Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney Plus

  • ‘The Mandalorian’ Chapter 16: The Freedom to Dream

    ‘The Mandalorian’ Chapter 16: The Freedom to Dream

    When Star Wars first came out it was unlike anything we had ever seen. It made us dream about the possibilities a galaxy far, far away might have in store for us all. Everything was new, from the characters to the planets, from the technology to the mythology. The creative output originated in an entire generation was partially visible in all the EU content developed at the end of the 20th century when fans’ actual fever dreams were put on paper.

    A few years later, when Star Wars came back, and especially when Disney bought Lucasfilm, it all became a bit more standardized. There were certainly a few wonderful moments for the franchise but since the objective was to establish a single, consistent, more controllable storyline that expanded all through the several mediums it was certainly felt that creators were, most times, holding a bit back on the stories developed, maybe being afraid to break the mold that was holding everything together.

     

     

    It became easier to introduce new characters instead of developing the old ones, making them go through events you couldn’t later go back on. Therefore, the interconnectivity that seemed to be the driving force behind it all wasn’t ever really explored to its fullest, especially when it came to legacy characters. But all that seems to be changing with The Mandalorian, as even the biggest fan dreams one might have finally found a place to bloom, with little regard to how big they might be.

    The Disney+ show had already made the post-episode periods something quite wonderful considering the number of callbacks, as fans have constantly been rewarded for their commitment to the franchise. And now it has shown that even the pre-episode conversations with all their theorizing and growing expectations also aren’t something to scoff at. The introduction of Luke Skywalker in Chapter 16 is the perfect example of that, as it specifically slowly evolved from what was the “best-case scenario” to “the rightfully chosen scenario”. And by doing it, by taking the chance in bringing in arguably the most important character in the franchise’s history into the mix, they not only made the show’s story better, they probably made the entire franchise better.

     

     

    It would have been easier, although far less impactful, to have some other Jedi answer Grogu’s call. But it would also undermine Yoda’s line to Luke when he said: “When gone I am.. the last of the Jedi you will be”. Choosing to bring back Luke not only fulfills several fan dreams but also manages to honor the Original Trilogy by not trying to circumvent it through some kind of loop-hole. What is done, is done, and now the questions of what will happen to Grogu following what The Last Jedi told us about what happened to Luke’s Jedi school are sure to come about. The story will have to find a way to deal with it, but that’s what can make it so compelling.

    By allowing itself to dream beyond its initially thought-out limits, The Mandalorian has not so much made the Galaxy feel smaller, as it made it feel more together. It took a decisive step towards what is sure to be the franchise’s future, making sure streaming is now on par with the movies in terms of what it has to offer storywise. It also made it clear that it is time to stop clouding legacy characters’ past actions by establishing their story beyond a reasonable doubt. You would have to do it eventually, and The Mandalorian showed that time can be right now. Where do we go from here? Anything’s possible as long as the training wheels are allowed to come off. So…let’s dream on.

  • ‘The Mandalorian’: Creating Sympathy in Alderaan Places

    ‘The Mandalorian’: Creating Sympathy in Alderaan Places

    The season finale of The Mandalorian has finally arrived. We finally uncover what the future holds for our favorite Mandalorian Din and Grogu. We had no idea what to expect as we entered the episode, but it certainly delivered on so many levels. Now, there was an interesting trend I’ve noticed while watching this episode that seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore as the season comes to an end.

     

    As per usual, only continue reading at your own risk, as there will be some spoilers for the final episode of The Mandalorian‘s second season.

     

    Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have started to explore an aspect that was overlooked throughout the films. A few episodes back, it was revealed that Gina Carano‘s Cara Dune is a survivor of Alderaan. At first, it seemed like a rather sudden reveal and opened the question of how exactly it ties into the over-arching story. Disney Investor’s Day revealed a new series called Rangers of the New Republic, which seemed set-up when she joined the Empire’s replacement. Now, the final episode in the second season builds on that moment, even if it is only brief. A team consisting of Din, Boba, and Cara try to get their hands on the clone scientist from the first season. Suddenly, one of his bodyguards, who is played by Agent of SHIELD‘s Thomas E. Sullivan, takes him as a hostage to get the upper hand. He starts mocking Cara for the destruction of Alderaan while pointing out how many have died in the death of the Deathstars.

