If you think Sigourney Weaver joined the Star Wars universe just to play a generic mentor for Din Djarin, you may have been successfully misdirected by the Lucasfilm marketing machine. While the early promotional material paints her Colonel Ward as a hero of the Rebellion and a decorated leader of the Adelphi Rangers, emerging evidence has lead to theories that she is actually the ultimate Trojan Horse for the Imperial Remnant.
Weaver’s casting was originally reported under the character name “Colonel Bishop.” Given Weaver’s position as the OG Queen in the world of sci-fi, that name may well be portending a betrayal. Just as the android Bishop in Aliens subverted expectations about artificial persons, Weaver’s role in The Mandalorian and Grogu could subvert everything Mando thinks he knows about his new New Republic employers.
The core of the theory that Ward is a Traitor stems the nature of the missions she’s assigning. Reports indicate that Ward is the one who pushes Mando in the direction of Jeremy Allen White’s Rotta the Hutt, effectively using the Mandalorian as a heat sink to draw out rival syndicates while she quietly consolidates power for the Imperial Shadow Council.
Given the long form narrative that has unfolded over three seasons of The Mandalorian, such a betrayal could very well be more than just a theory—it would be the logical endpoint of the New Republic rot that was first introduced with the Elia Kane reveal on Coruscant. If Ward represents the cancer within the New Republic military, by the time the third act hits, Mando won’t just be fighting droids and Hutt mercenaries; he’ll be fighting the very woman who gave him his orders.
Don’t get attached to the idea of Sigourney Weaver as a New Republic icon. If she’s the woman who sells out the galaxy’s favorite duo, and the fallout from her betrayal is going to chart the course for the entire future of the MandoVerse… especially if it sets them on a collision course with Grand Admiral Thrawn.
In 2019, Lucasfilm’s The Mandalorian debuted on D+, launching the studio’s streaming era. The Jon Favreau-led franchise introduced a pair of characters who were quickly embraced by fans and allowed for many characters from beloved animated series to make the jump to live-action. Through three seasons, the adventures of Din Djarin and Grogu have carved out a significant corner of the galaxy far, far away and six-and-a-half years later, Lucasfilm is returning Star Wars to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu.
The Mandalorian–with help from The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew–has revealed that the New Republic is far from a peaceful era but rather a transitional one in which disparate Imperial remnants sow discord, the Shadow Council seeks to consolidate power and, most terrifyingly, Grand Admiral Thrawn has returned from exile, ready to claim his title as Heir to the Empire. As if that wasn’t fertile enough narrative ground, Din Djarin’s past as a bounty hunter will also play a major role in the film as two ghosts of the Clone Wars have re-emerged from the Outer Rim to appear in the film: Rotta the Hutt, the only legitimate heir to Jabba’s fallen empire, and Embo, the legendary Kyuzo hunter.
Between a growing number of adversaries and a new galactic war stands the Clan of Two. To understand the collision course set for May 22, 2026, fans must look back at the scars of Mandalore, the secret cloning projects of the Empire, and the blood-soaked history of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild. Truly, The Mandalorian and Grogu looks to be one of the final of nearly two decades of Dave Filoni-era storytelling. And so, to help you fully embrace and enjoy the first Star Wars story to hit the big screen since 2019, we present The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before The Mandalorian and Grogu…
📂 Intelligence Dossier: The Path to The Mandalorian and Grogu
Subject: Tactical Prep for the May 22, 2026 Premiere
Briefing: The collision of Mandalorian Creed, Hutt Succession, and New Republic Jurisprudence.
The core narrative of Din Djarin and Din Grogu establishes the father/son dynamic of the Clan of Two.
Series / Chapter
Chapters
Thematic Notes
Runtime
The Mandalorian Season 1
1–8
The Creed, the Client, and the discovery of Grogu.
4h 55m
The Mandalorian Season 2
9–16
The search for the Jedi and the return of the Darksaber.
5h 15m
The Book of Boba Fett
5–7
The Reunion How Din got his N-1 and why Grogu is back.
2h 20m
The Mandalorian Season 3
17–24
The Siege of Mandalore and the official adoption of Din Grogu.
5h 50m
TOTAL PHASE I
18h 20m
To understand the movie, you must know the history of Din Djarin and his foundling, Grogu. This includes all three seasons of The Mandalorian as well as the “hidden” Season 2.5 found in The Book of Boba Fett.
The Mandalorian: Season 1
The Child and the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) in THE MANDALORIAN, exclusively on Disney+
Chapters 1–8: The discovery of Grogu, the betrayal of the Guild, and the first showdown with Moff Gideon.
Analyzing the lethal history of the movie’s primary hunter.
Series / Episode
Title
Thematic Notes
Runtime
The Clone Wars Season 2, Episode 17
Bounty Hunters
Intro to the shield-hat and pet Anooba.
22m
The Clone Wars Season 3, Episode 4
Sphere of Influence
Establishes Embo as a high-level political mercenary.
22m
The Clone Wars Season4, Episodes 15-18
Obi-Wan Undercover Arc
Survival training alongside Cad Bane. Peak tactical feats.
1h 28m
The Clone Wars Season 4, Episode 20
Bounty
Working with a young Boba Fett as part of Krayt’s Claw.
22m
The Clone Wars Season 4, Episode 22
Revenge
Underworld alliances and high-stakes melee combat.
22m
The Clone Wars Season 5, Episode 1
Revival
Tracking the shift in criminal power during the Sith rise.
22m
The Clone Wars Season 6, Episode 5
An Old Friend
The Scipio snow-chase vs. Anakin.
22m
TOTAL PHASE II
4h 00m
As rumored last year and confirmed in the trailer, the deadly Kyuzo bounty hunter Embo will be featured as one of the film’s primary antagonists. Embo isn’t just a villain; he’s a veteran who has been active since the Clone Wars. These key episodes from the beloved animated series show why he is a physical match for a Mandalorian.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Animated Series
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 2, Episode 17 “Bounty Hunters” (21 BBY)
Embo makes his first appearance in an episode dedicated to the memory of legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, admired greatly by George Lucas and whose work significantly inspired The Creator’s vision for Star Wars.
After a crash landing on Felucia, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka seek aid from the local spice farmers only to learn that the villagers are the ones who are in real need. Beset by Hondo Ohnaka and his band of pirates, the farmers have contracted four bounty hunters to protect them.
-Official synopsis via StarWars.com
The death toll rises! As the battles intensify, and threaten a growing number of Republic worlds, planets are left to survive on their own. While the Jedi struggle to fight a war on many fronts, a series of medical stations have been established as a lifeline for those in need, but the facilities are easy prey for Separatist attacks. After losing contact with the medical station orbiting Felucia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano are sent to investigate…
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 3, Episode 4 “Sphere of Influence” (21 BBY)
Though it’s just a cameo appearance, the episode establishes Embo’s decades-long relationship with the Hutts.
