Tag: Marvel Studios

  • ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 2

    ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 2

    Welcome back to another installment of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law From Page to Screen. Last week, we looked at the differences between the comics’ and series’ versions of Jennifer Walters becoming She-Hulk as seen in the first episode. In Episode 2, viewers got a live-action introduction to Jen’s new legal job, taken straight out of Dan Slott’s and Juan Bobillo’s 2004 She-Hulk run—Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway (GLK&H).

    ‘She-Hulk’ #1 (2004)

    The Hiring/Firing

    Both She-Hulk #1 (2004) and She-Hulk Episode 2 feature a specific moment. In the comics, Jen is hired by Holden Holliway in a bar. There, she transformed back into Jen from She-Hulk after drinking and was immediately drunk. The live-action series adapted this moment, though not when she was being hired. Instead, Jen explains her “different metabolism” when drunkenly being fired from her job at the District Attorney’s Office.

    The series also interestingly reversed Jen’s presence in the GLK&H office. In the series, Holliway asks her to be in She-Hulk form to be the face of the division. Jen is upset because she feels more comfortable in her human form. In the comics, however, Jen is much more comfortable in She-Hulk form, but Holliway asks that she always be in Jen form for work. It makes sense that the series would want to spend more time with She-Hulk herself, so the reverse of the comics’ situation suits where Jen’s story is currently at.

    ‘She-Hulk’ #1 (2004)
    ‘She-Hulk’ #1 (2004)
    Marvel Studios ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 2
    Marvel Studios ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 2
    Marvel Studios ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 2
    ‘She-Hulk’ #1 (2004)
    ‘She-Hulk’ #1 (2004)

    Superhuman Law Division

    The most important aspect of GLK&H in all media is, of course, the fact that the firm has a superhuman law division. While it will likely change over the course of She-Hulk, a difference between the comics and the series is obvious through Jen’s first tour of the firm. In She-Hulk #1 (2004), GLK&H’s superhuman division has been flourishing for some time. Doctor Strange is involved in negotiations while Jen starts her first day. The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s history with superhumans in society is much shorter than the comics’. She-Hulk seems to be actively moving the live-action world forward, but for the time being, GLK&H’s superhuman law division is relatively empty of superhumans. But Jen’s meeting with Emil Blonsky, aka The Abomination, is already showing the series’ potential to get as absurd as the comics.

    Another GLK&H superhuman law division component appears on the page and screen. In Episode 2, Augustus “Pug” Pugliese introduces himself by walking in the door. Pug is a character directly from She-Hulk (2004), and he also introduced himself while walking into the room there too. It’s a minor detail, but nonetheless, something the mediums shared. Pug is another lawyer in Jen’s division at GLK&H, and has been a neighbor and roommate to her in the comics. It has yet to be seen how large of a role Pug will play in She-Hulk, but he becomes a close friend (and one-way love interest) during his comics story.

    She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is now streaming on Disney+.

  • Marvel Studios Has a Supervisor for the MCU Timeline

    Marvel Studios Has a Supervisor for the MCU Timeline

    There’s an ongoing curiosity about what exactly the timeline looks like for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There was always the question of someone responsible for keeping an overview on how exactly every new entry fits into the timeline, especially with the newly added Disney+ series adding even more new heroes and possible timeline windows. Well, She-Hulk head writer Jessica Gao has revealed that they do have someone who keeps the timeline in check.

    In an interview with The Direct, Gao reveals that there is someone who is responsible for tracing the timeline of the MCU. It seems that they had to repeatedly check in with them to ensure where exactly their show takes place, which she reveals is a few years after Avengers. Endgame.

    It’s definitely after– post-Endgame. There actually is a Marvel person whose job it is to trace the timeline of everything. And we checked with him a lot about where the timing is. And so it’s like… the show is a few years after Endgame.

    Jessica Gao

    It’s definitely a curious reveal and great to know that Marvel Studios are keeping a close eye on how exactly these projects fit on their timeline. With the expansion into the multiverse, it seems their job must’ve gotten quite a bit more complicated but sadly it seems unlikely we’ll ever get to see it. Spider-Man director Jon Watts has also pointed out that he was presented with a scroll. Maybe one day we’ll get to see it as well.

