Kevin Feige Hails Moviegoing at Will Rogers Foundation Event

He’s a “great guy who’s incredibly humble” who has also produced 38 movies in 17 years that have delivered more than $35 billion at the box office. Twelve of those titles delivered more than $1 billion; three of them generated $2 billion apiece. Not to mention, Kevin Feige is the architect of the most meticulously crafted, interconnected cinematic universe in the history of motion pictures.

Disney Entertainment chairman Alan Bergman reeled off those stunning stats (and admirable qualities) as he took part in Wednesday night’s tribute to Feige, president of Marvel Studios and chief creative officer of Marvel, who was honored with this year’s Pioneer of the Year laurel from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” star Chris Pratt and writer-director Jon Favreau were on hand at the Beverly Hilton hotel to laud the Marvel leader. Composer Michael Giacchino was there via video because of illness. Others who paid tribute in prerecorded reels include Marvel’s Louis D’Esposito and MCU stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Chris Hemsworth, Paul Bettany, Hailee Steinfeld, Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby.

Feige was the star of the night but the conversation in the packed ballroom was dominated by the big news of the day, Paramount Skydance’s surprise news that Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz is leaving the toymaker to join the Melrose plant as co-CEO with David Ellison.

“He believes in the movies, and even more than that he believes in the people who make the movies,” Pratt told the crowd at the Beverly Hilton. The event raised $1.9 million for the Will Rogers Pioneers Assistance Fund, which helps those in the film exhibition community who need assistance. Also in the crowd were Disney chief Josh D’Amaro, AMC Theatres leader Adam Aron and Eduardo Acuna of Regal Cinemas, producer Scott Stuber among others.

Favreau echoed Pratt’s comments about Feige’s passion for all things related to cinema.

“The man loves movies. He listens to movie soundtracks in his car,” the “Iron Man” director told the crowd. “He’s driving down PCH blasting the ‘Ferngully’ soundtrack.”

Feige took a bit of gentle ribbing about his love of custom baseball caps and other characteristics that have become his signature. From video, Giacchino introduced a large tiki band that emerged on stage to perform Marvel movie tunes with a Polynesian flair.

The executive and producer lived up to his advance billing for humility in his remarks at the end of the night. And he had some thoughtful observations about what it is that makes moviegoing so special. He even name-checked his childhood haunt, the Rialto Theater in Westfield, New Jersey. (“Sitting in the dark, eating Twizzlers. I was hooked,” he recalled.)

“Underneath all the technology and the spectacle, the years of work from development to post. It’s still the same thing: a group of people making something with others, and then a group of people sitting in the dark and experiencing it with others. That is the full process of a movie,” Feige said.

“The final crucial part of that collaboration is the audience. Movies are an invitation to experience a story together. When a film connects and the crowd is cheering, laughing and crying together, that shared emotion is the final step in the process. That’s the real movie magic, You might even say it’s not a real movie without it,” he said.