Chairman Papanoida’s daughters, Chi Eekway and Che Amanwe, are kidnapped and held for ransom and it’s up to Ahsoka Tano and the Senator from Pantora, Riyo Chuchi, to aid the new chairman and his son in recovering their family members.
-Official synopsis via StarWars.com
Pantora in peril! The newly elected Chairman of Pantora, Baron Papanoida, is caught in a deadly political game. The Trade Federation has blockaded Pantora and suspended all commerce with the system. Isolated from the rest of the Republic, the people of Pantora are beginning to rally against the Senate, who have seemed unsympathetic to their plight.
To make matters worse, Count Dooku has come forward offering aid if Pantora joins the Separatist Alliance. Chairman Papanoida has dispatched Senator Chuchi to Coruscant with the hope that she can motivate the Senate to act in favor of Pantora before Lott Dod can legitimize the blockade….
In addition to those individual episodes, a classic arc also helps to establish Embo’s status among the galaxy’s hunters.
Obi-Wan Undercover
Though he only appears in two of them, this four-episode arc establishes Embo as one of the galaxy’s preeminent bounty hunters.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 4, Episode 15, “Deception” (20 BBY)
When the Jedi learn of a Separatist plot to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine, one of them must go deep undercover as a hardened criminal to extract information from the conspirators.
-Official synopsis via StarWars.com
A terrorist threat! Moralo Eval, mastermind of a Separatist plot to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine, has been captured by Republic forces. But even with the criminal behind bars, rumors swirl in the underworld of Coruscant that Moralo’s plot has already been set in motion.
With precious time running out, the Jedi Council hatches their own plot to keep the Chancellor safe….
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 4, Episode 16, “Friends and Enemies” (20 BBY)
Fleeing across the galaxy with criminal fugitives, a disguised Obi-Wan, Cad Bane and Moralo Eval are tenaciously pursued by Anakin and Ahsoka, who have no idea they’re chasing their friend.
-Official synopsis via StarWars.com
Fugitives on the run! Disguised as Jedi killer Rako Hardeen, Obi-Wan Kenobi works undercover to solve a Separatist plot against Chancellor Palpatine. Obi-Wan meets the plot’s mastermind, Moralo Eval, breaking him out of jail to gain his trust. But now Kenobi faces another obstacle: bounty hunter Cad Bane.
Can Obi-Wan Kenobi overcome Bane’s suspicions? Or will the ruthless criminal see through his disguise and expose the Jedi? Only time will tell….
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 4, Episode 17, “The Box” (20 BBY)
The disguised Obi-Wan accompanies Cad Bane and Moralo Eval to Count Dooku’s home planet of Serenno, where they enlist in a brutal competition with other bounty hunters from around the galaxy to determine who will participate in a plot to kidnap the Chancellor.
-Official synopsis via StarWars.com
Obi-Wan Kenobi in disguise! Working undercover as assassin Rako Hardeen, Obi-Wan leads a secret mission to uncover the Separatist plot against Chancellor Palpatine. Using cunning and courage, he gains the trust of bounty hunter Cad Bane and criminal mastermind Moralo Eval, earning him entrance into the stronghold of Separatist leader, Count Dooku. Now, it is here, on the beautiful planet of Serenno, that a barbaric contest will determine the fate of Obi-Wan Kenobi and possibly the Republic itself….
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 4, Episode 18, “Crisis on Naboo”
The Chancellor travels to Naboo to preside over a public ceremony, guarded by Jedi Knights. Dooku and his bounty hunters — including an undercover Obi-Wan Kenobi — launch their kidnapping plot.
-Official synopsis via Star wars.com
Supreme Chancellor in peril! After surviving the ordeals of the Box, Obi-Wan Kenobi — working undercover as assassin Rako Hardeen — is invited to join Count Dooku’s plot against Chancellor Palpatine. Working with a team of deadly bounty hunters, Obi-Wan travels to the planet of Naboo, where the Chancellor will preside over the Festival of Light. Now, as the Jedi Council and Count Dooku finalize their respective plans, a deadly confrontation seems inevitable….
Embo makes two more brief appearances in Season 4 that reveal his association with Boba Fett and Tatooine’s hive of scum and villainy, Mos Eisley.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 4, Episode 20, “Bounty” (20 BBY)
Forced into exile, an aimless Asajj Ventress joins a team of bounty hunters under the leadership of young Boba Fett. On an alien world, they undertake a dangerous but profitable mission that tests the strength of Asajj’s character.
-Official synopsis via StarWars.com
Abandoned! After an assassination attempt by his forsaken apprentice, Asajj Ventress, Count Dooku launches a brutal counterattack against the Nightsisters, massacring the entire clan. Forced into exile, Ventress wanders far into the Outer Rim, among the castaways and vagabonds of the galaxy, seeking her new life that was foretold by Mother Talzin….
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 4, Episode 22, “Revenge” (20 BBY)
Savage and Maul, now reunited, pursue Obi-Wan Kenobi in search of revenge, and the Jedi Knight finds himself forced to unite with a surprising ally to defend himself.
-Official synopsis via StarWars.com
Brothers reunited! Darth Maul, the sinister Sith thought to have been destroyed so many years ago by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, was found alive by his brother, Savage Opress, and taken back to Mother Talzin on Dathomir.
Though Darth Maul’s memory has yet to be fully restored, his need for vengeance has awakened, more powerful than ever….
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 5, Episode 1, “Eminence” (19 BBY)
Hired by the Hutts to take out Maul, Embo also tangles with Mandalorians and the Shadow Collective, deepening his ties to the action in The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Savage and Maul forge an alliance with Death Watch to target a common enemy: Obi-Wan Kenobi.
-Official synopsis via StarWars.com
Evil alliance! Darth Maul and Savage Opress escape Obi-Wan Kenobi’s assault once again. With their plan to build a crime organization in peril, the brothers’ fate is about to be changed forever as they drift barely alive, through unknown space…..
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 6, Episode 5, “An Old Friend” (19 BBY)
Embo is the primary physical threat in this episode and the “Scipio Snow Chase” is widely considered one of his best moments in the entire series. Embo is hired to assassinate an old friend of Padme’s, Senator Rush Clovis, on the planet Scipio to prevent him from exposing the Banking Clan’s corruption. He manages to kill Padmé’s aide, Teckla Minnau, with a sniper shot and then engages in a high-speed chase with Anakin, Padmé, and Clovis. Using his hat as a snowboard/sled to pursue their speeder down a mountain, Embo actually survives a direct confrontation with Anakin–a rare feat for any bounty hunter.
While on Scipio, Padmé Amidala is called upon by an old friend, Rush Clovis, to help uncover corruption in the Banking Clan. They must evade the bounty hunter Embo to escape the planet with the incriminating information.
