Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel News

  • Hogwarts Rip-off Series Reportedly Being Developed at Marvel Studios

    Hogwarts Rip-off Series Reportedly Being Developed at Marvel Studios

    The stan culture that has developed around Elizabeth Olsen‘s Wanda Maximoff and the impressive success of Agatha All Along should serve as strong indicators to the Marvel Parliament that there’s an interest in more stories set in the mystical corner of the MCU. Though strong performances by Olsen and Agatha star Kathryn Hahn are huge factors, audiences were just as enchanted by Joe Locke, Aubrey Plaza and Patti LuPone, whose performance earned her a Critics’ Choice Award nomination. In this instance, it’s not just big names but good stories to which fans are responding and it’s clear they want more.

    With that in mind and HBO preparing to bring Harry Potter back to the pop culture forefront with a new streaming series set to debut in 2026, it sounds as though Disney may be preparing to take advantage of the buzz.

    According to a report from MCU insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel Television is developing an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ Strange Academy for Disney Plus.

    Created by Skottie Young and Humberto Ramos, Marvel Comics Strange Academy debuted in 2020 and focused on a new generation of magic users being trained in the mystic arts at a Hogwarts-esque school opened by Stephen Strange. Classes at Strange Academy were led by an array of Marvel mages including Doctor Voodoo, Wanda Maximoff, Wong, Magik and, yes, Agatha Harkness and covered a range of topics from astral projections to interdimensional geography to xenoanatomy.

    The report calls to mind a nearly two-year old rumor that indicated Marvel Studios was developing the IP with Benedict Wong and Xochitl Gomez as co-leads. Given the recent restructuring behind the scenes at Marvel Studios, it’s likely that whatever plans may have initially been in place for Strange Academy have changed. Additionally, it’s always worth repeating that Marvel Studios’ Head of TV, Streaming, and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, has cautioned fans that a project being in development does not mean it will ever be realized on screen.

  • Major Marvel Villain Reportedly Set to Debut in D+ Streaming Series

    Major Marvel Villain Reportedly Set to Debut in D+ Streaming Series

    As Marvel Studios struggled to string together consecutive hits from 2021 through 2023, fans not only believed those struggles signaled the end of the studio’s time on top was near but also began to embrace some disturbing revisionism. While fans and critics alike piled on their reprovals of Eternals, Thor: Love and Thunder, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumanaia, Secret Invasion and more, they bemoaned the loss of the good old days of the Infinity Saga, when Marvel didn’t miss…except that’s not exactly how it went down.

    The mind has a way of distorting memories of reality as time moves on and remembering the Infinity Saga as a perfect bundle of projects is a perfect example. Not only did Marvel Studios produce some duds during its first saga (Thor: The Dark World, The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2 still stand among the least-loved MCU films), but it also had an ongoing problem pitting its heroes against incredibly weak villains for the better part of an entire phase. “Marvel has a villain problem” was an ongoing criticism of Phase 2 in which the studio dropped the ball adapting some of Marvel Comics’ great baddies such as Malekith, Ronan the Accuser and Advanced Idea Mechanics. The studio heard the criticisms, addressed them behind the scenes and moved forward with an improved lineup of antagonists. In 2017, the studio’s capacity to challenge its heroes increased exponentially with an influx of available characters following the acquisition of the live-action rights of the sizeable stable of characters previously owned by Fox. Now, a new report reveals that the studio may finally have found the right project in which to unleash one of Marvel Comics greatest threats for his live-action debut.

    According to long-time MCU insider Daniel Richtman, the interdimensional nihilist Annihilus will serve as the primary antagonist of Marvel Television’s Nova.

    It’s been over half a decade since Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, called Marvel’s greatest cosmic hero, Nova, a character that had “immediate potential” to show up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Immediacy is relative, apparently. Despite Marvel Studios giving a Disney Plus Nova series the green light in March 2022, the project–written by Moon Knight scribe Sabir Pirzada—was rumored to be headed to the big screen before being unceremoniously shoved to the back burner as other projects took precedence. Earlier this year, Richtman reported that the studio had finalized plans to develop Nova as a streaming series and to have the original Human Rocket, Richard Rider, as the lead alongside a team of young Nova Corpsmen. Adding Annihilus to the mix would indicate the studio plans to pull no punches as it rightfully looks to set up Rider as its greatest Cosmic hero.

