What’s next for Marvel Studios? Who’s recently joined the cast of your most anticipated series or film? Where can you find the teasers and trailers? Look no further, true believers. Everything you need to know about the future of the MCU has been collected for you here. Click on each logo to learn what we currently know about the upcoming MCU projects.
Don Cheadle‘s MCU debut as James Rhodes in Iron Man 2 was played as an ironic, in-universe joke meant to make light of him replacing Terrance Howard in the role. Over a decade later, it’s starting to seem as though Cheadle’s latest appearance may end up being his last and, unfortunately, an unironic joke.
Cheadle played a supporting role in the universally panned Disney Plus streaming series Secret Invasion. As revealed at D23 2022, Rhodey’s role in the series was intended to directly tie into Armor Wars, a Rhodey-centric project first announced during Disney’s 2020 Investor Day presentation. Originally conceived as a streaming series, the studio began developing Armor Wars as a film when, according to Marvel Parliament member Nate Moore, they realized “it felt too big for that show.“
Our Disney+ shows are awesome and we love them, but the budgets are not the same as the features, that’s not secret. And when you’re talking about a show that wants to be about seeing all the cool armors, and Don Cheadle interacting with all these armors, and the legacy of Tony Stark, that became cost-prohibitive to do as a show.
-Nate Moore
Indeed, according to Moore, the studio’s plans for Armor Wars had grown so large that the project would not only connect to Secret Invasion but also “affect other movies down the line.“
And we realized as a feature, not only can we get into some of the beautiful imagery that is from publishing and there’s certainly an Armor Wars run, but also there’s ways then to leverage the ideas of that movie that affect other movies down the line. So it becomes a multiplication really of, once you figure out what is cool about something…
-Nate Moore
Now, it’s beginning to look like that line of movies that were set to be affected by Armor Wars might just have to find another project to be products of. In an interview with TV Line, Cheadle cast some incredibly serious doubt on whether or not Armor Wars will ever see the light of day.
When asked if he knew where Armor Wars stood on the studio’s rapidly evolving slate, Cheadle replied, “You can find out and let me know.” When TV Line followed up by indicating the last real news on the project was that it had “switched from a TV series to a movie”, Cheadle made it clear that Rhodey’s solo project was not happening anytime soon. “Yeah. I think the word that’s the most salient in that sentence is “switched.” [Laughs] I don’t know, I’m not sure where anything is right now. I think things are going through a lot of changes, and we’ll see what happens, we’ll see what it is.“
Even the most optimistic interpretation of Cheadle’s comments would not leave much room for hope that Armor Wars remains a priority for Marvel Studios as they look to wrap up the Multiverse Saga and further comment from Cheadle does nothing to change that. After being asked about how the revelation that the Rhodey seen in Secret Invasion was a Skrull, meaning there’s no real indication of when the last time any significant time had been spent with the character, Cheadle replied, “Yeah, no shit.” The star then went on to explain that while he was willing to take the detour in Secret Invasion, it certainly seemed like it was part of a package deal that included Armor Wars.”Uh… you know, there was no… it wasn’t a demand. It was a request. “What do you think about playing this?” And it was to set up stuff in the following thing,” explained Cheadle. “So, if the following thing happens, and all those things were set up, then that’s one thing. If, as you said, it doesn’t, then we can talk about how I feel about it after!” As the studio looks to move ahead, it seems more and more likely that Armor Wars has been left behind.
Source: TV Line
After a nearly decade-long run as the undisputed champion of pop culture, Marvel Studios has faced its fair share of adversity over the past several years. The return of Bob Iger following a string of films that weren’t quite up to the studio’s own lofty standards and a streaming project that could just have easily stayed in the idea stage led to some big changes behind the scenes. After taking some time to reflect on what went wrong, the studio adopted a new way of doing business behind the scenes and rolled out some flashy rebranding in public in hopes of recapturing the magic that made the brand.
One change clearly stated by Iger was that the studio would no longer seek to push out 4 movies and 4 streaming projects each year. With so many projects already known to be in various stages of development at the time of Iger’s mandate, it seemed a certainty that some projects would be pushed well down the road while others might never made at all. According to a new report, two projects that have been in development for several years are on the chopping block.
