Marvel Studios spent quite a bit of 2023 working behind the scenes to find a way to right the ship. After rarely if ever missing during in the back end of the Infinity Saga, the front end of the Infinity Saga was incredibly uneven at best. The results of that time spent are, so far, encouraging and with more than a few upcoming projects already drumming up positive buzz (Deadpool & Wolverine, Agatha and Daredevil: Born Again among them), there’s hope that the 3-4 years will be a return to glory.
Bob Iger’s return to Disney came with a mandate that large studios, like Marvel, dial back on the number of projects in development and focus more on pumping out sure things. To that end, Iger also indicated that studios would be revisiting franchises and characters that fans know and love. In Marvel’s case, many of those familiar characters seemed to have had their last dance in Avengers: Endgame but as word comes down that the studio is prepping for production on Avengers 5, one of the original Avengers has reportedly officially agreed to return for Avengers 6.
According to scooper @MyTimeToShineH, Chris Evans will return in Avengers: Secret Wars.
“I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of. And like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened. And I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing. So, no time soon. And ultimately I really hope to just maybe act a little bit less in my life. I have a lot of other interests.”
Chris Evans on returning to the role of Captain America
If Evans did have some projects in mind back in 2021, the impact of COVID delays plus the strikes of 2023 could have pushed those projects back several years. If so, Evans could have been telling the whole truth in the recent interview while still knowing he had something coming up down the road. Should Evans indeed return for another MCU adventure or two, it would likely be 7 or 8 years post-Endgame. Steve Rogers would certainly be a welcome sight.
Once upon a time, the Marvel Studios’ film formerly known as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty would have been either in production now or starting soon. Without detailing the litany of issues that have preceded it, it’s enough to say that Avengers: The Kang Dynasty will likely never commence production because some portion of those issues have led Marvel Studios to rethink what the fifth Avengers film will be. A trifecta of changes left Marvel Studios without a writer, director and key actor for the film. Michael Waldron took over writing duties on the film last year and according to one insider, the scribe has cracked the story for Avengers 5. With the studio preparing for a 2025 start of production, a new rumor suggests they’ve begun reaching out to talent…but who’s being left out?
According to reliable MCU insider Daniel RPK, while the studio has contacted multiple actors who will reprise their roles as Avengers in Avengers 5, the newly announced cast of The Fantastic Four is not expected to suit up again for the film.
On Valentine’s Day, Marvel Studios made a splash by revealing that Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach had been cast as Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm, respectively. While each actor had been previously rumored to be associated with those roles, they were hardly alone in that regard, making it tough for fans to know what was real and what was just another scoop of rumor mill bullshit. Their exclusion from Avengers 5 would seem to indicate that the film will almost certainly be Earth-616-centric, making Avengers: Secret Wars the studio’s big crossover epic.
As for the Avengers who might assemble in Avengers 5, there are certainly some bets safer than others. Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson, Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor, Mark Ruffalo‘s Hulk and Brie Larson‘s Carol Danvers are likely to be joined by Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man as the core team with another major assist by Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange. According to RPK, other newcomers–which may include Shang-Chi, Ms. Marvel and Moon Knight–may not make the cut either. Given Bob Iger‘s recent comments about focusing on franchises and franchise characters, there may be some veracity to the idea that the newbies won’t lead what is most definitely a very important film for Disney.
X-Men ’97 is the best thing going for Marvel Studios at the moment. After some dismal projects and a few that lacked consistency, Marvel Animation’s revival series has been a weekly reminder of just how great Marvel’s mutant heroes can be. Now, on the heels of the success of X-Men ’97, word that the studio is making some serious headway with their live-action reboot has emerged.
According to Jeff “The In” Sneider, Marvel Studios search for a writer for The Mutants/X-Men film is winding down. Sneider reported that the studio is “pretty close” to nailing down the scribe for the project and that they could finalize a deal in the “next few weeks.”
In some ways, the hype that continues to grow around the rumored appearances of an ever-increasing number of Marvel heroes in Deadpool & Wolverine feels awfully familiar. Prior to both Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fans were inundated with rumors about Charlie Cox, Andrew Garfield and Tom Cruise popping in to cameo. Obviously some of these rumors held true whereas others were simply bullshit. With Deadpool & Wolverine just a few months away, there’s been no slowing the rumor mill down and now a new rumor about a very popular character has made its way into the wild.
Potential spoilers ahead…
According to known social media leaker MTTSH, Channing Tatum‘s Gambit, who has been rumored to appear in the film for some time now, will have a very interesting role in Deadpool & Wolverine.
