Moviefone interviewed Stan Lee, the comic writer who along with Jack Kirby created The Avengers, and it he reveals that Michael Jackson was seriously considering buying Marvel Comics in the 90s so that he could play Spider-Man.
Moviefone: 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.
Stan Lee: 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.
Moviefone: How do you think he would have fared as Spider-Man?
Stan Lee: I think he’d have been good. I think he’d have been very good. But I must say that Tobey Maguire was wonderful.
Moviefone: I’m fascinated by the fact that Jackson worked with Stan Lee Media and attempted to buy Marvel, in the 90s.
Stan Lee: Yes, he wanted to. He felt that would be the only way that he could play Spider-Man. [Laughs]
Moviefone: What do you think the company would have looked like now if that partnership came to fruition?
Stan Lee: I can’t imagine it would have been totally different of course, but maybe not as successful. Michael was not a great businessman.
Could Michael have pulled it off? Perhaps a younger Michael, but Michael in the 90s seems harder to imagine as Peter Parker. Still, I think we can all agree the dance scene in Spider-Man would’ve been better.