According to insider Daniel RPK, Marvel Studios is currently considering the fates of both Armor Wars and Blade with a decision on the future of both projects expected by the end of the year.
Originally announced as a streaming series during Disney’s 2020 Investor Day presentation, Armor Wars became a theatrical project in 2022. Marvel Studios’ Parliament member Nate Moore explained that the decision to shift gears to a movie was due in part to “some great ideas that were coming out for that show but that, to be quite honest, felt too big for that show.” Big ideas mean a big budget and, as Moore explained, it became more realistic to develop Armor Wars as a feature film.
Our Disney+ shows are awesome and we love them, but the budgets are not the same as the features, that’s not secret. And when you’re talking about a show that wants to be about seeing all the cool armors, and Don Cheadle interacting with all these armors, and the legacy of Tony Stark, that became cost-prohibitive to do as a show.
-Nate Moore on Armor Wars
At that time, the story of Armor Wars was also explained to be very connected both to what came before (which turned out to be Secret Invasion) and what was coming next.
And we realized as a feature, not only can we get into some of the beautiful imagery that is from publishing and there’s certainly an Armor Wars run, but also there’s ways then to leverage the ideas of that movie that affect other movies down the line. So it becomes a multiplication really of, once you figure out what is cool about something…
-Nate Moore on Armor Wars
However, with Secret Invasion being an abysmal failure and the entire back half of the Multiverse Saga being rethought following the poor reception to the concept and the firing of Jonathan Majors, Armor Wars has gone from a necessary bridge to potential collateral damage.
Easily the biggest surprise of SDCC ’19, the studio’s Mahershala Ali-led Blade film has gone through well-documented turmoil and seems no closer to being made now than it was five years ago. Despite Disney still holding a November 7, 2025 date aside for the film, Blade is currently without a director and has already gone through at least six different writers.
Director Yann Demange‘s decision to leave the project was the end result of a tumultuous six months full of upheval and uncertainty. As recently as January 2024, Demange expressed excitement over the project and explained why being given the green light to make an R-rated film was so crucial to the project.
They gave me the R, which is so important. We are going to have fun because Mahershala is such a deep actor.” “I’m excited to show a kind of ruthlessness, a roughness he has, that allows him to walk the earth in a particular way. I love him for that. He’s got a dignity and integrity, but there is a ferocity there that he usually keeps under the surface. I want to unleash that and put it on the screen.
-Yann Demange on the R-rating of Blade
At this point, it seems more likely that Blade–whose voice was heard in a post-credit scene to Eternals–may appear in the rumored Midnight Sons film before a solo Blade project gets off the ground.
After more rounds of shuffling and reshuffling than anyone cares to count, it seems as though Marvel Studios has settled on a plan for the remainder of the Multiverse Saga. While it seems more likely than not that things will shift around again, the latest update to Disney’s theatrical slate shows 1 film in 2024 (Deadpool 3), 4 films in 2025 (Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four and Blade) and 4 in 2026 before getting to Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027. Should Marvel Studios somehow stick to that schedule, that leaves one untitled film between Blade and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty/Avengers 5 and two more untitled films between Avengers: The Kang Dynasty/Avengers 5.
Rumors suggest that Deadpool 3 will do some heavy lifting in terms of advancing the overall narrative of the Multiverse Saga but what other projects NEED to happen before the big finale? What projects WILL happen because they’re the most ready to roll? We take a look at what 2026 might look like if nothing were to change between now and then and how it gets us all to Avengers: Secret Wars.
With the news that Marvel Studios is finally searching for a director for the film, it would seem that Armor Wars is the most likely project to be on deck which means it would have the best chance of being ready to hit theaters in February 2026. That slot would make it the last film to hit theaters before Avengers 5. Guardians of the Galaxy was the last film fans saw in theaters before Avengers: Age of Ultron, so there’s precedent for a non-related film to precede an Avengers films.
Armor Wars doesn’t seem like the kind of film that would have a direct impact on the plot of Avengers 5 but there are plenty of unknowns about the film that could change that perception. Originally conceived as a streaming series, Armor Wars reportedly got too big for D+; presumably, there’s an interesting reason why and maybe that has factored into it getting moved down the road a bit. Could some of the events of Captain America: Brave New World lead into Armor Wars? What about Ironheart? Those are things we might not know for well over a year but regardless, Don Cheadle’s solo Rhodey flick seems like a good bet to fall here and potentially be a step in the direction of assembling the MCU’s New Avengers.
