Marvel Universe Live!
Marvel Universe Live!, stylized as Marvel Universe LIVE!, is a touring live action arena show featuring Marvel Comics characters by Feld Entertainment. So far there have been two shows under the banner, the original and "Age of Heroes".[1]
| Marvel Universe Live! | |
|---|---|
 Poster for the 2014 UK tour. | |
| Company | Feld Entertainment |
| Genre | Superheroes |
| Show type | Touring arena |
| Date of premiere | July 10, 2014 |
| Location | Mobile |
| Creative team | |
| Primary Marvel character creators | Stan Lee & Jack Kirby |
| Producer | Juliette Feld |
| Other information | |
| Production company | Feld Entertainment |
| Official website | |
Marvel's previous licensed theatrical show, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, a Broadway musical, was plagued by several injuries. The movie licenses currently do not restrict the licensed Marvel characters' appearances in a theatrical presentation such as an arena show.[2]
History
In March 2013, Feld Entertainment agreed with Marvel Entertainment to produce a Marvel Character-based live arena show.[3] For nearly two years, development and engineering had been underway for the show.[2] In September 2013, regional casting calls began in Los Angeles with another set held in Las Vegas, New York and in Orlando in October.[4] In October 2013, at New York Comic Con, Marvel and Feld revealed that the arena show would be Marvel Universe LIVE![5] In February 2014, the performers were cast and rehearsals began at Feld's facility in Ellenton. The cast was selected from a pool of Martial artists, aerial performers, X Games competitors and stunt people.[2]
On July 10, 2014, Marvel Universe Live! premiered at the Tampa Bay Times Forum with showing there until July 13. The show has an initial 85-city national tour.[2] The show's world premiere followed on August 13 at New York City's Barclays Center. After Tampa, Florida and New York City, the show stayed on the east coast which includes stops at Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Nashville, Miami, and Atlanta.[6]
A new Marvel Universe Live! show, "Age of Heroes", was announced by Feld in May 2017. The tour had a soft launch in New Orleans from June 23–25 before heading out West for the summer. Age of Heroes debuted at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 7, 2017. Then Age of Heroes went to the Midwest in the fall follow by Canada and circling the USA until early 2019 when the show goes over seas.[7]
Original show
| Marvel Universe Live! | |
|---|---|
Poster for the 2014 UK tour. | |
| Company | Feld Entertainment |
| Date of premiere | July 10, 2014 |
| Creative team | |
| Director | Shanda Sawyer[2] |
| Writers | Adam Wilson Melanie Wilson LaBracio[8] |
| Stunt coordinator | Andy Armstrong[2] |
| Casting director | Jessica Ferris[4] |
| Costume designer | Cynthia Nordstrom[9] |
| Other information | |
| Length | 90 minutes[2] |
Thor shattered the cosmic cube, so it would not fall into dangerous hands. Loki moves to reform the cube in order to destroy the Earth. So, a worldwide race for the fragments is on. The Avengers, Spider-Man and the X-Men work to stop Loki and the other involved super villains (Red Skull, Madame Hydra, Electro, Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus) to save the Earth.[2][6]
Characters
| Super Heroes | Live[2] | Age of Heroes[10] |
|---|---|---|
| Avengers | Live | Age of Heroes |
| Captain America |  | |
| Iron Man | | |
| Thor | | |
| Hulk | | |
| Black Widow | | |
| Hawkeye | | |
| S.H.I.E.L.D. | Live | Age of Heroes |
| Nick Fury | | |
| Maria Hill | | |
| S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents | | |
| X-Men | Live[11] | Age of Heroes |
| Wolverine | | |
| Storm | | |
| Cyclops | | |
| Guardians of the Galaxy | Live | Age of Heroes |
| Star-Lord | | |
| Gamora | | |
| Drax the Destroyer | | |
| Rocket Raccoon | | |
| Groot | | |
| Other Heroes | Live | Age of Heroes |
| Pepper Potts | | |
| Spider-Man | | |
| Captain Marvel | | |
| Falcon | | |
| Doctor Strange | | |
| Wasp | | |
| Black Panther | | |
| Iron Fist | | |
| Super Villains | Live | Age of Heroes |
| A.I.M. | Live | Age of Heroes |
| Aldrich Killian | | |
| A.I.M. Agents | | |
| Extremis Agents | | |
| Sinister Six | Live | Age of Heroes |
| Green Goblin | | |
| Doctor Octopus | | |
| Rhino | | |
| Black Cat | | |
| Electro | | |
| Lizard | | |
| Hydra | Live | Age of Heroes |
| Red Skull | | |
| Viper | | |
| Hydra Agents | | |
| Other villains | Live | Age of Heroes |
| Yondu | | |
| The Ravagers | | |
| Nebula | | |
| Loki | | |
| Chitauri | | |
Age of Heroes
| Marvel Universe Live: Age of Heroes | |
|---|---|
| Date of premiere | July 17, 2017[7] |
| Creative team | |
| Director | James Hadley |
| Writer | Dave Love |
| Flying director | Mark Dirkse |
| Action director | Eric Miranda |
| Composer | Michael Picton[13] |
| Other information | |
| Length | 90 minutes[10] |
The Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers team up to help Doctor Strange retrieve the Wand of Watoomb from Yondu. Loki has hired Nebula to get the Wand for him. Guardians of the Galaxy are also after Nebula. The two teams meet in Asgard before uniting and travel to stop Loki and Nebula from ending the world with the wand.[10]
References
- Kenner, Kari (September 27, 2017). "Marvel Universe LIVE! Age of Heroes brings action-packed superhero stunt show to Utah". Daily Herald. Herald Communications. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
- Kennedy Wynne, Sharon (July 1, 2014). "Ambitious Marvel stunt show makes world premiere in Tampa". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
- "Marvel, circus company join forces for superhero arena show". Los Angeles Times. March 13, 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- Clark, Noelene (October 12, 2013). "'Marvel Universe Live': Behind the scenes of a superhero arena show". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
- McMillan, Graeme (October 12, 2013). "NYCC: Marvel Reveals Live-Action Stage Event to Launch 2014". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
- Suhay, Lisa (July 21, 2014). "Marvel heroes take their 'powers' to live stage show". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
- Lush, Tamara (May 17, 2017). "'Marvel Universe LIVE!': Superheroes save the day in new show, with Utah on itinerary". The Salt Lake Tribune. AP. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- Rearick, Kristie (July 18, 2014). "'Marvel Universe Live!' show blows away sibling team who penned script". South Jersey Times. nj.com. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
- Truitt, Brian (November 5, 2013). "Avengers assemble on the 'Marvel Universe LIVE!' tour". USA Today. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- Lussier, Germain (July 18, 2017). "The Marvel Universe Live Show Is a Goofy, Kid-Friendly Preview of Infinity War". io9. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
- "'Marvel Universe Live' Brings Superheroes to Life". ABCNews.com. ABC News. July 4, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- Roberts, Kimberly C. (July 24, 2014). "'Marvel Universe Live!' comes to Wells Fargo". The Philadelphia Tribune. Archived from the original on August 5, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
- "The Creative Team". Marvel Universe Live!. Feld Entertainment. Retrieved April 9, 2019.