-Official synopsis via StarWars.com
As the war between the Republic and the Separatists intensifies, many are driven from their home planets, and it is up to Senator Amidala to secure aid for them. All eyes turn to the Banking Clan and the planet Scipio. In an effort to remain independent from the Republic and the Separatists, all operations are divided, and money transactions are performed in a neutral zone surrouding the main vault. For operations to continue, there must be no war on Scipio. However, worry about the stability of the Banking Clan is brewing within the Republic as the wellspring of money may be in jeopardy….
The history of the Hutt throne and the lineage of the asset, Rotta.
Title
Source
Thematic Notes
Runtime
The Clone Wars
Film (2008)
Origin: Anakin and Ahsoka rescue baby Rotta.
1h 38m
Return of the Jedi
Episode VI
The Power Vacuum: The fall of Jabba the Hutt.
2h 11m
The Book of Boba Fett
Chapters 1-4
The Rivals: Introduction of the Twins and their claim.
3h 10m
TOTAL PHASE III
6h 59m
After 25+ years on the sidelines, the sole legitimate heir to the throne of Jabba the Hutt, his son, Rotta, returns to the Star Wars universe. Voiced by Jeremy Allen White, Rotta will appear much changed in The Mandalorian and Grogu and is rumored to be central to the plot. It is believed that Embo will be hired to take out Rotta and that Din Djarin will be stepping in to save Jabba’s Pedunkee Mufkin–though it isn’t exactly clear who either employs either hunter. However, with Boba Fett occupying his father’s palace and serving as the Daimyo of Mos Espa, Boba may have some role to play.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars 2008 film (22 BBY)
Rotta’s story begins here, as a pawn in the Confederacy of Independent Systems’ plot to use trade routes running through Hutt Space. Kidnapped by pirates at the order of Count Dooku and at the behest of his uncle Ziro, Rotta is rescued by Anakin and Ahsoka.
A galaxy divided! Striking swiftly after the Battle of Geonosis, Count Dooku’s droid army has seized control of the major hyperspace lanes, separating the Republic from the majority of its clone army. With few clones available, the Jedi generals cannot gain a foothold on the Outer Rim as more and more planets choose to join Dooku’s Separatists. While the Jedi are occupied fighting a war, no one is left to keep the peace. Chaos and crime spread, and the innocent become victims in a lawless galaxy. Crime lord Jabba the Hutt’s son has been kidnapped by a rival band of pirates. Desperate to save his son, Jabba puts out a call for help—a call the Jedi are cautious to answer…
Rotta’s only other appearance comes in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 3, Episode 4, “Sphere of Influence”, which is listed above.
Star Wars: Episode VI-Return of the Jedi (4 ABY)
The death of Jabba left a void that Bib Fortuna, the Mining Collective and the Red Key Syndicate all tried to exploit. Should Rotta return to Tatooine and claim his throne, he could unite the Hutt Clans, making the Outer Rim less friendly to the Shadow Council.
The Book of Boba Fett also introduced the Hutt twins, who debuted alongside fan-favorite Wookiee bounty hunter Black Krrsantan. Chapter 2, “The Tribes of Tatooine”, and lay claim to their cousin Jabba’s empire. They eventually left the planet but they are set to return in The Mandalorian and Grogu and could have a fat hand in the plot against Rotta.
Though it’s not confirmed, Boba Fett may be intimately involved in the resolution of the main conflict in The Mandalorian and Grogu. By the end of The Book of Boba Fett, Din Djarin and Boba Fett are essentially brothers-in-arms. Any threat to one is a threat to both. And if the movie deals with a Hutt succession crisis on Tatooine, Boba is no longer just a cameo—he is the local sovereign. After serving as Fett’s lieutenant in Krayt’s Claw, Embo could find himself at odds with Boba in the film.
The background of New Republic heavy-hitter Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios.
Series / Episode
Title
Thematic Notes
Runtime
Rebels Season 1, Episodes 1-2
Spark of Rebellion
Introduction to the Bo-Rifle and Lasat combat style.
44m
Rebels Season 2, Episode 17
The Honorable Ones
Zeb’s moral core and his capacity for unlikely alliances.
22m
TOTAL PHASE IV
1h 06m
After making his live-action debut in Season 3 of The Mandalorian, Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios returns in a supporting role in The Mandalorian and Grogu. Zeb has been established as a pilot and soldier for the New Republic based out of Adelphi Outpost. His involvement in the film almost certainly coincides with the official government response to the Imperial Remnant’s activity. While everyone should watch Star Wars Rebels in its entirety, here’s a primer for those unfamiliar with everyone’s favorite Lasat.
Star Wars Rebels, Season 1, Episodes 1 and 2, “The Spark or Rebellion”
It is a dark time. The Jedi are no more, and the Empire rules the galaxy with an iron fist — bringing tyranny to the Outer Rim world of Lothal. Their ominous presence is a cloud over the planet, squashing any hope of freedom or a better life, especially for 14-year-old orphan Ezra Bridger. But the young con artist soon finds that destiny has other plans for him, as he encounters a small band of rebels who dare to strike back against the Empire.
-Official description via StarWars.com
Star Wars Rebels, Season 2, Episode 17, “The Honorable Ones”
Zeb and Agent Kallus find themselves stranded on an icy moon of Geonosis after a failed Imperial ambush of the rebels. Bitter enemies, they must put aside their differences and work together in order to survive.
-Official description via StarWars.com
📉 Final Journey Metrics
Grand Total Runtime: ~30 Hours, 25 Minutes
Core Episodes: 43
Feature Films: 2
With the return of Rotta the Hutt and the relentless pursuit of Embo, The Mandalorian and Grogu is doing more than just continuing Din Djarin’s journey—it is reconciling the lawless legacy of the Clone Wars with the fragile peace of the New Republic. Since 2019, fans have watched the “Mandoverse” through the lens of individual survival. But should the Hutt Twins move to reclaim Jabba’s throne and the Adelphi Rangers continue to struggle to maintain order, the stakes have shifted, especially with the Heir to the Empire having returned. We are no longer just looking at a bounty hunter and his foundling; we are witnessing a fight for the soul of the Outer Rim and, by extension, the rest of the galaxy far, far away.
About The Mandalorian and Grogu:
Directed by Jon Favreau, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu also stars Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White and is produced by Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce, with music composed by Ludwig Göransson.
The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.
Oh, no. It’s like a through line. It’s like, originally, we were thinking it’d be a movie, if like, “Ooh, we should release it as a movie.” We should just do a movie. But there were some things that came up, certain issues that we just had to kind of, “Oh let’s break it. We’ll have to break it up into four episodes.” So basically it’s like a four-episode mini-event, like a film broke up into four parts, basically. So yeah, it’s definitely… It’s one story. It’s one throughline. A lot of insanity happens.