    Source: The Direct

  • RUMOR: ‘You’ Star Penn Badgley In Talks to Play Mr. Fantastic

    RUMOR: ‘You’ Star Penn Badgley In Talks to Play Mr. Fantastic

    Update: Devin Faraci has taken to Twitter to clarify that he has no inside information on this rumor, which is still a rumor, just one with even less to hold onto than before.

    https://twitter.com/devincf/status/1564117254727315456

    Fantastic Four, which was formally confirmed to launch Phase 6 during Marvel Studios’ San Diego Comic-Con presentation, has been a topic of discussion among fans more frequently than almost any other MCU film in recent months. With WandaVision filmmaker Matt Shakman reportedly in talks to helm the film, the biggest question remaining is who will be cast as the First Family of Marvel.

    Only a few months ago, John Krasinski brought a Marvel Cinematic Universe Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, to life in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, it appears more and more unlikely that he will come back to play the Earth-616 version of Mr. Fantastic in the MCU’s first Fantastic Four solo film after providing quite a lot of fan service with his Doctor Strange role.

    On the Marvelvision Podcast, former “Birth. Movies. Death.” editor-in-chief Devin Faraci reported that Marvel Studios had spoken with You star Penn Badgley about playing Reed Richards in the upcoming Fantastic Four film. Faraci had hopes for a Black actor to play Mr. Fantastic, but stated that Marvel Studios was likely going to be “very traditional” instead:

    The guys that [Marvel Studios] been talking to about it are all white guys. That guy [Penn Badgley] from the show You, who probably has the role already, frankly, he’s a white guy. They’re going with the standard… And he’s terrific, by the way, that’s a good choice. But, they’re going very classical.

    Devin Faraci

    Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige previously stated that the hunt for the ideal stars will be long and that the crew would look for “the best actor for the position(s)” in Fantastic Four, regardless of popularity. While this is currently just a rumor, an official announcement of the film’s cast could come as early as Marvel Studios’ presentation at Disney’s D23 Expo on September 10, 2022.

    Fantastic Four will make its theatrical debut on November 8, 2024.

    Source: Marvelvision Podcast

  • Daniel Kaluuya Comments On ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Absence

    Daniel Kaluuya Comments On ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Absence

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will see the return of multiple stars to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Daniel Kaluuya will not be one of them. The actor, fresh off an acclaimed turn in Jordan Peele’s Nope, was shockingly absent when the cast of the sequel film took the stage at last month’s San Diego Comic-Con. He portrayed W’Kabi, a close friend of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa and a morally conflicted member of Wakanda’s advisory board in 2018’s Black Panther. However, the Get Out breakout doesn’t seem to mind being absent from the highly anticipated second entry of the franchise. Instead, he says he’ll be excitedly rooting for his friends from the sideline.

    Speaking exclusively with Variety in a recent interview, Kaluuya was asked if he’d gotten around to watching the gorgeous trailer for Wakanda Forever released at SDCC. He responded cheerfully:

    Of course, I’ve seen it! It’s amazing.

    Daniel Kaluuya

    When pressed to comment on not having a role, Kaluuya gave another respectful and succinct answer:

    It’s what’s best for the story, what’s best for the film. I’m excited for it. I’m excited to watch it.

    Daniel Kaluuya

    W’Kabi played a big part in the political landscape of the first film, so it will be interesting to see how the sequel is better off without him. Perhaps Kaluuya’s character is away from the country when Tenoch Huerta’s Namor attacks, or perhaps he’s an early, off-screen casualty that helps propel the Black Panther story forward. Only time will tell. As for his future with Marvel, Kaluuya was forced to keep playing coy:

    You know I can’t tell you! You’re supposed to start with that!

    Daniel Kaluuya

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11th.

    Source: Variety

  • Neil Gaiman Details Rejected ‘Doctor Strange’ Movie Pitch

    Neil Gaiman Details Rejected ‘Doctor Strange’ Movie Pitch

    Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman has put acclaimed writer Neil Gaiman back in the spotlight, and he’s using the opportunity to discuss some failed projects from his past. In a recent appearance on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Gaiman spoke in detail about a rejected pitch he made to Marvel boss Kevin Feige over a decade ago. The creative revealed that, in 2007, he drew up an idea for a Doctor Strange film that would have been directed by auteur Guillermo del Toro. Unfortunately, at the time, Marvel was more focused on their big-name characters, and turned down Gaiman’s pitch so they could make a push toward The Avengers instead.

