President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige took part today in the Walt Disney Studios presentation at Disney’s D23 EXPO 2019 in Anaheim, CA.
Photo by Jesse Grant for Disney via Getty Images for Disney.
Marvel hasn't attended the comic convention since the announcement of the MCU's film and TV titles for Phase 4 in 2019.
Six films and seven shows deep, the current phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most bloated and ambitious to date. And we're only at the midway point, which is leaving a lot of fans scratching their heads and hoping the second half of this block brings some needed clarity and connectivity to the company's multi-title, and now, multiversal, long-game.
This weekend, the comic-book-giant-turned-perpetual-blockbuster-generator will either begin coloring in the picture or, more likely, make it even larger during their appearance at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, where Marvel Studios chief, Kevin Feige will be holding court and presumably detailing a Phase Four exit strategy, as well as which titles will usher in the follow-up. At the moment, there are quite a few MCU shows and films on the calendar that we know almost nothing about. Next month, both She-Hulk and I Am Groot will debut on Disney+. In November, we'll finally see how Ryan Coogler navigates the loss of Black Panther star, Chadwick Boseman, in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. A Guardians of The Galaxy holiday special will be closing the year. And the first half of 2023 will feature at least three films (for now,) including Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and The Marvels. Keep in mind, that's just those with firm release dates.
There's also a looming Blade reboot with Mahershala Ali, a long-rumored MCU entry for Deadpool with Ryan Reynolds, a still castless Fantastic Four revival, and a fourth Captain America with Anthony Mackie as the newly-shielded titular hero. On the small screen side, there are nearly a dozen new shows either in development or on their way. Not counting confirmed second seasons of both Loki and What If?, Marvel has announced shows centering on the Secret Invasion arch, Armor Wars, Nova, Ironheart, The Thunderbolts, and even Daredevil, who was brought into the MCU via Spider-Man: No Way Home last year. We'll also see, at some point, spin-offs from WandaVision and Hawkeye in Agatha: House of Harkness and Echo, respectively. And on the animated front, there's Spider-Man: Freshman Year, Marvel Zombies, and the anxiously-awaited proper arrival of mutantkind in X-Men '97.
Needless to say, Marvel and Disney+ have a ton in the works for the next few years. But with so many titles in the cutting room, fans are probably wondering just how they'll fit it all in. And more pertinently, which of them are getting the spotlight at SDCC 2022, where Feige is set to take the stage for the first time since 2019, when he announced the slate for Phase Four.
So we're combing through the rumor mill chatter for something of substance. Especially now that it's being reported Marvel will be saving its biggest announcements for D23 later this year. Of course, nothing's in the book until Feige clears it and there's always a chance the chief has a card or two up his sleeve. But here's what we could see from Marvel at this year's SDCC presentation.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Source: Marvel Studios/Disney
Arguably the most anticipated Marvel film project of the year, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will cap the studio's 2022 slate when it premieres in theaters on November 22nd. A few months out from hitting the screen, we know shockingly little and have seen even less of Ryan Coogler's sequel to his record-breaking 2018 film. That's not exactly uncharacteristic of Marvel. And for a film tasked with continuing the legacy of the late Chadwick Boseman, it's not surprising they'd keep particularly quiet on this front. Still, it's the final MCU installment of the year, and with as much hype as it's already built up in recent months (and the leak of Dominique Thorne's Riri Johnson, aka Ironheart, appearing in the film,) some type of trailer or official synopsis, at the very least, is almost absolutely on deck for SDCC 2022.
The Guardians of The Galaxy Holiday Special
Source: Marvel Studios
Before we get to the grand finale of their standalone franchise, the dysfunctional planet-jumping team of aliens and half-gods will be returning for some season's greetings this winter in The Guardians of The Galaxy Holiday Special. Expected to arrive just in time for all of the eggnog-chugging, this one-off Disney+ exclusive has already been shot (along with the trilogy closer,) according to director, James Gunn, and as the last Marvel project slated for a 2022 release, it's pretty safe to bet on some new details, or even a trailer, arriving during Feige's SDCC presentation. As for Vol.3, we'll probably have to wait until D23 in November for updates.
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
Source: Marvel Studios
Commencing what will be another stacked year for the MCU, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is Marvel's first film of 2023. It arrives on February 17th and according to "insiders" (which have been surprisingly accurate over the years,) it will feature the first non-television appearance of Jonathan Majors' Kang The Conqueror, following his introduction in the season finale of Loki. With both Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer returning, as well as rumored appearances from Bill Murray and Jim Carrey, the third chapter in the Ant-Man saga is low-key one of the most star-powered films in Marvel's roster of upcoming projects. We might not get a trailer just yet, but there's a solid chance some footage and/or a synopsis of some sort will be featured in Feige's presentation this year.
The Marvels
Source: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus
Equal parts Captain Marvel sequel and miniature Avengers-type crossover, The Marvels is positioned to be the comic book giant's summer 2023 blockbuster. Slotted for release on July 28th, 2023, the film will presumably focus on the events following the post-credit scene in Ms. Marvel's game-changing season finale (and whatever happens between then and the rest of Marvel's titles,) teaming the captain up with two of her biggest super-powered fans in Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan and Akira Akbar's Monica Rambeau. While it's true we're more than a year out from the film's release and there's plenty on the company's docket until then, don't be too shocked if some teasers start trickling in.
Secret Invasion
Source: Marvel Studios
While most of this list has been focused on Marvel projects that are already on the calendar, it seems appropriate to save some space and hope for at least one appearance from a non-scheduled show or film at this year's SDCC. Particularly one that was announced all the way back in December of 2020. Details are predictably few and far between, however, Marvel's Secret Invasion is very much on the way with Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn returning as Talos, the shape-shifting Skrull. Though it's currently in reshoots, the bulk of what will be a six-part Disney+ series concluded filming in April of this year. So we might just get a better look at the show over the weekend.
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