Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Black Panther

  • Marvel Studios Reshapes Its 2028 Theatrical Slate as It Reportedly Sets Date for ‘Black Panther 3’

    Marvel Studios Reshapes Its 2028 Theatrical Slate as It Reportedly Sets Date for ‘Black Panther 3’

    Marvel Studios has once again shuffled the pieces of its planned 2028 theatrical slate. Last summer, the studio had set placeholders for four feature films. Now, the powers that be have pruned one date and moved another 5 months down the road.

    The studio’s planned February 18, 2028 date has been moved to July 28, 2028 and it’s November 10, 2028 date has been removed from the calendar entirely.

    New Slate

    • May 5, 2028
    • July 28 2028
    • December 15, 2028

    Old Slate

    • February 18, 2028
    • May 5, 2028
    • November 10, 2028
    • December 15, 2028


    Following the announcement, Jeff “The In” Sneider, hinted strongly that Black Panther 3 would claim the newly-moved July date. While that’s not been verified, it was previously believed that the third film in the Black Panther franchise would hit theaters in February 2028, making reasonable to assume that the move to July was to accommodate writer/director Ryan Coogler. Coogler is expected to begin work on the pilot for his X-Files revival and the move would provide him time to complete work on the script for Black Panther 3.

    Source: Deadline

  • Fans Believe Marvel Studios May Have “Soft Launched” Its New Black Panther

    Fans Believe Marvel Studios May Have “Soft Launched” Its New Black Panther

    In January 2025, a report from Jeff “The In” Sneider indicated that Marvel Studios planned to recast the role of T’Challa, with a new actor set to portray the character originally played by the late Chadwick Boseman. Sneider claimed the new actor would step into the role for three upcoming films, starting with Avengers: Doomsday and continuing on in both Avengers: Secret Wars and Black Panther 3.

    Sneider’s report was quickly countered by social media scooper My Time To Shine Hello, who claimed that the recast wasn’t for the character played by Boseman but rather for T’Challa II, played by Divine Love Konadu-Sun in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Former Marvel Parliament member Nate Moore seemed to put the rumblings to rest in February, explaining that without a story in place for Black Panther 3, the studio was unable to make a decision about replacing Boseman in the role. However, as believable as Moore‘s words were, one of the biggest oopsies ever quickly turned the tide of the story one more time.

    We don’t know what the story is, so I couldn’t tell you whether or not we’re open to recasting. It certainly wasn’t our instinct for Wakanda Forever. I’ll never say never to anything, but it’s too early to talk about any of that stuff. We have to figure out what the story’s going to be.

    -Producer Nate Moore

    In March, Senior Concept/Visual Development Artist Mushk Rizvi posted a significant amount of concept art from the studio’s upcoming slate to her Art Station account. Among there were several designs for a new Black Panther that looked to be using actor Damson Idris as a model. 

    The idea of Idris as the MCU’s new T’Challa took hold quickly among the fanbase; however, further inspection of the files posted on Art Station revealed that the character in the concept art was T’Chanda, the Black Panther of Wakanda in World War II and the grandfather of T’Challa. Despite the excitement, the buzz died down and with principal photography on Avengers: Doomsday having been completed with no sign of Idris among those revealed to be part of the cast, fans seemed to have moved on…until now.

    An appearance by Idris at Vogue World: Hollywood, alongside Black Panther franchise star Angela Bassett, has fansvonce again believing he’s set to be the MCU’s next Black Panther.

    With Bassett spotted holding hands with Idris while outfitted in the same garb work by her Queen Ramonda, fans quickly began to call the event a “soft launch” for the recasting of Boseman‘s iconic role. Theories and speculation have begun to spread across social media platforms and message boards, though no single theory seems to be taking hold. Is Idris a Multiversal Variant, a grown T’Challa II or T’Chanda? Has he been cast in Avengers: Doomsday at all? Given the fact that characters from the World of Wakanda are confirmed to play a major role in the film, all of the options would seem to be in play. With the studio rumored to be planning to roll out a teaser for the film before year’s end, perhaps we’ll all find out soon.

  • New Report Reveals Marvel Studios First Post-Multiverse Saga Film

    New Report Reveals Marvel Studios First Post-Multiverse Saga Film

    With just four movies set to release over the next two and a half years, Marvel Studios Multiverse Saga is slowly approaching the finish line. Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday will land in theaters in 2026 before a yet-to-be revealed project and Avengers: Secret Wars wrap up the studio’s second cinematic saga. Of course, work is already well underway on the MCU’s next chapter, which will feature a new take on the X-Men.