MTTSH claims that Gambit, along with X-23 and Elektra will be part of a group of heroes who fight back against Emma Corrin‘s big bad, Cassandra Nova. In the film, Nova looks to be the boss of the TVA’s wasteland known as the Void. As seen in the latest trailer, Nova has quite a collection of miscreants at her disposal including Lady Deathstrike, Azazel and more.
If this claim is true, it’s a solid way to incorporate Tatum’s Gambit along with many of the other Fox-verse heroes who hsbe been rumored to be appearing. Given the number of villains on Nova’s goon squad, even Wade and Logan could use some help.
A new look at Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine was certainly full of goodies for eagle-eye (and not-so-eagle-eyed fans). From a Giant-Man’s head being used as a base for Cassandra Nova’s Void wasteland crew, to quick peeks at Azazel and Lady Deathstrike to Hugh Jackman‘s Wolverine Variant wearing the classic, sleeveless uniform, the trailer seemed to catch the fancy of most fans. However, given everything that’s (mostly) public knowledge about the film, it’s hard not to feel like through two trailers there’s a whole lot more we have not seen…and that’s a good thing! And according to one scooper with a very solid track record on Marvel Studios’ projects, two characters who have been rumored to appear but have yet to be seen in any footage or promo art for the film are set to play a surprisingly larger role than most expected.
According to Daniel RPK, Dafne Keen‘s X-23 and Channing Tatum‘s Gambit both have “decent-sized” roles in the film rather than just cameos. Tatum’s potential role in the film was the subject of a recent rumor that indicated the actor would finally get to try out his Cajun accent after his solo Gambit project was scrapped following the Disney/Fox deal. Given the presence of the 20th Century Studios sign in the Void, there’s plenty of room for some jokes about how the film–which was in development for 3+ years–was pruned from some timeline out in the vast Multiverse.
Given that the Void is the primary setting for the project, there’s no doubt that any number of characters and Variants of them from the Fox X-Men films (made and unmade) could show up in Deadpool & Wolverine. We’ll all find out together which characters made the cut when the film hits theaters on July 26th.
John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein carry some heavy nerd cred. Having earned writing credits for Spider-Man: Homecoming , Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves–which they also directed–and The Flash, the creative duo has established themselves as a key player in the modern push to bring comics and gaming to the big screen. According to a new rumor, their recent resume has put them in contention to take charge of one of Marvel Studios’ most important projects.
According to reliable MCU insider Daniel RPK, Daley and Goldstein are among the pool of talent being considered to direct Spider-Man 4.
According to RPK, directors Justin Lin and Drew Goddard, who were once rumored to be in the pool of directors considered for the film, are no longer in the mix. The still untitled fourth film in the franchise has been rumored to head into production later this year.
For the second time in just a few weeks, a reliable Marvel Studios’ insider has indicated that production on the studio’s fourth Spider-Man film–which will once again be made in collaboration with Sony– will get underway before the end of 2024. While that’s definitely an encouraging development for fans who have been waiting to find out when Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker will return to the screen, the rumored start date could point to some interesting possibilities for the film.
If production does indeed kick off in late 2024, it provides Sony with an opportunity to release Spider-Man 4 in 2025, something they have been reportedly hoping to achieve. Production on the previous three Spider-Man films have taken 3-4 months to complete; if the same timeline is followed in the fourth installment, principal photography should be complete by the end of January 2025. Could the film then be ready to hit theaters before the end of 2025?
The short answer is that it absolutely could be. Each of the last three MCU-set Spider-Man films hit theaters roughly eight months after they wrapped principal photography. Most recently, Spider-Man: No Way Home began production in October 2020, took a break for the holidays, resumed in January 2021 and concluded in late-March. No Way Home hit theaters in mid-December 2021.
Being ready for theaters is one thing; finding a release date in an already jam-packed 2025 is something else entirely. Sony Pictures, not Marvel Studios, sets the dates for the releases of their Spider-Man collaborations. As of now, Sony has an Untitled Marvel Movie set for June 27, 2025. Even by Sony’s sometimes bewildering standards, 3 months in post-production surely can’t be enough. However, just because Sony sets the dates does not mean Marvel Studios, who produces the collaborations, won’t work with their partner in finding a suitable release date. And to that end, an interesting coincidence may point to a target date for Spider-Man 4.
Only a Fool Would Charge into Battle with a Dull Blade
With Marvel Studios still working on the back end of its Multiverse Saga, including the fifth Avengers film which is currently still slated for a May 1, 2026 release, its easy to imagine Blade being pushed to their open February 13, 2026 date even without Spider-Man 4 being taken into consideration. However, if Sony is keen on getting Holland’s Webhead into theaters in 2025, Disney could work with them on doing so since it benefits their MCU as well. While Sony likely covets a mid-December release for Spidey 4, James Cameron‘s Avatar 3–a sure billion dollar box office take for Disney–is set for December 19, 2025. Cameron recently claimed that Avatar 3 was on track for that date and if that’s true, there’s no way Disney budges from that date. However, they might happily move Blade into 2026 leaving a big opening for Spider-Man 4 to hit theaters on November 7, 2025.