    This moment, while brief, once again humanizes those that work for the Empire. Last week’s episode had a strong focus on this, as we saw Troopers support Din and Bill Burr‘s Mayfeld, who were under disguise. We had this surprisingly humanizing moment as we saw a bunch of them celebrate their victory. They even visited a small cafeteria that just gave us a glimpse of their world. Yes, one of the commanders turned out to be pure evil, but that doesn’t mean there are still people behind those iconic uniforms. Some of them may look back at these events differently, just like Mayfeld did when he confronted the before-mentioned Commander.

     

     

    The only drawback is that they are trying to create sympathy for the remnants of the Empire while having our heroes shoot them down in each episode. This juxtaposition becomes apparent in the season finale, as they have built up Moff Gideon as a pure villain. I am sad we don’t have a series from the perspective of a Storm Trooper. We have the perfect set-up as they started building some sympathy for the once so evil Empire. We don’t know if they are programmed or just regular recruits. The Dark Troopers’ existence may hint at these regular soldiers losing their autonomy at some point. In a way, these teases seem like a way to build-up a connection to Finn, who was a Storm Trooper for the First Order in The Force Awakens. As we have seen throughout the show’s run, they don’t let any stone unturned as they continue the tale of Din Djarin.

  • ‘The Mandalorian’: Boba Fett Spin-Off Finally Confirmed

    ‘The Mandalorian’: Boba Fett Spin-Off Finally Confirmed

    Just a month ago, it got revealed that a spin-off focusing on bounty hunter Boba Fett was in development. All we knew is that it had already seemed to enter production, so they had some major plans for the project. A while back, there were plans for an entire film focused on Boba Fett with Josh Trank attached. Yet, after the reception and troubled production of Fantastic Four, it got swiftly canceled, and we didn’t know if they would revisit the bounty hunter’s story ever again. Well, that was until his return in The Mandalorian. It was what fans were waiting for, as the show finally explored the character’s overall place in the galaxy with his background as a clone. We even got some badass action sequences to showcase his abilities. Now, the only question remained, when could we expect the spin-off, and how would it fit in the overall Star Wars timeline.

     

    There are major spoilers for the latest episode of The Mandalorian in the rest of this article. Only continue at your own risk, or watch the latest episode before continuing.

     

     

    So, now that was quite the season finale. The biggest surprise came at the end of the episode, as it had a post-credit sequence teasing the spin-off. It is now confirmed to be titled The Book of Boba Fett, which will premiere in December 2021. Now, the interesting thing is that The Mandalorian‘s third season was a plan to release that same month. We also didn’t get a unique title card for Boba’s spin-off, which almost hints at the upcoming third season focused on Boba rather than Din. That doesn’t make sense, especially how much this episode highlighted that Fett isn’t technically a Mandalorian. His father was a foundling, but it seems that Bo-Katan disagrees with him having any connection.

    The Mandalorian‘s third season also entered production under the working title Buccaneer. The production title doesn’t seem to line-up with the tease from the post-credit sequence. So, it might be its show after all. Din’s story isn’t over, especially with him wielding the Darksaber after defeating Moff Gideon. So, I believe that Boba Fett will release early December and lead into the third season of Din’s story. Whatever they have planned, we’ll have plenty of Star Wars to look forward to.

    Source: IGN, DisInsider

  • “Spider-Man: Homemade”: A Disney+ Series Pitch

    “Spider-Man: Homemade”: A Disney+ Series Pitch

    So the resident Charles(es) of the Multiverse, Charles M., and Charles V., have this sort of article where they make pitches for projects they’d like to see on screen. They’ve done these types of pitches before for Iron Man 4, Captain America 4 (twice), and so on. I wanted to toss my hat in the ring and bring to the table something that I’ve thought of for a while now. Earlier in the year, I had conducted a study where I asked people what they considered to be “The Best Adaptation of Spider-Man in Mainstream Media”. We asked people multiple questions about it, such as who had the best Peter Parker, the best Spider-Man, the best soundtrack, the best story, and so on. Over 1,700 people had taken part in that poll and when we tallied up the points, these were the top 3 results we obtained:

     

     

    What immediately stood out to me in regards to these results was that people responded better to The Spectacular Spider-Man, the Spider-Man Playstation game, and the 90s animated series than the film incarnations. When you think about it, it makes sense. The common characteristic that these 3 adaptations have in common is that these adaptations were allowed to develop beyond the typical 2-hour time constraint in film.

