Marvel Studios' co-founder David Maisel to launch new multiverse

David Maisel, the founding chairman of Marvel Studios, announced on the 15th anniversary of the movie Iron Man - which marked the launch of Marvel Cinematic Universe - that he is developing a new multiverse.

Maisel came up with the idea for Marvel to produce its own movies over a weekend in 2003, and pitched the concept to Marvel, getting hired to oversee its film efforts. He secured financing for a slate of movies and convinced Marvel to delay licensing its characters to other movie studios.

“Marvel was not what Marvel is now,” Maisel told The Hollywood Reporter. “No one believed in us for years.”

Now, Maisel is planning his next venture, called The Ekos Universe, which he describes as "Avatar meets Marvel."

The universe will include live-action, animation, and gaming, and will be anchored by a series of Ekos films inspired by the work of late artist Michael Turner.

Maisel has hired a dozen staff, attracted millions from investors, and formed an advisory group that includes former Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada and Jeremy Latcham, ex-SVP of development and production of Marvel Studios.

Ekos gets its name from a 2003 comic from Turner and Geoff Johns. Maisel is not yet revealing the core concept behind the Ekos Universe, but it’s one he conceived during the pandemic.

“In a time when there are so many great films exploring the wonder and awe of multiverses and galaxies, Ekos will focus on the wonder and awe of this planet,” Maisel says, to give some idea of where he intends to go with it.

Investors in David Maisel's new project include Hybe, Ron Burkle, Nicolas Berggruen, Jim Breyer, Sfermion, Krafton, and Digital. The core of the universe is based on comics, but the movies and TV shows will be separate entities. Maisel is also creating an animated film called Cupid, featuring the voice of Justin Bieber, which is not part of Ekos Universe.