Marvel Team-Up: The Wallcrawler and The Man Without Fear
After a lengthy delay in the production of Daredevil: Born Again which allowed Marvel Studios to retool the project, principal photography on the first nine episodes wrapped in early April 2024. With those episodes in the can, work on post-production to get the episodes ready for a 2025(?) release will take priority. With that work being done as well as continued work on the scripts for the next nine episodes, it was reported that the cast and crew won’t resume work on Daredevil: Born Again until November 2024. Isn’t that convenient…?
If work on Spider-Man 4 begins in September and production on Daredevil: Born Again doesn’t resume until November, there is ample opportunity for Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio and anyone else from the cast of the streaming series to film scenes for Spidey 4. Like Hannibal Smith, Feige loves it when a plan comes together.
To be sure, this is a big game of dominos and we’ve not even seen the first one fall just yet; however, should things line up with the schedules of directors (one is not yet in place for Spider-Man 4, though an offer was reportedly extended to someone), actors and studio availability, everyone could come out of a shit storm smelling like roses.
For a film that hasn’t even begun principal photography, Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four is certainly generating a lot of hype. Known for typically keeping secrets locked up tightly until big events, the studio has been uncharacteristically forthcoming with information about the film, using social media to drive interest in the project. First, it was a Valentine’s Day reveal of the cast through some stylized concept art, new title and new release date; then, on April 4th, another piece of concept art was shared along with a link to Marvel.com that ultimately landed fans on a page created by the Future Foundation. That page contained links to five Marvel Comics that fans have (probably) rightly concluded have had some level of influence on the plot of the 2025 film. And then, of course, scoopers and leakers have been scooping and leaking and much of what they have had to share lately has led to some interesting discussion at all the usual places. What’s the latest buzz? What’s real and what’s bullshit? Let’s take a look!
Alternate Universe
The most notable rumor making the rounds is that Marvel Studios The Fantastic Four will be set in a universe other than the MCU’s version of the 616. To be totally fair, given what Marvel Studios has provided for fans to look over, no insider access is necessary to come to that conclusion. Both the original cast photo and the new concept art of the Human Torch provide plenty of inferences that the film is set elsewhere in the Multiverse. The Valentine’s Day artwork which was used to announce the cast made it clear that the First Family was active during the 1960s. There’s a lot we don’t know about the past of the MCU but it’s almost impossible to imagine what sort of horrific retcons director Matt Shakman and the film’s team of writers would have had to fabricate in order to explain how nobody in the MCU’s 616 knows who the Fantastic Four are.
While there were still potential arguments to be made (after all, Doctor Strange made everyone forget Peter Parker), the retrofuturistic city in the background of the “Happy 4-4 Day!” poster really erases any doubt that The Fantastic Four will take place in an alternate universe. What’s more interesting though is that the retofuturistic city also sort of implies that Doctor Reed Richards and his Future Foundation have had a profound impact on the Earth they inhabit. Honestly, it’s interesting that the Future Founation exists at all on this new Earth because it implies that Reed has done an admirable job of solving everything which makes one wonder if this Reed Variant is so intelligent that he’s become aware of the Multiverse, has built The Bridge and has met other Reeds.
Whether Reed has knowledge of the Multiverse or not, the audience certainly does. Beginning with Avengers: Endgame and continuing throughout several Multiverse Saga projects (Loki, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels and What If…?), Marvel Studios has opened the floodgates to the Multiverse. MoM alone introduced over a dozen new universes. So where is The Fantastic Four set? Definitely not in the 616 and definitely not on Earth-838 because that universe’s Reed wasn’t so smart, as it turns out. As much as fans might want to see the film set in a familiar universe–or at least one that’s been seen on screen before–that really doesn’t make sense from a story telling perspective. Any “known” universe would come with pre-existing limitations, no matter how small (sorry, Binary and Beast universe). To open it up to truly unlimited creativity and potential, the story would simply just have to be set in a universe that has previously not been seen. No muss, no fuss.
Rumor Control: Yes, The Fantastic Four is set in another universe and it is one that has yet to be explored in the MCU.
