Marvel Studios Rejected a Star Wars-Inspired Series Considered One of the Best in the Franchise

<img class="gallery-image " src="https://www.slashfilm.com/img/gallery/marvel-turned-down-a-series-inspired-by-one-of-the-best-star-wars-projects-ever/intro-1728926532.jpg" data-slide-url="https://www.slashfilm.com/1687800/marvel-turned-down-series-inspired-star-wars-clone-wars/" data-post-id="1687800" data-slide-num="0" data-slide-title="Marvel Turned Down A Series Inspired By One Of The Best Star Wars Projects Ever" JHarsh, but not wrong.

Timm’s “DC Animated Universe” wrapped up in 2006 with “Justice League Unlimited,” but Warner Bros. animation kept going. Since the late 2000s, they’ve generally put out at least one animated DC film a year, often adapting specific comic arcs. These movies are not always great, but they’re good introductions to the characters and stories for young viewers. They certainly helped on-ramp me as a DC fan.

Marvel briefly tried their hand at this, producing eight animated pictures with Lionsgate from 2006 to 2011, but after the contract ended, there were no more. I think that was a mistake. Just imagine recruiting Tartakovsky to direct those.

Favreau’s “Iron Man” films did receive an animated tie-in: “Iron Man: Armored Adventures,” which was… pretty good. The CGI and art style could be uncanny, but it also gave Iron Man’s villains some much-needed depth. Then the 2010 to 2012 “Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” was the closest Marvel has come to its own “Justice League Unlimited.” Sadly, it was pulled after two seasons for the cheaper (and more directly MCU-influenced) “Avengers Assemble.”

There are some recent signs of hope for Marvel Animation though (and I don’t mean “What If…?”). The “Spider-Verse” films at Sony Pictures Animation feel downright groundbreaking next to most cookie cutter superhero flicks. One of Marvel Studios’ most acclaimed projects is “X-Men ’97,” a revival of the 1990s “X-Men” cartoon that eclipses the original. If Marvel has finally realized the potential animation holds, they should give Tartakovsky a call.