When we reported yesterday on James Gunn officially announcing that he had signed on for writing and directing duties for Marvel Studios’ Guardians Of The Galaxy film, we mentioned that the main bad guy for the piece might be a gentleman named Thanos. He was the alien warlord glimpsed at the very end of The Avengers and he frequently crossed swords with the Guardians in their own comics. Using the Guardians film to help set him up for The Avengers 2 film seems like a serious no-brainer. But it was just speculation.
Today comes word via Cosmic Book News purporting to confirm the villain’s appearance in both films.
We previously reported that Thanos creator Jim Starlin was in talks with Marvel about “something,” with it theorized that it was over the rights to Thanos.
Now, a Cosmic Book News regular, Armand Rock, has confirmed through Jim Starlin that Thanos will be in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie and The Avengers 2.
Armand Rock attended the recent Montreal Comic-Con and spoke with Jim Starlin who said that the deal is already in place. Jim Starlin even mentioned that Thanos will appear in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie in 2014 and The Avengers 2 in 2015.
This certainly seems to be in the realm of possibility based on what we already know. However, there is one thing in the story that gives me pause. Why would Starlin have the rights to Thanos with which to be in talks with Marvel?
Our own Comic Book Movie Editor William Gatevackes notes –
Thanos appeared in comics (Iron Man #55 specifically) in 1973. Copyright law changed in 1976. Marvel had their freelancers sign “this and all previous creations belong to Marvel” paperwork in 1978. Maybe Starlin didn’t sign it? Or maybe Marvel is just trying to make right by the guy?
Now there were some unsubstantiated rumors that Starlin was preparing a lawsuit against Marvel with the assertion that he had created the character of Thanos long before he started working for Marvel. Perhaps the two came to some backroom agreement over the character?