    Though studio head Kevin Feige and Disney boss Bob Iger continue to promise a reduction in Marvel’s theatrical output, the most recent release calendar shows four Marvel Studios films intended to release in 2028. That’s as many films in 2028 as the studio intends to release over the next 29 months! And now, a new report reveals which film the studio is currently hoping will launch its saga.

    According to Jeff “The In” Sneider, the third installment in Ryan Coogler‘s Black Panther franchise is slated to go into production in early 2027 with a targeted release date of February 18, 2028.

    In January, a flurry of reports clouded the future of the Black Panther franchise as Sneider and fellow insider My Time To Shine Hello shared conflicting information about the studio’s plans to recast the role of T’Challa, originally filled by the late Chadwick Boseman. Producer Nate Moore addressed those rumors in February, saying “None of that’s true. We just haven’t gotten there yet, to be honest, but I am very excited to start those conversations hopefully this year.” According to a recent report by Variety’s Tatiana Siegel, those conversations have begun and “ideas are percolating” for Black Panther 3 “creating excitement internally” at the studio.

    With the studio skipping SDCC this year, the trade report, which also included an update on the studio’s plan for their X-Men film, is about all there is to go on in terms of a look at the studio’s upcoming slate, which Feige recently teased extends into 2032.

    Source: YouTube

  • Kevin Feige Teases Marvel’s Post-‘Secret Wars’ Slate Which Runs Through 2032

    Kevin Feige Teases Marvel’s Post-‘Secret Wars’ Slate Which Runs Through 2032

    Marvel Studios won’t be making a splash by revealing its upcoming slate in Hall H during SDCC this weekend but that doesn’t mean the powers that be at the studio aren’t working hard on putting it together. As of now, the studio has only scheduled films through 2028, but as always, Marvel Studios’ One Above All, Kevin Feige is kicking the can quite a bit further down the road. “It’s traditionally a five-year plan,” he said. “I think it goes to 2032 right now.”

    With the studio looking to release between 1 to 3 films a year and having only officially commented on a few projects in the works (Black Panther 3, X-Men and the long-delayed Blade film), that leaves quite a few holes to fill on that new slate. Given the looming success of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a sequel to that film seems all but a sure thing and there are plenty of other projects that have either been rumored or known to be in development but, as of now, Feige would only offer up a tease of how the studio hopes to return to one of its greatest strengths.

    “We were talking about a structure of an upcoming post-‘Secret Wars’ movie that I won’t name,” he said during a recent press event. “But I will say, like Shang-Chi, [it’s] getting back to what genre haven’t we done and want to do and how could this movie be that genre? [We would] focus on a singular storyline by embracing a certain genre we haven’t seen in a while. [It’s] remembering what cinema is and what movie going is and what entertaining audiences is,” said the Marvel boss.

    While that’s about all he gave away in terms of teasing upcoming projects, Feige did reveal that the seven-year plan will see 2027’s Multiverse Saga finale, Avengers: Secret Wars, “reset” the Marvel Cinematic Universe rather than reboot it.” “Reboot is a scary word,” said Marvel’s Big Cheese. “Reboot can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Reset, singular timeline — we’re thinking along those lines.”

    According to Feige, resetting the MCU means recasting roles, some of which have been filled by beloved actors for more than a decade…or two. “X-Men is where that will happen next,” he revealed while talking about the studio’s upcoming film, which he confirmed will be helmed by Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier. However, the future won’t just feature new actors as Cyclops and Jean Grey; it will also include the studio eventually recasting the roles of Captain America, Iron Man and Black Panther, among others.

    They have been a place to tell stories about young people who feel different and who feel Other and who feel like they don’t belong. That’s the universal story of mutants, and that is where we’re going.