The only 2026 film on the slate with a title, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is currently being written by Michael Waldron.
Destin Daniel Cretton’s departure from Avengers: The Kang Dynasty could be taken to mean that his sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was going to need to be ready to go as a follow-up to the fifth Avengers film (it could also mean it needs to be ready to be the lead up to Avengers 5 but we’re staying the course here…). Cretton’s work on Wonder Man will keep him tied up for the first half of 2024 but he’s been working on the script for quite some time and it’s very likely that not only will this one be ready to begin production in 2025 but that it is one of the KEY films in the Multiverse Saga and that it NEEDS to release before the MCU starts its Secret Wars.
The MCU origins of the Ten Rings remain a mystery and plenty of theories have posited that they may somehow be connected to Kang. If that’s the case, it makes sense that Cretton left Avengers 5 to get to work on Shang-Chi 2 in order to have the latter ready to roll out sometime in 2026.
The one project on this list that the least is known about, Doctor Strange 3 also feels like one project that absolutely has to be part of the Multiverse Saga. While Marvel Studios is developing plenty of other projects that could easily roll out AFTER they wrap up their current saga, it would be incredibly strange not to have Doctor Strange’s next film play a crucial role in sorting things out.
Strange has been described as a key figure in the Multiverse Saga, yet so far he’s had some animated appearances (Seasons 1 and 2 of What If…?),a cameo (Spider-Man: No Way Home), one solo film which only truly served as a set up to whatever comes next (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness). Adding a second Strange film to the Saga–even in some sort of larger crossover event–would allow the character to be used similarly to how Captain America was in the Infinity Saga.
The final film of the Multiverse Saga, Avengers: Secret Wars–like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty–is currently being written by Michael Waldron.
Should Marvel Studios stick to its current theatrical slate, the projects listed above truly seem to make the most sense and provide the path of least resistance to the big conclusion in 2027. Again, it seems far more likely that Marvel Studios’ Multiverse Saga slate will undergo at least one more round of restructuring; however, for once it seemed like a fun idea to play it by the books at take things at face value.
Release slates have never been more fluid than they are now. As productions get up and running again around the world, projects that were supposed to drop in 2024 have already been moved to 2025 and the butterfly effect is in full…effect. Only a crazy person might try to hypothesize when projects might actually see the light of day…so let’s look at one possible Marvel Studios’ release slate for 2026
After a little creative retooling, Wonder Man resumed production in mid-January which means it will likely complete principal photography no later than Summer. With that in mind, it could easily be ready to roll out in 2025 but with Marvel Studios looking to space out their D+series and with very few new streaming projects far enough in development to get in front of cameras anytime soon, we’ve decided to put the Simon Williams solo series here.
If you’ve checked out the latest version of the All-New, All-Different Hypothetical 2025 Marvel Studios Release Calendar, you already know why this is here. While everyone would love to see Mahershala Ali’s oft-delayed Blade as soon as possible, production delays on other projects look to be causing the Daywalker’s MCU debut to slide into 2026.
Initially revealed to be a streaming series, Armor Wars is now a feature film and the first one on any of our hypothetical calendars to not have a release date set aside by Marvel Studios. That makes this spot as purely hypothetical as it gets. With the news that Marvel Studios’ search for a director is underway, it seems likely that cameras could roll on this one in either late 2024 or early 2025 since the script seems to have been in place for some time. IF that’s the case (that’s the nature of these hypothetical calendars, after all), this one would have no problem making this May 1st date…which was most recently set aside for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Nobody knows it better than me: Sony sets the date for the Spidey movies that they make in collaboration with Marvel Studios. So why are we placing Spidey 4 on one of Marvel Studios’ tentative release dates? Because it seems increasingly likely that Spidey 4 (once believed to be a 2025 film) will be released in 2026 and it also seems increasingly unlikely that Marvel Studios will be able to roll Avengers 5 out in 2026.