    Originally introduced as a Fantastic Four villain, Annihilus has grown in power over the years and has become a threat to the existence of the entire universe. The ruler of a pocket dimension known as the Negative Zone, Annihilus, with the power gifted to him by wielding the Cosmic Control Rod, set his sights on conquering Earth and then the entire “positive” galaxy. Thus, in 2006, Annihilus was the main antagonist of the Cosmic crossover event, Annihilation, in which he lead his Annihilation Wave out of the Negative Zone and wreaked havoc on the galaxy as he attempted to extinguish all life within it.

    Of course, any use of the Nova Corps would require some significant changes to the organization which was first introduced in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, especially if they are going to take on The Lord of the Negative Zone. Though it wasn’t seen on screen, Thanos likely provided the first steps in that direction when he took the Power Stone from Xandar before attacking Thor, Loki, Hulk and a shipful of Asgardians between the events of Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War.

    With production on Nova expected to begin in 2025 and Marvel Studios looking to reduce its output of streaming series to two per year, it seems reasonable that the series may not make its way to Disney Plus until 2027, making a full decade between the acquisition of the live-action rights to Annhilus and his MCU debut. Given the potential, however, for the First-born Son of Oblivion to be an ongoing threat for a new saga, it may end up having been worth the wait.

  • ‘What If ..?’ Season 3 Episode Titles Reveal a Few Big Surprises

    ‘What If ..?’ Season 3 Episode Titles Reveal a Few Big Surprises

    On December 22nd, the third and final season of Marvel Animation’s What If…? will get underway on Disney Plus. As was the case with Season 2, Marvel will debut one new episode a day with the series finale dropping on December 29th. Ahead of the season debuting next week, Marvel Studios has released an episode guide complete with the titles of the final eight episodes. And as you might expect, some are a little unexpected!

    While quite a few of the episodes have been prominently featured in the marketing for the series, quite a bit more can be gleaned about their premises now that titles have been revealed. For example, it’s been known for quite some time that an episode would feature Mech Avengers taking on Kaiju; however, knowing that they will also take on the Hulk certainly spices up the episode a bit.

    Episode 4, “What If…Howard the Duck Got Hitched”, will almost certainly be a follow up to Season 1’s “What If…Thor Were an Only Child?” which saw the Master of Quack-Fu fall in love with Darcy Lewis. An absurd idea, to be sure, but you know the old saying: first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Byrdie in a baby carriage.

    Though it seems as though 2021’s Eternals may never get a proper theatrical or streaming sequel, Episode 5, “What If…The Emergence Destroyed the Earth?”, will at least acknowledge the project and remind everyone it exists before Tiamut pops back up in Captain America: Brave New World.

    Featured heavily but without context in trailers and promo spots for Season 3 was Episode 6, featuring Hailee Steinfeld‘s Kate Bishop and Simu Liu‘s Shang-Chi. Inspired, it would seem, by the 2015 Secret Wars title, 1872, “What If…1872?” will explore the Old West similar to the way that Season 2’s “What If…The Avengers Assembled in 1602?” did with familiar characters in an unusual setting.

    Finally, as has been the case over the first two seasons, it is likely that Episode 7, “What If…The Watcher Disappeared?” will dovetail into Episode 8, “What If…What If?”. And though we’d hesitate to go too far out on a limb, it’s likely that over the course of those two final episodes, Captain Carter’s ongoing What If…? story will be picked back up and taken to its denouement.

    The final eight episodes of What If…? begin on Disney Plus on December 22nd!

  • Another Infinity Saga Star Reportedly Returning for ‘Avengers; Doomsday’

    Another Infinity Saga Star Reportedly Returning for ‘Avengers; Doomsday’

    At one point during its development, Avengers: Endgame was titled Avengers: Infinity War-Part 2. Five years later, given the talent that is being assembled for the next Avengers films, Avengers: Doomsday, it may be fair to consider changing its title to Avengers: Infinity War-Part 3. In an effort to ensure the Multiverse Saga ends on a high note, Marvel Studios has been dipping into the Infinity Saga well by bringing back talent on both sides of the camera.

