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  • From Rumor to Reality: What’s Next for Marvel Studios’ Original Avengers

    From Rumor to Reality: What’s Next for Marvel Studios’ Original Avengers

    It’s been five years since Marvel Studios’ original Avengers last assembled on screen in Avengers: Endgame. However, as Marvel Studios crosses the halfway point of their Multiverse Saga–which has introduced heroes like Ms. Marvel, Shang-Chi and Moon Knight–six of Earth’s mightiest heroes who, on a day unlike any other found themselves united against the cmon threat of Loki and heeded the call to become the Avengers, still sit at the forefront of the minds of fans. Though two of them sacrificed themselves to help defeat Thanos and a third disappeared in the time stream, three of the OG Avengers have seen their stories continue post-Endgame and still live on to fight another day.

    As fans continue to hope for the continuation of the stories of Hawkeye, Hulk and Thor and for the Multiverse to find a way to tell further chapters in the stories of Cap, Widow and Iron Man, Disney has taken a hard look at the state of the MCU and found some holes in the one unassailable armor. Perhaps coincidentally, as Disney plots a new course forward, rumors and reports have begun to emerge that they may take a look in the rearview and return to the stories of the heroes that created such a sturdy foundation. Ahead of the summer convention circuit, which could be used to give a glimpse of what’s next, we parse through rumor and reality for each of the original six Avengers.

    Bruce Banner

    After a supporting role in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, Bruce Banner’s next appearance–while all but guaranteed–is anyone’s guess. Despite the MCU debut of the Red Hulk, the Hulked-out alter ego of Banner’s longtime nemesis, Thunderbolt Ross, and the return classic Hulk villain The Leader in 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World, Banner is not expected to be on screen in the film. His cameo appearance in Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings seemingly indicated he’s still at least somewhat active with whatever remnants of the Avengers remain after the events of Avengers: Endgame and as their current expert on time travel, one would think he’d come in handy when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes find themselves up against Kang (assuming that’s still happening).

    I’d love to do a standalone Hulk, I just don’t think that’s ever going to happen. It’s very expensive if you did a whole movie, which is why they use the Hulk so sparingly. I priced myself out!

    -Mark Ruffalo, GQ, February 2024

    https://www.murphysmultiverse.com/avengers-5-rumored-to-have-cracked-its-story-sideline-major-marvel-studios-heroes/Though Mark Ruffalo–who has played the Hulk since taking over for Edward Norton in 2012’s The Avengers–was told by Marvel Studios’ One Above All Kevin Fegie that a solo Hulk movie is out of the question, a film adaptation of the Marvel Comics event World War Hulk has made several rounds through the rumor mill since 2021. Originally rumored to begin production in 2022, buzz around the film died off significantly following Marvel Studios’ 2022 slate presentations at SDCC and D23. Recently, however, rumors emerged that at least part of the action in the newly rewritten Avengers 5 would involve a team of heroes that included Banner and that some elements of either World War Hulk or World War Hulks could have made their way into the new script.

    Verdict: With nothing but tenuous and insubstantial rumors from which to glean information, we’d wager that the safest bet is to expect to see Mark Ruffalo back in action in Avengers 5. If so, look for Marvel to make an announcement about the film this summer during the convention circuit.

    Clint Barton

    Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Hawkeye provided an opportunity to wrap up Clint Barton’s story by handing over the mantle of Hawkeye to Kate Bishop; however, while the Season 1 finale of Hawkeye saw Clint burn the Ronin outfit that symbolized a very dark period of his life, it did nothing to put a bow on his story. While Kate popped up in a quick cameo in The Marvels, the next chapter of Clint’s story has yet to begin yet…but as you probably already know there’s a reason for that.

    I’m always game. I’m gonna be strong enough, that’s for sure. I’ll be ready. All those guys come to my bedside and they’ve been with me all along through this recovery, so… if they want me, they could have me. It would be something.

    Jeremy Renner, Entertainment Tonight, February 2024

    Jeremy Renner, who has played Clint Barton since the character first appeared in 2011’s Thor, nearly died in a snow plow accident in 2023. The actor’s recovery has gone incredibly well and now he’s ready to pick up the character’s trademark bow and arrow once more. Recently, it was rumored that a second season of Hawkeye was ordered up for Disney Plus which would see Clint and Kate reportedly pinned down in one location and potentially up against Clint’s brother, Barney.

