Though it’s not expected to begin filming for quite some time, Marvel Studios Fantastic Four film continues to be the subject of casting rumors. Recently, Adam Driver, whose name has been circulated in connection with the film previously, was rumored to be in final talks for the role of Reed Richards. And now another name familiar to those who have been following the rumor mill has popped back up on a list of potential candidates for Sue Storm.
According to a popular YouTube sensationalist, Academy Award Nominess Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) tops director Matt Shakman and casting director Sarah Finn‘s wishlist for the role of the Invisible Woman. According to the rumor, the rest of that list includes Allison Williams, Jodie Comer and Mila Kunis. Interestingly enough, Kunis was spotted meeting with Shakman in February, sparking speculation that she might be involved with the project.
A previous trade report indicated that Shakman and crew were looking to find their Sue Storm before casting anyone else, suggesting Sue was the “center” of the team and after finding the right fit, they would build “out the rest of the team.” There’s not a bad choice on the list of rumored front-runners and it’s very likely that the casting process is coming to a close given that it has been ongoing for months.
With multiple Marvel Studios projects shifting release dates in 2023 and 2024, the growing expectation among fans is that it’s only a matter of time before the film slate revealed at SDCC ’22 will shift as well. That slate currently has four films set for release in 2024 (Captain America: New World Order, Thunderbolts, Blade and the untitled Deadpool and Wolverine film) and four dates slated in 2025 and 2026. Among the films fans feel most likely to get pushed are the next two Avengers films, The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. The former of the two is currently scheduled for a May 2nd, 2025 release but between the shifting slate and troubling allegations mounting against star Jonathan Majors, making that date seems a dubious proposition at best to fans.
If they are planning to push the film, Marvel Studios isn’t tipping their hand. They haven’t addressed any major changes to the upcoming slate outside of recently moving The Marvels into November and, according to Variety, are moving ahead with their work on The Kang Dynasty. According to the trade, production on the next Avengers film is on track to kick off in the Spring of 2024 which would put it on track to keep the May 2, 2025 release date.
If any updates to Marvel Studios’ theatrical slate are pending, Disney could reveal some or all of them during their CinemaCon panel on April 26th. There’s been plenty of buzz about Marvel Studios looking to return to releasing only three films per year which would significantly alter the expected timeframe for their Multiverse Saga. Currently set to end on May 1, 2026 with Secret Wars, that date could quickly end up in 2027 should dominoes start to fall.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 releases in theaters in just over two weeks which means marketing for the film is really starting to pick up. The film has been billed as the last tour for this group of heroes and from the looks of it, they’ll have their hands full with Adam Warlock and the High Evolutionary.
With such a tall task ahead of them, the Guardians will need all the help they can get. It’s been known for some time that Sylvester Stallone‘s Stakar Ogord was returning for Vol. 3 and a new spot for the film confirms he won’t be alone.
As seen in the TV spot, Martinex and Krugarr, former Ravager buddies of Yondu’s who appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, will be returning for Vol. 3. With Stakar, Martinex and Krugarr now confirmed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Charlie-27, Aleta and Mainframe return as well! Given Martinex’s return, it’s extremely likely that Michael Rosenbaum, who voiced the character in Vol. 2 and is a good friend of Gunn’s, will reprise the role. While there’s no confirmation that Ving Rhames, Michelle Yeoh and Miley Cyrus, who portrayed Charlie-27, Aleta and Mainframe, respectively, are back, it does seem likely. Gunn previously teased “wonderful” cameos that “true Guardians fans” would enjoy and those would definitely fit that description.
We haven’t heard much about Maherhsala Ali and Marvel Studios’ upcoming new take on iconic vampire hunter Blade. After a long pause, as production is set to finally start in a few months, the production studio got their hands on one of the biggest rising stars at the moment in Mia Goth for the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe entry set to be directed by Yann Demange from a script by Michael Starrbury. As is usual with these castings, her role is being kept a secret for now.
Goth is probably among the current rising stars in Hollywood after her breakout role in Ti West’sX and its prequel Pearl. She has a knack for horror after starring in A Cure for Wellness, Suspiria, and Infinity Pool. She is also set to round out West’sX trilogy with MaXXXine which is currently filming. So she is likely to jump straight into the MCU production right after.
It’ll be interesting to see what role she has in the upcoming MCU film and if they hope to have her be a recurring actress in the franchise. There’s no word on who she might be playing and how big of a role it might be, but she’d definitely make for a great addition to the franchise. Perhaps we get a new take on Vampire by Night who joins forces with Blade to take on an unlikely new foe in the horror corner of this cinematic universe.
According to an official still released by Disney, Ashton is playing Dar-Benn who is described as a “revolutionary” in the official synopsis for the film. As explained in 2021, Dar-Benn was a co-conspirator of Ael-Dan’s when they deposed and murdered Clumsy Foulup, the Kree Emperor at the time. Neither Ael-Dan nor Dar-Benn’s stories continued on for long as they were both killed by the Shi’ar warrior Deathbird.
