Lets Talk Marvel News: Prelude to Part Eight

Yesterday, Disney held an investors conference covering their business and entertainment ventures going forward, emphasizing a focus on streaming. Most of the broadcast focused on properties outside of Marvel Studios, a lot of which I am very interested in, as well as the business sides of the big properties they own. Aside from Disney + getting a $1 price hike in the US to $7.99 (as was expected since day one) almost everything in this conference was new information aside from the Marvel Studios portion.

Fiege went over the properties moving forward in the MCU starting with "WandaVision," coming January 15, 2021.

Following the trailer, Fiege mentions that Elizabeth Olson (Wanda) is currently filming "Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness." The Dr. Strange Sequel has a new director in the form of Sam Raimi and will feature the rest of the principal cast of the first, those being Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Dr. Strange, Wong, Christine Palmer, and Baron Mordo respectively. A March 25, 2022 release date is given for the sequel, and Feige mentions that not only will the film connect not only to "WandaVision" but also to the next Spider-Man film coming in December 2021. No title or official casting for MCU Spidey 3 given by Feige, he just moves on.

I feel the need to divert a bit (okay, a lot) and discuss the hubbub around this third Spider-Man MCU film. I hate it, all of it. 

Back at the beginning of October Jamie Foxx was reported to return as Electro in this film and frankly, I thought there was no way the report was real despite Foxx's now-deleted post with the three Spidermen.

Then, later in that same month, we got reports that Dr. Strange would also appear in the film. This one was easier to swallow. But the apparent casting of Foxx along with his Instagram post picture led to rampant live-action Spider-Verse rumors, which I immediately dismissed alongside his casting. For some reason, I just couldn't buy that Marvel would okay this, without remembering that they don't really have all that much of a say. It's just too early for a Spider-Verse movie, I kept telling myself, there's no way they'd be foolish enough to rush into this sort of thing especially when doing too much in one film is what killed the last two Spider-Man franchises.

Given that back in August, Kraven was beginning to be cast in the film I didn't understand why they would be adding in so much - unless this is going to be a four-hour film. But recently it has been reported that Alfred Molina was returning to his role as Doc Oc in Spider-Man 2, and right alongside that the apparent confirmation of Andrew Garfield's return.

With Spider-Verse all but confirmed. Tobey Maguire has also apparently signed on and also the dead characters of Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone - Unless it's going to be Spider-Gwen - and Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborne are also set to return (Kirsten Dunst too, but really, who cares). But hey, it's multi-verse stuff so, it passes.

All that being said, I'm mad about it, I don't want it, it's too early for it, but I'll forgive it all for a live-action version of this meme:

I also bet you're wondering how I'd rank the Spidermen. I have two different lists, one for Peter Parker and one for Spidey. From best to worst for Parker, it's Holland, Maguire, Garfield. For Spidey, it's Holland, Garfield, Maguire. For the seven Spider-Man Movies, from best to worst, the list would be:

1. Spider-Man: Far From Home (it's better than Homecoming and Spider-Man 2, fight me.)

2. Spider-Man: Homecoming

3. Spider-Man 2

4. The Amazing Spider-Man

5. Spider-Man

6. Spider-Man 3

7. The Amazing Spider-Man 2

The other main hope is that all these recent casting notices are for post-credits scenes to set up a Spider-Verse sequel film. But that is a pipe dream with Sony's track record.

Back with the conference. We get our first trailer for "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" and the coming March 2021 notice. Stated by Feige to be "a movie in six episodes."

He briefly talks of "Black Widow," confirming its May 7, 2021 date. We then get a trailer for "Loki,"  and calls it a crime thriller. The trailer alludes to a lot of time travel, space travel likely involved too, but not confirmed. The Time Variance Authority is involved. Owen Wilson looks great with the old man look. The trailer ends with "streaming soon." Likely to follow the six episodes of "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" as that show seems to be starting as soon as "WandaVison" finishes.

Either that, or it follows the animated show "What if...?" which is coming in the Summer of 2021. A trailer is given as well.

Feige then states that "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" wrapped production and confirms the July 9, 2021 release date. 

He moves on to the "Ms. Marvel" series stating it's coming later in 2021, which I assume means it will follow "Loki."  The Actress for Ms. Marvel was chosen unanimously, her reaction to which I love.