–Marvel Zombies showrunner, Bryan Andrews
Like most of Marvel Animation’s projects, Marvel Zombies isn’t deeply integrated into the ongoing shared narrative of the MCU; however, it’s not entirely standalone either. And so to help ensure the absolute best viewing experience possible we present…The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before…Marvel Zombies!
Tier 1
If you’ve never seen a single second of any of Marvel Studios’ films or streaming series, Tier One projects should be considered the bare minimum to get yourself ready for Marvel Zombies. In this case, there can be only one…
What If…?, Season 1, Episode 5: “What If…Zombies?!”
It ties right in. It is the same universe. If you’ve never seen that episode of What If…? you do come at the universe from a different angle. So you could just watch the four episodes of Marvel Zombies coming in completely blind because it does tell its own story. But if you do know that episode of What If…? and what happens in it, it does connect entirely to that episode.
-Brad Winderbaum
Episode 5 of Marvel Studios’ first canonical animated streaming series What If…? featured one of the most widely marketed twists of the show: zombies! Dating back to the earliest teasers for the series, the image of zombie Cap haunted fans and was used to build hype for the series. While the episode wasn’t the strongest of the series, it did include arguably the most intense and disgusting “deaths” to date in the MCU and its unresolved plot set the table for Marvel Zombies. It’s an easy 30-minute watch that will create a more complete viewing experience; also, Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum said it connects directly to the new series.
When an outbreak of a mysterious quantum virus turns heroes and villains into zombies, the Earth’s mightiest aren’t prepared. A ragtag group of survivors, including Spider-Man, Winter Soldier, and Okoye, must join forces to find a cure and stop the spread of the zombie plague before it consumes the entire universe. As they travel to find a cure, they discover the insidious truth behind the plague and who is controlling it. With the fate of reality hanging in the balance, they must fight their way through hordes of undead heroes and stop the source of the outbreak.
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. In this case, given that everything that occurs inMarvel Zombies takes place on an alternate timeline emerging from the events of Ant-Man and The Wasp, most Multiverse Saga projects are unnecessary to understand that story so far, though a host of Multiverse Saga characters play critical roles in the TV-MA event series.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
🍅 92%
Despite taking place on Earth, MarvelZombies has a couple of surprising connections to James Gunn's first CBM...and neither of them are pleasant.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
🍅 75%
While it's certain to rile up a segment of the MCU fandom, Wanda Maximoff is, once again, a villain in Marvel Zombies. Given the role she plays, checking out her first appearance isn't a bad choice.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
🍅 93%
Tessa Thompson confirmed by the studio to be back as the voice of Valkyrie but she's not the only reason to check out the highest-rated Thor movie as there's a very cool surprise in store related to New Asgard.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
🍅 85%
Given that Episode 5 of What If...? ended with the zombie Thanos tease and that character has been prominently featured in the marketing for Marvel Zombies, there's plenty of reason to check out Infinity War. Add in that the entire premise of Marvel Zombies spins out of this film, albeit on an alternate timeline, and you have no reason to leave this one off the list.
Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)
🍅 87%
Hope van Dyne and Scott Lang played important roles in "What If...Zombies?!" and we know from that episode that San Francisco is the epicenter of the zombie apocalypse. Set more or less simultaneously with most of Infinity War, this one definitely adds some context.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021)
🍅 85%
What if...this show never happened? Because in the timeline established by "What If...Zombies?!", it would not have. That didn't stop the studio from inserting John Walker into Marvel Zombies...and he's not the only primary character from this stream series to make an appearance.
Black Widow (2021)
🍅 79%
It's no secret that Yelena and Red Guardian are central characters in Marvel Zombies and while they both recently appeared in Thunderbolts*, the zombie apocalypse prevented that team from ever assembling...so watch this.
Ms. Marvel (2022)
🍅 98%
Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan is the lead in Marvel Zombies, which allows her to showcase her powers in some interesying ways. Check out her introduction to the MCU in Ms. Marvel, one of Marvel Studios' finest streaming projects!
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
🍅 84%
Riri Williams has a key role in Marvel Zombies and there's really more to it than meets the eye.
Hawkeye (2022)
🍅 92%
Both Hawkeyes make appearances in Marvel Zombies but with Clint already a zombie, don't expect a happy reunion...
Tier 3
For completists only, Tier 3 projects ensure everything in the project is given some context.
Eternals (2021)
🍅 47%
Yep! And it's not even Kingo this time...
About Marvel Zombies
After the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discover the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world.
-Official synosis for What If...Zombies?! via Disney Plus
Created by Bryan Andrews and Zeb Wells, Marvel Zombies features the voices of Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Tessa Thompson, Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Hailee Steinfeld, Wyatt Russell, Randall Park, Iman Vellani, and Dominique Thorne, among others. The series is executive produced by Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, Bryan Andrews, and Zeb Wells, and is produced by Danielle Costa and Carrie Wassenaar.
By now, even if you haven’t seen the movie it’s likely you’ve heard about the beastly post-credit scene of The Marvels. The scene brought Monica Rambeau face-to-face with an alternate reality variant of her mother, Maria, and a very familiar furry friend. Despite it being clear who everyone is, there’s no clarity about exactly where in the multiverse she is, leaving the audience just as confused as Monica. While we can’t offer any clarity on that, we can look to the comics for a little help about what might have gone down in that universe before her arrival.
After Kelsey Grammar’s Beast is revealed, a wider look at the facility in which Monica is recovering makes it clear that she’s in an X-Men facility. It’s also revealed that in this universe, Maria is a fully costumed superhero. While we’ve seen that idea fleshed out once before in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it’s a little different here as Beast refers to her as Binary and she’s wearing quite a different costume. Given what we know, it seems that this post-credit scene is very heavily influenced by longtime Marvel Comics writer Chris Claremont’s beloved Uncanny X-Men run.
From 1975 through 1991, Claremont gave new life to the X-Men and made them one of Marvel Comics premier teams. In 1982, Claremont wrote Carol Danvers into Uncanny X-Men #158, kicking off a long run of her appearing in his X-book and even becoming an honorary member of the team. Claremont remade Danvers, who had never been anywhere near as fully realized as she was during her time in his books. In Uncanny X-Men #164, Danvers–with a brand new power set, took the name Binary.
While not everything lines up perfectly, the universe in which Monica wakes up at the end of The Marvels may be one in which events much like those from Claremont’s Uncanny X-Men have unfolded. Just how that will impact the future of MCU, if at all, remains to be seen but it would be great to see nods to the Shi’ar space opera, Rogue’s interesting history with Carol (which would probably be with Maria, instead) or even the Morlocks pop up the next time we see that universe on screen.
As production delays begin to stack up amid the ongoing WGA strike, fans are becoming increasingly concerned that Marvel Studios 2024 slate will be wiped out. While that’s certainly one possibility at this point, there are plenty of other options that are far rosier. With the content-less 2020 still fresh in fans’ minds, it’s worth taking a look at how the dips and dives of 2023 might help dodge a deserted 2024.
