Featured image from The Direct
Marvel Studios returned to Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 for a legendary panel, packed with new movie and TV show announcements, official release dates, and most excitingly, a preview of the upcoming phases in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Let’s recap the biggest announcements from the panel.
For updates from Marvel’s animation department, check out our other article here!
She-Hulk: Attorney At Law official trailer has Deadpool-esque humour & new character reveals
We finally have an official trailer for She-Hulk: Attorney At Law — and boy, it’s a doozy. The trailer showcases Jennifer Walters (played by Tatiana Maslany) learning about her new-found powers as a Hulk, while balancing her identity as a superhero and lawyer. The panel confirmed a lighter tone for the series and some exciting character appearances, including Bruce Banner, Abomination, Titania, Daredevil and Wong (!) coming this 17 August.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever closes out Phase 4 on 11 November 2022
Phase 4 is coming to an end, and there isn’t a movie more fitting than Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to close it out. An official teaser trailer was revealed at the panel, featuring the citizens of Wakanda dealing with the aftermath of T’Challa’s passing, while facing an attack from Namor McKenzie, the mighty king of Atlantis. In the comics, Namor is the first mutant in Marvel history, an ally of Doctor Doom, and part of the X-Men. Could this be the official introduction of mutants in the MCU?
The panel also announced that they will not be recasting T’Challa’s character, although there is no confirmation on who will take up the Black Panther mantle following Chadwick Boseman. Meanwhile, Michaela Coel (Chewing Gum & I May Destroy You) and Dominique Thorne (Riri Williams in Ironheart) will join the cast this November.
Phase 5 kicks off with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania on 17 February 2023
Phase 5 of the MCU begins with none other than Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania! Lucky fans in Hall H were treated to the first footage from the movie, featuring Scott Lang coming face-to-face with Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. “I don’t know who you are, but you’ve made a big mistake. I’m an Avenger,” Scott says to Kang, only for him to reply: “You’re an Avenger? Have I killed you before?”
The movie will likely kickstart the Multiverse Saga, with Kang the Conqueror acting as the key villain for the next few phases of the MCU. The teaser footage also confirmed that MODOK will appear in the movie, as well as Cassie Lang as Stature, Scott Lang’s daughter and one of the future Young Avengers. (We’re also expecting a reference to the Ant-Man podcast that appears in Ms Marvel!)
Secret Invasion will be the first Disney+ show of Phase 5, coming Spring 2023
Secret Invasion only comes out next Spring, but Marvel Studios already had a teaser trailer to show fans at the panel. The preview showed Nick Fury returning home to deal with a faction of Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for many years. The teaser featured the return of Cobie Smulder’s Maria Hill, Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes, and Olivia Colman as an unnamed spy-like character. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke, Regé-Jean Page, Christopher McDonald, and Martin Freeman will also star in the series.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 concludes James Gunn’s trilogy on 6 May 2023
It’s the end of the Guardians of the Galaxy, but it’s not time to mourn yet. A hall-exclusive trailer was showcased at the panel, featuring Gamora running a faction of the Ravagers. Unfortunately, we’re dealing with post-Endgame Gamora who has no memory of Peter and the Guardians. The trailer also showed an adult Groot and baby Rocket Raccoon, closing out the video with a question about Rocket’s origins.
Director James Gunn confirmed that Vol. 3 will be the final one under his direction, although it’s “possible” that the Guardians will return with new characters and a new filmmaker. However, we can still expect the trilogy to end with a bang — Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock and Chukwudi Iwuji’s The High Evolutionary a.k.a. Herbert Wyndham are set to appear in the movie, with the former being closely connected to the mutant and X-Men storyline. Also, Cosmo the Space Dog returns!
Echo, Kingpin & Daredevil return to Disney+ in Summer 2023
We last saw Echo a.k.a. Maya Lopez in Hawkeye, and now she’s getting her own Disney+ series next Summer! Based on the Marvel website summary, Echo will be an origin story for Maya Lopez, who is forced to face her past when her ruthless behaviour in New York City catches up with her in her hometown. Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin will also reunite in-show for the first time since the Netflix Daredevil series.
Loki Season 2 currently in production, returning in Summer 2023
The highly anticipated second season of Loki began filming early June this year, but little else is known about the season’s plot. What we’re expecting is more Loki mischief, more Detective Mobius jet skiing fantasies, and definitely more of Kang’s reign of terror throughout the vast multiverses. The series is also rumoured to tie into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, teased show creator Michael Waldron.
Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau & Kamala Khan unite in The Marvels on 28 July 2023
After swapping places with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in Phase 5, The Marvels has a final release date on 28 July 2023! Its plot has yet to be confirmed, but we can expect Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan to have an epic union in the film. It may also explore their connections to The Negative Zone and the Negabands, as well as Kamala Khan’s mutant origins.
South Korean actor Park Seo-Joon was also added to the cast, with fans speculating that he’ll be playing Noh-Varr a.k.a. Marvel Boy. Noh-Varr was a soldier within the Kree Empire, just like Carol Danvers, when his ship gets attacked and crashes down to Earth, killing his parents and his girlfriend. His powers include enhanced strength and endurance, typical of Kree warriors. His DNA was also altered with cockroach genes, giving him the ability to run along walls and ceilings like Spider-Man.
Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali arrives on 3 November 2023
Originally played by Wesley Snipes in the late 90’s, Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali carries on the mantle of Blade in the reboot, which will likely be an origin story for the half-vampire superhero who protects the world from supernatural and otherworldly threats. Its plot is speculated to connect with Dane Whitman’s storyline about the Ebony Blade from the Eternals movie. Will we see Antony Starr of The Boys fame as Dracula? Only time will tell.
Riri Williams a.k.a. Ironheart finally gets her own series in Fall 2023
We get our first glimpse of Riri Williams in the teaser trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but it will be awhile before this future Young Avenger gets her own Disney+ series in Fall 2023. It’s safe to say that the series will tie into the events of Wakanda Forever, where she reportedly upgrades her suit using Vibranium and Wakandan technology. However, it’s too early to tell how the MCU will tackle her relationship with Tony Stark, which is a pivotal part of her comicbook character.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos arrives three years after WandaVision, premiering Winter 2023
Formerly known as Agatha: House of Harkness, we have a brand new name and release date for the Agatha Harkness spin-off series. Not only is the title more fitting to what we know about witches in the MCU, it also hints at a possible origin story for witches and chaos magic in general. Jac Schaeffer, former WandaVision head writer, will be returning to write Coven of Chaos. Would it be too much to hope for a Wanda Maximoff cameo as well?
Daredevil: Born Again will be the MCU’s biggest series at 18 episodes, coming Spring 2024
Daredevil: Born Again is the biggest episodic order for a Marvel Disney+ series so far, and it couldn’t have gone to a series that deserved it more. Based on its title, the series will feature one of the most revered arcs in Daredevil comics history, and will largely center around the relationship between Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin. As Marvel introduces more “mature” productions like Marvel Zombies into the fray, here’s to hoping that we’ll get to see a darker, grittier Daredevil in the MCU.
Sam Wilson takes up the shield in Captain America: New World Order on 3 May 2024
Following his origin story in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson is finally getting his own Captain America film in Captain America: New World Order. Almost nothing is known about the movie other than its title, but it’s a safe bet that some familiar faces from the series will show up. Bucky Barnes may return to complete the Captain America and Winter Soldier duo. Sharon Carter may also appear to further the Power Broker arc. Either way, it’s too soon to tell for sure.
Thunderbolts marks the end of Phase 5 on 26 July 2024
Hot off the heels of Captain America: New World Order, Thunderbolts marks the end of Phase 5 with a group that feels like the Suicide Squad of the MCU. We’re expecting The Abomination, Yelena Belova, John Walker, and Taskmaster to form this team of questionable heroes, and possibly more names introduced down the line. Plot-wise, fans are hoping for The Dark Avengers comicbook arc where it’s the government dressing up the villains as heroes to control the world.
Fantastic Four, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty & Avengers: Secret Wars will be the highlights of Phase 6
The Marvel Studios panel was coming to a close, but not without one last surprise. Phase 6 of the MCU will officially begin with Fantastic 4 and end with a duology, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. Marvel also confirmed that Phase 6 will complete the MCU’s second saga, officially dubbed The Multiverse Saga. We have our theories about how the pieces will fall into place for Phase 6, but that’s an article for another day. For now, we’ll wait with bated breath for D23 and hopefully more updates.
Are you excited for The Multiverse Saga? Which movie or series are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below!
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