    Verdict: Though the original source of the rumor could be called into question, subsequent investigation into the veracity of the information has turned up some interesting information. While Marvel TV head honcho Brad Winderbaum just cautioned fans that the studio is now developing more projects than they ever intended to produce, a second season of Hawkeye does indeed seem to be in development and could end up on Disney Plus much sooner than expected.

    Steve Rogers

    Joe and Anthony Russo gave Steve Rogers a fairy tale ending in Avengers: Endgame. The Man Out of Time stepped back in time to live the life that was stolen from him when he went into the ice. After returning the Infinity Stones to their timelines, Rogers traveled back to 1949, creating a new timeline in which he and Peggy Carter got their dance and their happily ever after. That detour alone provides incredibly fertile storytelling ground but, so far, the further adventures of Steve Rogers have yet to be explored.

    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, GQ, 2023

    Reports of Chris Evans‘ potential return to the role date back to early 2021 when Deadline reported the actor was nearing a deal that could see him star in a pair of projects. Evans has responded to the report on multiple occasions and while he’s never shut the door on a possible return, he’s made it clear it’s not something he’s been chomping at the bit to make happen, saying a return to the role “would be a tall order.“

    I don’t want to disappoint anybody, but I just don’t know…it’s tough, it was such a good run and I’m so happy with it and you know, it’s so precious to me. It would have to be perfect. It would just be scary to rattle something that is so dear to me. And that role means so much to me, so to revisit it would be a tall order.

    Chris Evans, Phase Zero, 2022

    Rumors of Evans‘ return as Rogers are most frequently associated with two projects: Nomad and Avengers: Secret Wars. As we first reported in 2020, a Nomad project remains in development at Marvel Studios. Though no details have ever surfaced and the studio has never officially addressed the project, they have taken steps over the years to keep it viable. In April 2024, Evans was rumored to have signed on to star in Avengers: Secret Wars, currently on the slate for 2027, which fits with the star’s desire to have some time pass between Endgame and his next MCU appearance.

    Verdict: A return by Evans seems inevitable at this point. His growth into the role of Captain America was one of the highlights of the Infinity Saga and his return for any project would immediately drive interest in it to new heights.

    Natasha Romanoff

    Natasha Romanoff should never be brought back to life. Her sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame brought a fitting closure to her character’s MCU arc and undoing it is not only impossible by the rules set forth in the film but would also give the character’s legacy less meaning moving forward. That does not, however, mean that stories about the character could not or will not continue to be told.

    Like a loophole? I feel like that’s kind of the end, right? Like can you come back? Could it be a vampire version of the character? Cause I’m here for that, like a zombie version, maybe.

    Scarlett Johansson, Today, 2023

    For her part, actress Scarlett Johansson has never really provided much hope that she’d reprise the role of Black Widow again saying the return of her character “would be a miracle.” That doesn’t mean Johansson and Marvel won’t work together again, however. In 2021, Kevin Feige revealed that Marvel and Johansson were working on a “non-Black Widow-related top-secret Marvel Studios project.” Recent rumors have potentially identified that project as The Blonde Phantom, a 1950s-set streaming series that Johansson is expected to produce but not star in. If that project is off the table, could Black Widow still find life after death? As we speculated here, the character could potentially join the cast of Nomad with the studio hoping to tap back into the incredible chemistry shared between Evans and Johansson in Captain America: Civil War. The post-Civil War/pre-Infinity War timeline has barely been fleshed out in the MCU and revisiting it could easily retcon characters and events into the universe that could still be dealt with in the Multiverse Saga.

    Verdict: Any and every character is truly on the board for a return in the Multiverse Saga; however, here’s to hoping any future Black Widow stories are set before her death or involve the creative and effective use of Variants.

    Thor

    Of all the original Avengers, Thor seems the one most likely to have stories told about him as long as the MCU exists. Given his long life as an Asgardian, there’s plenty of room for stories about his past and future to be told, something done exceptionally well in the comics by Jason Aaron.

    You look at Thor 1 and 2, they were quite similar. Ragnarok and Love and Thunder are similar. I think it’s about reinventing it. I’ve had such a unique opportunity with Infinity War and Endgame to do very drastic things with the character. I enjoy that, I like keeping people on their toes. It keeps me on my toes.