    By reteaming with the brothers Russo and writer Stephen McFeely for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, Kevin Feige and his Marvel Parliament were able to lure Robert Downey Jr. back into the fold to suit up as Doctor Doom. Whether as a result of those moves or by coincidence, the studio was also able to reel Chris Evans back in, reportedly as Nomad, to pair with Downey in Avengers: Doomsday. And now, they’ve brought back his dance partner.

    According to Deadline, Haley Atwell, who has played several Variants of Peggy Carter in live-action and animation since 2011, has agreed to return in the role for Avengers: Doomsday.

    As with Evans, the true nature of Atwell‘s character will likely remain a mystery for the time being. The Sacred Timeline Variant of Carter passed away at 95 years old in Captain America: Civil War. The final moments of Avengers: Endgame saw Steve Rogers travel to 1949 where he lived a full life with a Variant of Peggy in an alternate reality. Yet another Variant of the character, Captain Carter, has served as a main character over three seasons of Marvel Animation’s What If…? and a alternate reality Variant of that character appeared as a member of the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    The world has changed, and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best. And sometimes… the best that we can do is to start over.

    While the most likely scenario involves Evans‘ Nomad pairing with Atwell‘s Carter in some way, plot details for Avengers: Doomsday have not yet been disclosed and, in a Multiverse, anything is possible.

    Avengers: Doomsday is set to begin production next year in advance of its scheduled May 1, 2026 release.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Daredevil’ Actor Causes Chaos with ‘Born Again’ Time Jump Reveal

    ‘Daredevil’ Actor Causes Chaos with ‘Born Again’ Time Jump Reveal

    After dodging questions about the canonicity of Marvel Television’s Netflix Defenders-verse series for years, Marvel Studios finally retconned them into the MCU in January 2024. According to Brad Winderbaum, who has served as Head of Streaming, Television and Animation at Marvel Studios for over three years and had a lot of time to think about it, the stories told over 13 seasons and 161 episodes on Netflix are “well-integrated” into the MCU’s Sacred Timeline. And so, after initially planning to make Daredevil: Born Again a “whole new deal” with no connection to the Netflix series, Marvel Studios switched gears. The abrupt change of plan allowed for several actors from Netflix’s Daredevil who were originally not part of the project to be worked into the series once showrunner Dario Scardapane and directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead took over creative duties.

    So, I can say that up until this point, we’ve been a little bit cagey about what’s Sacred Timeline and what’s not. That was born, frankly, out of a period at the studio where we were like “we have to stick the landing with Avengers.” It was another part of the company developing the Netflix stuff; we were aware of what they were doing, they were aware of what we were doing, but it was a lot.. it was a lot to balance anyway. But now that some time has passed, now that we actually see how well-integrated the stories are, I personally, Brad Winderbaum, will confidently say that they are part of the Sacred Timeline.

    -Brad Winderbaum, January 2024
    (L-R) Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Rufino. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Wilson Bethel was among the key contributors to the Netflix series who was brought back into the fold to reprise his role as Benjamin Pointdexter, aka Bullseye. From the looks of photos from the New York City set of Daredevil: Born Again, the all-new, all-different Bullseye will cause chaos at some point in the first season of the Marvel TV streaming series. Perhaps taking a page from his character, Bethel recently caused quite a stir with comments about the amount of time that will have passed in the MCU between the final season of Daredevil and Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again.

    In an interview with Collider, Bethel discussed the challenges of picking back up with a character five years after last inhabiting him. As he continued on, he also claimed that the same five-year gap will apply to the series, meaning Daredevil: Born Again would begin five years after the conclusion of Season 3 of Daredevil.

    “So there’s kind of like this funny thing stepping back after five years where Born Again will pick up with that amount of time having transpired. The show doesn’t pick up the day after we last saw it. It picks up five years later. And so in theory, these are characters who have all lived five years of life and all of the twists and turns that you take in the meantime. So whether or not even those stories are necessarily on screen, there’s just that little extra bit of life in there, which I think is… as an actor, it gives you an opportunity to bring whatever your own journey has been in that time and they get sort of a little longer in the tooth.”