    -Kevin Feige on Marvel Studios X-Men

    “Amy Pascal and David Heyman are now searching for a new James Bond,” said Feige of Sony’s efforts to relaunch the 007 franchise. “David [Corenswet], the new Superman — he was awesome. That will always be the case,” Feige said of seeing new names take over roles from previous stars. “I think it’s hard for anybody to do that when an actor has done such a great role,” he said of replacing actors such as Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. in iconic roles before adding. “How are they going to ever replace Sean Connery [as James Bond], right?“

    It’s interesting that Feige chose to sat down with reporters rather than attempt to thrill fans at SDCC; however, given the major changes to the plans the studio revealed at SDCC ’19 and SDCC ’22, the days of the major slate reveals may be behind Marvel Studios or, at the very least, they’ll be done in much smaller doses. For now, it’s clear that the bulk of the studio’s attention is being directed toward making sure Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars leave fans satiated with the Multiverse Saga before taking yet another step into the unknown in 2028.

    Source: Variety

  • Marvel Studios Reshapes Its 2028 Release Slate

    Marvel Studios Reshapes Its 2028 Release Slate

    Under Bob Iger’s second tenure as the head of Disney, the big Marvel machine was instructed to scale back its production efforts, prioritizing quality over quantity. “We’ve also learned over time that quantity does not necessarily beget quality. And frankly, we’ve all admitted to ourselves that we lost a little focus by making too much,” Iger told investors in March. “By consolidating a bit and having Marvel focus much more on their films, we believe that will result in better quality.” As such, projects began to disappear from the release slate and the studio looked to schedule 2 or 3 films a year moving forward, starting in 2026. However, plans are always subject to change and it now looks as though Marvel may look to launch its next saga with a more aggressive approach.

    Disney has added a fourth Marvel Studios film to its 2028 release slate, reserving December 15th for an untitled film. Should the studio hold to the current plan, fans can also count on being in theaters on February 18th, May 5th and November 10th.

    Marvel has yet to officially announce any of its 2028 projects, though its X-Men reboot and a third Black Panther film are expected to land in theaters that year. In an interesting development, Variety reports that a sequel to this summer’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps is also in development and may be on track for a 2028 release. In addition, Thor, Doctor Strange and Shang-Chi sequels could be on the docket, as well as the studio’s long-awaited Blade reboot or the Midnight Sons ensemble film or Ryan Reynolds X-Men team up film. Whatever the case, it’s clear that the studio has options and may feel comfortable about moving forward with releasing four films because four good scripts have been turned in.

    Source: Variety

  • The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Thunderbolts*’

    The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Thunderbolts*’

    Outside of the Avengers films, Marvel Studios’ next film, Thunderbolts*, will demand more from audiences than any other MCU film to date. Thanks to its ensemble cast, the Jake Schreier-helmed film looks to serve as a sequel or follow-up to more projects than any other non-Avengers film in the MCU’s 17-year history.

    Originally developed as a sequel to 2021’s Black Widow, Thunderbolts* has evolved significantly–perhaps more than any MCU project ever–over the past few years. While it will still feature Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova as the lead and introduce Lewis Pullman‘s not-so-mysterious Bob, it will also feature a heavier-than-originally-expected dose of Sebastian Stan‘s Bucky Barnes. Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen and Olga Kurylenko will all also reprise their MCU roles and team up with Yelana and Bucky to take on Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ baddie, Val, and her enigmatic OXE group.

    You’re talking about a group of characters that have done a lot of bad things, and maybe are struggling with feeling good about themselves. There’s an element that does speak to mental health, and loneliness, and how some of the darkness that we experience in our lives can’t be necessarily fixed, but can only really be made lighter through connection and finding others.

    -Jake Schreier

    With so many characters and their stories intersecting in Thunderbolts*, the upcoming film might require a bit more prep time than some of Marvel Studios’ recent projects. If you’re still reading, you’re probably ready to get started and so, as is our way, we present The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before… Thunderbolts*.

    Tier One

    If you’ve never seen a single second of any of Marvel Studios’ films or streaming series, these Tier One projects should be considered the bare minimum to get yourself ready for Thunderbolts*. These four projects will introduce you to the film’s main characters and set the stage for you to follow the next steps on their journeys.

    Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

    🍅 80%

    Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

    🍅 90%

    Truthfully, Captain America: The First Avenger is tough to slot on a list like this until you realize it’s a fictional universe and nothing actually matters. That said, while a fair argument can be made for its inclusion in Tier One, a counterargument can be made that, for all intensts and purposes, the James Buchanan Barnes introduced in TFA died in the fall from the train. While he’s no longer the Winter Soldier, Bucky is not–and never has been–the character from this film. Pairing Captain America: The Winter Soldier with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier does enough to prepare a first-timer for Bucky’s role in Thunderbolts*; however, TFA does provide additional context for Bucky’s tortured persona and why he’s striving so hard to change the world around him.

