Marvel Studios is an American television and motion picture studio based in Beverly Hills, California.
It was formed in the late 1990s following Revlon CEO Ronald Perelman's acquisition of parent company Marvel Entertainment. This resulted in the re-entry of Marvel into the motion picture and television business.
Marvel Studios was formerly headed by Avi Arad (1993-31 May 2006, as director since 1993, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since Oct 1998). A $525 million non-recourse debt financing for up to 10 films produced using Marvel is completed in September 2004. In 2005, Michael Helfant joins the studio as as President and Chief Operating Officer. In March 2007, David Maisel is named Chairman, Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige as President of Production among multiple high level hires and promotions at the Studio as Iron Man began filming.
During the opening logo of films with the company's involvement, pictures from the company's comic books are flipped through. Some films contain the flipping images of various Marvel superheroes for the opening logo (Spider-Man film series, Iron Man, Daredevil, Blade: Trinity and X2), while others have images of comics involving the namesake superhero(s) of that particular film (Hulk, and its reboot, both Fantastic Four films, Ghost Rider, etc.).
Before all independent films, the Marvel Studios logo is shown, yet doesn't flick through different comics. In 2005, Variety reported that Marvel themselves will start producing some of the films with Paramount Pictures distributing them. The funding will come from a seven year $525 million revolving credit facility with Merill Lynch. Since the announcement, Marvel's film slate has expanded to include:
In development
