk about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the entertainment executive recently stressed to The New Yorker that the “MCU wouldn’t exist” without him. Maisel is Marvel Studios’ former president and the initial architect of the MCU, which Kevin Feige has since taken the reigns of as the company’s current president. Feige’s name has become synonymous with Marvel’s success, which Maisel said has all but overshadowed his contributions. Or as Maisel put it, “It’s like a Thanos snap.” “Most people right now think Kevin started the studio,” Maisel said. “They don’t know me at all.”