    So, it got me thinking. The current Spider-Man (Tom Holland) has been a bit divisive when spoken about amongst fans. Some like his portrayal, because of his interactions with the Avengers within the scale of a larger universe. Others find the character relies too much on the likes of Tony Stark and his technology rather than fending for himself. The beauty of Spider-Man as a character is that he alone can have a cinematic universe based on his story and characters. His lore is rich in villains, locations, side-characters, and storylines. Perhaps the best way to adapt these is not in a 2-hour blockbuster, but rather in the form of a live-action Disney+ series.

     

    Adaptation

    Whatever happens after Far From Home and the untitled Spider-Man 3 sequel, chances are Spider-Man will still be around in the MCU. After facing off against world-ending, reality-shattering, Multiverse scale events, it would be nice for the series to explore a more grounded side for Peter in his own little world. So my story would be centered around New York City, and Spider-Man serving as one of its protectors while the rest of the MCU’s heroes are away. Basing the series on a loose adaptation of these classic comic story arcs is pretty much an excellent way to introduce Peter Parker into the next chapter of his life. You’ll get why in a few moments.

     

    Plot

    The introduction is essentially ripped from the source material. Peter is just about to start college at Empire State University. He’s trying to get settled into his new life and we get introduced to new characters that are essential to the Spider-Man lore: his fellow classmates Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn. He’ll start to develop a relationship with both of these characters, which will eventually blossom into a trio of best friends.

     

    He was accepted into the university after the admissions board found his achievements with the Stark Internship worthy of an acceptance letter. During his first day of class, he’ll get settled in and meet many of his professors. Some of the more notable names he’ll meet are his biochemistry teacher Dr. Miles Warren (who eventually becomes the Jackal in the comics) along with Dr. Curt Connors (who many might remember as the Lizard). For all intents and purposes of the series, their eventual villain roles will be teased throughout the series, but they will mainly serve as supporting characters and mentor figures to Peter for the time being. He’ll also meet his Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Edward Lansky, who will take an interest in Peter due to his time with the Stark Internship. He’ll give the students a tour of the facilities in which he’ll present the students with a state of the art solar panel system that powers the entire school, in an attempt to reduce the use of electrical generators (and lower the power bill).

    During the first episode of the series, we learn that the Mayor is planning to issue some budget cuts, which would heavily impact the university. Dr. Lansky is attempting to convince the local government not to force cuts onto the university so the staff, nor the students will be laid off. In order to help convince the government that the school requires funds to help with the infrastructure and programs, Dr. Lansky will promote the students to develop a project that can help better the university in a similar way that his project did. This would also help viewers see more of Peter’s inventor side and give it an opportunity to be explored during this series. However, Dr. Lansky knows that there is no possible way to change the Mayor’s mind, so in a move of desperation to save the university, he will get into contact with a very shady individual named Frederick Foswell, who many might recognize as The Big Man. He’ll ask Frederick to carry out some kidnappings on civil servants of the city government and University administration to prevent the budget cuts from happening. In order to do that, The Big Man will hire a small team of career criminals known as The Enforcers to carry out these deeds throughout the show.

    This is where we’ll start to see a bit more of Peter trying to live out the double life and attempt to find the balance between saving the world and saving his reputation amongst his friends, all the while trying to balance his university work and project that Dr. Lansky requested. Seeing how in the upcoming Spider-Man 3 film Peter will have to take on Electro, I would not be surprised if, during that film, he develops a sort of insulator so he could take on the villain. In an homage to that, Peter might find a way to reverse engineer his design so that it doesn’t actually nullify electric currents, but rather a design that is able to absorb not just electricity, but solar and light energy to boost the university’s solar panels capabilities.