The Original Plan
Just over a year ago, Kevin Feige rolled out a massive slate update at SDCC ’22. That slate included an ambitious 2024 plan that included two Phase Five series (Agatha: Coven of Chaos and Daredevil: Born Again), two Phase Five films (Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts) three untitled Phase Six series and one Phase Six film (Fantastic Four).
Ch-ch-ch-changes
By late September 2022, another Phase Five movie was added when Deadpool 3 was officially announced. Just a month later, Blade was given a September 6, 2024 release date, moving Deadpool 3 to November 8, 2024 and pushing 2024’s Phase Five film total to 4 and sliding Fantastic Four into 2025.. Bob Iger’s return to Disney further altered the 2024 slate as his new mandates concerning the curation of the company’s streaming content shuffled Marvel Studios’ 2023 plans a bit, pushing Agatha: Coven of Chaos firmly out of 2023 and indefinitely delaying the release of Ironheart.
It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to understand that if these projects don’t restart/start production in a reasonable amount of time then they won’t make their 2024 release dates. Could fans be looking at another content-less year in 2024?
Potential New Scenarios
The answer is almost definitely not thanks to streaming. In March, Marvel Studios seemingly accidentally tipped their hand and revealed what looks to be a pretty accurate slate for their LIVE-ACTION series on Disney Plus.Ironheart looks slated to kick off 2024 and there have been no reports that any reshoots or additional photography have been or will be impacted by the strike. It seems most of the work being done on that series is in post-production VFX and it’ll be ready to stream whenever Iger gives it the go-ahead. Principal photography on Agatha: Coven of Chaos should be wrapped by June-ish allowing the show to go into post-production and get ready for a 2024 release. Like every Marvel Studios project, it’s certainly scheduled for a round of reshoots/additional photography and while that likely can’t happen while the strike is ongoing (they would have to have written the reshoots before the strike), they could take place at any time after the strike ends in 2023 or 2024 and still make its way to Disney Plus by mid-2024. Given its nearly year-long shoot, Daredevil: Born Again‘s status is far more tenuous than either of the other two aforementioned projects but so far, so good. It’s also set to be an 18-episode series with recent rumors suggesting it will be broken into two, nine-episode chunks and it’s safe to say that given the shooting schedule, they’ve probably filmed 4 or 5 of those episodes already. While it’s no sure thing, the first nine episodes could be ready to roll for late 2024.
It would seem there is far less certainty surrounding the studio’s 2024 theatrical offerings. Captain America: New World Order has completed a significant chunk of its production and, so far, has not been shut down as a result of the strike; however, reshoots are built-in and as mentioned above will not be done until after the strike. It’s currently set for a May 3, 2024 release, so unless the strike goes on through the end of the year, that date is manageable, though it’s beginning to look like the studio won’t have to hold it.
Even though the delay was just announced, it’s already tough to imagine that Thunderbolts will hit its July 26th, 2024 theatrical release. The strike would likely have to end in the next 4-6 weeks to allow the project to avoid the sort of rushed post-productions that have had Marvel Studios in the spotlight for the last year. Should the strike go on longer than that, it wouldn’t be too hard to imagine Captain America: New World Order being moved to July and having Thunderbolts move as well. But where would it land?
That answer might depend on the content of Deadpool 3. Should production on that project go on uninterrupted, it would be reasonable to assume that it would be ready to hit theaters by next July, should Captain America: New World Order be able to make its May 3, 2024 date. Whether or not the plot of Deadpool 3 is reliant on the other projects currently slated to release before it or not is another consideration and one that we can’t answer at present. However, if it can be moved and it does continue production, it could be ready for July or September, stepping in where it once was before Blade moved there.
While there’s no guarantee, Captain America: New World Order and Deadpool 3 are currently the best bets to release in 2024. The statuses of Thunderbolts and Blade, however, are inextricably tied to the timeline of the resolution of the WGA strike. Films that aren’t filmed can’t be released, so it is currently impossible to know when they’ll hit theaters. However, should the strike end by mid-to-late July, it’s possible that both films could still end up in 2024 with one taking the September 6th date and the other taking November 8th. Which one ends up where would simply then become a matter of which one is further along in production.
All that is contingent on Marvel Studios even feeling as though they need to stay on track with their current scheduled dates which is in no way certain because they are hardly the only studio whose slate will be impacted by the strike. Dates could shuffle at any time which is something we just can’t predict but if we assume they keep the four dates, dozens of scenarios unfold with a few that seem more likely than others.
Best Case Scenario
Q1-Ironheart May 3-Captain America: New World Order Q2-Agatha: Coven of Chaos July 26th-Deadpool 3 September 6-Blade/Thunderbolts Q4-Daredevil: Born Again November 8-Thunderbolts/Blade
A Scenario That Is Neither Best Case Nor Worse Case
Q1-Ironheart May 3-Captain America: New World Order Q2-Agatha: Coven of Chaos July 26th-Deadpool 3 Q4-Daredevil: Born Again
Not Quite Worst Case Scenario
Q1-Ironheart July 26-Captain America: New World Order Q3-Agatha: Coven of Chaos
While the last scenario seems improbable, it’s still on the table. Should the strike stretch out across the summer and into the fall, Marvel Studios will have to greatly rethink their slate. Should the strike end before SDCC ’23, it’s possible that Kevin Feige will stroll on stage with an updated slate; however, given how much things have changed since last year, how seriously should fans even take it?
Lucasfilm rolled out a brand new timeline at Star Wars Celebration 2023 and within it were not only two new eras set to be explored in upcoming films but also an old fan favorite that has so far been absent from Lucasfilm’s live-action projects. What does it all mean?
Following their exciting presentation at Star Wars Celebration 2023, Lucasfilm shared a new look at the timeline via a press release. Nine different eras are now open for canonical stories to be told through animated and live-action projects. Let’s take a look at each era…
Dawn of the Jedi (?-25,000 ABY)
One of the new eras introduced during Star Wars Celebration 2023, the Dawn of the Jedi era stretches back some 25,000 years before the “present day” events of The Mandalorian and the New Republic. As of now, the only project known to be set during the Dawn of the Jedi is the James Mangold film that will tell “the tale of the first Jedi to wield the Force and harness it as a liberating power in an era of chaos and oppression.” It could tell the tale of the Prime Jedi who created the first Jedi temple on Ahch-To seen in The Last Jedi.
The Old Republic (Around 25,000 BBY-1000 BBY)
The addition of the Old Republic era to the official timeline should be thrilling news for long time fans of the expanded Star Wars universe. The founding of the Republic, the Sith Wars and the tales of Knights of the Old Republic all take place over a 7,000 year span in the non-canon Legends content. Characters like Tenebrae, Revan, Satele Shan and Darth Malgus are beloved by fans and could be folded into Star Wars canon via projects told in this era.
