Scott Rosenberg has been a part of the comic book industry since starting a comic book mail order company at 13 years old. After college, he launched Malibu Comics which grew into a leading independent publisher until he sold it to Marvel Comics in 1994.

In 1996, he established Platinum Studios which now controls one of the largest collections of comic book characters outside of Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Since the early 1990s, Rosenberg has also been responsible for a number of comic book properties making it to the big and little screen including: ‘Men In Black’, ‘Dylan Dog: Dead of Night’,  ‘Jeremiah’, ‘NightMan’, ‘Ultraforce’ and the upcoming ‘Unique’ and ‘Meet the Haunteds’. And he also created this summer’s sci-fi action film, ‘Cowboys & Aliens’. I had a chance to ask him a few questions this week about the recent film and to get to know him a little. Here’s what he had to say:

SF: ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ was first optioned in the late 1990s, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced in finally getting it to the big screen?

Scott: It’s really always been about getting the tone right. Though ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ had been set up a couple of times before I ended up needing to pull it just because the tone and feel felt off. I think Jon, Steven, Ron, and Brian really nailed it and I feel very fortunate to have had them all onboard.

SF: How did director Jon Favreau join ‘Cowboys & Aliens’? It was quite a coup coming after his success with ‘Iron Man’.

Scott: Luck! We got very lucky.

SF: What other actors were considered for the lead roles in the film?

Scott: I don’t remember who specifically was considered but I’m absolutely thrilled with who we got.

SF: Besides the film’s setting, what do you think is unique about the story and characters?

Scott: I love Daniel and Harrison’s characters. They’re both a bit older, one more so than the other but both really have a lot of growing up to do. It’s exciting to see these two anti-heroes really grow and become the men they were destined to be. As far as what is unique about the story, where else are you going to see cowboys & aliens?

SF: What were some of the inspirations for the creation of ‘Cowboys & Aliens’?

Scott: I actually came up with this idea when I was a kid. My friends and I got bored playing cowboys and Indians or cops and robbers. We used to incorporate all of our toys which often included aliens or monsters. Eventually we would end up having whole make believe wars taking place where all of the different humans would have to team up to overcome the alien forces.

SF: Are there plans yet for a sequel movie?

Scott: You’ll have to ask the studio about that one.

SF: Are there plans to continue the story in comic books?

Scott: Yes, definitely! We are about to release a children’s book and eBook titled ‘Cowboys & Aliens The Kids’. We have some other exciting news regarding ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ that we will be revealing later this year.

SF: What science fiction creators inspire your work?

Scott: I honestly just love the whole genre.

SF: Who are some of your favorite comic book creators and characters and why?

Scott: I think my favorite character would probably be Prime. I’ve always been enamored by the concept of a 13 year old boy being trapped in the body of a super hero. This is such a difficult question to answer though. Asking me to pick my favorite characters and creators is like asking me to pick my favorite child. Everyone one has something special to offer and I appreciate all of them.

SF: What brought you to enjoy comic books in the first place and how old were you?

Scott: I was maybe 7 or 8 when I got hooked. I used to find them in my brother’s room and instantly fell in love with the medium. I specifically remember reading Hulk #5, Fantastic Four #10, and Super Girl #2.

SF: What are some of your upcoming projects that you’re really excited about?

Scott: We’ve got ‘Atlantis Rising’ with DreamWorks and ‘Unique at Disney’ with the incredible David Heyman attached to produce.

SF: What sci-fi television, movies and video games do you currently watch and play?

Scott: I really don’t have as much time to enjoy that stuff as I’d like but any time I do get to watch or play sci-fi stuff, I tend to enjoy it all.

We’re grateful for Scott taking the the time out to answer our questions and look forward to seeing more of his projects in the future!