More Marvel Movies

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Lions Gate Entertainment and Marvel Enterprises announced today a deal that would see the development, production and distribution of two new Marvel superheroes film projects, IRON FIST and BLACK WIDOW. This latest turn in the partnership between the two firms will mean the comic book company and the movie studio will share "certain revenues" from the two properties. Marvel retains the rights for all related merchandising connected to the films.

With the release of the first collaboration between Marvel and Lions Gate still more than a month away (THE PUNISHER opens April 16), the two companies announced that work on a sequel to THE PUNISHER has already commenced. "Working with Lions Gate on THE PUNISHER was a great experience and we feel very comfortable expanding this relationship to include two more exciting franchises," said Avi Arad, CEO of Marvel Studios.

"We believe that the nationwide launch of THE PUNISHER and acces to two more cutting-edge Marvel characters will kick off a long-term relationship between Lions Gate and Marvel that is rich with opportunity across all of our core businesses," added Lions Gate CEO Jon Feltheimer.

Artisan Entertainment had first acquired the movie rights to IRON FIST in May 2000 and developed a script by John Turman, with PHANTOM MENACE star Ray Park attached to play the part of Danny Rand. Things have since cooled down and little has been heard about the project since then. It appears that today's announcement means that Lions Gate, which had bought out Artisan last year and picked up all of their assets, decided to renew the film rights to the property.

From Cinescape