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Good morning Devin.
As usual you manage to disappoint me with your false statements. I am sure you were told by Marvel that I resigned over the self-financing strategy. It is about time for a reporter like you to do your homework and check the facts. It will sound arrogant to you, but I single handedly put together the Marvel slate. Read it carefully and you will notice the natural progression of the character's design to get to where we are today.
You should reach out to Merill Lynch and Ambac Insurance and to our international partners that came on board based on my track record. Our financial partners counted on my reputation. I had to work very hard to convert the doubters. They trusted me and without Iron Man this article would have not been written. Iron Man was not even in the original slate. I knew that we needed it so I set out to get it back from Newline and the rest is history.
Our financing would have never happened without me reaching out to Brad Grey to make a distribution deal that will give you a corporate guarantee. Other people in Marvel worked for many months with Universal and could not reach a deal. I got tired of waiting and went to Brad. The deal was done in days, successful for both companies. The big presentation to financial institutions and insurance companies took place on the Paramount lot. I was the presenter and it worked. Does this sound to you like someone who disagreed with the strategy to make our own movies?
I have forgiven Kevin for following orders and taking the credit, but he had no choice. Shame on you for kowtowing to your business gods. I have given up on journalistic integrity. You called me to talk about Kevin and I gave you the most true and glowing account on someone that I love and respect. Share your notes otherwise you just wasted my time. I will share this letter with other papers and your management to demonstrate the unprofessional self-serving work this reporter demonstrated.
Avi Arad responding to Devin Leonard's article in Business Week Magazine, about the Man who Saved Marvel.
Wow, first thing I have to say is where the heck is the breaks in that wall of text. (Edit, thanks to BusinessWeek who released the text as well.) The Email was provided to a French Magazine who has now gotten permission to publish it from Avi Arad.
I'm going to take a few moments and comment here on a major issue I see with Avi's commentary... It doesn't fit the timeline.
Avi Arad resigned from Marvel Studios in May 2006. So how does that fit into the time line....
In 2004 Marvel Studios hired David Maisel as COO, because he had a plan to create self funding film studio. David Maisel was a colleague or friend of Avi Arad depending on which version of history you like.
The self financing deal was signed with Merrill Lynch (insured by AMBAC) in September 2004 with Paramount Pictures as distributing partner.
The rights to Iron-Man reverted to Marvel Entertainment in December 2004 from New Line Cinema (who was the last in a series of companies to hold the rights).
Brad Grey is name CEO of Paramount Pictures in March 2005.
You starting to see the problems here?
Avi Arad sent another email today to Deadline Magazine this morning...
And the plot thinkens with a response from NEW LINE Cinema executive:We had a list of titles, but the slate didn’t have Iron Man or Hulk, and I had a very tough time getting Iron Man back from New Line, but we got it back. I always loved Iron Man. I left because I wanted to leave. It was nothing other than it was time to go. The company was growing and I didn’t like committees and I was 60 and was doing well as it was. I took a walk and thought, ‘I’m too old for this.’ And I thought if I keep nothing but Spider-Man, I will continue with Marvel, but I can do other things. I wanted to do other things … and I am now. The company is in good hands with Kevin who doing a great job.”
“The article about the Arad/Feige wars seems interesting, it’s obviously sour grapes from a “producer” who has been marginalized by his former partner Perlmutter.Arad talks about his “track record.” But what did that entail? All the deals at Fox were done by Bill Mechanic who had the foresight to see that Marvel had more value that previous owner Perelman thought. Iron Man was actually part of the Fox deal and it was simple idiocy by Tom Rothman that allowed New Line to come in and scoop it up. So what track record does he refer to? He deserves no credit for X-Men or Fantastic Four. I am sure he is not clamoring for credit for Daredevil or Elektra. So what track record? Spiderman he claims as his baby, but really that was ALL Sony. They had the rights through some crazyass deals that were done decades ago. He leveraged his way into the deal and pushed for David Fincher to direct the movie, not Sam Raimi. So I guess he had that track record.But I was moved to write by this sentence of Arad’s - “I knew that we needed it (IRON MAN) so I set out to get it back from Newline and the rest is history.”Let’s be clear here. Arad was happy to renew Iron Man with New Line for a total of FOUR years. He was happy with a script by Tim McLanies in which Iron Man was dressed by his toaster. He sat in meetings with Bob Shea who insisted that Iron Man not fly and he was okay with that. His vision for Iron Man was to try to pretty much do anything Shea and Emmerich wanted to do.So how did he get it back from them when the new opportunity arose? Simple. He lied. He lied to New Line and Emmerich for months telling them that they were in negotiations for an extension, leading them to believe the project was going forward, then on the day the option was up he pulled it.Arad so baldy and boldy lied to everyone back in those days, it’s astonishing he wants the unearned credit now. Track record? Outside of Marvel that consists of the Bratz movie. Feige was and remains the waterboy, that was clear then and now, but to talk about “forgiving” Kevin is just hilarious.Facts are facts. Arad is full of sound and fury signifying nothing.Sign me,One Who Walked The Walk”
I have to say nothing here is looking good for Avi position.
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