    However, as reports of kidnappings and crimes start to rise, it’ll garner the attention of Spider-Man, which will eventually lead to him facing off against the villain group. Seeing as how Spider-Man is interfering in his plans, Lanksy will ask Foswell to take out Spider-Man. Meanwhile, Dr. Edward Lanksy will be working on developing a “secret project”. Eventually, Spider-Man will take down the Enforcers after multiple failed attempts to kidnap the civil servants, but The Big Man manages to escape. Still, Spider-Man is able to follow him and find out who’s behind the kidnappings. This forces Lansky’s hand to see his plan play out to the very end by himself. He uses an experimental suit that he created to take on the masked vigilante. Spider-Man intervenes to foil Lansky’s plan. Unfortunately, after trying to short circuit the suit, his plan backfired and only ended up boosting the experimental suit, transforming Lansky into a being of pure light. He has now become the Lightmaster.

     

     

    As Lightmaster escapes, Peter starts to get frustrated. He starts to lose his sense of responsibility, as he misses classes and avoids the friends he made. There is also a notable absence of Spider-Man for a few days. He feels responsible for the creation of a new villain and it’ll put Peter to question his motivations. As such, he poses the question of whether or not being a hero is something that’s important in an age where the Avengers exist and can handle these things. Meanwhile, Lansky plans his revenge against Spider-Man and the people who have wronged him. Near the end of the series, there will be an event at ESU where the University administrators and the Mayor will be present their new plans for the school. This is the time that Lightmaster decides to exact his revenge by taking the mayor out in the process.

    At the event, his classmates and professors are put into danger during Lightmaster’s attack. When Peter gets wind of what’s happening, he puts his moral dilemma aside for the greater good. The question is, how will he be able to take on a villain which is essentially a being of pure light? At this point, he remembers the project that he was developing at Dr. Lansky’s request and realizes that it might be useful in a fight against the Lightmaster. So, with experimental technology in hand, he takes on his newly created nemesis and tries to figure out a way to defeat him. As the fight develops, Peter remembers the solar panel system that Dr. Lansky developed. If Peter manages to lure him and uses his device to amp up the absorption capabilities of the panel, he might be able to deponer Lightmaster. He lures him to the panels so that Lansky can recklessly shoot his energy at them. As he is now a being of pure energy, he will get absorbed by the device. Unable to stop the panels from absorbing his energy, Lansky eventually dissipates and is held captive within his own creation.

    The series ends on a positive note, with Peter realizing that in a world where heroes face off against greater threats to save the world, it can sometimes leave “the friendly neighborhood” unguarded. So he vows to keep his promise to “fight for the little guy” and defend New York from any dangers that might present themselves in the future.

  • ‘WandaVision’ Could Set Up a ‘One More Day’ Storyline in ‘Spider-Man 3’

    ‘WandaVision’ Could Set Up a ‘One More Day’ Storyline in ‘Spider-Man 3’

    So, yesterday I was trying to figure out who the strange Beekeeper might be in the latest WandaVision trailer. There I stated that I believe the main antagonist might end up being Mephisto. So far, we haven’t explored the character within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also has much potential connection to other franchises, such as his cameo in Loki‘s trailer. There, we can see a devil-like person in a stained-glass window in the background. So, it seemed like a good guess that these shows might be connected. Yet, it started to make me wonder if he’ll have a major role throughout the series.

    To some degree, I think Nightmare and Mephisto will become one character. He might serve as the primary antagonist in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now, he may also jump from this film into another, the still-untitled Spider-Man 3. Now, why is it noteworthy connecting Spider-Man with Mephisto? Most might have already realized it the moment the webhead was mentioned, as he was featured in the storyline One More Day. It is one of the most unpopular stories told in comic history, but the set-up might already exist for it.

     

     

    Now, they won’t be adapting the story one-for-one. WandaVision seems inspired by multiple storylines, such as House of M, Vision, and the Scarlet Witch, as well as the suburban storyline of Vision. So, One More Day may play a small part in the story. Plus, the whole point of the original was that Mephisto made a deal with Peter. He took off his mask in front of the world during the Civil War storyline. It ended up getting Aunt May shot in the process. It came at the cost of his marriage to Mary Jane. MJ also makes sure that Peter’s identity would remain a secret. Now, I believe if they adapt aspects of One More Day, they will only focus on two things: his secret identity and a deal with the devil.