    -Wilson Bethel

    That claim by Bethel has proven problematic for hardcore fans. Though the events of Netflix’s Daredevil series were not included in the MCU Official Timeline book, the best approximation is that they took place in universe in 2017. A five-year jump forward from then would set Daredevil: Born Again, or at least part of it, in 2022. Setting it in 2022 would mean that part of the series would take place during the Blip, which is a theory that has been discussed before. With Charlie Cox‘s first MCU appearance as Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home was set in 2024 and his appearance as Daredevil in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law was set in 2025, it is possible that the studio set portions of Daredevil: Born Again between 2017 and 2024. However, it’s also clear that part of the new Marvel Television series takes place after the events of Echo which is clearly set after Hawkeye which was set definitively in 2024. Chaos.

    Of course, it’s entirely possible that Bethel misspoke or was mistaken; however, it’s certainly worth considering that Daredevil: Born Again may cover quite a bit of territory and not be set solely in the MCU’s present day. With the March 4, 2025 release date creeping up on us, it won’t be long until we know for sure!

    Source: Collider

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly Meeting with Emmy-Winning Scribe About Major Phase 7 Project

    Marvel Studios Reportedly Meeting with Emmy-Winning Scribe About Major Phase 7 Project

    As Marvel Studios looks to carry momentum from a strong 2024 into a new year loaded with highly-anticipated theatrical and streaming projects, moves are already being made behind the scenes to keep the MCU running strong beyond Avengers: Secret Wars. While Kevin Feige recently made it clear that “the X-Men are an important part of that future,” they certainly won’t be the only team making waves following the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga.

    It’s hard to believe the Fantastic Four won’t return in some capacity in the studio’s new saga and there will always be room for more stories involving different iterations Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Another team that the studio has been building toward over the course of several projects, the Young Avengers, seems closer than ever to making its MCU debut with another of its key components on the board following Billy Maximoff’s resurrection in Agatha All Along. Now a new report indicates that the studio may be ready to move forward on the project in earnest.

    According to reliable Marvel Insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel Studios has been in contact with Fargo and Legion writer Noah Hawley. Among “several projects” on the table for the Emmy Award-winning writer to tackle is the highly-anticipated Young Avengers that was recently teased by Marvel Parliament member Brad Winderbaum.

    Though the studio has never officially announced the development of a Young Avengers project, they’ve continued to populate the MCU with characters from its comic book roster over the years and teased the team in a stinger attached to 2023’s The Marvels. Iman Vellani‘s Kamala Khan and Hailee Steinfeld‘s Kate Bishop, who were featured in the stinger, would certainly be two of the team’s central figures and could be joined by a number of characters including America Chavez, Billy Kaplan, Cassie Lang, Elijah Bradley and even Tommy Maximoff/Shepherd, who debuted briefly in Agatha All Along.

  • Marvel Studios Reveals Voice Cast, Synopsis for Animated D+ Series ‘Eyes of Wakanda’

    Marvel Studios Reveals Voice Cast, Synopsis for Animated D+ Series ‘Eyes of Wakanda’

    Developed almost entirely in secret, Marvel Animation’s Eyes of Wakanda was revealed to the public by Marvel Studios Head of TV, Streaming, and Animation Brad Winderbaum in December 2023 during the studio’s What If…? Season 2 red carpet premiere. Set throughout the MCU’s Sacred Timeline, the four-episode series was originally described as the story of “brave warriors” who “throughout Wakandan history have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts.”

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

    Over the past year, it was revealed that the series was set to share “the history of Wakanda as told through the War Dogs,” referencing Wakanda’s global intelligence network whose number has included Nakia, Zuri and Prince N’Jobu. Now, as part of a 2025 Preview Kit, Disney has released an updated official synopsis for the series as well as members of the impressive voice cast for Eyes of Wakanda.

    Marvel Animation’s new action-adventure series Eyes of Wakanda follows the adventures of brave Wakandan warriors throughout history. In this globe-trotting adventure, the heroes must carry-out dangerous missions to retrieve Vibranium artifacts from the enemies of Wakanda. They are the Hatut Zaraze and this is their story.

