Since we talk about films, or inspired, to the comics, give me the “What if?” that I used in the title. I can’t – nobody can say that he had it – the mathematical certainty that if on July 14, 2000 the 20th Century Fox had not brought Bryan Cinema Universe the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the cinemas as we know it now would not exist, but it is nice to hypothesize it.

Why do I say this?

A little because I must, necessarily, capture your attention sorry, are the bitter tricks of the trade. A bit because the very tribula kolossal set was a no small gym for Kevin Feige, the current President/Deus Ex-Machina of the Marvel Studios. The guide of that unparalleled franchise that lately will also be creaking a little, but which is still a production and artistic operation that deserves a respectable place in the history of cinema.

Bryan Singer: a lot of genius …

Let’s start with the cold numbers.

In 2000, twenty-five years ago, X-Men arrived in cinemas and, at the end of the race, would end up collecting 296 million dollars all over the world becoming the ninth film of the year at the box-office. It was not at all obvious. In those years, the genre of cinecomics was not yet frequented with the decision and “pragmatism” of today, the one that also allowed niche characters, think of the guardians of the Marvel galaxy or the suicide squad of the DC Comics, to become so popular among people. Of course, if it was Batman a major like Warner was ready to spend flowers of millions of dollars (finding himself, mentioning Max Pezzali, with the poe in the bag after the bankruptcy Batman & Robin), but outside that there was nothing. The shadow man, Blade, Tank Girl, even judge Dredd with Sylvester Stallone: all attempts in their own way even fascinating to try to dig a furrow that had various structural problems. It is symptomatic that one of the most remembered cinecomics of the nineties is the crow Proyas. We do not know how many people, at the time, were aware that everything was based on the tables of a gentleman named James O’Barr. Certainly, many people went to see him for the status of “cursed cult” acquired even before the debut because of the accident on the set that led to the premature disappearance of the protagonist Brandon Lee. 28 years. Four in less than those who had its legendary Father Bruce the day he passed away.

Although known and appreciated thanks to the success of the well-known animated series of the nineties, the Mutants of Marvel could certainly not boast the same fame as that spider man who two years later, with Sam Raimi’s first spider-man, would have faded the box office. There was also a little annuity.

X-Men was the first time of a director, Bryan Singer, with whom all Hollywood wanted to work because, after having made himself known with Public Access, he had directed what, together with Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino, is remembered and celebrated as one of the most relevant indie films of the 90s: the usual suspicions. A feature film that made everyone in love except the well -known critic Roger Ebert who called him manipulative, more than surprising.

Afterwards the pupil touched the interesting, taken from one of Stephen King’s stories contained in the anthology different seasons.

It was the beginning of the partnership with that Ian McKellen that we would then find in X-Men in the role of Magneto. But also of a turbulent series of shocks in Singer’s private life who, years and years later, would have led to his substantial cancellation from the world of cinema.

… and much more unrelativeness

Certainly, X-Men made a breach in the heart, and in the portfolios of the people including that of the same twenty-year-olds of the time, because he treated a form of art seriously, the comics, which as incredible as it may seem is sometimes observed with suspicion even today. But also because, since the prologue entirely dedicated to small Erik Lehnsherr to Auschwitz, he faced the diversity, the need for rights for minorities and like “normal” people relate to those perceived, for one reason or another, as different. Then it is clear: it is not that he talked about it with the academic tones of a university dissertation, but with the language of the great Hollywood show of a high budget blockbuster.

A legendary exploit directed by a director who, since the days when he was working on the student, had begun to demonstrate that he possessed a “difficult” attitude. As he was working on that film, three boys of 14, 16 and 17 years old, they accused the director: he had asked them to turn naked a scene set in the shower. To date, it is not yet clear whether everything has been resolved because of the lack of tests or with extra-judicial agreements, but it was the departure of a series of scandals that are then exploded in the middle of #MeToo leading to the dismissal of Bryan Singer from the direction of Bohemian Rhapsody (which still sees him credited as a director so much so that in his pockets they would have ended 40 million dollars only as a percentage of the proceeds). If you want to deepen on the theme of the accusations of sexual harassment against Bryan Singer you can make a culture with Wikipedia and Chatgpt. You will understand easily because I did not articulate too much: five insights would be needed.

On the set of X-Men, Singer kept faith with his fame between promises to the extras in exchange for sex during auditions, use of drugs and narcotics and whoever has more nor do you put more.

A typical example of how the darkest part of Hollywood worked. Today, perhaps, there is some more attention, but it is highly unlikely that the sector then changed so much. In a special that the Hollywood Reporter published five years ago on the occasion of the twenty years, the producer of the film, Lauren Shuler Donner, reflected that “it is a strange sector, the film industry. We celebrate creativity and talent, forgiven the behaviors of brilliant personalities. Probably, without realizing it, we end up favoring them by closing an eye on what they do, taking their product to then world”.

Kevin Feige and Wolverine’s hair

But then, you will ask me now, that the Marvel Studios films have to do with that of a major that today does not even exit eight years before Iron Man? “.

It has to do with it because at the time what is today one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood, Kevin Feige, worked as an assistant of Lauren Shuler Donner. If you have seen the series The Studio on Apple TV+ you know that acting as assistant to a manufacturer, or producer, of Hollywood means to exercise a profession that is halfway between the caregiver, the secretary and the waiter.

Here, despite his “marginal” role, Kevin Feige, who in 2000 was twenty -seven years old, had already understood that in order to succeed, a film based on a comic had to embrace certain excessive aspects typical of the medium at the base.

And it was he who pushed to ensure that another debutant, Hugh Jackman, exhibited the hairstyle that Wolverine then has in the film.

The story comes from a now very old cover story that Vanity Fair dedicated, in 2017, to the Marvel Studios in which we read that one day, on the set of X-Men, Laura Shuler Donner and what in those years supervised the activities of the films that exploited the characters of Marvel, Avi Arad, found themselves observing an unexpected scene. In front of their eyes there was an exasperated hairdresser who, on the insistent request of Feige, sprayed abundant lacquer, bringing Hugh Jackman’s hair more and more on that hairstyle that then became iconic. Quoted by Vanity Fair Feige recalls that “the hairstylist finally gives life to that ridiculous fold. Reviewing the film today has, actually, a beautiful exaggerated look. But on the other hand it is Wolverine and he is so!”.

The experience had in a period in which he occupied one of the lowest steps among the low steps of the hierarchies on a set was fundamental for Kevin Feige who then followed it as a mantra in architect the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He never shared the idea that, in a cinefumetto, one thing is not done because “potentially ridiculous”. According to him, and rightly I add, everything in a comic is potentially ridiculous. But, as he said at the magazine “this does not mean that you should not try to make her look cool”.

With just under 40 films behind them and more than $ 30 billion collected at the box office, even net of some recent false steps, it is difficult to blame him.