    Gaiman elaborated:

    Kevin and I have spoken a few times over the years on things. The only one that I wish, although, odds are probably, I think the way they did it commercially was better than…but I remember back in 2007, having minimalistic conversations with Kevin Feige about ‘What about Doctor Strange?’ Then talking to Guillermo Del Toro, and Guillermo and I having these ideas about Doctor Strange and starting the beginning, me starting the beginning of the conversation with Kevin about ‘I could do Doctor Strange with Guillermo.’ And basically, they said, ‘We just want to concentrate on the core characters right now. Doctor Strange is way up the line. We don’t want to go there.’

    Neil Gaiman

    Marvel’s plan eventually worked, transforming them into one of history’s most successful film studios. Scott Derrickson would go on to helm the first Doctor Strange as an origin story in 2016, with a trippier sequel from cult favorite Sam Raimi, titled Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,dropping earlier this year. Gaiman‘s take on the character apparently would have been much darker, with a focus on his flaws and a lot of visual inspiration from co-creator Steve Ditko:

    There were some cool things in it. My favorite Doctor Strange thing was the idea of…the one thing that we really wanted to do was have his adventures, have him become an alcoholic and a disbarred physician, all that sort of stuff, happen in the 1920s. So the idea is that he went through all of that and the training to become the world’s greatest magician maybe in the early ’30s, late ’20s, and he’s been living in Greenwich Village for 90 years looking the same in his place, and nobody really notices. We just sort of liked that idea, and he would have been sort of out of time. But other than that, it would have just been very sort of Steve Ditko because, you know, that’s the best.

    Neil Gaiman

    Both released Doctor Strange films are now streaming on Disney+, while Gaiman’s The Sandman is available on Netflix.

    Source: The Direct

  • Alaqua Cox Has Wrapped Filming on ‘Echo’

    Alaqua Cox Has Wrapped Filming on ‘Echo’

    Late Friday night, Alaqua Cox took to her Instagram stories to share that production has officially wrapped on Echo. The actress shared a photo of her texting her late father in celebration of wrapping principal photography. She texted, “We just wrapped up Echo! I did it dad!!” She shared a screenshot of the text and added, “I know you’re so proud of me, dad. I love and miss you so much.” The actress lost her father in November 2021 and has been open with fans about her grieving process as she navigates headlining her own series.

    Filming on Echo kicked off back in April, with Cox once again using Instagram to share the news. The actress posted flowers she received from her co-star K. Devery Jacobs (Reservation Dogs) to celebrate the start of production. Marvel Studios would later confirm production had started by revealing some of the cast of the series and a still shortly thereafter.

    Echo, of course, is a spinoff from Hawkeye. Not only will Cox be returning as the titular hero, but she’ll be joined by Vincent D’Onofrio‘s Wilson Fisk, who we saw briefly in Hawkeye. Also joining her in the series will be Charlie Cox, who will be appearing as Matt Murdock/Daredevil.

    Echo is slated to hit Disney+ sometime next year. With production officially wrapped, perhaps we might hear about a proper release date during the Marvel Studios presentation at D23 next month.

  • Two Other Rising Directors Were Approached for ‘Fantastic Four’

    Two Other Rising Directors Were Approached for ‘Fantastic Four’

    It has been a notable day for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with further confirmation that WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman has entered talks to direct Fantastic Four. This has come after a long and detailed search from Marvel Studios since the departure of Jon Watts earlier this year. With the announcement of Shakman, comes further information about the exhausting process to find the right director to helm Marvel’s first family. According to Borys Kit of The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Matthews of Love and Monsters fame was the runner-up in the Fantastic Four sweepstakes.

    In addition to Matthews, it’s further been revealed that Reid Carolin was another name that met with Marvel Studios to pitch his vision of Fantastic Four. Carolin is arguably best known for his work directing the Channing Tatum-led Dog from earlier this year.

    While interesting to compare and contrast the credentials of these two names with that of Matt Shakman, it’s certainly a futile gesture as audiences don’t have any clear understanding of what creative direction is being taken for Fantastic Four and how a different director would make some sort of difference. Nonetheless, this will remain as a type of “what if” scenario to envision how the previous works of Matthews and Carolin would’ve influenced a take on the Fantastic Four team.

    In terms of Shakman, this certainly is a major score for the career of the director on the theatrical scale. While having a robust career as a director in television, Shakman has only had one feature film to his name previously. Though his work on the likes of luminary television programs such as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Fargo, and Game of Thrones should assure audiences of his qualifications. And most especially, his time directing WandaVision should especially make fans excited for what could be in store for Fantastic Four.

