The Howard the Duck film isn’t Marvel’s proudest moment, but if it wasn’t for its failure, Pixar wouldn’t be what it is today. Although Marvel is now known for it’s connected universe of over 20 films (and counting), it took it years to get there, and it produced some not-so-good titles before reaching the success it now enjoys. One of its worst moments came in 1986 with the release of the solo movie of one of Marvel Comics’ strangest characters: Howard the Duck.
Directed by Willard Huyck, Howard the Duck followed the title character (played by Ed Gale and Jordan Prentice, and voiced by Chip Zien) as he was beamed from his home planet, Duckworld, and landed in Cleveland. There he met rocker Beverly (Lea Thompson), with whom he formed a friendship, and was introduced to Phil (Tim Robbins), who worked with Dr. Jenning (Jeffrey Jones). When the latter attempted to send Howard back to his planet, he instead transferred an evil spirit into his body and took Beverly to do the same to her.
Without counting the Captain America black-and-white serial from the 1940s, Howard the Duck was the first Marvel film, and it didn’t do well at all. It was a financial and critical failure, though it has now reached cult status. However, Howard the Duck’s legacy is not its quality nor how bad the Howard animatronic was, but that it made way for Pixar.
Howard The Duck Made Pixar Possible
Following the success of American Graffiti, George Lucas was interested in adapting Howard the Duck to the big screen and for it to be made at his Industrial Light & Magic studio. Within it was a smaller group called The Graphics Group, and the plan was for the film to be animated, with The Graphics Group being in charge of it. The project was optioned by Universal Studios, who needed a film for a summer release, and with Lucas under contract to make a live-action film, the plans for Howard the Duck had to change.
Howard was then made through animatronics and puppets, which along with the story didn’t make a good combination. By then, Lucas was struggling financially as he was going through a divorce and was deeply into debt after building Skywalker Ranch, so Howard the Duck’s financial failure couldn’t come at a worse time. To stay afloat, and anticipating the commercial flop that the film was going to be (which the crew could sense during production), Lucas sold some of his assets, including The Graphics Group. Having left Apple, Steve Jobs bought it and The Graphics Group was renamed Pixar.
The studio went on to make Toy Story in 1994, the first computer-animated feature, and is now a powerhouse in the world of entertainment with over 20 films. Although Howard the Duck did have some negative effects on those involved (especially the cast), something good came out of its failure, and the film industry would be very different without Pixar as it is now.