Even with Marvel Studios pumping the brakes on their streaming projects while they figure out how to make TV, it does seem Vision Quest is still going to happen. Who is making it and what exactly it will end up looking like are still questions we all have. Originally, it was going to be heavily influenced by Tom King’s excellent 12 issue Vision book but it’s been some time since anyone has had an update. Because this project COULD serve as a sequel to WandaVision and a prequel to the rumored Scarlet Witch solo project, it seems like something the studio would want to make happen and make happen right.
Another project that has yet to be officially given a spot in Marvel Studios Multiverse Saga, Destin Daniel Cretton’s Shang-Chi sequel seems like a priority for the studio. Cretton dropped out of Avengers 5 to spend more time preparing this which, hypothetically, could be because the studio wants to roll it out first. Interestingly enough, that’s consistent with info we heard a couple of years ago which makes us inclined to buy it.
When Bob Iger returned to Disney, the typically busy Marvel Studios production pipeline didn’t just slow down…it came to a complete stop. The WGA and SAG strikes that followed allowed the studio to take a long look at the projects that were either already in production or the time or were on deck. No inside sources are necessary to understand that Iger didn’t like what he saw. Other than Marvel Studios’ Untitled Deadpool Movie, every project that was already underway has been hit with even further delays.
After filming for several months, the studio’s most ambitious streaming series to date, Daredevil: Born Again, essentially started from scratch. Showrunner Dario Scardapane, who wrote Netflix’s The Punisher, and Moon Knight and Loki directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead took over and while it is expected some of the footage already filmed will be kept, Moorehead indicated they were starting at “day zero.” While Captain America: Brave New World, which was immediately retitled when Iger returned, completed production before the strikes, rumors began to swirl the studio was planning significant reshoots. In December, those reshoots were confirmed along with the news that a new writer, Matthew Orton, had been brought on board to pen the new scenes. Destin Daniel Cretton’s streaming series, Wonder Man, which filmed for a few weeks in the spring before the strikes shut it down, was expected to restart production in November but has yet to get going again sparking rumors it, too, is being retooled. Finally, two additional films, Thunderbolts and Blade, both of which brought on new writers shortly before the WGA strike, were forced to push their start dates back. With 6 months of 2023 lost to the strikes and all the changes Marvel Studios chose to make, the chain reaction inevitably impacted all of the projects in the studio’s Multiverse Saga, including the one-time-series-turned-movie, Armor Wars.
First announced during Disney’s 2020 Investor Day, Armor Wars was originally planned as a Disney Plus streaming series. Based on a seven-issue run on Iron Man written by Bob Layton and David Michelinie and published in 1987, the project was developed as a starring vehicle for Don Cheadle.
For nearly a year, outside of vague updates by Cheadle, little was heard about the series.
We are just talking about what that show is going to be. We probably will start filming sometime next year and are just kind of cracking the story right now, deciding what’s that journey gonna look like, what’s Rhodey’s…the iteration of this going to be. Obviously people know Armor Wars-if they know Armor Wars they know what the series is about but it’s also kind of figuring out how to establish and dig really deep into who Rhodey is because we haven’t really seen a lot of that in the movies
Don Cheadle on Armor Wars
July 2021
In August 2021, Yassir Lester signed on to write the series but by October it was clear that not much progress had been made. In July 2022, fans started to worry that the project was scrapped when it wasn’t part of Marvel Studios big return to Hall H at SDCC ’22; however, it was included at the studio’s panel at September 2022’s D23 where Marvel Studio’s One Above All, Kevin Feige, indicated the cameras were set to roll on the project in 2023. Just a few weeks, later, however, news broke that Armor Wars was being developed as film because, according to Marvel Parliament member Nate Moore, the ideas that formed the basis of the project were “too big” for a streaming series. 2023 came and went and not only did Armor Wars not begin principal photography, it all but disappeared from the news cycle. But now, to kick off the new year, it’s back again.
According to insider Daniel RPK, with some order seemingly restored at Marvel Studios, Feige and crew have slowly started moving down the line of stacked-up projects and now it’s Armor Wars turn to finally get going. The insider reports that the studio will open the new year by searching for a director for the film in hopes of being able to begin production at some point in 2025. That would likely put the film somewhere on the studio’s 2026 slate which currently includes Avengers 5 on May 1st and three unknown films set to release on February 13th, July 24th and November 6th. With rumors that the streaming series Ironheart, which completed production in 2022, includes some plot ties to Armor Wars, was moved to a late 2025 release to allow it to stream closer to the release of the film, the timeline does seem to line up.
