Marvel offices.
Marvel had begun to move at a sharp, determined pace. Pressured by numerous companies, they started seeking the involvement of different lead actors for their superhero films. Though each was a bit off from what was originally expected—ranging from Blade to X-Men—some projects seemed promising enough to begin. Billy's hesitation was entirely justified. Collaboration projects were among the most anticipated ideas. All he needed was to find the right characters and give each of their stories its own space and time on screen. With that in mind—and for several other reasons—he chose to move forward with what he already had in mind. This time, he aimed to level the playing field, building a Marvel universe with a clean, rounded number of 20 films, no more.
Typically, people saw Marvel through two lenses: a strong start and a steep fall. Failing to let go when the time is right is one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make. If you reuse something repeatedly without change, it loses the charm it once had. When an idea is repeated without intelligence, not even the best actors can save it. Billy used that as fuel to take things a step further.
First, he would cut Iron Man down to two films, Thor to two, Captain America to two, Hulk, Black Widow, and Ant-Man to two. Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Black Panther would also get two each, with Captain Marvel, X-Men, and The Avengers tied in as the larger ensemble franchises.
He envisioned a separate Spider-Man series—initially four films—with a defined beginning and end: one animated Spider-Man, a follow-up version, and one that would join the Avengers. This would lay the groundwork for a Spider-Man multiverse, distinct from the Avengers franchise, yet eventually linking Spider-Man with Daredevil.
What he insisted on was a method grounded in reality: standalone films with darker atmospheres, heroes crushed under the weight of their own capes—cold, sharp, and driven by bitter natures where men are chased by grim endings. His goal was to give this corner of the Marvel Universe an R rating. It didn't matter much to him—what mattered was that the lens was darker and the stories felt real. Though choosing and prioritizing chapters was difficult, all that was needed was to find the right pieces. Often, the actors themselves posed serious challenges, with their addictions, weight fluctuations, legal issues, terminated contracts, or outright refusals.
After gaining fame and fortune, many would later scoff at the franchises that had launched their careers, either because they were told to or out of sheer arrogance. Few understood the importance of conscious work and professionalism. Without those roles, they wouldn't have earned the money, fame, or opportunities they had. That's why Marvel has always been a ticking time bomb—something not to be used with greed or carelessness. If it is, the result is always the same: either a total collapse of emotional depth or the breakdown of structure.
Everything had to begin with the origin stories—the foundational arcs of each character. Who could deny that when something feels destined, it should be handled right?
His first contracts would be for Captain America, Captain Marvel, and Hulk—three characters with fiery, offbeat beginnings. Even if the box office didn't look promising, he was willing to let time find its place.
–A story worth thinking about, but too little time to make it real,– said Stan Lee.
–We can't afford to waste so much time tweaking scripts. It's just money down the drain,– said Avi Arad, who already had all his future screenplays mapped out. The how and why mattered less—he knew how the model worked.
–A film like this only needs a striking moment—something that gets people excited about the hero,– Isaac Perlmutter added.
–Then let's turn a deaf ear,– said Joe Quesada.
–Hard to turn a deaf ear when they're waving money in our faces. These licensing deals are twice what we had under Perelman,– Avi remarked.
–That doesn't mean we don't care,– Joe replied.
–We don't need the money,– Isaac said.
–We don't even have seats on the board anymore. Billy owns everything,– Stan Lee stated sharply, knowing those words stung for everyone at the table. Their executive powers had vanished into thin air.
–But it's the company that brought us here,– Isaac Perlmuter pointed out. For months, he'd hoped to be appointed Chief Operating Officer, unaware of the grim reality behind Marvel's financials. The company had quietly slipped into a depressive phase. Not all was lost, though—the new creative root had almost taken full form. With brilliant illustrators, all that remained was to bring the animation team to New York. But operating costs in the Big Apple made that nearly impossible. The solution? Move operations. But first, they had to recruit every student in the nearby universities. Many of them had raw talent from all over the world. The goal now, with Marvel's building, was to ensure that every piece fit perfectly.
–Our accounts are transparent… but we can't ignore the need to adjust to the new publishing directives—at least partially,– Avi Arad said. He was beginning to see the benefits more clearly. The kid was doing a great job of drawing the bees to the honey, all while working to dissolve labor unions that had long strangled any breath of progress. The plague of unfounded socialism had become a massive headache.
Why call it a plague? Because they refused to negotiate. Sure, employers were abusive at times, but the workers didn't understand how the system worked. That's why the U.S. lost its steel and coal industries—any possible exit was torched by a handful of laws that only benefited a few for three years. They bled the system dry like mosquitoes, and when nothing more came out, they ran off to complain about life's unfairness in another job. At the negotiation table, they had only ever spat in everyone's face.
–Avi, so how tough are the new directives?– asked Joe Quesada.
–A bit complicated, but they'll help everyone. We'll join the parent company's social security plan at Lux Animation—with a few tweaks, - Avi replied. For example, dental services would be included, but transport subsidies would be swapped for meal allowances, train services, education plans, and housing benefits.
–Some of it will be harsh. I limited the number of editors per group and created a new lower-tier position in charge of preliminary reviews. Some roles were removed altogether. We're also opening the first floor as a public plaza, along with many other changes– Avi sighed, clearly overwhelmed.
They were buying and renovating the building: a food court, a T-Box Foods chain, cafés, and comic stands. Second floor—main entrance; third and fourth—offices; fifth and sixth—animation studios; seventh and eighth—comic divisions. Then the admin rooms and boardrooms. A 15-story building, modernized with a few crucial refinements.