    Chris Hemsworth, Happy, Sad, Confused Podcast, 2022

    While Chris Hemsworth has grown tired of playing Thor on multiple levels, it doesn’t seem as though he’s quite done with his time as the Odinson. The star has slowly but surely revealed his displeasure with both his own performance in Thor: Love and Thunder and its reception with fans. Hemsworth has said that any return to the character would have to start with a project that is “tonally different” than the previous installment in the franchise. If a recent rumor has any merit to it, Marvel Studios must have listened to the star’s words and be looking to head in that direction as they are currently seeking a new writer and director in order to get Thor V in production by the end of 2025.

    Verdict: There’s more gas in the tank for Hemsworth and the Odinson. More Thor is on the way.

    Tony Stark

    “I am Iron Man.” The bookend statement of Tony Stark’s journey as the Armored Avenger provided two of the MCU’s most memorable moments. Undoing his death or altering it in any way should be a punishable offense. Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo explained that he and his brother, Anthony, “closed that book” adding that it would be up to the studio “to figure out how to reopen it.“ Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, stated that the studios has no interest in reopening said book, saying “we are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again. We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.“

    Happily. It’s too integral a part of my DNA. That role chose me. And look, I always say, “Never, ever bet against Kevin Feige.” It is a losing bet. He’s the house. He will always win.

    Robert Downey Jr., Esquire, 2024

    Tony Stark’s incredible legacy in the MCU will continue to live on even though the character does not. Though Vegas sees actor Robert Downey Jr. as the odds-on-favorite to return to the role that launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the rumor landscape is notably barren. A pre-Endgame-set Iron Man 4 doesn’t seem likely and it’s pretty clear a post-Endgame continuation of the story of the Sacred Timeline’s Tony Stark isn’t in the cards. That doesn’t mean there’s no way home for Stark, however, as a Variant of the character could easily appear in any number of Multiverse Saga stories.

    Verdict: It is my belief that Marvel Studios and Downey will find–perhaps already have found–a way to get Downey some more screen time. The MCU needs saving and who better than its greatest hero to save it one more time.

    Sources: GQ, Deadline, Esquire, GWW, Happy, Sad, Confused, THR, Variety

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Director Flinches at Rumors of Involvement with ‘Spider-Man 4’

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Director Flinches at Rumors of Involvement with ‘Spider-Man 4’

    Reports continue to indicate that Sony has its sights set on starting production on Spider-Man 4 before the end of 2024. Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige indicated that the studio had found a story for the film in early 2023 and though the WGA strike slowed development on the script, star Tom Holland recently indicated things are moving in the right direction. That’s all good news for Sony as almost all the pieces are in place for them to get cameras rolling on the sequel to Spider-Man: No Way Home, which grossed almost $2M at the box office. However, there’s still business to be done as Sony and Marvel Studios have yet to find a director to replace Jon Watts.

    We have the best in the business working toward whatever the story might be. But until we’ve cracked it, we have a legacy to protect. The third movie was so special in so many ways that we need to make sure we do the right thing. This is the first time in this process that I’ve been part of the creative so early. It’s just a process where I’m watching and learning. It’s just a really fun stage for me. Like I said, everyone wants it to happen. But we want to make sure we’re not overdoing the same things.

    -Tom Holland on Spider-Man 4

    Watts helmed Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home, all of which were very successful critically and financially; however, the studios are said to be searching for a new vision for their next Spidey trilogy and, given the names that have surfaced as possibilities to direct it, it seems as though they are looking for directors who have a history with high-octane action. While he’s said to no longer be in the mix, Fast and the Furious director Justin Lin was reportedly considered for the gig. More recently, Bad Boys for Life and Bad Boys: Ride or Die directors Adil El Arbi and Bilal Fallah were said to be in the mix for the job as well. The directing duo can certainly handle action and have experience working with Marvel Studios, having helmed two episodes of the D+ streaming series Ms. Marvel. While at a screening for Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Fallah was asked to comment on the rumor and his response will certainly do nothing to dispel rumors of his involvement.

    Clearly caught off guard by the question, Fallah took just a second to collect himself but in that second he may have given away the possibility he and El Arbi have at least had conversations about directing Spider-Man 4. Having worked with both of the studios behind Spidey films, El Arbi and Fallah do seem uniquely positioned to land the job. Should the two indeed land the job, it sounds as thought they’ll have a big job ahead given the rumors that Spidey 4 will feature both a street-level civil war and a meeting between Peter and the symbiote left behind by Tom Hardy‘s Eddie Brock.

