Marvel Entertainment has hired Michael Marshall as senior vicepresident of business and legal affairs for its Marvel Studios division.

Marshall will oversee all business and legal affairs issuesrelating to development and production, as well as character licensing fortheatrical, direct-to-video and television projects.

He will work closely with Marvel Studios president and chiefoperating officer Michael Helfant, with whom he previously worked atMiramax/Dimension Films.

The hiring of Marshall comes as the company expands its productionschedule to include a new slate that will be produced solely by the studio andreleased by Paramount. The first title is expected to be released in 2008.

Prior to Marvel, Marshall spent five years at Miramax/Dimension,rising from senior director of business and legal affairs to senior vicepresident of the division.

He has also heldbusiness and legal affairs positions at Universal Pictures and AramaEntertainment.