Perlmutter is said to have attended the Iron Man premiere in disguise and has not been spotted at a Marvel event since. He relishes his reputation as secretive and frugal, according to a top executive who has dealt with him: "It's things like, 'Why do you need a new pencil? There's 2 inches left on that one!' "
Some at Disney are so intimidated, says one source, that they believe "he has spies or is listening in on phone calls," though this person allows that "it could be paranoia." (Or not: A Marvel veteran says "the way to curry favor is to tell Ike that someone spent more than he should have.") Perlmutter once complained that journalists at a junket were allowed two sodas each instead of one, and Disney ran out of food at an Avengers media event because of Perlmutter's constraints, causing reporters to pilfer from Universal's nearby suite for The Five-Year Engagement.
Perlmutter allows actors traveling on Marvel business only a single companion. A source with ties to the CEO says he makes no apologies. "He'll pay for the A-list talent — they get to travel with their entourage," says this person. Otherwise, he rejects Hollywood excess: "He's seen companies go into bankruptcy, and he thinks shareholders look at this stuff — and he doesn't believe in it."