    Spider-Man 4 currently has no release date though speculation continues to mount that it will hit theaters in 2025.

  • Marvel Studios Rumored to be Fast Tracking a Sequel for an Original Avenger

    Marvel Studios Rumored to be Fast Tracking a Sequel for an Original Avenger

    In early May, Disney’s top dog, Bob Iger, spoke publicly about his plan to reshape Marvel Studios’ release slate. We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three,” said Iger, adding “And we’re working hard on what that path is.” That means that the release slate rolled out by the studio at D23 in 2022 probably isn’t something worth holding onto for fans as projects may be moving on and off the slate. According to a new rumor, one project that seems to be moving surprisingly quickly will be a sequel for one of the franchise’s longest-standing stars.

    According to a new report by insider Daniel RPK, Marvel Studios is currently searching for a creative team to get a fifth film in the Thor franchise up and running. While the report did not include any potential writers or directors, it did indicate that the studio hopes to roll cameras on Thor V by the Fall of 2025.

    After recreating the character over a three-movie arc (Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame), Chris Hemsworth has been pretty vocal about the portrayal of Thor in the latest installment, Thor: Love and Thunder. “I cringe and laugh equally at it,” said Hemsworth. “I think we just had too much fun. It just became too silly.” He’s also gone on the record multiple times to say he’d be willing to come back as the Odinson if the studio found a way to take the character in a new direction.

    If I was going to do something again it would have to be tonally different. And we’d have to do something very drastic to keep people on their toes. Otherwise, it’s just the fatigue of those characters and those films, where people are like, “I’ve seen it.“

    -Chris Hemsworth

    Reading between the lines, it seems as though Hemsworth return as Thor is at least partially dependent on the absence of Taika Waititi, who directed the last two films. Interestingly enough, just as the studio begins a search for a new director, George Miller–who recently worked with Hemsworth on Furiosa–expressed interest in working with him again on the next Thor film. “I would work with Chris on anything. I really would. He’s a wonderful actor. He’s got the full range of all the skills,” said Miller. No matter who comes on board for Thor V, they’ll have plenty of source material from which to mine their next story and it shouldn’t be too hard to find a way to find a way scratch Hemsworth’s itch to reinvent the character one more time.

  • Giancarlo Esposito Teases His Upcoming Role in the MCU

    Giancarlo Esposito Teases His Upcoming Role in the MCU

    During a panel at CCXP24, Esposito shocked the audience with the news that he had reached a deal to join the MCU in a mystery role. “I cannot promise you it’ll be Professor X, because here’s what I think. I think that there’s something about being original,” said Esposito. “We’ve seen different versions of Professor X. Wouldn’t you like to see me play a character in a Marvel movie who is original, and new, and fresh? So, mark my words: This will happen sooner than you think.” As expected, Marvel Studios refused to comment on the news and the buzz around it died down…until Esposito reignited it at another convention.

    While making an appearance at Phoenix Fan Fusion, Esposito teased a little more about his MCU role, saying, “The MCU has knocked on my door and it’s a role you won’t predict. It will be teased and there will be a series afterwards” before telling those in attendance he would “knock it out of the park.“

    The news that whoever this mystery character is will appear in a series doesn’t give fans much to go in terms of deciphering who Esposito will be playing; however, it does indicate that whoever the character is won’t be a one-off and could be fairly important to one of the studio’s developing storylines.

    Esposito’s dalliance with Marvel Studios has been ongoing and has been interesting to follow. After years of being fan-cast as Charles Xavier, Giancarlo Esposito reached out to set up a meeting with Marvel Studios in 2022. And while the studio wasn’t “quite ready to get into that conversation” at the time, according to the actor, they must have come around to the notion of Espositio joining the MCU.

    I love how all this happens…[t]he fans come to me when I’m in line, a lot of comic cons, and it started with Dr. Doom maybe over a year ago. And then fans came and said [that I should do Freeze]…then it was Magneto. And these are fans suggesting to me what might be appropriate for me to do. And then, right, so the last year…people are coming and saying it’s [Professor] X. And they asked me, would you like to do that? I said I’d love to be in the Marvel Universe. And so all that got translated when the fan casting started to blow up that they’d like to see me play Professor X. It got so huge, I finally had to have my people call Marvel and explain that, you know, that this is a fan want and we would love to work with you. And [Marvel Studios isn’t] quite ready to get into that conversation. But when they are, I am here.