    Official Synopsis for Marvel Animation’s Eyes of Wakanda
    (Center): The Lion (voiced by Cress Williams) in Marvel Studios Television’s EYES OF WAKANDA. © 2024 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

    Created under Black Panther franchise writer/director Ryan Coogler‘s Proximity Media banner and directed by Todd Harris, Eyes of Wakanda “fits right into our sacred MCU timeline continuity,” according to Winderbaum, and has the unique opportunity to reframe the MCU’s known continuity. As seen in Black Panther, the history of Wakanda stretches back to 28,000 B.C. though the meteorite that brought Vibranium to Africa and the Atlantic Ocean fell from the sky much earlier in 2,500,000 B.C. While projects such as Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and each of the Thor films have included flashbacks that predate Captain America: The First Avenger‘s WWII setting–and even predate the flashbacks in Black Panther–they are primarily set in “the present” and, as such, are placed far further down the timeline than Cap’s first MCU adventure. According to reports, one of the four 30-minute episodes of Eyes of Wakanda is set during the time of the Trojan War. While it seems historians are all over the place when trying to pin down exactly when the Trojan War took place–if at all–an episode set during it would likely take place in the 12th or 11th century B.C., stretching the known timeline of the MCU.

    According to a press release, Eyes of Wakanda will feature the voices of Winnie Harlow, Cress Williams (Black Lightning) as The Lion, Patricia Belcher (Bones), Larry Herron (Hello Neighbor: Welcome to Raven Brooks), Adam Gold, Lynn Whitfield (The Chi), Jacques Colimon (The Society), Jona Xiao (Hightown), Isaac Robinson-Smith (X-Men ’97), Gary Anthony Williams (Batman: Caped Crusader), Zeke Alton (Dungeon Masters), Steve Toussaint (House of the Dragon) and Anika Noni Rose (the voice of Jasmine in the Princess and the Frog).

    Marvel Animation’s Eyes of Wakanda will debut on Disney Plus on August 6, 2025.

  • What I Heard This Week: John Malkovich’s ‘Fantastic’ Role

    What I Heard This Week: John Malkovich’s ‘Fantastic’ Role

    At 70 years old, John Malkovich has shown no interest in pumping the brakes on what has been a prodigious acting career. With a film career that began in earnest 40 years and over 70 projects ago on his resume, the actor has remained as busy as ever, starring in 14 movies in the 2020s as well as taking on recurring roles in 4 streaming series including The New Pope, Space Force and Billions. However, despite his very full plate, the eccentric actor made the decision to jump into one of Hollywood’s most popular franchises.

    In May 2024, a Hollywood trade report broke the news that Malkovich had joined the very impressive cast of Marvel Studios The Fantastic Four: First Steps in an unknown role. Speculation around Malkovich’s role had the actor filling in as anyone from Phillip Masters, aka the Puppet Master to Reed Richards’ time-traveling father, Nathaniel, and many other interesting roles in between. As it turns out, Malkovich will be portraying one of the Fantastic Four’s oldest foes and one I speculated might end up in the film in February 2024.

    This week, I heard that Malkovich is playing Marvel Comics’ villain and twisted genius Ivan Kragoff. First introduced in January 1963’s Fantastic Four #13, Kragoff is better known as the Red Ghost, a recurring foe of Marvel’s First Family who often used his army of Super-Apes to aid him in his plans.

    A brilliant Russian scientist, Kragoff was fascinated with Cosmic Rays and, following the exposure of the Fantastic Four to them built his own spacecraft, loaded it up with primates and intentionally exposed himself to Cosmic Rays as well. He and his simian sidekicks were all mutated by the exposure and took on the Fantastic Four on the Blue Area of the Moon. Malkovich has a famously horrible Russian accent which he has shown off in both Rounders and Billions and given how sharp director Matt Shakman is, that’s almost certainly part of the reason Malkovich is playing Red Ghost.

    As speculated back in February, given that The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set in the 1960s and that Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben’s mission to space will be part of the film, the Space Race may well be included. If so, Malkovich’s role as Kragoff makes sense as he both fits the mold of many Marvel Studios villains in that his origins as a villain are uniquely tied to the heroes and he also has enough ties to other characters and potential storylines that he could be kept around and used again down the road.