    So, how would the story come together? Mephisto was free the moments the Infinity Stones got destroyed by Thanos. Without a body and waiting for those that inherited their powers to return, he remained in hiding. Now that Wanda was brought back through the Blip, he was able to enact his plan. She inherited the abilities of the Mind Stone, so she would also be connected to her other half, Vision. He manipulates her, which leads to the events of WandaVision. He manages to regain a physical body and his strength, so he enacts his plan. He aims to let horrors from the multiverse infiltrate the mainline universe, which ends up as the main plot for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Yet, his actions also create a Spider-Verse event that forces Peter to face an onslaught of enemies from different universes.

     

     

    Peter reaches his breaking point. After having faced various enemies, he ends up coming across Mephisto. So, in his desperation for a normal life, he made a deal with the devil. He wakes up in his bed. Aunt May and Ned are all here, but something feels off. The radio talks about incidents that he can’t seem to recall. Spider-Man is still called a menace by J. Jonah Jameson, but no one mentions his real name anymore. He comes to realize that no one has ever heard of Tony Stark or the Avengers. The deal he made came at a price. He was in a completely different universe that was similar to his own. Now, he either had to accept his new reality or try to find a way back to the place he once called home. The movie ends with a fitting title: Spider-Man: Home One Day.

  • RUMOR: Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror To Appear in ‘Loki’

    RUMOR: Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror To Appear in ‘Loki’

    A while back, we got the announcement that Lovecraft Country‘s Jonathan Majors was cast as Kang the Conqueror. Now, the interesting thing was that he was set to appear in Ant-Man & the Wasp sequel, which now has the subtitle Quantumania. It was a bit strange that they announced his casting this early, which had many people speculate if he may show up early on. Well, it looks like our theories might’ve been right as the latest podcast @PostCredPod featuring DisInsider’s EIC Skyler Shuler may have confirmed he will show up in the upcoming Disney+ show Loki.

    His potential appearance makes absolute sense with the Time Variance Authority’s heavy involvement. We’ve seen some visuals that already led to a theory that he may have some kind of role in their foundation, which you can check out here. Loki might only introduce the character, so we shouldn’t expect him to appear in multiple episodes anytime soon. We just recently also heard rumblings of Jaimie Alexander‘s Sif returning in the upcoming show, so it’ll be interesting to see who else might show up throughout the show’s series.

    The recent trailer gave us an overall better glimpse of the Disney+ show’s story. We will see Loki mess around throughout history while working together with the TVA. The first trailer alone promises a visual spectacle that will dive into some aspect of the multiverse. So, the series builds upon the multiversal throughline in Phase 4 and could even have some influence over the events. After the Avengers played around with time in Endgame, he might be here to correct what they may have screwed up.

    Source: Twitter

  • Marvel Studios Reveals New “Legends” Disney+ Series

    Marvel Studios Reveals New “Legends” Disney+ Series

    Looks like Marvel isn’t done just yet.

     

    Fresh off their massive panel from Disney’s Investor Day last Thursday, with dozens of new shows and projects in development, it looks like we’re also getting one more additional new series for Disney+. In an official tweet, they revealed Marvel Studios: Legends, which will recap the most iconic moments from various character’s history in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We can also expect the show to be added soon, as it is slated for a January 8th release with two episodes.

    Based on the description, it seems that this is going to be a highlight reel for the MCU characters. It could also showcase their comics origins, the MCU adaptation, their journey across the Infinity Saga thus far, and what the future might hold for them. Since the first two episodes are about Wanda and Vision just a few days before the premiere of WandaVision, Marvel’s strategy for this could be that it acts as a quick recap for those catching up on the franchise’s 10+ year history.

