Marvel Studios' board regarded Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man insane.

Marvel fans might not think of the Marvel Cinematic Universe right away,

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but David Maisel recently stressed to The New Yorker that the "MCU wouldn't exist" without him.

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Having founded the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and served as the company's former president,

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Maisel has since been succeeded as CEO by Kevin Feige.

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According to Maisel, Feige's achievements have all but been overshadowed by the fact that ,

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his name has come to be associated with Marvel's success. Or, to quote Maisel, "It's like a Thanos snap."

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Former Marvel Entertainment chief counsel John Turitzin added to The New Yorker,

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