2 Notes
Stan Lee on That Time He Worked With Michael Jackson
The most interesting bit of almost-casting that I’ve ever heard came from a Producers Guild conference last summer: the “X-Men” producers revealed that Michael Jackson seriously lobbied for the part of Professor X.
I wasn’t aware that Michael Jackson wanted to be Professor X. I knew Michael Jackson. And with the things he discussed with me, I felt he wanted to be Spider-Man. That was the character that interested him. He never discussed the X-Men with me.
How do you think he would have fared as Spider-Man?
I think he’d have been good. I think he’d have been very good. But I must say that Tobey Maguire was wonderful.
I’m fascinated by the fact that Jackson worked with Stan Lee Media and attempted to buy Marvel, in the 90s.
Yes, he wanted to. He felt that would be the only way that he could play Spider-Man. [Laughs]
What do you think the company would have looked like now if that partnership came to fruition?
I can’t imagine it would have been totally different of course, but maybe not as successful. Michael was not a great businessman.