    Once upon a time, Malkovich was set to play the Vulture in Sam Raimi‘s scuttled Spider-Man 4 and we once dreamt of the star joining other eccentric legends like Beneci del Toro and Jeff Goldblum as Elders of the Universe in the MCU. Alas, fate had its own plans and know we know who John Malkovich is being.

    The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to hit theaters on July 26, 2024.

  • Marvel Studios Officially Reveals Its Massive 2025 D+ Streaming Slate

    Marvel Studios Officially Reveals Its Massive 2025 D+ Streaming Slate

    With Bob Iger‘s return to the Disney throne came a mandate that the company’s largest production studios take a hard look at their project pipelines. During a May conference call with investors, the big boss made it clear that the studios were to scale back the number of streaming projects being developed and that the ones that did make their way to Disney Plus needed to be of the quality customers had come to expect, adding the mandate was “particularly true with Marvel.” Following a three-year run in which both theatrical and streaming projects failed to land with audiences, Iger pumped the brakes on the monster Multiverse Saga slate Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, revealed at SDCC ’22 in which Phase 6 alone was comprised of 11 projects.

    We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three. And we’re working hard on what that path is.

    Bob Iger

    While there’s no reason to doubt that Iger fully intends to accomplish the plan he laid out in May, it would seem as though the decrease in volume will indeed be a slow process. With a backlog of projects, both animated and live-action, already in the can and ready to roll out, Marvel Studios has officially revealed its 2025 Disney Plus slate and it is one of its most ambitious yet with six series on the way next year.

    • January 29, 2025: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (Marvel Animation)
    • March 4, 2025: Daredevil: Born Again (Marvel Television)
    • June 24, 2025: Ironheart (Marvel Television)
    • August 6, 2025: Eyes of Wakanda (Marvel Animation)
    • October 2025: Marvel Zombies (Marvel Animation)
    • December 2025: Wonder Man (Marvel Television)

    A leaked sizzle reel that was likely intended to launch online following the two-episode finale of Agatha All Along revealed both the slate and first looks at each of the projects.

    The inclusion of Wonder Man on the 2025 slate opens up an intriguing, although perhaps too early, conversation about the studio’s 2026 plans. With the Paul Bettany-led untitled Vision series filming next year along with Season 2 of Daredevi: Born Again, it seems as though Marvel may have a surprise or two in store for fans.

  • Marvel Studios’ Best Animated Series Missing from Official 2025 Slate

    Marvel Studios’ Best Animated Series Missing from Official 2025 Slate

    Ahead of the two-episode series finale of Agatha All Along, Marvel Studios abruptly revealed its 2025 streaming slate through a video shared across its social media platforms. The impressive plans include 3 live-action and 3 animated series sprinkled in throughout the year. Combined with the studio’s theatrical release schedule, the hefty slate means that fans can look forward to new content in nine months in 2025. However, despite giving fans much to look forward to next year, the slate does have one very noticeable omission.

    While Marvel Animation will roll out Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Eyes of Wakanda and Marvel Zombies in 2025, Season 2 of X-Men ’97 was not included in the studio’s release schedule.
    (L-R): Rogue (voiced by Lenore Zann), Jubilee (voiced by Holly Chou), Jean Grey (voiced by Jennifer Hale), Cyclops (voiced by Ray Chase), Roberto Da Costa (voiced by Gui Agustini), Nightcrawler (voiced by Adrian Hough), Storm (voiced by Alison Sealy-Smith), and Morph (voiced by JP Karliak) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.

    The x-clusion of the sophomore season of the animated does not come as a complete surprise despite the studio having greenlit a second batch of episodes in 2022. A recent report indicated that the series was undergoing some reconfiguring following the firing of showrunner Beau DeMayo and would be delayed until 2026.

    X-Men ’97 was a massive hit for Marvel Studios, providing much-needed positive vibes for the company following an unprecedented rough patch. The Season 1 finale left off with a cliffhanger that set up the series for an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ Age of Apocalypse event which DeMayo indicated was indeed part of his five-year plan for the show. With Ms. Marvel and What If…? writer Matthew Chauncey taking over for DeMayo and reportedly rewriting much of Season 2, it remains to be seen how much, if any, of the original arcs planned for the series come to fruition.