And that’s where Ashton’s character comes into play. I heard that Ashton’s character, described by the trades as the villain ofThe Marvels, is loosely based on an incredibly minor Kree comic character named Ael-Dan, who has appeared and/or is referenced in a total of 3 comics. In those appearances, General Ael-Dan works in tandem with a General Dar-Benn to assassinate the sitting emperor and then take his place. Their great reign ended during Operation Galactic Storm when they were killed by Deathbird of the Shi’ar. Ashton’s character in The Marvels is a gender-swapped take on this character which means that for all intents and purposes, she’s playing an original character. I’ve heard the character described as both the Kree Emperor and a Kree general. In the comics, both are true and I can’t confirm if Ashton’s character will be one or the other or both in the film.
The release also confirms the addition of Instinct and I Hate Suzie actor Daniel Ings to the cast. Ings will be portraying a Kree by the name of Ty-Rone who seems to be an original character.
Following the release of the first trailer for The Marvels, Marvel Studios unveiled the first official synopsis for the Captain Marvel sequel.
In Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels,” Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.”
A recent trend in how audiences have perceived the latest Marvel Studios films may have an impact on their next project. Though it did well at the box office, Thor: Love and Thunder was hardly a hit with fans and after a quick start at the box office, poor word of mouth stomped on Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. Next up for the studios is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and according to a long-range box office forecast by Box Office Pro, James Gunn‘s threequel may bear the brunt of general audiences’ growing displeasure.
Citing low interest in pre-sales and a lack of social media buzz that typically accompanies Marvel Studios’ releases, Box Office Pro is currently projecting Vol. 3 to open between $120-$155M from May 4th’s Thursday previews through showings on Sunday, May 7th. While that’s the kind of opening weekend most studios would covet, it would be considered a disappointing opening for what’s expected to be Marvel Studios’ biggest film of 2023. An opening on the low end of that range would mean Vol. 3’s take would come in below Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2‘s $145M from 2017 which would certainly cause an uproar online and possibly behind the scenes at the studio.
There’s plenty of hope, however, that those numbers will climb–potentially significantly–however. Pre-sales aren’t a bulletproof predictor and the Guardians franchise is one of the MCU’s most beloved and well-received. The characters have grown from a group that not even casual comic readers recognized to some of Marvel’s most popular heroes and with there being little competition at the box office, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could draw huge walkup-numbers. It will also be worth watching how reviews from the premiere and early screenings influence audiences, some of whom might be waiting to hear what critics have to say before dropping their dollars on pre-sale tickets.
James Gunn is now the co-CEO of DC Studios and has the unimaginable task of righting the ship that was the DC Extended Universe. Now, simply pushing it forward as the DC Cinematic Universe, he aims to wrap up what was filmed before him while setting his sights on the future. Interestingly enough, it seems his friendship with Kevin Feige has led to some “light and fun” talks about a potential DC-Marvel crossover down the line.
In an interview with Empire, he reveals that while his first priority is to ensure that he fully takes charge of the DCU after wrapping up work on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. But he seems quite open to potentially working on some kind of crossover; even if it likely would require a lot of legal work to make it happen.
I’m certain that’s more likely now that I’m in charge [at DC], Who knows? That’s many years away, though. I think we have to establish what we’re doing [at DC] first. I would be lying to say that we haven’t discussed it. But all discussions have been very, very light and fun.
James Gunn
With Gunn at the charge, it definitely will change many of the restrictions that we saw in the past for the franchise. While some corners of the Internet have already cried out in terror, there’s a bright future ahead for a truly interconnected franchise. While juggling TV and video games in addition to films might sound quite a bit challenging, if anyone could make it work it’s definitely Gunn.
The next installment in Marvel Studios Multiverse Saga, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, hits theaters on May 5, 2023. The Guardians’ story started in 2014 and unexpectedly captured the hearts of audiences across the globe. Those same hearts are set to break as JamesGunn closes out the Guardians trilogy with an emotional finale that is sure to see at least one member of the team meet their ultimate fate.
More than just an emotional roller coaster, Vol. 3 looks to be jam-packed and will be the longest film of the trilogy. The threequel will make good on one of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2‘s stingers by introducing Will Poulter‘s Adam Warlock as a weapon pointed directly at the team. As if Warlock won’t be enough to handle, the team will ultimately make their way to Counter-Earth where they’ll meet the man responsible for the pain and suffering that has defined Rocket: the High Evolutionary, played by Chukwudi Iwuji. And they’ll be doing all that while their leader, Chris Pratt‘s Peter Quill, continues to deal with the loss of the love of his life, Gamora, while a Variant version of her ends up working with the team out of their brand-new base in the severed head of a Celestial known as Knowhere. Vol. 3 has a lot in store for audiences but to appreciate what’s happening and where things are going in that film, there’s plenty of homework to be done which is why you’re here for the latest installment of…The Ultimate List of Things to Watch Before!
Tier One
These projects are non-negotiable. If you want to know what’s going on right when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 kicks off, you’ll have to find time to get these in before hitting the theater.
