Seth Rogen Shares The Single Reason Preventing Him From Working With Marvel Studios
When folks talk about comic book adaptations, much of the chatter consists of which property Marvel Studios or DC Entertainment is promoting from one week to the next, and in that chatter, the name Seth Rogen is rarely, if ever, broached. But if you've been charting the multi-hyphenate filmmaker's career over the last decade or so, you're aware that he and his longtime creative partner Evan Goldberg have been behind some of the best comic book adaptations in release, with titles like "Preacher," "Invincible," and "The Boys" fronting the list.
Rogen continues his trend of backing comic properties off the Marvel and DC property path with the release of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," an animated feature he co-wrote, produced, and contributed voice work to. Given his penchant for adapting comic book fare, Rogen has regularly been asked about teaming up with Marvel on a project, and in a recent interview with Polygon, he admitted he's actually afraid to do so. "Honestly, probably fear," Rogen laughingly answered when asked about why he hasn't worked with Marvel. "We really have a pretty specific way we work; me and Evan have been writers for 20 years at this point. It's a fear of the process, honestly."
Rogen was, however, quick to add he also doesn't really know how things work at Marvel, noting, "I say that knowing nothing about the process." And as of this writing, it's unclear how interested he is in finding out.
Rogen doesn't seem completely against the idea of working with Marvel someday
That reticence aside, Seth Rogen doesn't seem wholly opposed to the idea of a Marvel venture. Though he didn't specify which, Rogen has admitted to enjoying several Marvel Cinematic Universe offerings over the years. Though it still seems like a long shot based on his comments alone, Rogen could be enticed by Marvel bosses under the right set of circumstances.
Those circumstances are hardly diminutive, however, as Rogen's primary point of concern is how much creative control he and Evan Goldberg would have under the Marvel banner. Per Rogen, "It's mostly a fear of how would we plug into the system they have in place, which seems like a very good system, and a system that serves them very well." Given its success, Marvel Studios has understandably become a bit set in its ways regarding how its projects are, ahem, assembled. Rogen understands this, stating that he and Goldberg might find that sort of working relationship frustrating.
He further adds that what's made many of their adaptations so much fun to date is that he and Goldberg largely call the shots themselves. "What's also appealing for us about 'The Boys' and the other bigger franchise-y type things we've done, is that we are creating the infrastructure and process for them, not plugging into someone else's infrastructure and process. We're control freaks!" Though a Marvel team up doesn't seem likely anytime soon, if the house that superheroes built ever decides to summarily shake things up from a creative standpoint, it sounds like Rogen may be more open to fielding the studio's call than previously believed.