    So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man.”
    “Did it make him stronger?”
    “Yes. But there were other… effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man.

    -Abraham Erskine, Captain America: The First Avenger

    And after you logic your way through all of that, the simple fact remains that even though it’s not the first film in which it’s mentioned, Captain America: The First Avenger is chronologically the first time the Super Soldier Serum is a factor in the MCU. It’s continued to play a role in several projects and will do so again I Thunderbolts*.

    While it’s not the first appearance of Bucky Barnes–that came in Captain America: The First Avenger—Captain America: The Winter Soldier is THE definitive Bucky film. Over a decade later, the 2014 film remains unparalleled as an action-packed thriller and helped set Sebastian Stan on the path to MCU royalty.

    Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)

    🍅 87%

    While the last film in the Ant-Man franchise may well be remembered as one of Marvel Studios’ worst films, Ant-Man and The Wasp, the franchise’s second installment, is a fun ride worth taking. It served a surprisingly major role in The Infinity Saga but if you’re prepping for Thunderbolts*, you’re watching it to get to know Hannah John-Kamen‘s Ava Starr, aka Ghost. Thunderbolts* is Ava’s first MCU appearance since Ant-Man and The Wasp, so there’s a lot to catch up on, including how her powers have evolved since we last saw her.

    Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Actually, it’s Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. I know it’s hard, but I don’t like to repeat myself, so you can just call me Val. But don’t call me Val, just keep it in your head.

    -Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier

    The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021)

    🍅 85%

    Marvel’s second streaming series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier might do the heaviest lifting of any project on the list. Not only does the 6-episode introduce Wyatt Russell‘s John Walker, who looks to play a pretty major role in Thunderbolts*, it also tells a key chapter in Bucky’s story and introduces Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val, who is responsible for assembling the Thunderbolts. The project also adds to the Super Soldier Serum narrative by introducing Isaiah Bradley, the Flag Smashers and by creating a new Super Soldier when Walker injects himself with the newest version.

    They had blood samples from an American test subject with semi-stable traces of serum in his system. After much labor, I was able to isolate the necessary compounds in his blood. I was a god. I did what no other scientist since Erskine was able to do. But mine was going to be different.

    Dr. Wilfred Nagel, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier

    Black Widow (2021)

    🍅 79%

    Released simultaneously in theaters and via Disney Premier Access on D+, Black Widow not only finally gave Scarlett Johansson the lead after spending a decade in the MCU but it also introduced her messy family of Russian spies. Popping back Nat’s life after decades away, Florence Pugh‘s beautifully flawed Yelena Belova, David Harbour‘s bellicose and bombastic Alexi Shostakovich, Russia’s very own Super Soldier, and Rachel Weisz‘s shifty Melina Vostokoff helped show a more vulnerable side of the character. The chemistry between Pugh and Harbour was a highlight of the film and something to look forward to again in Thunderbolts*. And if you’re watching, stick around for the PCS which leads directly into the next project on the list…

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever  (2022)

    🍅 84%

    Given how little screentime Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val has had in the MCU, it stands to reason that the project in which she’s on screen the most is a must watch heading into Thunderbolts*. While it still isn’t a truly heavy dose of the character, it does provide plenty in the way of exposing the kind of person she is whilenalso revealing her lust for power and what she’s willing to do to acquire it.

    Tier Two

    Tier Two projects occupy an interesting place on The Ultimate Lists. While they’re never required viewing, they always offer something that can add to the viewing experience of the upcoming project.

    The Incredible Hulk (2008)

    🍅 68%

    After being forgotten for a decade and a half, The Incredible Hulk is cool again…or at least relevant. Bruce Banner’s work on Project Gamma Pulse was meant to recreate Dr. Erskine’s Super Soldier Serum. Obviously that didn’t go as planned…TIH includes not one but two Super Soldiers gone wrong in Banner and Emily Blonsky. When will these people learn?!?!

    Hawkeye (2022), Episodes 4-6

    🍅 92%

    One of the studio’s strongest beginning-to-end streaming series, Hawkeye features a three-episode appearance by Pugh‘s Yelena that while not necessary to enjoy Thunderbolts* will add to your enjoyment of it. Yelena’s time in Hawkeye–most of which is spent enjoyably with Hailee Steinfeld‘s Kate Bishop–is fascinating and allows for further excavation of the deeply rooted issues the former Red Roomer deals with.

