Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, to Receive Pioneer of the Year Award

The president of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, will receive the Pioneer of the Year Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. The ceremony takes place on September 30 at the Beverly Hilton and celebrates a career that transformed the entertainment industry.

Feige is widely recognized as the architect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the highest-grossing franchise in Hollywood history, which has earned more than $32 billion at the global box office since 2008 — with 11 films surpassing the $1 billion mark and two of them (Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame) crossing $2 billion.

Feige’s journey at Marvel began in 2000, as associate producer of X-Men. He quickly rose through the ranks and, in 2007, was named president of Marvel Studios. Under his leadership, the studio stopped licensing its characters to other studios and began producing its own films, starting with Iron Man (2008). The film, which stars Robert Downey Jr., laid the foundation for what would become the first major shared cinematic universe.

The award, presented for more than 75 years, honors film industry professionals for leadership, community service, and commitment to philanthropy.

In 2025, actress Kate Hudson received the honor. Previous honorees include Greta Gerwig, Tom Cruise, Barbara Broccoli, Kathleen Kennedy, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Cecil B. DeMille.