Collected in one material all the announcements, news and rumors about the fourth phase of the main franchise of the decade.
Last year blockbuster Avengers Final broke almost all records of hire and became the highest grossing film of all time. This, of course, without taking into account inflation, but still an achievement is significant. However, Marvel does not even think to stop there. On the contrary, in the next couple of years we will have a record number of comic book adaptations, and in various formats – from feature films to TV shows and cartoons. So let’s go over the announcements and figure out what exactly we should expect.
The first to get to the screens is a project to which “Marvel cinematic architect” Kevin Feigi has nothing to do – long-suffering “New mutants”. Initially, the film was conceived as the next spin-off of once successful X-Men. If Deadpool was an experiment on the comedy field, and Logan – an action drama, then the picture of Josh Boon should become a real superhero thriller.
According to the plot, a group of young mutants is trying to escape from a terrible boarding school, where inhuman experiments are being put on them. It sounds relatively fresh, and the cast was excellent – Macy Williams straight after “Game of Thrones”Charlie Heaton from “Very strange things” and rising star Anya Taylor-Joy from “Witches” Robert Eggers. But the project was very unlucky with time. In 2017 thundered “It”, and the producers immediately wanted to add more horror to the New Mutants, so the almost finished film had to be partially redone. And then the tape fell into the millstones of the “deal of the century” between Fox and Disney.
Almost all the paintings inherited by the “mouse house” were either sent to the shelf or thrown onto the screens without any advertising support, however, the situation with the “New Mutants” is different. Due to the minimal plot linkage to the X-Men, they can claim both independence and inclusion in the large cinema universe. And, according to rumors, the Marvel leadership is considering the second option. Perhaps the “New Mutants” will be the first step towards joining the X-Men to the rest of the heroes. But whether it is so or not, we will find out only in April.
The first truly Marvel movie of the year will be “Black Widow”. Since only a couple of months remained before the premiere, the details are already enough to predict the whole plot from beginning to end, if desired. The action will unfold between “Confrontation” and “War of infinity”when Natasha had enough free time to deal with her difficult past.
Florence Pugh plays Elena Belova, another Black Widow, and Rachel Weisz plays Milena Vostokova. In the comics, the name is supervillain Iron Maiden, so at least one plot twist is already obvious. And in the film, Natasha’s ex-husband, nicknamed the Red Guard or the Red Guard, will appear in the film – the Soviet response to Captain America. Judging by the trailer, he whiled away in prison for many years. And, of course, not in a simple colony, but in the Gulag – the authors still will not give up their favorite horror stories of the Cold War. Although, where without the “cranberries” in the film about the Russian ballerina spy?
A short teaser for upcoming Marvel TV shows at the recent Super Bowl
In August, we are waiting for the first series that matters to the cinema universe, – “Falcon and the Winter Soldier”. Neither collaboration with Netflix and Hulu, nor even “Agents S.H.I.T.”, to the indignation of the fans, were not taken into account in large films. Yes, in those shows they could rush as much as they like with familiar names and mention global events, but all this happened unilaterally. Guilty of this cold war between Marvel Television and Marvel Studios. However, recently the television division was disbanded to a goddamn grandmother, and now Kevin Feigi personally controls the production of multi-series projects. And therefore, “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” are considered as important for the cinema universe as theatrical releases.
The show will talk about how Sam Wilson masters the role of the next Captain America with the support of Bucky Barnes. Only now, the government, judging by the personnel, has its own candidate for the post of national hero – John Walker, also known as the US Agent. Military, southerner, conservative – in short, the embodiment of the Trump regime. Well, as a villain, the vengeful terrorist Zemo will return from “Confrontation.” Incidentally, he will acquire a canonical purple mask.
Zemo in all his villainous splendor
As a result of the dissolution of Marvel Television, a lot of things were closed and canceled, but here are some projects for Hulu for some reason left. Moreover, the projects are rather strange. So, for example, they cut off a solo show of the Ghost Rider from “Agents S.H.I.T.”, however, they launched a mystical series Hellstrom about the children of Satan, who prey on all sorts of demons and other evil spirits. And also went under the knife animated series Howard the Duck from the author Dogma Kevin Smith, but so far remain in the plans “MODOK” and Hit Manki. In both cases, little-known characters for some reason preferred the popular. Is it not so that in case of failure of projects it would be easy to disown them? Most likely, we will find out before the end of the year. But back to the schedule.
Howard 34 years waiting for a decent restart … and still wait
In August, another Marvel blockbuster is released – Morbius. Initially, he was conceived as part of the Sony film universe – the one where the enemies of Spider-Man somehow exist without Spider-Man himself. As proved Venom, this scheme is quite viable. But the creators played into the hands of greed Disney.
Recall that last summer the “mouse house” and Sony quarreled over the rights to Spider-Man, as a result of which the Japanese took the character from Marvel. Literally a month later, the conflict came to naught, but a new deal allowed Venom and the company to be dragged into a large cinema universe. The creators of “Morbius” boasted this already in the first trailer – at the end there is a Vulture from “Homecoming”. Most likely, in the film about the vampire scientist, there will be no connection with KVM, because the picture was shot even before the contract was updated. But in the second “Venom”, which Andy Serkis is completing right now, you can already expect at least a fleeting appearance of a spider.