    -Giancarlo Esposito in 2022

    Esposito once revealed he was turned down for a role in the D+ streaming series Loki. “The truth of the story is this,” said the actor in a 2022 interview, “about four years ago I met with Louis D’Esposito who [is] in the television unit of Marvel. And they had come to me to play possibly play Loki on the television side. And so I did not do [that part], and there were reasons for it. I think I wasn’t the one who was chosen [would] be the honest truth. But I would have maybe liked to do it.” Esposito continued, “And then I thought when I wasn’t selected for that, that it would be great if I could be in a Marvel movie, not just a television show because I like films a lot. I love television, obviously, I had a great run in the television world, doing last year was four shows at one time and the year before five shows.” Now it seems as though the star will get a chance at both.

    Source: Empire

  • James Gunn Announces the Writing Team Behind DC Studios’ ‘Lanterns’

    James Gunn Announces the Writing Team Behind DC Studios’ ‘Lanterns’

    Among the first projects announced as part of DC Studios’ Chapter One: Gods and Monsters was the MAX streaming series Lanterns. Described by DC Studios’ co-chair Peter Safran as a “space opera” and  “terrestrial-based investigation story” in the vein of True Detective, Lanterns will play a “really big role leading us into the main story” of Chapter One. An interesting premise for sure and one that would require a top notch writing team…and it’s safe to say Safran and James Gunn put one together.

    This is a story of a couple of Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan.

    -James Gunn on Lanterns

    Gunn took to Instagram to announce a few members of an all-star writers room behind the project. Tom King, Chris Mindy and Damon Lindelof will headline the “crack team” of writers on the project.

    Lindelof has long been rumored to be attached to the project and recently liked an Instagram post by Gunn related to it. This is the first indication of Mundy’s involvement but with experience on True Detective and the Netflix series Ozark, he seems the perfect fit for the direction indicated by DC’s top dogs.

    We have a few other Lanterns peppered in there but this is really a terrestrial based TV show which is almost like True Detective with a couple of Green Lanterns who are space cops watching over Precinct Earth in it they discover a terrifying mystery that ties into our largest story of the DCU.

    -James Gunn on Lanterns

    While iconic Lanterns Jordan and Stewart will lead the series, they won’t be the first members of the Corps fans meet. That honor will go to the Corps’ biggest asshole, Guy Gardner, who will be brought to life by Nathan Fillion in Gunn’s Superman. Lanterns currently has no timeline for release.

  • First Reactions to ‘The Acolyte’ Give the High Republic Series High Praise

    First Reactions to ‘The Acolyte’ Give the High Republic Series High Praise

    Lucasfilm’s latest Star Wars streaming series, The Acolyte, premiered in London on May 23rd, with attendees having the opportunity to see the first two episodes. Meanwhile, select journalists were sent a screener package that included the first four episodes. After the screening, fans and critics took to social media to share their initial reactions to the upcoming show.

    The High Republic Era Kicks Off with a Bang

    The Acolyte provides Star Wars fans with the first live-action look at the High Republic era, a time when the Jedi were at their zenith as protectors of the galaxy and the Sith were long since believed to be extinct. Long-time media personalities such as Screen Rant’s Joseph Deckelmeier and Peter Sciretta felt the new setting provided a fresh perspective on the galaxy far, far away.

    Star Wars Noir

    Star Lee Jung-jae, who plays Jedi Master Sol, said The Acolyte fits into the “detective genre.” For several critics, the noir nature of the series was a highlight.

    The Cast Carries the Show

    While maybe not quite on the same scale as Game of Thrones, the main cast of The Acolyte is fairly large. While it’s sometimes tough on an audience to have so many characters to get to know, it sounds as though the great writing by showrunner Leslye Headland has made that quite a bit easier.

    The first two episodes of The Acolyte debut on Disney Plus on June 4th.

  • Make It So: ‘Picard’ Showrunner Rebuilding ‘Vision’ Series for 2026 Release

    Make It So: ‘Picard’ Showrunner Rebuilding ‘Vision’ Series for 2026 Release

    Since debuting in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, Paul Bettany‘s Vision has gone through multiple iterations while trying to ascertain just exactly what he is. Now, the next chapter of his story will undertake an evolution of its own.