    Tier Three

    For completists only…

    Tier three projects may offer nothing more than cameos, passing references or relevant background information for upcoming projects but nothing in them will ever make or break a fan’s viewing experience.

    The Avengers (2012)

    🍅 91%

    The best example of what type of information can be expected from Tier Three projects comes right off the bat: you’re watching this one just to visit Stark Tower for the first time. The building is a central location in The Avengers and, 13 years later, is again in Thunderbolts*, though now under new ownership.

    Iron Man 3 (2013), Post-credit Scene

    🍅 79%

    Following Stark Tower becoming Avengers Tower in the final moments of The Avengers, the next visit to the facility can be found in the PCS to Iron Man 3 where the science bros are talking some things out.

    Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

    🍅 76%

    The last project in which Avengers Tower serves as a key location in the Sacred Timeline, AoU sees the facility fully realized as a true home base for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Following the events of the film, the Avengers moved out of the tower and into the Avengers Compound in upstate New York.

    Captain America: Civil War (2016)

    🍅 90%

    While Cap and Iron Man throwing down is the main attraction, Bucky’s very naughty past is what incites the Civil War. A great watch and full of plenty of interesting details about Bucky’s past and post-TWS present, skipping Captain America: Civil War won’t impact your viewing of Thunderbolts* but a watch/rewatch will help you better understand the new Bucky Barnes.

    Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

    🍅 92%

    A brief trip to Avengers Tower reveals that the Happy is in charge of moving out the team’s things so that the new owner can take possession…that new owner is, of course, Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val!

    Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

    🍅 85%

    Avengers: Infinity War is always worth a watch though it really doesn’t have much to offer in the way of preparing for Thunderbolts*. A little bit of Bucky’s story is told here, including revealing what he’d been up to In Wakanda, but beyond that, just enjoy it for the action!

    Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    🍅 94%

    Like Infinity War, Endgame offers a bit of Bucky but the real interest here, if there is any, is the ripple effect Nat’s death will eventually have on Yelena…but Yelena isn’t in the film, so just knowing Nat died will suffice. You could also argue that the Time Heist adds some additional context to what was going on inside Avengers Tower during the Battle of New York but how important will that be?

    Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

    🍅 48%

    Because Bucky is in it…for a minute. 

    About Thunderbolts*

    The film stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Edward Pierce, with David Harbour, with Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

    In Thunderbolts* Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes—Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?

    -Official Synopsis for Marvel Studios Thunderbolts*

    Jake Schreier directs Thunderbolts* and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Brian Chapek and Jason Tamez serve as executive producers. The screenplay was written by Joanna Calo and Eric Pearson and Lee Sung Jin.

  • Kevin Feige Confirms a Major Marvel Studios Sequel Is on the Way

    Kevin Feige Confirms a Major Marvel Studios Sequel Is on the Way

    Released in 2018, Black Panther still stands as Marvel Studios’ third highest-grossing film with only Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home having raked in more at the domestic box office. Six years later, it also remains the studio’s most critically acclaimed project and beloved by fans. Following the tragic death of its star, Chadwick Boseman, the franchise continued with Letitia Wright taking over as its lead in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Released into a different box office environment than its predecessor, Wakanda Forever, held together by a strong creative team, also did extremely well at the box office, taking in $453M domestically, placing it 8th on the MCU’s all-time list.

    While writer and director Ryan Coogler undoubtedly stands as the driving force behind the Black Panther franchise, Marvel Parliament member and executive producer Nate Moore was also an integral piece of the team behind the scenes. Now, Moore–who produced seveb projects at Marvel Studios including the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World–is taking his career in a different direction but not without finishing what he started.

    In statements released to the trades, Moore, along with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and Co-President Louis D’Esposito, revealed that while Moore is leaving the company, he will return to work with them in some capacity on Black Panther 3, marking the first confirmation from studio brass that the project is in development.

    In 2022, still reeling from the emotions of moving ahead in the franchise without its star and close friend, Coogler explained that he had yet to figure out what was next for him, much less when he might be ready to tackle Black Panther 3. While Feige confirmed that he and Coogler had some “ideas pitched back and forth“, he made it very clear that while a new director could possibly take over the franchise, it was his strong preference to move forward with Coogler when he was ready. It seems as though that time is drawing near.

