What a week! And it isn’t over yet. Among all the other tumult, for Marvel editor-in-chief and chif creative officer Joe Quesada has signed a first look deal with Amazon, THR reports. Quesada’s focus will be adapting comics book materials as Amazon is looking to get even further into comics-based film and TV. It’s not a new role for him, as he has many production credit in the MCU and has recently moved into directing.
Quesada left Marvel last year, and has been doing Batman covers and other art since then, but this is a much bigger move.
“Joe has been a singular and influential creative force guiding some of the most iconic storytelling that exists today,” said Nick Pepper, head of U.S. owned development at Amazon. “The opportunity to bring his expertise and vision to Amazon Studios presents a world of possibilities and we can’t wait to see what he brings to life next.”
“I can’t begin to express just how thrilled I am to be joining the Amazon Studios family,” Quesada said. “From the moment Nick Pepper, Matt King and the team approached me, it was clear we spoke the same language and shared the same creative goals. What was also clear is that they’re creating a collaborative environment and unique methodology that I’m surprised no one has yet thought to implement, but I’m certain will be quickly imitated.”
After breaking in to the industry as an artist, Quesada oversaw the Ultimate years at Marvel at EIC before moving to CCO of Marvel Entertainment. In both positions he presided over many epochal stories, including Civil War, Age of Ultron and all of the Ultimate comics that have very much influenced the MCU.
He’s also no stranger to film and tv, having been credited as executive producer on Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Agents of SHIELD, among many others. Since leaving Marvel last year, he’s also been moving more into film, directing a short film called “Fly” which won the Best Short Film Director and an Audience Choice Award at the Utah Film Festival.
Despite widely noted “superhero fatigue” Amazon is getting more into that business. The streamer announced a deal last year to partner with Sony on a variety of shows based on Sony’s stable of Marvel characters. The first announced is an adaptation of Silk: Spider Society from former Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang.
Of course it is also home to the very non-Marvel show The Boys, published by Dynamite, which is working on a new season and has become one of Amazon’s bigger hits, along with the animated Invincible show, based on Robert Kirkman’s Image series.
In short, there’s lots of space and material for this Quesada-Amazon team up, and it will be interesting to see what he comes up with.
