If nothing else is taken away from the SDCC 2020 panel A Look Inside Marvel’s ‘616’ on Disney+, it is important to know that it is correctly pronounced “Six-One-Six.” That being said, there’s a lot to look forward to with this brand new documentary anthology series on the wildly successful Disney platform, Disney Plus.
We know the stories of Captain America, Iron Man, Spiderman and Captain Marvel, but do we know the additional stories of Ms. Marvel or Typeface? For over 80 years, the universe of Marvel has been introducing characters that come from a plethora of varying backgrounds and storylines – even if they’re not considered the superstars. Marvel’s 616 embarks on a new series structure that brings in different filmmakers to tell the stories of comic book characters from all walks of life that many are unfamiliar with.
“The anthology nature of the series really made sense to us because it allowed us to really respect each story/storyteller and let that journey be its own kind of moment. The next episode is going to take you on a completely different path,” says Sarah Amos, Marvel’s 616 executive producer. From villains and superheroes to sidekicks, this series opens up a conversation with the creators and writers of each character’s story.
Executive producer Jason Sterman elaborates on what the strategy was in figuring out how to start on a project like this with so many characters to choose from. “We challenged ourselves internally and asked the first question, ‘what’s the expected version of this show and how do we make sure it’s not that?’”
Actors Gillian Jacobs and Paul Scheer came from two different perspectives when brought in as filmmakers for this series. “I inadvertently made a piece about the history of comics, not just Marvel,” Jacobs says. Jacobs had no prior knowledge of comics before directing her episode on the female characters who haven’t gotten the attention they deserve, including Ms. Marvel, the first Muslim American superhero, written by G. Willow Wilson.
“I kind of think of it as a family reunion,” Scheer explains as he describes his approach to finding the connections to the characters who haven’t gotten to shine as brightly as others. In the clip shown during the panel, Scheer’s take on the episode he directs has a very Anthony Bourdain-esque feel, as viewers will follow him on a journey of revealing discussions with the writers of comics that are rarely ever talked about.
Whether you’re a Marvel comic super fan or casual reader, there really is something for everyone to connect to in this series, Amos ensures. “I’m excited to introduce different communities to people. Fandoms have so many different ways that you can really connect with Marvel.” Everyone involved is confident that this series is going to inspire people to read more comics.
Marvel’s 616 will be available for streaming soon.
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