    Nate is a fantastic executive and colleague as well as a wonderful friend to all of us here at Marvel Studios. He has been a core member of our team since 2010, and his influence will continue to reverberate in our storytelling. Although we’ll miss him a great deal, we look forward to watching what he does next while also having the good fortune of working with him in a new way on our next Black Panther movie.

    “Nearly everything I know about producing I’ve learned from my time at Marvel Studios. I feel lucky to have worked with a group of people who love filmmaking and storytelling as much as my Marvel colleagues and the cast and crew of our films,” said Moore. “But I couldn’t be more excited to apply my experience and passion for film towards theatrical movies in all genres, including returning to the world of Wakanda for Black Panther 3.”

    It’s unclear at this time if the third installment in the Black Panther franchise is far enough along in its development to be included in the Multiverse Saga (there are currently two Untitled Marvel Studios films scheduled for release in 2026) or if the studio would release the threequel as part of its next saga, which will begin in 2027.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Eyes of Wakanda’: Marvel Studios Announces New Animated Series

    ‘Eyes of Wakanda’: Marvel Studios Announces New Animated Series

    In March 2023, rumors began to swirl that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media production company had begun developing an animated series for Marvel Studios. As Marvel Studios revamped their streaming slate and skipped out on SDCC ’23, the series, said at the time to be referred to as The Golden City, remained nothing but a rumor until now. During a press event for Season 2 of What If…? held at the Walt Disney Studios Lot, head of streaming, television and animation for Marvel Studios, Brad Winderbaum, revealed that the new series will hit Disney Plus in 2024.

    Titled Eyes of Wakanda, the animated series will tell the story of “brave warriors” who “throughout Wakandan history have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts.“

    One of the rarest metals on the planet, Vibranium came to Earth 2.5 million ago as a series of meteorites crashed into Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. Wakandans mined the Great Mound and learned to refine the precious metal which quickly allowed them to become the most technologically advanced civilization on the planet. Though they worked hard to keep the Vibranium a secret, artifacts have made their way outside the isolationist nation. Captain America’s shield, created by Howard Stark, was made of Vibranium that a group of researchers from Stark Industries located in Africa; aided by N’Jobu, Ulysses Klaue stole a quarter ton of the substance in 1992; and, as seen in Black Panther, a Vibranium Wakandan warhammer was on display in the Museum of Great Britain until it was taken by N’Jadaka.

    Given the enormous period of time available for storytelling, Coogler’s Proximity Media has the opportunity to explore some previously unexplored eras of the MCU’s timeline, though no indication has been given at this time Eyes of Wakanda will be considered canon. As of now, no release date has been given by Disney.

  • Ruth Carter Wins Oscar for Best Costume Desing for ‘Wakanda Forever’

    Ruth Carter Wins Oscar for Best Costume Desing for ‘Wakanda Forever’

    Wakanda Forever was nominated for five Oscars ahead of the 2023 Academy Award ceremony. While fans who held their breath and crossed their fingers that Angela Bassett would take home the first Oscar for an actress in a Marvel Studios film didn’t get their wish, the film did snap one shiny trophy as costume designer Ruth E. Carter won the Oscar for Best Achievement in Costume Design.

    The Oscar is the second for Carter’s work on the Black Panther franchise as she won the 2018 award in the same category. Carter and her team were faced with a huge challenge in Wakanda Forever as they created a distinct and unforgettable look for Namor and the people of Talokan. From the headpieces worn by Namor, Namora and Attuma to the Vibranium chest piece worn by Namor, Carter’s designs were beautifully realized and rendered practically. In addition to the costumes worn by the people of Talokan, costumes worn by Shuri and M’Baku also drew praise from audiences. The win is the second of Carter’s career out of four nominations.

  • Marvel Studios Prioritized ‘Black Panther 2’s CG Over ‘Ant-Man 3’

    Marvel Studios Prioritized ‘Black Panther 2’s CG Over ‘Ant-Man 3’

    CG is always a hot discussion point online, especially when it comes to Marvel Studios’ productions. There’s an “it’s not the same” mentality since Avengers: Endgame wrapped and everything since Phase 4 has received quite further analysis in how exactly it looks. Interestingly enough, CG was praised for the work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, especially on the work bringing Talokan to life. Yet, the criticism returned with the CG-heavy Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania; though some reactions even praised the CG.