The High Republic (500 BBY-82 BBY)
An era that so far has only been explored through novels and comic books, the High Republic explores the glory days of the Republic and its expansion into the Outer Rim. The Acolyte, which streams in 2024, is the first live-action project set during this era. Lucasfilm gave an updated synopsis of The Acoltye which “will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes but discovers the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.”
Fall of the Jedi (32 BBY-19 BBY)
As revealed in Star Wars comics, the Fall of the Jedi era is essentially the “prequel era.” The events of The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, The Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith all take place during this era.
Reign of the Empire (19 BBY-9 BBY)
An era that has only recently begun to be explored more thoroughly, the Reign of the Empire is a relatively short period of time between the beginning of Palpatine’s reign and the formation of the rebellion. The animated series The Bad Batch, Solo: A Star Wars Story and the Disney Plus streaming series Obi-Wan Kenobi all take place during the Reign of the Empire.
Age of Rebellion (5 BBY-0 BBY)
The original “era”, Age of Rebellion has also been further explored with some of the best Star Wars content created since Disney bought Lucasfilm. The animated series Rebels, Disney Plus’s streaming series Andor, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi fill up the Age of Rebellion.
The New Republic (9 ABY-?)
The present-day of Star Wars content, the New Republic is, essentially, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s Mando-verse. So far, what we know about the New Republic has come from three seasons of The Mandalorian and one season of The Book of Boba Fett. While it seems that Ahsoka won’t be told linearly, it is believed that at least part of the series will be set during the New Republic era. Additionally, Dave Filoni is directing a film that Lucasfilm explains “will orchestrate the escalating war between the Imperial Remnant and the fledgling New Republic. Alongside producer Jon Favreau, they will bring together many of the threads of the “Star Wars” original series in a cinematic event.“
Rise of the First Order (33ish ABY-35 ABY)
The sequel era. Rise of the First Order has been, so far, told through the animated series Resistance, and the sequel trilogy of The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. There are currently no known plans to further explore this era.
New Jedi Order (50 ABY-?)
The second brand new era added to the Star Wars timeline, the New Jedi Order era will be defined, at first, by Rey’s efforts to create, well, a new Jedi Order 15 years after the event of The Rise of Skywalker. The era’s storytelling will be broken in by director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, whose film “will tell the story of rebuilding the New Jedi Order and the powers that rise to tear it down.”
It’s nothing new that any live-action adaptation of anything has drama surrounding it, but there’s something “special” about the discourse of a manga or anime being brought to the West. We’ve long lived in an era where adaptations have been a pipedream as in the early days of Hollywood they’d simply adapt something for the sake of its popularity, such was the case with Avatar: The Last Airbender or Dragonball Evolution. Those involved seem to have a surface-level understanding of the property and simply rushed out a product that doesn’t reflect the thing most of us grew up with.
Netflix hasn’t been that innocent either with their very Americanized Death Note and the recent Cowboy Bebop adaptation, which tried to take an existing property to create something a little more streamlined. Even the anime’s creator, Shinichiro Watanabe, openly spoke out about it was “clearly not Cowboy Bebop” due to a lack of involvement with the project. Even with the existence of actual good adaptations like Alita: Battle Angel, the Rurouni Kenshin movies, Blade of the Immortal, Speed Racer, and others, we still tend to hold on to that Dragonball Evolution comparison even to this day.
The sad thing is that this focus kind of develops this overall negativity surrounding any discourse. Projects are “dead on arrival” long before we’ve seen anything that actually gives us a good feeling of what exactly we can expect from an adaptation. The same has now happened with the One Piece series with the first look at the Straw Hat crew. We’ve seen a variety of reactions as while there’s a good positive surrounding it, there are also quite a few reactions focusing on some curious details.
The biggest may be the fact that Monkey D. Luffy, played by Inaki Godoy, does not wear his usual sandals but rather has shoes. Surprisingly no one has pointed out that Nami isn’t wearing her usual high-heels but the debate is if the sandals are a “must” for the character’s carefree attitude. Nami actress Emily Rudd even had to publicly point out that sandals aren’t safe for bringing the stunts to life, especially as they tried to do their own stunts throughout production.
It’s understandable that people are protective of projects they love, especially something that has been running for 25 years. Yet, the main focus has been on the entire project falling apart and being terrible due to Luffy not wearing sandals. This “Sandalgate” sadly generally reflects a discourse on how the Internet generally handles any live-action adaptations nowadays. In the era of The Last of Us, Marvel films, and so much more, we have gotten quite spoiled by what is and isn’t possible.
Yet, we see a lot of discourse of the most minute details as a “make or break” for any project. Moon Knight was highly discussed because it wasn’t “comic-accurate” enough but may be one of Marvel’s most diverse characters with a long history behind it. Even Thunderbolts are currently being scrutinized based on who is part of the team and we haven’t seen any footage of it so far. In the digital era, we have access to so much information that it also becomes a challenge to be part of the discourse.
It’s also a showcase of how often certain groups reflect the same talking points. The Last of Us is praised for recreating specific shots but also dragged down for an episode that takes a character in a new direction, even going as far as having it review-bombed to make a point. Even with the creator’s strong involvement, it’s not something people focus on as we work with what we get. We create content and reactions to be part of the discourse, which subsequently leads to repetition.
Luffy wearing shoes instead of sandals is sadly a strong reflection of that very discourse. In the end, it has no bearing on the quality of this series and serves a practical purpose. We know that live-action adaptations have to make changes due to the fact of it having real people involved, a different structure, and a media format to work with. To some degree, it feels like people want to be mad about something and don’t have a lot to go off from.
At this point, it sometimes feels like people want to be upset. To some degree, it’s understandable, as most experiences people have had with live-action adaptations of anime and manga haven’t been the greatest. It also involving Netflix adds to that very concern. So, no matter the quality of the show, the online discourse is very likely going to be a nightmare; something Marvel fans might be familiar with given how each project ends up being discussed. We don’t know if it’s going to be good, especially not going off of a poster alone.
It becomes even more depressing once you enter the discussion points surrounding Nami, who proclaim that she doesn’t “match Eiichiro Oda‘s original vision” given she doesn’t share the same body type as Who Framed Roger Rabbit‘s Jessica Rabbit. Not only is it an impossible standard to set but given Oda‘s heavy involvement, it creates a similar discourse like how people co-opt Stan Lee to reflect how they personally feel about whatever Marvel Studios is doing they don’t like.
We’re sadly not learning our lessons but continuing to fall down a deeper rabbit hole. Based on a poster, we have no idea how One Piece will turn out. Some will be more optimistic than others, but there’s a certain level where the discourse becomes absurd. Is it a shame that Luffy doesn’t have his sandals? Yes, but we don’t know if there are scenes where he might still have them on but don’t involve any action.