RPK also indicated that actor Sam Rockwell, who portrayed Justin Hammer, one of the two main antagonists in 2010’s Iron Man 2, has engaged in talks to reprise the role once more for Armor Wars. Rockwell has returned to the role both in the One-Shot, All Hail the King, and in Season 2 of What If…?, where he voiced the character in the episode “What If…Happy Hogan Saved Christmas”. Rockwell’s Hammer is a fan favorite and would make a strong addition to the project which will explore the repercussions of the work of Tony Stark, Hammer’s nemesis, falling into the hands of his enemies.
Over decades of Marvel Comics, Ultron has never stopped finding a way to return as a thorn in the side of the Avengers. It appears his cinematic counterpart is going to take up that habit as well. A new rumor shared by the mods at Reddit points to the return of the rogue A.I. in an upcoming Marvel Studios property.
According to the rumor shared in Tales from the Mod Queue, James Spader will return as the voice of Ultron for Armor Wars. Originally announced as a streaming series, Armor Wars is now getting the big-screen treatment and giving James Rhodes his time to take center stage. Though it’s currently not on the slate, rumors have suggested that the film could go into production as early as late 2023.
Fans have hoped for the return of Spader, whose Ultron is one of the MCU’s best and most memorable villains, for some time. While the plot of Armor Wars is unknown, it is said to spin out of Rhodes’ arc in Secret Invasion. In the comics, Armor Wars centered around the technology of Tony Stark falling into the hands of criminals who used it to enhance their own suits. Given that Stark created Ultron in the MCU, it would be terrifying to think that he kept some sort of backup that could allow for the reemergence of the AI should it fall into the wrong hands.
Yassir Lester has been tasked with scripting Armor Wars for Marvel Studios which producer Nate Moore said was being developed as a film to allow for some of Lester’s big ideas to be realized under a big budget.
Source: Reddit
Trying to predict what 2025 might look like when changes to 2023 are still happening is just ridiculous! But here we go…
*NOTE* we are no longer tracking animated projects nor including them on the hypothetical calendars.
Though this has not been officially announced by Marvel Studios, rumors suggest that this is in the works and that it will stream on Disney Plus ahead of Fantastic Four. For now, Fantastic Four is slated for Valentine’s Day so giving the Sentinel of the Spaceways his own project a month or so out would allow plenty of time for audiences to get to know him.
Fantastic Four was shuffled into 2025 since our last update, but with Matt Shakman on board to direct based on a script from Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer, it seems like things are headed in the right direction! Fans are understandably hungry for this movie and by the time it releases, nearly 6 years will have passed since Kevin Feige announced it at SDCC ’19!
Nova has a writer and is rumored to be a project that’s destined to become a Special Presentation. It’s time for The Man Called Nova to enter the MCU.
Reiterating old news here, but way back in the day the word was that the studio expected whoever it was that ultimately took on the role of Kamala Khan to shoot Season 1, a movie and Season 2 all in a fairly short amount of time. Iman Vellani is that actress and she’s going to be pretty busy as it’s expected she’ll play a rather vital role in the overall story of the Multiverse Saga, too.
This is one of the bolder moves on the calendar, but since it’s hypothetical, it doesn’t really matter. I know absolutely nothing about the plot of this movie and the only thing I’ve ever heard was that it would arrive before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Until I know something else, I’ll stick with that nugget. That means shuffling around the slate a bit and bumping The Kang Dynasty to a new spot even though Marvel Studios has it slated for May 2nd.
Oscar Isaac and Mohamed Diab seem to want everyone to know a second season of Moon Knight is in the works and we believe it is. Logistically, placing it on the slate before The Kang Dynasty makes quite a bit of sense as it would allow the character to emerge from his own shadowy world into the larger shared universe and help audiences understand how he might get involved with the Avengers.
