Avi Arad

{{Short description|Israeli-American film and television producer (born 1948)}}

{{Infobox person

| image = Avi Arad by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| caption = Arad at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con

| native_name = אבי ארד

| native_name_lang = he

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|8|1}}

| birth_place = Ramat Gan, Israel

| nationality = {{hlist|Israeli|American}}

| death_date =

| death_place =

| notable_works =

| spouse = Joyce Arad

| children = 3

| occupation = {{hlist|Film producer|Television producer|Studio executive}}

| years_active = 1990–present

| module = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes

| allegiance = {{flag|Israel}}

| branch = Israel Defense Forces

| serviceyears = 1965–1968

| rank =

| unit =

| battles = Six-Day War (WIA)

| awards =

}}

Avi Arad ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɑː|v|i|_|ˈ|ɑː|r|ɑː|d}}; {{langx|he|אבי ארד}}; born August 1, 1948{{cite web |last1=Hoffman |first1=Jordan |author-link1=Jordan Hoffman |title=Is Spider-Man Jewish? |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/is-spider-man-jewish/ |website=Times of Israel |access-date=February 17, 2019 |date=June 13, 2012 |quote=Avi Arad, born in Ramat Gan in 1948, founded and led Marvel Studios and recently produced for that studio the megasmash "The Avengers." |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114012254/https://www.timesofisrael.com/is-spider-man-jewish/ |archive-date=January 14, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Avi Arad News & Biography - Empire|url=https://www.empireonline.com/people/avi-arad/ |website=Empire Online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620120910/https://www.empireonline.com/people/avi-arad/ |archive-date=June 20, 2022 |url-status=live }}) is an Israeli-American studio executive and producer of film, television and animation. He became the CEO of Toy Biz in the 1990s, was the chief creative officer of Marvel Entertainment and is the founder, former chairman and former CEO of the latter's successor, Marvel Studios.[http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=23471 "Marvel Announces New Independent Producer Deal with Avi Arad"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060824031557/http://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=23471 |date=August 24, 2006 }}, May 31, 2006 press release, via Ain't It Cool News Since then, he has produced and sometimes written a wide array of live-action, animated, and television comic book adaptations.

Early life

Arad was born in 1948 in Ramat Gan, Israel, to a Jewish family. The son of Holocaust survivors from Poland, he grew up reading Superman and Spider-Man comics translated into Hebrew.{{cite web |last1=Bowles |first1=Scott |title=Marvel's chief: A force outside, 'a kid inside' |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2003-06-05-marvel_x.htm |website=USA Today |publisher=Gannett Co. Inc. |access-date=February 17, 2019 |location=Los Angeles |language=en |date=May 6, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304223051/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2003-06-05-marvel_x.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |quote=Arad grew up on Superman and Spider-Man comics translated into Hebrew.}} In 1965, he was conscripted as a soldier into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He fought and was wounded in the 1967 Six-Day War, and spent 15 months recuperating. Arad finished his military service in 1968.{{r|"usatoday30"}}

In 1970, Arad moved to the United States and enrolled at Hofstra University to study industrial management. He worked as a truck driver and as a Hebrew teacher to put himself through college, and graduated with a BBA in 1972.{{r|"usatoday30"}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.hofstra.edu/Academics/Colleges/Zarb/zarbfos/zarbfos_arad.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517121618/http://www.hofstra.edu/Academics/Colleges/Zarb/zarbfos/zarbfos_arad.html|url-status=dead|title=Hofstra University: Frank G. Zarb School of Business – Faces of Success: Avi Arad '72|archive-date=May 17, 2008}}

Career

= Marvel Comics =

Along with Israeli-American Toy Biz co-owner Isaac Perlmutter, Avi Arad came into conflict with Carl Icahn and Ron Perelman over control of Marvel Comics in the wake of its 1996 bankruptcy. In the end, Arad and Perlmutter came out on top, with Toy Biz taking over Marvel Comics in a complicated deal that included obtaining the rights to Spider-Man and other superheroes that Marvel had sold earlier. He was involved in Marvel's emergence from bankruptcy and the expansion of the company's profile through licensing and movies.