Even Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop fell victim to it due to the oversaturated reactions regarding Eden Perkins‘ performance as Edward or even just Daniella Pineda‘s take on Faye Valentine not being “revealing” enough like in the anime. The show had its faults but that is more in how it simply struggled to revive that unique spark that the anime offered us in our childhood back in 1998. It was less episodic and embraced the Bebop we know and love, but it wasn’t the cast.
John Cho was a great cast Spike Spiegel, even if an older take on the character. Mustafa Shakir gave us an iconic Jet Black on top of it all. Pineda had her moments to shine even if her character was a bit of a departure from the original. Cho gave a heartfelt statement on losing out on the show given he was heavily injured shooting the series and was forced to take a year off. In our discourse, we tend to forget real people are working on these projects.
Yet at the end of the day, we’ll always tend to jump the gun as fast as possible to be that trendsetter. Instant gratification can feel good and we get swept up by it all. Sadly, we don’t give chances like we used to, which creates a higher barrier of entry for any new project trying to establish itself. One Piece has a chance to do what The Last Of Us, Arcane, The Cuphead Show, and many more did for video game adaptations. But if we draw the line at sandals, we may have never deserved the projects we got.
God of War Ragnarok has just recently released and the withdrawal is already setting in. Who knows when we can expect a new entry into the franchise, especially with how little direct teases there are of what a future entry might bring. Many believe we’re about to visit another pantheon, though the question remains if our Greek former God of War will remain the series’ sole focus. There are a lot of questions, but one thing is for certain: we have a live-action series in some form of production heading our way at some point in the future.
While we continue our wait for any hint at God of War‘s future, it’s the perfect time to revisit what may have been.Going down the rabbit hole of Cory Balrog‘s initial pitch of potentially setting the story in Egypt with Kratos stumbling upon a boy that he’d start building a connection with. Eventually, they would go with Norse mythology and scrapped the original plans. Atreus would end up becoming his actual son and Santa Monica offered a heartwarming storyline about coming to grips with one being more than the sum of your mistakes.
While we may visit Egypt in the next God of War game, it sparked the idea that this unexplored story would be perfect for the live-action adaptation.While many would want to explore Kratos’ journey starting in Greece, there’s something interesting about exploring what may have been through a new adaptation. Not only would it help the live-action series stand out from what came before, but it could even be a way to focus on Kratos’ most interesting story arc without simply retracing the same ground as the 2018 game did.
Kratos was quite a one-note yet badass character in the original Greek Saga. So, he may not be as enthralling as a main character by just going on his usual revenge-filled path. Yet, using a new setting with an ash-covered stranger may open the door to catching an audience that has no idea what God of War actually is. Most adaptations are dependent on making changes to adapt to the new medium while also easing in viewers to pre-existing stories.
Exploring Kratos’ exhausting travels and desperate of leaving his mistakes in Greece creates a curious mystery for new viewers. Sprinkled as flashbacks throughout the series’ run, we see what exactly transpired between the Ghost of Sparta and the Greek pantheon. While players might know the exact events, it creates an interesting mystery for newbies of the franchise. We also get a more human element in him trying to build a connection with the boy he found lost in the desert’s sands.
Their journey forces them to survive in a location that barely gives them resources, putting the former god in a position where even he needs time to truly embrace his former strength. The young boy has no idea who the stranger is that found him, but sees his best chance of survival alongside the man with the red tattoos. Even as they have their disagreements, once the Egyptian pantheon catches on that a God Killer has entered their realm and they won’t just rest to let him do whatever he wants.
Unlike the Norse Saga, they don’t have a pre-existing bond as father and child, which means that there’s even more distrust to whoever the stranger might be and what his intentions are. Perhaps they may build upon a similar twist of the first games’ Loki reveal with the kid having a connection to the pantheon. Perhaps a young exiled god that was hoping to find his purpose but one mistake led to him alone in the desert.
Little did Kratos know, he may have a fellow God of War by his side as the young boy reveals to be named Montu. At least he has that role in the original mythology and given Kratos’ arrival he ends up pushed into a new direction. The franchise’s modern interpretations have focused on discovering the meaning of war and its many facets. Plus, it would end up as a fun twist on the title being not only about the man that arrived in the deserts but also the fate of the boy from the dune’s of godhood.
Of course, whoever may end up getting the chance to develop a series based on God of War will likely stick to its Greek origins as it gives them the chance to explore Kratos at his peak. Any adaptation similar to the game will get a lot of eyes on it, especially with how impressive the set pieces were. Yet, there’s something so special about the modern take that offers a strong emotional core. Plus, just retreading old ground seems like a waste if you have someone like Kratos that can travel from one pantheon to the next by just repeating what the games have already done.
The Norse saga of the long-running franchise God of War has come to an end with God of War: Ragnarok. Kratos and his son Atreus have faced down the Norse gods, taken down Odin and seemingly freed a land under his iron fist. Yet, the second entry in this revival hasn’t truly answered every question that was left open from the events in this new duology of games. We still don’t know who blew the horn in 2018’s entry, what exactly the mask was all about or even if there’s more to that bizarre tear that rippled through reality. Kratos’ vision leaves us wondering if his story is truly over, or it’s just only begun. Luckily, there are some hints on what could be in store for players.
God of War‘s return was originally conceived quite a bit differently. Cory Barlog, who directed the first entry that released in 2018, actually wasn’t sure which direction to go with the new entry. It seems he wanted to explore different pantheons but couldn’t decide between Norse mythology or Egypt. Interesting enough, the fact that Kratos would have a son that uses a bow and arrow was the one concept that carried over. While we now know which direction he went, it’s still interesting that concept art exists of that original concept. We even have a tease during the exploration of Tyr’s treasure room in that same game.
Speaking of, a mural of Tyr’s travels in that same area also includes various symbols of Greek, Norse, and Egyptian mythology. What stands out is that there’s also a fourth in the form of a Japanese Shinto symbol that opens up the question if perhaps the team at Santa Monica Studio wanted to keep the door open to explore different pantheons depending on where the story leads them. While Egypt would seem like the more natural fit given just how close the original game almost turned into that story, there’s still a lot to explore moving forwared.
Still, the question remains on how exactly these pantheons will be explored. Kratos’ journey leads him through Ragnarok and saying goodbye to his son as he ventured out on his own adventure. So, it would seem easy to assume that whatever Atreus’ search leads to may be the cause of him wandering through other pantheons. We get to play as him throughout the game at different occasions, though it would be weird not to play the character that the entire franchise has been about throughout six console games and two portable spinoffs. It simply wouldn’t be the same without Kratos. While the final scene of the story could work as a way to cap off his journey, it also could be a guide for his own personal path moving forward.