Tom Holland will have a new deal with Sony and Marvel Studios. Spider-Man 4 is happening and some rumors suggest it could happen as soon as 2024. However, if it really will involved Daredevil and Kingpin, it will have to happen after Daredevil: Born Again streams on Disney Plus and as indicated in version 4 of our 2024 hypothetical calendar, that series may not roll out until mid-2024 and that would have a domino effect on this film. Sony’s done the July 4th long-weekend release before with Spider-Man: Far From Home, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them do it again. Of course, if they do release it then Marvel Studios would have to shuffle one of their release dates just a tad.
Originally intended to be the May 2025 film, we’ve moved Avengers: The Kang Dynasty down the road a piece as a result of the shuffling of other projects. As it currently stands, August 1st isn’t even on the slate, but if Spidey 4 does drop in early July, Marvel Studios could push the July 25th date a week to let Spidey 4 do its thing before dropping the fifth Avengers film. One would think Spidey will certainly be in it, so having his story first is fine and all nonsense aside, it doesn’t matter when Marvel Studios releases this film. It’s going to make its money in any month on the calendar.
As of our last update, this project was totally unknown, but given the rush to put together a writer’s room for it before the end of 2022, it would seem like a project that could easily stream on Disney Plus in 2025. We like to think of this one as a little Young Avengers, a little West Coast Avengers and a little “let’s keep Paul Bettany around because he’s that good.”
This wasn’t even a film the last time we ran this exercise! As far as we know, the story of Armor Wars has always had a role in the Multiverse Saga so until we hear otherwise, the project will stay part of it even as the winds have shifted. Its connection to the events of Secret Invasion also helps us place it here, where it’s not too far away from the 2023 streaming series.
In October, Marvel Studios significantly reshuffled their upcoming theatrical slate. The full ramifications of all the moves can get pretty overwhelming, but the end result of a series of changes is a major shift to the narrative structure of Phase 6.
As first presented at SDCC ’22 (and remains unchanged as far as anyone knows), Phase 6 begins with Fantastic Four and ends with Avengers: Secret Wars. The “SDCC Slate” contained 5 films beginning in November 2024 and ending in November 2025. 2025 was set to be a monster year with two Avengers films releasing within 6 months of one another with one other untitled film releasing between them.
Then came a delay to Blade, the shift of the date of Deadpool and Wolverine from February 2024 to November 2024, Fantastic Four from November 2024 to February 2025 and the move of Avengers: Secret Wars into 2026. The sum certainly looks to be greater than the total of its parts in this case. When placed side-by-side, it becomes clear that the “New Slate” not only stepped into Phase 7 territory but by doing so also added one film to the Phase 6 slate and put two films worth of storytelling between Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, creating a three film gap between them now.
At this point, Marvel Studios has several theatrical projects at varying stages of development though only two of those have been officially acknowledged by the studio. What films should fill that three-film gap between Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars and why? We have thoughts…
For the purpose of this exercise, the most recently updated Marvel Studios slate will be treated as it is “locked-in.” Thinking and speculating about projects four years away from release is tough going because the reality is that the most recent slate will change again, maybe multiple times, before Phase 6 wraps up the Multiverse Saga. However, for simplicity’s sake, this article is working within the slate as it currently stands. Under those conditions, here’s our best guess:
Theories about the true nature of Shang-Chi’s rings have always been interesting, but following the trailer for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and the undeniable similarity they share with some of Kang the Conqueror’s gear, the game has really changed. Shang-Chi has always been primed to be a major part of the Multiverse Saga, but with Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton now on board to helm Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, it stands to reason Shang-Chi, and his rings, might play a much larger role in the Saga then originally imagined. The first film left the origin of the rings intentionally vague and an upcoming animated series is rumored to connect some dots between the rings, Kamala’s bangle and more. That series, which is being overseen by Todd Harris and potentially directed by Brian Kesinger, revolves around a secret society of earthbound aliens who scour the world for a series of powerful and influential artifacts. The rings are certainly just those types of artifacts and it’s possible that the aliens trying to find them are either affiliated with or working against Kang. Whatever the case, Shang-Chi’s a major player, the sequel is announced and seems like it absolutely must come out ahead of Secret Wars.
Armor Wars has been part of Marvel Studios’ plans for the Multiverse Saga since before fans knew there was a Multiverse Saga. First announced in 2020 at Disney’s Investor Day, Armor Wars was originally developed as a streaming series before shifting gears and becoming a feature film. If the series was planned to be in the Multiverse Saga, it would stand to reason that the film will be too, especially given its close ties to Secret Invasion.