    So, there is a good chance that we can expect the next episodes to focus on Falcon, Winter Soldier, Black Widow, Loki, and Hawkeye. They could also use this to highlight characters connected to newer introductions, such as Carol Danvers getting featured shortly before Ms. Marvel airs. We have no exact info on the format or length of these episodes, but they probably are kept short going over the character’s biggest moments. We will find out more once the first two episodes air next year on January 8th.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘LOKI’: The Mysterious Hooded Figure Revealed

    ‘LOKI’: The Mysterious Hooded Figure Revealed

    “You better be ready.”

    Last Thursday, Disney held its annual Investor’s Day. This year, because of the pandemic, they were forced to shift their event to a virtual format somewhat similar to that of DC Fandome. Among the event’s presenters were Lucasfilm, Disney Animation, Pixar, Hulu, and others. But by far, the heavy hitter of the night was Marvel Studios. Kevin Feige took to the virtual stage to give us an update at Phase 4, announcing new shows, providing us with a more updated look at the Phase 4 slate, and a handful of trailers for the upcoming Disney+ shows. One of those trailers was an exclusive clip for the upcoming show, Loki, coming May 2021.

    Now during the trailer, we were treated to a number of cool shots with the God of Mischief and some new characters, Owen Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and the three floating heads behind her, but the most ominous figure came in the form of this hooded individual

    We can assume that whoever is behind that hood might be the antagonist (or at least one of them) for this show. Because his/her identity is kept hidden in this shot, you can’t really tell who this person is, unless you tend to look deeper into the frames of this trailer. So let’s break it down piece by piece to see what we find.

    Piece #1: The boots

    Now let’s rewind the clip for a bit. The frame you see above is a frame that comes just 2 shots before the main thumbnail in the image. This is when the hooded figure drops the lamp and sets the grass ablaze. Notice that for a split second, you can see the left boot of the individual on the left-hand side of the image. The person seems to be wearing some sort of high-top lace-up military boot. Keep that in mind as we go on with our analysis.

    Piece #2: The fingerless gloves

    This is a brightened up version of the shot where the individual is putting his/her hands down. The attempt was to see if we could identify the person’s face, but alas we could not. Yet not all was failed because we noticed one big detail in this shot. Notice the fingerless cloth gloves on the person’s hand. This is a big clue. Because the use of the fingerless gloves and the boots are very important indicators as to who this character is, or at the very least the actress portraying this character.

    The Hooded Figure is Sophia Di Martino’s character.

    Didn’t see that one coming did ya? Well, it’s very easy to identify thanks to the set pictures from JustJared. As you can observe in the picture I linked, you can see Sophia Di Martino’s costume, where she is wearing the exact same boot model, the fingerless gloves, and even the same baggy pants for good measure. What exactly her role in the show will be as of yet remains unclear. However, some people have speculated that she may be portraying a female version of Loki due to the similarity her costume has to the God of Mischief.

    Loki premieres exclusively on Disney+ this coming May 2020.

  • Marvel Studios Takes Aim at Taking Over the World

    Marvel Studios Takes Aim at Taking Over the World

    In the wake of last week’s Disney Investor’s Day Presentation comes the realization that the long, angst-ridden waits between Marvel Studios projects are soon to be a thing of the past. Over each of the next 2 years (2021 and 2022), Marvel Studios looks to roll out AT LEAST 10 major projects a year between their theatrical and streaming offerings. 2020 has been a rough year for MCU fans with the COVID-19 related shutdowns eventually keeping Marvel Studios from releasing any of their planned projects. Even before COVID, however, fans endured some pretty significant gaps between projects (almost 2 years between Iron Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk) but it is clear now that those days are over.

    2021

    • WandaVision begins streaming January 15th
    • The Falcon and The Winter Soldier begins streaming March 19th
    • Black Widow debuts theatrically on May 7th
    • Loki begins streaming in May
    • Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings hits theaters on July 9th
    • What If…?, the studios first canonical animated feature, streams Summer 2021
    • Eternals debuts in theaters on November 5th
    • Spider-Man 3 swings into cinemas on December 17th
    • Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye, both currently filming now, are scheduled to stream in Late 2021

    Looking at 3 data points isn’t really enough for a pattern, but it looks like Marvel Studios may be looking to release a new streaming series on Disney Plus every two months. If that pattern were to hold, we’d see What If…? in July, Ms. Marvel in September and Hawkeye in November. Of course, the studio would have to work around other streaming series as well, but that schedule seems fairly plausible and would make 2021 shape up like this:

