Robert Downey Jr., Kevin Feige and Shawn Levy Reunite in Rare Behind-the-Scenes Snap
Shawn Levy recently shared a series of photos on Instagram from a special night at the University of Southern California, where the Kevin Feige Division of Film & Television Production was officially dedicated.
The event celebrated Kevin Feige, the Marvel Studios president and USC alum, and brought together several Hollywood heavyweights, including Robert Downey Jr. and Ryan Coogler. Levy posted, “So happy to support my friend Kevin Feige and celebrate all he’s done for our shared alma mater. Great chat with KF, Ryan Coogler and all of you who came out for this fantastic night.”
The night included an open conversation with Feige, Coogler, and Levy, where they discussed life in Hollywood, Marvel’s creative process, and personal experiences that shaped them.
Feige reflected on the challenges of dealing with online fan reactions. “There are hours and hours of theories on YouTube, hours and hours on TikTok, hours on subreddits … You can read everything on everything and get a different point of view on it. You can go crazy. So, we don’t do that,” he said, highlighting the importance of focusing on filmmaking rather than the noise online.
Levy added, “And when you’re working on big franchise stuff, like Marvel and Star Wars, you’ve gotta know when to put it down, go quiet, and go back to what you had in your head and in your voice when you began.”
The discussion also touched on test screenings. Feige explained that seeing a rough cut of a movie for the first time can be nerve-wracking. “It happens when you’ve already spent almost $200 million on a movie and you screen it for people and they’re like, ‘What was that?’” Levy chimed in, “You panic, feel like shit, and then you go back to work.”
The filmmakers also spoke about hiring directors for Marvel projects. Feige said the right fit is more important than past work. “Vibing with someone and asking if I could spend the next two years with them in an intense situation was almost more important than a person’s previous work,” he said.
Coogler shared a personal memory of watching the first Iron Man movie on opening weekend in 2008. He remembered leaving the theater for a moment, only to be temporarily locked out. “I see Feige, I see Downey, I see Jon [Favreau], and they had Stark Industry jackets and shit,” he recalled. “Once the movie started, it was magic. I had just moved to L.A. and I thought to myself, ‘I can’t believe I’m here.’” Levy also discussed how Hugh Jackman’s involvement in Deadpool & Wolverine helped shape that story.
“It was heaven to sit there and go, ‘Who do people miss and they don’t even know how much they miss them?’”
The conversation took a more emotional turn as Feige and Coogler opened up about the passing of in 2020. Feige shared memories of Boseman during the animated show What If…? and reflected on the impact of losing someone close. “We will be back in there, that was always my expectation,” he said, explaining how he had taken regular collaboration for granted.
Coogler added that visiting Boseman’s home during the COVID-19 lockdown was a moment of real human connection. “It wasn’t ‘Hey, what are we going to do about this franchise?’ It was about, ‘Hey, are you OK? How are you taking it?’ … It was real moment where you see the humanity beyond the corporate things and the financial responsibilities.”
Coogler summed up the lesson he took from that time: “There was only one Chad, bro. And there was only one character that was really meant for him.”
Events like these show a side of Hollywood we don’t always see. It’s not just about box office numbers and big budgets, it’s about relationships, human connection, and learning from each other. What do you think about Feige, Coogler, and Levy opening up like this? Share your thoughts in the comments.