We’ve always had Nomad as a streaming series, so this represents a major shift in thinking though nobody seems to know what to expect of it. However, the best “Nomad” story Marvel Studios could tell would be one following Chris Evans‘ Steve Rogers as he returned the Infinity Stones to their respective timelines. As explained by Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, an incursion can be caused when people travel between multiverses and alter that reality more than the allowable margin for error. If that’s true, that sweet sendoff for Steve and the end of Avengers: Endgame looks like it might be a pretty major problem now that He Who Remains is no longer around to protect the timeline. Could a Nomad feature film center on Steve’s journey to the other timelines where it’s revealed he actually caused multiple incursions?
It’s not out of the realm of possibilities. As Steve told Tony, when he sees a situation pointed south, he can’t ignore it. Could little acts of do-gooderism during his visits to the timelines from which the Infinity Stones were borrowed actually end up accelerating the incursion process and speeding up the timeline to Secret Wars? It’s hard to say because not enough is currently known about what incursions are truly all about in the MCU, but if Evans is truly back for a pair of projects as reported, it’s hard to imagine that one of them is really just about him riding a motorcycle around the countryside and helping people change flat tires. Not with Secret Wars looming…
With Phase 4 behind us and the start of Phase 5 right around the corner, fans are just starting to see the big picture of the Multiverse Saga. As of now, a dozen known films stand between fans and the end of the ongoing saga. Here’s the scoop on all 12.
A big-budget, universe-altering Ant-Man movie is probably a thing a lot of fans thought they’d never see, but that’s exactly what the third film in the franchise will be, according to executive producer Stephen Broussard who says Quantumania will “be big and feel central to the future of the MCU.” After being transported to the Quantum Realm through a device built by Kathryn Newton‘s Cassie, the Ant-Family will find themselves navigating their way through the strange land which Broussard warns is “full of people and characters and worlds and politics and history.” The first trailer for the film introduces a few of those characters including Jonathan Majors‘ Kang the Conqueror, Bill Murray‘s Krylar and some other key inhabitants of the Quantum Realm but held back on revealing one of the film’s most over-the-top choices: the classic comic villain M.O.D.O.K.!
As Broussard says, Quantumania’s plot is central to the ongoing Multiverse Saga. Writer Jeff Loveness put together an incredible script and then moved on to write Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, so you can be sure there’s significant connectivity between the two films. For a film that was once thought to be in danger of not being made or of being turned into a streaming series, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania certainly has an awful lot going for it.
James Gunn‘s last project for Marvel Studios will undoubtedly leave fans in tears next Summer. It’s the last go-round for this group of characters and the film will see the death of at least one of the team’s original crew and a significantly different-looking future for the rest. The film’s plot will revolve around the unspooling of Rocket’s origins which seems to dictate a trip to Counter-Earth where the team runs into the High Evolutionary. That trip is rumored to be the result of a run-in with Will Poulter‘s Adam Warlock, who was seen throwing a beating on Nebula in the film’s first trailer.
While the film marks the end of the road for this group of heroes and for Gunn’s time with them, there’s certainly going to be room for Cosmic heroes beyond this movie. Who will be on the team and who will put it together? And what will the future hold for those who stay?
While ostensibly a sequel to Captain Marvel, it could also be a sequel to Ms. Marvel and WandaVision as well. The Marvels looks to be as tonally different from Captain Marvel as Captain America: The Winter Soldier was from Captain America: The First Avenger. Director Nia DaCosta has said she had a great time working with stars Brie Larson, Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris and the footage screened at D23 would certainly seem to support that claim.
The film will include some wild body-swapping as Carol, Kamala and Monica switch places with one another as seen in the post-credit scene to Ms. Marvel. That’s all tied to the Kree villain played by Zawe Ashton, who finds herself in possession of an artifact that looks strikingly similar to Kamala Khan’s bangle. A good portion of the film will also take place in space and see Carol revisit Hala as well as introduce a few new locations. There are also some pretty interesting theories out there about how these artifacts might be either Nega or Quantum bands and how they might just play into the Avengers’ battle against Kang, so this film won’t be without its Multiverse Saga tie-ins.
