Prepare for Phase Four! Are you excited or scratching new heads after jaw dropping announcements from Marvel Studios at San Diego Comic Con?
President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige thrilled fans at the panel confirming what we knew and making blockbuster surprises about the upcoming slate of Marvel Studios movies and shows on Disney+.
Familiar faces are back and new actors will be joining the MCU. The new slate includes heroes and some lesser known characters and concepts.
Here’s the rundown of Marvel projects revealed at SDCC:
ETERNALS
Getting ready for cosmic Kirby! The ensemble cast includes Oscar winner Anjelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumali Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh and Don Lee. Chloe Zhao will be the first woman to direct a Marvel movie.
Who are they?
The Eternals were created by the legendary Jack Kirby. The powerful beings were created by the Celestials to protect humanity and eventually fight their counterparts the Deviants.
Film fans saw images and corpses of Celestials in the MCU – specifically GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (The Collector’s base, Ego.) While not spelled out in the movies, Thanos is considered a “mutant” aka Deviant among the Eternals.
The cast are playing these characters: Jolie- Thena, Madden- Icarus, Nanjiani – Kingo, Ridloff- Makkari, Henry-Phastos, McHugh-Sprite, Hayek-Ajak. The biggest surprises. Sersi and Starfox are the most famous Eternals who even became Avengers but they were not revealed to be part of the film at this point.
The films may exactly follow comics canon but here’s a way to think about this super group. If the Asgardians inspired the Vikings/Norse mythology and became the Norse Gods, imagine the Eternals impacting Greek mythology and legends.
ETERNALS could potentially show how all life began on Earth and across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. ETERNALS November 6, 2020.
THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER
Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan return as Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes following the events of AVENGERS: ENDGAME. Daniel Bruhl returns as villain Helmut Zemo. The mastermind of the events in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR may look even closer to his comic book counterpart – the mask wearing BARON ZEMO. Disney+ Fall 2020.
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS
Sinu Liu will play Shang-Chi, known as the Master of Kung Fu in the comics but he’s known for his ability to sense the chi, force in all living things. Shang-Chi has been an Avenger and martial arts trainer of other heroes.
Tony Leung will play The Mandarin. In the comics The Mandarin is a foe of Iron Man wielding ten rings of power discovered in the wreckage of an alien ship. In movies, the Ten Rings was a terrorist organization in the first IRON MAN film. The Mandarin was a false guise of an actor working for the real villain in IRON MAN III.
Awkwafina will also star and Destin Daniel Cretton will direct. February 12, 2021
WANDAVISION
Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany return as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and The Vision. Teyonah Paris will play Monica Rambeau, daughter of Maria Rambeau from CAPTAIN MARVEL. In the comics Monica became the first woman to be called Captain Marvel then later took on the code-names Photon then Spectrum. Disney+ Spring 2021
LOKI
You can’t keep a God of Mischief dead! Tom Hiddleston is back as the Asgardian in a new Disney + series.
DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS
Just the title enough gets you excited! Benedict Cumberbatch is back as the Sorcerer Supreme. Elizabeth Olsen will appear as Scarlet Witch. Scott Derrickson returns as director. May 7, 2021.
WHAT IF?
First animated series Jeffrey Wright as the voice of The Watcher, many actors repising their roles as voice talent. Summer 2021
HAWKEYE
Jeremy Renner reprises his role as Clint Barton in the new Disney+ series. It was revealed the series will introduce Kate Bishop, the young woman who became Barton’s protegee and took his code-name. Bishop was introduced in a book called the YOUNG AVENGERS. No word on if her teammates would follow her to the screen. Fall 2021
THOR LOVE AND THUNDER
Chris Hemsworth is back as the Odinson along with Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie. But drop the hammer- Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster and will be Thor. In the recent comics, Jane wielded a mystic hammer as Thor. THOR RAGNAROK director Taiki Waititi returns for the follow up. November 5, 2021
BLACK WIDOW
Scarlett Johansson leads the first female led Marvel movie as the super spy. David Harbour, Florence Pugh, O-T Fagbene, Rachel Weisz are in the cast with Cate Shorthand directing. Pugh is said to be playing Yelena Belova who was a second Black Widow in the comics. The villain Taskmaster is making his MCU debut. No word on if this will be a prequel, sequel of combination. May 1, 2020.
BLADE
The biggest surprise: Oscar winner Mahershala Ali in a reboot of Blade. The Vampire Hunter aka Daywalker was the first Marvel movie success (back when Marvel Comics made a deal with Fox Studios.)
Feige wrapped with multiple teasers: ” we didn’t even get to CAPTAIN MARVEL 2, BLACK PANTHER 2, FANTASTIC FOUR….and mutants!”
Thanos and the hunt for the Infinity stones was the thread of the first phases. What villain or cosmic force will be the center of the next MCU saga?
By Editor