Guardians of the Galaxy
It all started with 2014’s surprise summer hit and any rewatch or first watch should start with the original Guardians of the Galaxy. The core team has grown quite a bit since they first came together in the space prison known as the Kyln in the first film but their origin story is one of the most rewatchable films in the Marvel Studios catalog, even if it does have one of the MCU’s worst villains. Rocket’s tragic origin, which is set to be explored in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, is hinted at here making it worth the watch for that alone. It’s also the start of the romantic relationship between Peter and Gamora which ultimately results in the emotional state Peter is in when Vol. 3 begins.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
While James Gunn will undoubtedly include something with the Sovereign in Vol. 3 to help newbies catch up, if you didn’t watch Vol. 2 you might not fully understand why Will Poulter‘s golden godman, Adam Warlock, is after the Guardians…but that’s hardly the only reason to check out Vol. 2. The 2017 sequel is all about relationships, some of which will be key to how you feel walking into and out of Vol. 3. Peter and Gamora’s romance grows; Drax and Mantis begin forming their wonderful friendship; Gamora and Nebula begin the process of repairing their sisterly bond. The core team also expands its roster during the film, adding Mantis and Kraglin. It’s certainly worth a watch to see how hard the next projects hit.
Avengers: Infinity War
Outside of Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Infinity War is arguably the most important project to take in ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Not only does the team play a key role in attempting to stop Thanos’ efforts to cut the population of the universe in half but it’s also the final appearance of “Prime” Gamora. Her death, at the hands of her father, changed Peter forever, something that’s center stage in Vol. 3.
Tier Two
If you can’t get to the Tier Two projects before you head to the theaters for Vol. 3, you’ll probably be caught up on the important events in them early on in the threequel. It’s not to say that they aren’t important because to have a complete understanding of each of the characters, every second of time they spend on screen is ultimately important. However, these two projects don’t add to the overall story as much as the others.
Avengers: Endgame
Gamora is back! Except it’s not really Gamora. Nebula’s redemption is complete. The Guardians take off with Thor on some new adventures.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
While the Holiday Special is incredibly entertaining, for a project whose entire focus is on the Guardians, it’s hardly essential viewing. It established that the team has made Knowhere its base of operations and reintroduced and more fully developed Cosmo. It feels more like a Drax and Mantis comedy project and while the pair offer some great laughs, their relationship with each other doesn’t really change much. The Holiday Special’s effort to treat the audience to a shocking reveal falls pretty flat as most everyone who watched Vol. 2 already figured out that Mantis and Peter were siblings. It would seem that everything important about this project could be summed up in 3-5 seconds of screen time in Vol. 3.
Tier Three
Thor: Love and Thunder
Other than showing that Nebula has officially joined the team, the Guaridans’ time in Thor: Love and Thunder was entirely uneventful and, other than for continuity reasons, entirely unnecessary. Of course, the same might be able to be said about Thor: Love and Thunder itself, so it’s hardly the Guardians’ fault. However, if the film is entertaining at all, it is during the scenes on Indigarr when Thor and the Guardians help King Yakan take on the Booskan army led by Habooska the Horrible. Don’t go out of your way to watch it, but if you’re a completist, fast forward to this battle and then turn the TV off immediately.
While it’s not as extensive as other Ultimate Lists have been in the past, it’s still enough to keep you busy in the coming weeks as you prepare for the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on May 5th!
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania‘s theatrical run had a less than stellar theatrical run as it ran out of steam pretty quickly after a big opening weekend in mid-February. Much of the dropoff has been attributed to the generally poor word of mouth around the film, which was essentially an offbeat sci-fi B movie dressed up as an MCU flick. Writer Jeff Loveness has been the target of significant ire from fans who have consistently criticized some odd edits and lack of stakes in the film’s third act. Interestingly enough, in an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, Loveness confirmed that one part of the film’s ending was significantly altered from his original drafts; now, in a new interview, he’s revealed further changes to the film.
In an interview with Backstory Magazine, Loveness confirmed that he had written the death of a member of the Ant-Family into an early draft of Quantumania. “We were going to kill Hank at one point,” said Loveness, “and I was going to have him be, like, reanimated.” Loveness is a huge comic book fans and has written books for Marvel Comics. When he was hired for Quantumania, I was told that his understanding of the source material was key to Marvel Studios being brought on board, so it’s not too surprising that he was going to “reanimate” Hank Pym in a very comic book-y way. “His consciousness was going to live on through the ants, and he was going to be like mentally controlling them,” he explained before adding, “yeah, he was going to be almost like this hive mind of the ants, and I like that… that didn’t go too far.“
Given Loveness‘ admission that he liked his own idea, it’s hard to believe he was the one who cut the idea from the script and that it was likely done by the studio somewhere during the editing process. The revelation by Loveness continues to call into question just what went on between early drafts and even early screenings of the film and the final product. Reliable plot leaks suggest a much different cut of Quantumania existed at one point and set photos confirm that the final scenes of the movie were reshot roughly 6 weeks before release. While this news won’t stop the “bad writing” bandwagon from rolling, it’ll hopefully at least give some fans a reason to stop and think about who’s responsible for what when they see a film. Writers write. Editors edit. And someone else makes all the final decisions.
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