Franklin Richards and Galactus
One of the more interesting rumors to follow Marvel Studios’ new last week was that Reed and Sue’s son, Franklin, will appear in the film. The rumor suggests that Sue will be pregnant when she’s first seen in the film and that Franklin will be born in space. If Marvel Studios has proven anything, it’s that they aren’t particularly concerned about faithfully adapting stories or characters from the comics; however, Franklin Richards is a singular character even in a world of marvels, so his inclusion is of note.
In the comics, Franklin is a mutant with immeasurable telepathic and telekinetic abilities who also happens to be capable of reshaping reality. Indeed as a young child, Franklin saved Earth’s heroes from Onslaught by creating an entire pocket dimension for them. Following the 2015 event Secret Wars, Franklin restored the Multiverse by creating all-new, all-different realities. Recent events in the comics have stripped Franklin of all his powers but for one day a year, however, thanks to time travel and flashforwards in the comics, some of his future has also been told and those stories may factor into The Fantastic Four.
Relevant to the film’s potential plot, Franklin Richards has a long history with Galactus. When Franklin was just a young boy, The Great Devourer of Worlds already feared his power. By the time he was an adult, Franklin became so powerful that Galactus served as his herald. In the alternate Earth-X universe, Franklin became Galactus. It’s not clear exactly what ties Matt Shakman’sThe Fantastic Four will establish between the two characters but some buzz has reached our ears that there will be some connection between Franklin and Galactus in the film.
It’s clear that Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben have been active for quite some time in their universe and that Franklin’s birth takes place after the team is well-established as heroes. That means it’s likely that whatever Galactus is up to, this may not be the first time the team has encountered him.
Rumor Control: Franklin Richards does look to play an integral role in the film, which will establish some connection between the young powerhouse and Galactus.
The Fantastic Four starts production this Summer and is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.
Production on DC Studios’ Superman began just over a month ago and though little aside from the film’s design for the crest of the House of El has been officially revealed, rumored details about the plot have begun to trickle out. One of the more tantalizing tidbits to make the rounds is that star David Corenswet will be playing multiple versions of the character as Nicholas Hoult‘s Lex Luthor will team up with a dangerous doppelgänger in order to take on the Man of Steel. While that sounds dangerously close to the plot of the critically nuked 1987 film Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, director and DC Studios’ co-chair James Gunn has stayed out of the online discourse, leading folks to believe it might just be true. Now, a new rumor has emerged online that gives a bit more information about Luthor’s plan in the film. If the rumor proves true, the details could be fairly spoilery so proceed at your own risk.
According to online scoopster Can We Get Some Toast, Luthor’s plan to battle Kal-El in Superman revolves around the bald baddie using Kal’s DNA to create a corrupt clone of the hero! The idea, of course, is pulled straight from the comics where the concept has been explored multiple times, usually with Luthor’s clone being one take or another on Bizarro. However, Gunn’s take is rumored to give the clone a different identity, blending it with an evil, multiversal alternate Kal known as Ultraman.
In the comics, Ultraman goes by Kal-II and is Earth 3’s version of the Last Son of Krypton. Ultraman is the complete antithesis of Superman: a being of pure evil who certainly does not value truth, justice and the American way. Gunn’s Superman has been described as “kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned,” so pitting him against an alternate version of himself that values none of that could provide for both an interesting commentary on modern society and a dangerous foe.
On Valentine’s Day, Marvel Studios revealed the cast, release date and new title for 2025’s The Fantastic Four via social media. Though the talented group of actors that were cast as Marvel’s First Family wasn’t truly a surprise (rumors had all four of them in the roles for months ahead of Marvel Studios’ announcement), the concept art that accompanied the reveal did hint at something very interesting about the film’s setting. Both the magazine being read by Ben Grimm and the portrait of him pre-cosmic ray incident seemed to indicate that the events of the film were going to be set in the 1960s, something that could be a bit problematic in the MCU’s Sacred Timeline. If the Fantastic Four had ben around since then, why had nobody heard of them? Why didn’t Hank Pym or Peggy Carter ever mention them? Now a new rumor about the Matt Shakman-helmed film might clear up all those problems.
According to insider Daniel RPK, Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four will be set in an alternate universe somewhere in the MCU’s Multiverse.
Should this rumor turn out to be accurate, it’ll certainly be controversial; however, it’s a wise choice by the studio as it gives the project room to breathe and truly set itself apart from other MCU projects. By simply setting it outside of the MCU’s 616-universe, Shakman has the creative freedom to completely ignore any and everything fans know, love and hate about the “Marvel formula.” Assuming this universe it not one that we’ve seen in the MCU so far, the characters don’t have to play by any of the rules or be painted into a corner by any of the stories told so far. The family of explorers can be allowed to explore new corners of the universe, just as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby intended.
Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four is currently set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.
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