    According to Variety, Marvel Studios has gone back to the drawing board to some extent on the Vision-centric streaming series, bringing Star Trek: Picard’s Terry Matalas on as showrunner. With Matalas coming on board, the untitled series is now slated for release in 2026.

    Matalas will take over for Jac Schaeffer who had previously been developing the WandaVision spinoff series, Vision Quest, for D+. It’s unclear just how much of Schaeffer’s work, if any, will carry over to Matalas’ project. It was recently reported that production on the series was set to get underway this Fall in the UK and with Marvel targeting a 2026 release, that still seems likely.

    Updating…

    Source: Variety

  • It’s Not All Connected: Marvel Exec Clarifies the Studio’s Recent Rebranding

    It’s Not All Connected: Marvel Exec Clarifies the Studio’s Recent Rebranding

    “Mr. Stark, you’ve become part of a bigger universe; you just don’t know it yet.” When Fury, Nicholas J. dropped that bomb on Tony Stark in the MCU’s first-ever post-credit scene in 2008’s Iron Man, the Marvel Cinematic Universe took flight. Over the next decade, the MCU expanded in ways nobody could have ever predicted. Through an onslaught of Easter eggs, cameos, name drops and references, the largest interconnected cinematic universe in Hollywood history became so popular that Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson could show up in Ant-Man and everyone in the audience knew who he was….hell, they knew who Ant-Man was! So ingrained in the experience of the MCU was that connectivity that in 2018, Marvel published an MCU guidebook titled “It’s All Connected.” Fans fawned over every fragment of connectivity, theorizing which character might show up where and how each post-credit scene might set up the next big thing. Doctor Strange! Reed Richards! Mephisto! But then, a funny thing happened on the way to the Multiverse.

    With the dawn of Disney Plus, the rate of expansion of the MCU increased. New, unfamiliar characters were introduced, causing a sense of disorder and uncertainty among fans. Entropic chaos ensued. Once the strength of the franchise, the MCU’s connectivity–along with a few less-than-successful projects–quickly threatened to cripple it. As Bob Iger returned to Disney, Marvel’s top creatives began to formulate a response to the dilemma and by the time Echo debuted on Hulu and Disney Plus in January 2024 and fans were introduced to the Marvel Spotlight banner, the studio’s solution began to become clear: the MCU would no longer be all connected but rather, through a series of moves behind the scenes, become à la carte.

    Marvel Studios is now–at least in part–reborn. As the studio forges ahead through its uneven Multiverse Saga, fans will find themselves on more of a choose your own adventure journey that Marvel hopes will help keep attracting new viewers. Following Echo, X-Men ’97 became the first production to debut under the new Marvel Animation banner. This Fall, Agatha All Along will mark the debut of the resurrected Marvel Television banner. The hope, according to Marvel’s head of streaming, television and animation, Brad Winderbaum, “is to “signal to the general audience that we’re creating a lot of options, and you can follow your tastes within this brand.”

    There was a lot of pressure post-‘Avengers: Endgame’ on the public to feel obligated to watch absolutely everything in order to watch anything. Part of the rebranding was a signal to the general audience that we’re creating a lot of options, and you can follow your tastes within this brand. Some will be more comedic, some will be more dramatic, some will be animated, some will be live-action. Marvel is more than just one thing — it is actually many different genres that just happened to coexist in a single narrative.

    -Brad Winderbaum

    Even as the Mutliverse Saga moves ahead, the rebranding does not create different universes within the MCU. That would be messier and increase confusion. Instead, as Winderbaum points out, “the characters still live and breathe in the same universe, but the interconnectivity is not so rigid that you need to watch Project A to understand Project B.” In that sense, the experience, says Winderbaum, should become more akin to that enjoyed by comic book readers who can pick up a Captain America comic without worrying about what’s going on in the most recent run of The Avengers. “The hope is that, like the comics, you can just pop in anywhere and have a satisfying experience. We’re trying to dispel the idea that you need to do any kind of setup work to watch anything else.”