    Vulture has released another article from anonymous VFX workers sharing their experiences, where they unveiled that a lot of resources went towards Wakanda Forever. That isn’t too surprising given the film had an earlier release and there was a lot of pressure on a film that had the highest potential to be a big earner. Yes, Quantumania had a good box office opening but still is part of one of their smallest box office earners.

    Wakanda Forever took precedence. It felt like the higher-up and supervisor roles were shifted around to put that on their plates and there was a smaller team working on Ant-Man. It was on the back burner — less of a pressing thing.

    The biggest issue seems that there were some uncertainties from the director Peyton Reed, whose vision might have been changing during production and led to a point they could not return. It seems also the VFX artists were disappointed they didn’t have a chance to really bring the world to life and take shortcuts to keep the work at a certain quality. The biggest issue is when they had to take over other artists already started work which they highlight is “not how things usually go when you are working for other studios.”

    I haven’t seen the finished movie yet. There were some cool sequences we were putting together that seemed promising. But there could have been more people involved on the project. Maybe more money spent. With a lot of these projects being worked on simultaneously, resources become thinner. The quality starts lacking. You can’t expect all of the VFX companies to give the highest-quality work, especially if you’re going to do it on a lower budget.

    Thought another actually had a more surprising outlook, as he had less of an issue with the Quantumania work which highlights something commonly overshadowed when covering these issues: no one is affected equally. Marvel Studios is a client that works with production companies and from experience, if you are in an agency of any kind: you’ll always face last-minute changes and potential overtime trying to keep that alive. Yet, it doesn’t always affect everyone’s equality.

    My experience on Quantumania was comparable to the majority of productions we [VFX specialists] work on and, therefore, not especially bad or difficult. I wouldn’t say other projects necessarily took priority or that morale was particularly bad (although one of my co-workers actually became unhappy because of the lack of work he was given on that movie — he spent days on standby only to end up doing nothing, and this went on for months). Our working conditions are often less than ideal, and Quantumania was just another in a long line.

    One more artist did have some harsher words while also highlighting the stronger focus on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. They wished they would have pushed back the film, which we did see with The Marvels but likely due to it already being in the marketing cycle Marvel Studios could no longer really pull back as they otherwise would’ve just added more costs and less investment for the CG work.

    A lot of us are sitting here thinking, The money is there. Why is it not coming down? Marvel spending a bit more money to pay more VFX people wouldn’t make that much of a difference for the executives all the way at the top. But if it comes down to them not being comfortable with their bank numbers and us working until burnout, we lose out every time. Honestly, I equate it to human greed.

    At the end of the day, we don’t understand this CG model fully and the Internet’s overall reaction will remain the same even if these reports never saw the light of day. The CG work these artists accomplish is great and a lot of the criticism also mentioned by Vulture is fewer effects work-oriented but rather just the design choices that are done before it lands in the laps of these CG workers. Marvel Studios’ biggest issue is the freedom they want to give their directors which ends up leading to constant decision-making that adds changes throughout production.

    There is a good chance this might not become a thing moving forward. More time does not always equate to better quality, as it also means more potential for changes and adaptations. Marvel Studios’ original production cycle was much shorter as Quantumania, The Marvels, and even Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 were all filmed back in 2021. There weren’t any film productions that started in 2022, very likely that they to take away any lessons they could and reshuffle how they will start moving forward.

    While I’ll be on the side of “the effects were 99% of the time pretty damn good,” there’s always potential to get better. The Internet has a strong focus on singular effects that they deem “not great” while ignoring other effects issues you commonly see with any production. No film’s CG is perfect, as not everything is Avatar: Way of Water as that has a ridiculous production budget. Expecting every film to echo it will just add to the bloated budget issue already becoming apparent in Hollywood’s need to create big blockbuster success.

    Ever since COVID, the market is flooded and people are overworked, not just in the CG department. Given time, things will change and we’ll likely see production studios like Marvel learn to make a change for the better. We’re just still seeing the post-COVID productions and the aftermath of that time. Plus, CG workers also need a union to protect themselves from this and create new standards in the industry. Marvel Studios is not innocent and that is evident, but we’re hopefully seeing a general positive direction after the chaos that was the pandemic’s effect on Hollywood.

    Source: Vulture