Feige then states that Ms. Marvel will appear alongside Captain Marvel in "Captain Marvel 2," an official date of November 11, 2022. There aren't any trailers or teasers after the one for Ms. Marvel. 

"Eternals" is talked about next, Feige states that the film spans thousands of years, which will be interesting to see how that makes an interesting narrative unless the bulk of it takes place in a short period of time, a release date of November 5, 2021, is confirmed.

The "Hawkeye" series is slated to arrive in "Late 2021." The casting of Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop is confirmed. 

He moves on to the "She-Hulk" series and moves on to confirm Tatiana Maslany is playing the lead Jennifer Walters. He also confirms that "She-Hulk" will see the return of both Tim Roth's Abomination and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk.

He passively talks of Moon Knight and gives no new information on the show other than a character description. Then he very passively announces the first new series announcement.

A short while back, a Nick Fury series was announced to be coming to Disney +, it turns out that the series is "Secret Invasion" and will also see the return of Talos. Honestly, this isn't as big of an announcement as "Secret Invasion" deserves, but hey, it's happening. He then even more passively to that, announces an "Ironheart" series and an "Armor Wars" series.

For those unfamiliar, "Ironheart" focuses on Riri Williams, who through her inventive ingenuity becomes the superhero Ironheart, the successor to Tony Stark's Iron Man, when he was presumed dead.

"Armor Wars" will star Don Cheadle's James Rhodes/War Machine, and will show us what happens when Tony Starks suits and tech gets out into the world. I wouldn't be surprised if Riri appeared in this series as well, she will be played by Dominique Thorne.

A "Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" was announced, which I thought was going to be the title of the third movie, but then was confirmed to be shot alongside the third which is coming in 2023. A series of Baby Groot stories are coming as well under the title "I am Groot."

"Thor: Love and Thunder" will begin filming in January 2021, will release on May 6, 2022, and Christian Bale was confirmed to be playing the film's villain Gorr the God Butcher.

Anti-climactically, "Blade" is "moving forward" with "more announcements to come." 

The third Ant-Man film is confirmed and officially titled "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." We then receive a few casting confirmations, Katherine Newton will play the new Cassie Lang, replacing Emma Fuhrmann who briefly played her in "Avengers: Endgame." The other confirmation is Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, who could end up being the next Avengers level villain.

Feige then confirms that the role of T'Challa will not be recast following the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman. I was very much ready and expecting, the opposite, but this is very good news. Ryan Coogler is still tapped to direct "Black Panther II" which is still set to release on July 8, 2022.

Lastly, Feige announces the return of Marvel's first family, the "Fantastic Four." he gives no date or cast for the film but does announce that John Watts, the director of the three MCU Spider-Man films will direct.

The Marvel Studios portion of the conference ends without any mention of premium access on Disney + for the feature films that other movies coming in 2021 are receiving, likely waiting to see what's to come of Covid before they make a decision which could cost them a lot of money. 

No distinction was made as to whether or not the titles in this presentation are to be considered Phase four or five. I stand by my longstanding statement - but never stated here - that phase four MUST include the "Fantastic Four," so it can forever be known as "Fantastic Phase Four."

The Films, and series, that will now be in this Fantastic Phase Four (and likely also phase five removing "fantastic" from the previous phase) with some guesswork (noted by question marks) on release dates several years down the line.

WandaVision (January 15, 2021)

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (March 19, 2021)

Black Widow (May 7, 2021)

Loki (May 2021)

What If...? (Mid 2021)

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (July 9, 2021)

Eternals (November 5, 2021)

Ms. Marvel (Late 2021)

Hawkeye (Late 2021)

Spider-Man: Home Related Subtitle (December 17, 2021)

Moon Knight (Q1? 2022)

She-Hulk (Q2? 2022)

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)

Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)

Black Panther II (July 8, 2022)

Captain Marvel 2 (November 11, 2022)

Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (Late 2022)

Secret Invasion (Q4 2022?)

Iron Heart (Q1 2023?)

Armor Wars (Q2 2023?)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Q2? 2023)

Blade (Q3 2023?)

Fantastic 4 (Q4 2023?)

That's eleven movies, eleven tv series of unknown length, and one holiday special. Admittedly, this is a lot for one phase, but the Fantastic Phase Four must remain.

That's enough from me, but following my delay due to "Assassin's Creed: Valhalla," the "Thor: The Dark World" rank and review is coming soon.