A tweet by director Cory Barlog may have hinted that whatever story we’re set to explore will not fully move away from the Norse setting. One of the big moments during Ragnarok was when Jormungandr was hit by Thor and transported back in time to eventually grow into the version we meet in the first of the Norse saga entries. Yet, Barlog seems to imply thatthere’s actually more story to tell and we could find out what exactly was the true cause for Thor suddenly hitting someone through time and space. Perhaps it is something connected to Mjolnir?
Either way, it does seem like we’re not fully done with the Norse setting. Perhaps the eventual sequel still starts off in the setting that Kratos has called home and leads to an unexpected discovery. Whatever that crack in reality was, it could also act as a gateway that ends up dragging Kratos into a different place and forces him to face a new pantheon. We’ve seen word spread about what Kratos has done in Greece. So, any of the remaining gods out there would be worried that a man that took down two would eventually desire to reach out and do the same elsewhere. Wouldn’t it seem fitting that gods end up becoming their own demise by getting involved with those they should’ve just left alone?
Director Eric Williams, who took over from Barlog who took on a producing role for God of War: Ragnarok, has also hinted that there are active hints in the game about where they’ll go next. After you finished the main story, you can actually discover a prison from asgard that housed the real God of War Tyr, who ends up taking some personal time to travel the Nine Realms. The quest to find him sadly doesn’t really yield any benefits in Ragnarok, but Williams has pointed out that his actions may be our biggest clue to what’s to come.
The biggest hint might be the fact that you can find Tyr in Vanaheim doing something akin to Tai chi. We know that he’s traveled to other places on Midgard (if these pantheons even exist in the exact same realm, something the series is very vague on) and could become the bridge in the next story. Instead of a full-on invasion, perhaps someone is seeking Tyr’s help and he resides in Kratos to join him due to his own experiences from a different home. It would create an interesting dynamic and also help further explore a new dynamic between to Gods of War.
Of course, Santa Monica Studio isn’t bound to producing a singular franchise but Williams seems quite open to dedicating his career to doing just that, as revealed in a quote with the LA Times.
I remember talking to someone from another game company, where they were trying to get me to leave. The said, ‘Do you just want to be known as the “God of War” guy for the rest of your life?’ That was your big pitch to dissuade me? Because yes, I kind of do
Eric Williams
There hasn’t been an official announcement for a sequel, but any franchise that decides to use the wording “saga” is definitely not going to wrap it up anytime soon; the Marvel Cinematic Universe made sure of that very sentiment. If they are working on other unannounced projects, perhaps we’ll get a Spider-Man: Miles Morales type spinoff focused on Atreus as he seeks out the missing giants that now reside in other realms. Perhaps his actions in that game could lead to Kratos having to seek him out, setting up the next mainline sequel. For now, we can only speculate and it looks like we’ll have to wait quite a bit until we get any real news on a sequel.
There’s a lot happening over at Disney since Sunday’s announcement that Bob Iger will return as CEO and take back control of Disney after passing the torch to Bob Chapek. It’s not every day that a former executive just takes over a position shortly before the holidays and with an announcement on a Sunday of all things. Not even a day later, the development continued with Chapek‘s right-hand man, Kareem Daniel, leading the streaming revolution also leaving the company, someone who had much more control over projects than some might think.
Now, the big question is what exactly this new direction means for Disney and especially Disney+. The streaming market has hit a bumpy road once things calmed down with the pandemic. In many ways, we saw a slight counter-development as people finally felt safer going out again, which lead to many doubts about the potential and profitability of the streaming market. Netflix hasn’t helped in that regard with them throwing as much money as they can against the wall to find their “next big franchise” for better and for worse.
The rise finds demand also showed its fangs with Marvel Studios, who started producing a few Disney+ shows and started ramping up as demand during the pandemic skyrocketed. While some believe it turned into a “quantity over quality” matter, one cannot deny that Marvel made the best of the situation, as it filmed many of its projects during the pandemic with many restrictions holding them back. In a perfect world, the studio may have kept its originally planned course and developments but this isn’t about what ifs.
What we are aiming to talk about is what will be, as Iger‘s return and Daniel‘s exit raise some interesting questions about what this means for Disney+ moving forward. The most important aspect is that creatives are back in the center, a significant showcase of what made his reign stand out as the company’s leading man. The dangers of algorithm-driven filmmaking have always shown their thorns throughout streamings history and this could rejuvenate hope in the market.
Not just that, but it also likely hints at Marvel Studios gaining a bit more control over how they tackle the development of their series. At this point, Marvel Studios is capable of pumping out up to four or five series per year. Not a small undertaking for any production company in the markets even if it expanded to do just that. They made the best of the situation with some of Marvel Studio’s most out-there and creator-driven projects yet. Still, Iger’s return might mean the studio has a bit more control over just how much they produce.
Many are quite concerned about R-rated content on Disney+, but that might not truly be an issue. The Star expansion internationally and a strong focus on more adult content were already put in motion before Iger left his position. He even highlighted Deadpool during the 20th Century Fox acquisition. We might still see some more family-friendly offerings in the future, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll suddenly force projects to become more PG-13, especially with how the studio has been growing with its new library. Of course, this is just speculation and nothing concrete outside of some fear of the old Disney model showing its hands.
There is one major aspect that could see a shift; even if it won’t be noticeable immediately. Up until now, Chapek’s goal was to drive subscriber numbers as fast as possible. To do so, they needed to bet on their cash cow to do exactly that, which was Marvel Studios and even Lucasfilm. So, they faced the challenge of having to push out as much as possible to keep that number growing. While Marvel studios might have been just as ambitious, it’s hard to not think there was some growing demand internally to get out as much as possible.
As noted, whatever the aftermath will be from Iger‘s return, we won’t see it for quite some time. Daniel leaving was the first signal that a new yet familiar era is set to return to the company and Marvel Studios will likely reflect that development. We might see them dial it back once the current projects that are already in production have been released. The Multiverse Saga is generally the Marvel Cinematic Universe going through its sophomore season and with post-Endgame blues affecting some, they can currently use the era to experiment.
The Disney+ shows are a new venture for the production company, and Marvel Studios tried to take its cinematic experience into a new market; with the help of Marvel TV’s experience after merging with the division. One can feel about their consistency in quality one way or another, but it’s definitely been interesting to see Marvel go beyond its usual ventures in many ways. Special Presentations opened up the possibility to move away from high-budget series with unique ventures and who knows if we’ll see more of those moving forward.
Iger‘s era is just about to begin, and we’ll very likely be stuck with many questions for some time. We don’t know if they’ll replace Davis and rebuild the streaming division, or potentially take a completely different direction moving forward. Perhaps Marvel will have more control over its own segments connected to the streamer, as originally envisioned when the Disney+ venture first started picking up steam. Whatever the future may bring, all eyes will be on Kevin Feige on how he’ll tackle this new direction.
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__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
1 minute
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
Pinterest Tag is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.
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