Donald Trump has already left an indelible stain on the office of presidency, and according to a new book, he apparently left his mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe before it was even formed.
In an excerpt from MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, writers Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards reveal how a lunch meeting at Mar-a-Lago ignited the spark that would form one of the largest blockbuster franchises of all time. However, the meeting taking place at Trump’s golf club shouldn’t come as a total surprise. Trump’s presidency would reveal that he was tight with then-Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter, a notorious penny-pincher who would later reportedly advise the MAGA administration on Veteran Affairs.
Via Rolling Stone:
Trump wasn’t familiar with Perlmutter’s lunch companion. David Maisel wasn’t socially adept by anyone’s measure, including his own. Tall and lanky, he seemed much younger than his forty years. His mind was always spinning with business plans and financial schemes. Sometimes Maisel came up with ideas faster than he could get words out of his mouth; he spoke quickly and enthusiastically, and with an occasional stammer. Now, in Donald Trump’s dining room, he was eagerly trying to talk his way into a dream job.
Perlmutter had taken Maisel to Mar-a-Lago for a meal that would help chip away at the club’s annual $2,000 dining minimum. Before the appetizers arrived, Maisel launched into his pitch. What if Perl- mutter and Marvel could keep the money from blockbuster super-hero movies, instead of most of it going to studios like Fox (for X-Men) and Sony (for Spider-Man)? What if Marvel Studios was a real studio, not just a glorified production company? And what if he, David Maisel, could make that happen without Perlmutter having to contribute his own money?
While Trump was present for the 2003 lunch meeting, it was strictly in a glad-handing owner schmoozing with his rich buddies capacity. We doubt the former president could name a single comic book character if asked.
However, he has been the inspiration for several villains over the years.
(Via Rolling Stone)