= Arad Productions =

File:Arad Productions (2007) (From - Netflix UK print of Bratz the Movie).png

On May 31, 2006, Arad resigned his various Marvel positions, including his leadership of Marvel Studios, to form his own production company, Arad Productions (also known as Arad Animation), a company that primarily produces Marvel-licensed films separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His first non-Marvel film was 2007's Bratz. Further ventures include manga adaptation Ghost in the Shell; an adaptation of Brandon Mull's teenage fantasy Fablehaven (which died in production); an adaptation of James Patterson's teenage novel Maximum Ride; and adaptations of video game properties Uncharted,{{cite web |first=Amy |last=Hennig |title=Uncharted 2 Live Chat with Naughty Dog |url=http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php?task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=bb0690c33d |work=The PlayStation Blog |publisher=Sony Computer Entertainment America |date=June 30, 2009 |quote=We're really excited about the development of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune as a movie -- we've been working with Arad Productions for the last year-and-a-half or so |access-date=July 30, 2009}} Infamous,{{cite web |first=Jay A. |last=Fernandez |title=Scribe takes on 'inFAMOUS' |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ide843f7bf07c511ffc026ea4b606ff51 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=Nielsen Business Media |date=July 28, 2009 |quote=Avi Arad and Ari Arad will produce. |access-date=July 30, 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100109115630/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ide843f7bf07c511ffc026ea4b606ff51| archive-date= January 9, 2010 | url-status= live}} Metal Gear Solid,{{cite web |first=George |last=Wales |title='Metal Gear Solid' movie confirmed |url=http://www.totalfilm.com/news/metal-gear-solid-movie-on-the-way?ns_campaign=news&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=totalfilm&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0 |work=Total Film |publisher=Future Publishing Limited |date=August 30, 2012 |access-date=August 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902033633/http://www.totalfilm.com/news/metal-gear-solid-movie-on-the-way?ns_campaign=news&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=totalfilm&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0 |archive-date=September 2, 2012 |url-status=live }} and The Legend of Zelda.{{cite web |last=Goslin |first=Austen |date=November 7, 2023 |title=Nintendo is making a live-action Legend of Zelda movie with Sony |url=https://www.polygon.com/platform/amp/23951355/zelda-movie-live-action-nintendo-sony |website=Polygon}}

= Production I.G =

In August 2010, it was announced that Arad was given a chair with the American branch of animation studio Production I.G in Los Angeles, California.{{cite web|title=Spider-Man Producer Avi Arad Becomes I.G. USA Chair |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-08-25/spider-man-producer-avi-arad-becomes-i.g-usa-chair|work=Anime News Network|publisher=Anime News Network |date=August 25, 2010 |access-date=August 30, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100827180454/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-08-25/spider-man-producer-avi-arad-becomes-i.g-usa-chair| archive-date= August 27, 2010 | url-status= live}}

= Israel-Palestine conflict =

A self-described proud former member of the Israeli military, Arad has been a staunch supporter of Israel. In 2024, he denounced Democratic U.S. senator Chuck Schumer for criticizing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the Gaza war, and stated his opposition to a ceasefire in Gaza.{{cite web|title= Producer Avi Arad Denounces Chuck Schumer’s Speech on Israel: 'It’s Not Your War'|url=https://www.thewrap.com/avi-arad-denounces-chuck-schumer-netanyahu-speech/}}

Filmography

= Feature films =

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Title

! Executive
Producer

! Producer

1998

| Blade

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

2000

| X-Men

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=2 | 2002

| Blade II

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

Spider-Man

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=3 | 2003

| Daredevil

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Hulk

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=3 | 2004

| The Punisher

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Spider-Man 2

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Blade: Trinity

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=3 | 2005

| Elektra

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Man-Thing (TV film)

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Fantastic Four

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2006

| X-Men: The Last Stand

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

rowspan=5 | 2007

| Ghost Rider

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Spider-Man 3

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Bratz

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

The Killing Floor

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=2 | 2008

| Iron Man

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

The Incredible Hulk

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2011

| Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2012

| The Amazing Spider-Man

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2013

| Robosapien: Rebooted

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2014

| The Amazing Spider-Man 2

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

| 2015

| Gamba: Ganba to nakamatachi

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=2 | 2017

| Ghost in the Shell

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Spider-Man: Homecoming

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=2 | 2018

| Venom

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2019

| Spider-Man: Far From Home

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=2 | 2021

| Venom: Let There Be Carnage

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Spider-Man: No Way Home

| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

rowspan=2 | 2022

| Uncharted

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Morbius

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

2023

| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

rowspan=3 | 2024

| Borderlands

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Venom: The Last Dance

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Kraven the Hunter

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

rowspan=2| 2027

| Untitled The Legend of Zelda film{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2025/03/the-legend-of-zelda-live-action-film-premieres-march-26-2027|title=The Legend of Zelda live-action film premieres March 26, 2027|first=Sal|last=Romano|date=March 28, 2025|publisher=Gematsu|access-date=March 28, 2025}}

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}

TBA

| Naruto

| {{no}}

| {{yes}}