    • WandaVision in January
    • The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in March
    • Black Widow in May
    • Loki in May
    • Shang-Chi in July
    • What If…? in July
    • Ms. Marvel in September
    • Eternals in November
    • Hawkeye in November
    • Spider-Man 3 in December

    Ideally, Marvel Studios would probably spread these projects out a little more and they very well may as the working premise is just a guess. What If…? could be a June or August release; Ms. Marvel could be an August, September or even October release; Hawkeye, which is set during Christmas, begin streaming following Thanksgiving and lead up to Spidey’s Christmas release. Whatever the case, it’s pretty clear that Kevin Feige has no intentions of Disney Plus subscribers going very long between new episodes of original content.

    2022

    • Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness will make its way to the big screen on March 25th
    • Thor: Love and Thunder is slated for cinemas on May 6th
    • Black Panther II is set for a July 8th theatrical bow
    • Captain Marvel 2 will smash into theaters on November 11th

    Additionally, the following series are currently slated to stream on Disney Plus in 2022, according to a chronological order listed on Disney’s official PDF file from the event:

    • She-Hulk
    • Moon Knight
    • Secret Invasion
    • Ironheart
    • Armor Wars
    • Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

    If we operate off of our premise that Marvel Studios would like to have a streaming series on Disney Plus every two months, a premise that is, as stated above, only plausible and not confirmed, we can get an idea of when they might sprinkle the half-dozen new series in:

    • She-Hulk or Moon Knight in February
    • Moon Knight or She-Hulk in April
    • Secret Invasion in June
    • Ironheart in August
    • Armor Wars in October
    • Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in December

    These timelines not only fit our working premise, but they are also very reasonable given what we know. She-Hulk and Moon Knight are both expected to begin filming in March of 2021. If Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel, which both recently began filming, are expected to make late-2021 release dates, two series that begin filming in early-2021 could be expected to make early-2022 release dates.

    Disney has also listed their Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali as set to appear chronologically ahead of Captain Marvel 2, according to the same PDF, which would bump Disney up to an 11th 2022 project. As of today, Blade has neither a release date nor a creative team, but Feige did say to expect some announcements soon. But it’s possible that 2022 could end up looking something like this:

    • She-Hulk in February
    • Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness March 25th
    • Moon Knight in April
    • Thor: Love and Thunder May 6th
    • Secret Invasion in June
    • Black Panther II July 8th
    • Ironheart in August
    • Blade in September
    • Armor Wars in October
    • Captain Marvel 2 November 11th

    Obviously, until we get an official update on Blade, we can only speculate but finding a way to get it out in September would give fans Marvel Studios content in every month but January, and the longest we’d go between projects would be from Christmas 2021 to February 2022.

    2023

    While the films weren’t given official dates, it seems that Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3and Fantastic Four are all headed for theatrical release in 2023. It was also recently revealed that Deadpool 3 found a pair of writers, making it a likely candidate for another of the 4 previously slated 2023 films. Though we have no guarantee, it’s possible the 2023 slate could look something like this:

    • Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania in theaters for February 17th
    • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 debuting on May 5th
    • Fantastic Four rocketing into theaters for July 28th
    • Deadpool 3 bowing on November 3rd

    Marvel Studios is also known to have a handful of other projects that seem to be further developed than others, though it’s not known if they are meant for theaters of are streaming series:

    • Secret Warriors
    • Ghost Rider
    • Illuminati
    • Young Avengers

    Of those, Young Avengers seems MOST like one that could be a film, but any or all of them would make for great streaming series as well. Recent rumors have a second season of Loki headed into production in January of 2022, which would put it on track for an early 2023 release. Throw in a couple of rumored projects such as Thunderbolts, Agents of Atlas, Squadron Supreme, another series getting a second season or a surprise or two here and there and you’re right back into double digits for 2023. It also means it’s possible for Feige and Marvel Studios to get to 2024 before even tapping into what is certainly the biggest ace up their sleeve: the newly acquired X-Men and related characters, should they so choose. Sure Deadpool is part of that acquisition, but as the comics have proven, the X-Men can exist in a world all their own.