At this point, this sounds like the craziest film on Marvel Studios 2024 slate and maybe one of the crazier films they’ve ever put together. The return on Tim Blake Nelson‘s Samuel Sterns/The Leader is just the tip of the iceberg. Harrison Ford is joining the MCU as Thaddeus Ross and rumors point to the long-awaited Red Hulk transformation finally happening. There are also rumors that Adamantium will be central to the film’s plot, which may also include Super Soldier-research again which makes one wonder if Weapons Plus will reemerge from the shadows. The project is also set to introduce a “Marvel mainstay” to the MCU and is rumored to be another key project along the way to the rumored World War Hulk film making Sam Wilson’s first big screen adventure as Captain America an incredibly important Phase 5 film.
The latest rumors about this film indicate that it’s getting a rewrite and that an “evil Superman” plays a key role. If the aforementioned reemergence of Weapons Plus happens in Captain America: New World Order, that “evil Superman” might just turn out to be Sentry and that would make for either one wild ride or one ultra-nerfed character. The team that was rolled out at D23 was very Super Soldier and spy-heavy and would be shredded by a comic book-accurate Sentry. Fan theories continue to swirl that Zemo and Abomination are “secret” members of the team or that that, like in The Suicide Squad, there’s a second team of Tbolts in the mix. It doesn’t seem like any of those things were true in the early drafts for the project, but who knows what a rewrite might fix?!
Obviously this one has had some issues, but Marvel Studios feels good about the new direction in which it’s headed. Earlier versions of the project didn’t have quite enough action for a vampire-hunting film and the hope is that the new version of the project will feel a bit more like those great, old Tomb of Dracula comics than anything.
This project went from one nobody could quite figure out to one that is starting to sound like it may be the most “Multiversal” project of the Multiverse Saga. Theories continue to center on the film being an adaptation of Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe and rumors about the inclusion of Owen Wilson‘s Mobius and the rest of the TVA playing a role make it sound like this will be the Incursion-heavy movie fans thought Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would be. At this rate, it seems like the film will be trimming all kinds of branches ahead of Avengers: Secret Wars.
Fantastic Four has been gestating way too long at Marvel Studios, but it looks like it’s back on track and it sounds as though it’s going to make a splash. Rumors of the Silver Surfer appearing and of a Multiversal Council of Reeds persist, making this one a pretty big mover and shaker for the future of the Multiverse Saga. It’s also just the beginning of what should shape up to be a decade of stories about Marvel’s First Family, so taking their time on this one is essential.
You know how you know that Kevin Feige loved Jeff Loveness‘ Quantumania script? This is how you know. Loveness is back here and teamed with Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton and that combo should give you some clues as to what projects and characters will be integral to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Rumors have Captain America, Shuri and Shang-Chi being among the first Avengers to take on Jonathan Majors‘ Kang, who will find himself going up against…himself?
Is the rumored title of Shang-Chi and The Wreckage of Time legit? If so, it would seem to indicate that Jonathan Majors might play a role in this sequel as well as another Variant of Nathaniel Richards? Introducing Immortus into the mix would make Avengers: Secret Wars even more interesting…
But truly, nothing is known about this movie at the moment, not even if that title is correct or if it’ll land before or after Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Originally intended to be a streaming series, Armor Wars will now turn out to be Don Cheadle’s debut as a leading man in the MCU after having been around forever! This one has ties to Secret Invasion but could it also have ties to the events of Captain America: New World Order? Given that it’s coming pretty late in the Multiverse Saga, it may have lasting implications beyond it and if those Adamantium rumors are true, that precious metal might play into this film. Remember that the MCU doesn’t do one-for-one adaptations of comics, so while this is called Armor Wars, don’t expect it to follow the template from the 1980s arc.
The capstone of the Multiverse Saga and what will undoubtedly be the most epic event of Marvel Studios long history, Avengers: Secret Wars is sure to work, in part, as a reunion of sorts for some of great icons of Marvel’s cinematic history. Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. Scarlett Johansson, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield have all been rumored to appear already and more names will be added to the list in the next 3+ years. It’s also very likely that this film will set the table for whatever the next great Saga will be in the MCU and that one will come bearing mutants.
Sources: Games Radar,