Coming in November Eternal – a film on which Marvel makes a very big bet, because it is he who must set the tone for the entire fourth phase of the cinema universe. There are no more “Avengers” and there will not be another five years, and the audience must be conquered by new heroes and new worlds. Both of them in the picture of Chloe Zhao are promised in abundance. First, we will be presented with a whole team of alien gods, which are played entirely by stars, including ascending ones. Cast Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Kumale Nanjiani, Richard Madden and Keith Harington from Game of Thrones, Barry Keogan from Dunkirk and Brian Tyree Henry of Atlanta. And one of them, apparently, Madden, plays the role of the first gay superhero on the big screen.
But not only this they are going to draw attention to the project. The “Eternal”, following the “Guardians of the Galaxy”, should more fully open the Marvelian cosmos, so that, in terms of the richness of mythology, the cinematic universe can compete with Star wars. Given that the film is based on the work of the great comic book artist Jack Kirby, there are chances for success.
Merged concept art of the Eternal
From space we return to Earth, where in February we are waiting for “Shan Chi and the legend of ten rings” – The first Marvel movie about a superhero of Asian descent. And also this is a great apology to everyone who was infuriated by the third “Iron Man”. Yes, the ridiculous plot twist with Mandarin was canceled back in the short “Long live the king”but only in Shang Chi will the ancient sorcerer appear in person. You do not need to be an analyst to discern a frank attempt to storm the rich Chinese market in The Legend of Ten Rings. But whether it will be successful, one can’t say for sure. Fantasy about Kung Fu in the Middle Kingdom and without American help is enough.
Frame from the animated series “What if? ..”
In principle, here you can go over the other announced series for Disney +, because most of them have not even started to shoot, which means that there is a minimum of information.
In the summer of 2023, an animated show starts “What if?..”in which each series will show an alternative universe where something went wrong. Somewhere, Peggy Carter became Captain America, and Steve Rogers got the Iron Man costume, and somewhere the zombie apocalypse started at all. All actors of the cinema universe will voice their characters in the cartoon, so you will need to look in English.
Somewhere in the fall should go “Hawkeye”. In it, Clint will give his bow and nickname to the young assistant, played by Haley Steinfeld from Bumblebee. True, there are rumors that the filming is still postponed due to scandals around the personal life of Jeremy Renner – the actor is suing his ex-wife because of allegations of domestic violence.
Well, in the very long run The Moon Knight, The Hulk Woman and “Miss Marvel”. Everyone will be released on Disney +, but not a single one has a script or a leading role yet.
Fans are already drawing posters for Multiverse of Madness and see the role of Nightmare … Eve Green
Back to the feature films. In the spring of 2023, the premiere of the film “appointedDr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness“, Which suddenly appeared in the hands of Sam Raimi. Initially, the film was supposed to be shot by director of the first part, Scott Derrickson. He even persuaded Kevin Feigi to announce the picture as the first horror film Marvel. But then something went wrong – either the creative vision of the performer and the leadership did not coincide, or Derrickson really did not set a tight schedule, about which he wrote on Twitter.
But at least there are rumors about the plot. The main villain allegedly will be a Nightmare – a kind of Freddy Krueger from the world of Marvel. The visions he created will become the most frightening scenes in the film. However, the very phrase “Multiverse of Madness” in the title very much gives something to Lovecraftian. And Dr. Strange, fortunately, has the most Lovecraftian enemy – the interdimensional monster Shuma-Horat. It is possible that he will also appear in the picture.
The name “Noise-Horat” was used in his works by Robert Howard, a friend and colleague of Lovecraft
Autumn should go Thor: Love and Thunder authored by Taiki Waititi. The main feature, announced at the last ComicCon, is the return of Natalie Portman. True, she does not come back to be Thor’s girlfriend again, but to inherit his hammer, just like in comics. And recently, journalists wrote that Waititi and Feigi still managed to lure Christian Bale into the picture. Fans immediately embraced him for the role of Beta Ray Bill – the great space hero and longtime friend of the god of thunder. We hope only that the actor will have time to warn that it is not necessary to swing to alien dimensions.
Well, then the future is foggy. Somewhere in the year 22 will be released Blade with Mahershala Ali in the title role. As opponents, he is immediately prophesied to Dracula, and it is rumored that this party is being offered to Wesley Snipes. If you consider that Marvel’s bloodsucker has nothing to do with Vlad Tepes, then why not? Many would not refuse to see the battle of the two Blades.
And what, quite like Wesley Snipes
Sequels are inevitable “Black Panther” and “Captain Marvel”but on them is generally empty. Unless in the first, it seems, Namor, the king of Atlantis should appear. The king of Wakanda will sort things out with him.
Of course, there will still be a third film about Spider-Man and, to the delight of the fans, the third Guardians of the Galaxythat the pardoned James Gunn will take off. True, only after he deals with the new “Suicide Squad”. That is not soon.
As you can see, Marvel has a lot of plans. Here and the expansion into the territory of series, and the development of new genres, and a sight for a different audience. It’s not a fact that all the experiments will turn out successful, but the fact that Kevin Feigi’s car will work at full speed is for sure.