    Iger’s return to Disney also came with a mandate that some of the larger studios–Marvel included–pull back a bit on the quantity of their streaming output. According to Winderbaum, that’s something that Marvel Studios had already begun working on. So, in addition to the reduced pressure to watch everything because “it’s all connected”, there’s also a reduction in content which should add up to an increase in quality and, hopefully, a better experience for the audience. “We were already, as of two years ago, adapting our process from being, you know, fill the service as fast as possible no matter what, to a more considered approach,” said Winderbaum. “I really like the idea of two shows a year, especially because we are developing more than we make. We used to treat the shows like the features where we’re gonna make a show and that’s it, we’re going to hit a release date, hell or high water. Well, it’s hard to do for a two hour feature, it’s even harder to do for, six, seven, eight, nine hours. So now we have a more traditional approach.” And so while the studio may have a lot of projects in the pipeline–like the LONG-GESTATING Nova series–there’s no guarantee that they’ll hit D+ soon, if ever; only that if and when they do, they’ll have been carefully curated.

    Ultimately, the rebranding changes absolutely nothing for your average MCU superfan. The banner that hits the screen for a few seconds won’t stop the completist from watching everything and criticizing the VFX; however, the strategy behind the rebranding isn’t aimed at those fans but rather at drawing new viewers in without overwhelming them. For a studio that hopes they have a whole lot more stories to tell, that’s the only way to stay in the game for the long haul.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel Writer Signs on to Pen Marvel Studios ‘X-Men’

    ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel Writer Signs on to Pen Marvel Studios ‘X-Men’

    X-Men ’97 breathed new life into Marvel Studios. Now it’s time to see how they play in live-action. Rumblings have been growing for some time that Kevin Feige and company were closing in on a writer for their upcoming film and now they have found their scribe.

    According to Deadline, Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes writer Michael Lesslie has begun negotiating with the studio to write the new adaptation.

    Lesslie was recently named as one of the writers on Marvel’s shortlist along with Rafe Judkins. Now Lesslie, the writer behind the 2016 Assassin’s Creed film, is on the case. Even though this represents continued momentum behind Disney’s work with the X-Men, there’s no release date for the film and there’s no current expectation of it being in theaters before 2027.

    Updating…

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Bad Boys’, ‘Ms. Marvel’ Directing Duo Rumored to Be in the Running for ‘Spider-Man 4’

    ‘Bad Boys’, ‘Ms. Marvel’ Directing Duo Rumored to Be in the Running for ‘Spider-Man 4’

    Though there’s been no official word, all signs continue to point in the direction of Marvel Studios and Sony preparing to begin principal photography on Spider-Man 4 this Fall. Multiple Marvel insiders reported that cameras are set to roll on the film in September with an eye on a 2025 release. The project has been in development since 2021 and while the script was still being worked on as recently as March, the story for the sequel was cracked in early 2023, according to Marvel Studios’ head honcho Kevin Feige.

    We have the best in the business working toward whatever the story might be. But until we’ve cracked it, we have a legacy to protect. The third movie was so special in so many ways that we need to make sure we do the right thing. This is the first time in this process that I’ve been part of the creative so early. It’s just a process where I’m watching and learning. It’s just a really fun stage for me. Like I said, everyone wants it to happen. But we want to make sure we’re not overdoing the same things.

    -Tom Holland

    With star Tom Holland not only willing to return as the Wall-Crawler but also working behind the scenes as part of the creative team for the film, pretty much the only missing piece is a director. The studio has been rumored to have been interested in quite a few names, including Justin Lin, but so far no deal has been struck. Now, a directing duo with ties to Marvel Studios has apparently joined the mix.

    According to Jeff “The In” Sneider, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who directed two episodes of the Disney Plus streaming series Ms. Marvel, are on Marvel Studios’ shortlist to helm Spider-Man 4.
    LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 02: (L-R) Adil El Arbi and Bilall Falla attend the Ms. Marvel launch event at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 02, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

    Interestingly, El Arbi and Fallah also have a working relationship with Sony, having directed both Bad Boys for Life and the upcoming Bad Boys: Ride or Die. The duo also oversaw DC’s Batgirl, which was never completed before being canceled.

    As the search for a director continues, so do rumors that Spider-Man 4 will see Spider-Man team up with Daredevil and other street-level heroes to take on Wilson Fisk. Both Holland and Vincent D’Onofrio, who will next be seen as Wilson Fisk in Daredevil: Born Again, have gone on record citing their desires to see their respective characters do battle in the MCU. Given El Arbi and Fallah‘s penchant for handling high-octane action and their love for Spidey’s MCU journey, they might just be the right fit for the job.