    Marvel Studios absence may have been felt in 2020, but it looks like The One-Above-All is doing everything he can to take care of us for the foreseeable future.

  • ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Season Finale Theory: Boba Fett Signing Off

    ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ Season Finale Theory: Boba Fett Signing Off

    The ability The Mandalorian has of making almost every single storyline detail matter down the line might help to predict what pay-offs we might be getting this Friday on the Season 2 Finale. But then again, the ability The Mandalorian has of making almost every single storyline detail matter down the line also makes it difficult to zero in on which ones will actually be the focus of this final episode. It goes both ways. We’ve already discussed how Mando’s armor, his beskar spear, the Dark Troopers, and Gideon’s Darksaber might come into play as the season ends. But for now, let’s center on the characters.

    In terms of returning characters, “Chapter 15: The Believer” gave us what is sure to be the main crew that’ll be by Mando’s side, helping him to retrieve Grogu. But there is another character that, ever since its introduction earlier this season, was bound to show up again as her own journey shares the same objective as Din’s. That character is, of course, Bo-Katan Kryze. Both she and Mando are looking for Moff Gideon, as he has something both of them want back and so being, her return shouldn’t come as a huge surprise.

     

     

    On the other hand, we’ve already had characters that were initially introduced only to properly return the following season. Boba Fett and Fennec Shand both showed up for the first time in “Chapter 5: The Gunslinger”, and it wasn’t until “Chapter 14: The Tragedy” that they were a bit more fleshed out, with their arc perhaps more deeply explored on this week’s season finale. This could then mean that Bo-Katan’s return in search of the Darksaber might be something we’ll only witness next season. If this is the case, and as her story is so intrinsically connected to Moff Gideon’s, that could mean that this season might end much in the way The Empire Strikes Back did. With the hero having lost the final confrontation with his enemy and having to regroup before going after a missing friend.

    This sort of bittersweet ending isn’t unfamiliar to The Mandalorian. Even though season 1 ended on a high note with Moff Gideon defeated and Din and Grogu leaving Nevarro unscathed, IG-11 was destroyed and Kuiil was killed while protecting Grogu. That showed us that in this world victories come at a price and that no matter the way season 2 wraps up, there might be more loss to endure. Din and Grogu aren’t obviously going anywhere as the show would lose its heart if any of the two were to leave it. Fennec Shand could be a possibility but her previous “death” and the lack of connection to the character would make it a terribly impactful death. That leaves Boba Fett.

    Chapter 14 reintroduced us to the old Boba Fett but it also presented us with a somewhat new Boba. On the one hand, he delivered on the expected toughness of the character but he also came through as an honorable warrior, not just a ruthless bounty hunter. It seemed like after the events of Return of the Jedi, having lost his armor, he went through some sort of rebirth and is now wanting to leave his old ways behind and live a more withdrawn life. “I’m a simple man making his way through the galaxy. Like my father before me”.

     

     

    And now, being in Din Djarin’s debt until Grogu is returned safely feels like an opportunity to make good on not only a promise made but also on erasing a few of his own ghosts that might still haunt him, making him much more at peace with his past. As we saw on Attack of the Clones, Boba lost his father Jango while he was still a child. Jango was, as Din found out in Chapter 14, a foundling just like Din himself. That will make Boba see the relationship between Din and Grogu as he did the one with his own father. By reuniting Din and Grogu, Boba will allow for Grogu to have something he missed out on, a life with a father figure, and that might just be his ultimate selfless act, especially if he has to give up his own life for it to happen.

    Jon Favreau has said that he’d like to further explore the character, but having Boba die shouldn’t stop that from happening. The Boba Fett show that is said to be in production could very well be a prequel that either shows us how Fett survived the Sarlacc pit or some of the events that took place before his appearance in The Empire Strikes Back. That is perhaps the more enticing option as we would get a full suited Boba Fett in his prime, where the adventures could live up to the character’s legacy. But as far as The Mandalorian is concerned, and considering how the chess pieces are now placed, Boba Fett could go out as the hero no one expected him to be. In the end, it might not happen. But it would be one hell of a sign-off.