    Source: Twitter.

  • ‘WandaVision’ Director Matt Shakman in Talks to Helm ‘Fantastic Four’

    ‘WandaVision’ Director Matt Shakman in Talks to Helm ‘Fantastic Four’

    After weeks of rumors, Deadline has confirmed that WandaVision director Matt Shakman is in talks to direct Fantastic Four for Marvel Studios. According to the outlet, talks are still early between the two, however, Shakman is the choice for the job following Jon Wattsexit back in April. A formal offer has not yet been made for the gig, however, Deadline believes talks are moving in that direction.

    Watts ended up exiting Fantastic Four in April due to simply needing a break. Watts, of course, was the man behind all three Spider-Man films set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the director expected to return for a fourth installment, it was thought he simply wanted a break from superheroes before Spider-Man 4. The director would later sign on to direct a Star Wars series for Lucasfilm starring Jude Law. Since his exit, the studio has been looking at potential hires, with Shakman reportedly having been the one to beat early on because of his work on WandaVision.

    While talks are still early, it’s possible we’ll have confirmation of his hiring relatively soon. After all, D23 is around the corner, and it’s entirely possible Marvel Studios will confirm Shakman has landed Fantastic Four during its presentation.

    Fantastic Four will hit theaters on Nov. 8th, 2024, kicking off Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Source: Deadline.

  • What to Expect from Marvel Studios at D23 Expo 2022

    What to Expect from Marvel Studios at D23 Expo 2022

    True to his word, Kevin Feige over-delivered at SDCC ’22. Fans were given a glimpse at the overarching structure of the multi-phase Multiverse Saga, including titles and dates for the next two Avengers films, The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. Throw in the announcement of the 18-episode Disney Plus streaming series Daredevil: Born Again, the date for the Fantastic Four reboot and a few other projects, and there was certainly something for everyone. With so much news coming out of SDCC, it’s hard to imagine anything could top it; however, that’s what I’ve been told in no uncertain terms that Marvel Studios plans to do at this year’s D23 Expo. What would it take to top SDCC’s extravaganza? Let’s take a look at what we MIGHT expect when Marvel Studios takes the stage as part of Disney’s Studio Showcase at 10:00 AMPT/1:00 PM ET on Saturday, September 10th.

    Fantastic Reveals

    Perhaps the biggest move left for the studio to make would be to announce the director and cast for Fantastic Four and bring them out on stage. With a tentative release date of November 8th, 2024 having been set at SDCC ’22, the studio also indirectly set up a production timeline. Traditionally, Marvel Studios prefers to give their director roughly a year to work with the studios before production, so having one on board by early September works nicely. Disney has been targeting D23 for this reveal for quite some time now, so here’s to hoping they have found their fits for the Fantastic Four!

    DDC at D23

    avengers kang dynasty director

    While Avengers: The Kang Dynasty was announced at SDCC ’22, the news that Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton had signed on to helm the project was revealed via a trade report just a few days later. Cretton was already on board to write and direct a Shang-Chi sequel and serve as an executive producer on the Disney + streaming series Wonder Man, so by taking on an Avengers film, he’s become one of the most important creatives of the Multiverse Saga. Having him at D23 would allow them to officially confirm his work on The Kang Dynasty, announce a date and title for the Shang-Chi sequel, which should arrive in 2025 ahead of The Kang Dynasty and officially announce Wonder Man and give it a target release window.

    Holiday Road

    Unbeliveably, Marvel Studios has two holiday specials due to hit Disney + over the last 4 months of 2022 and has yet to officially date either of them. James Gunn has publicly talked about The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Michael Giacchino has confirmed he’s working on the still-to-be-officially-named-but-called-Werewolf-By-Night special, but D23 should mark the first time fans really get an idea of what to expect. It would be shocking if fans didnt’ get to see some footage of both specials and if they weren’t both given release dates. It’s also reasonable to assume that the cast of these specials could be on hand, especially since in the case of the Guardians Holiday Special, they’ll be able to double dip and hype…

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

    Marvel Studios doesn’t really have “small films” anymore, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is going to see a massive publicity push from the studio and will almost certainly be one Marvel’s most emotional and talked about films since Infinity War and Endgame. If the cast is already on site for the Holiday Special, they’ll take some time to let the crowd salute them and likely show the same footage that was shown at SDCC. It’s a LITTLE early for this footage to become public, so expect this to be kept in the expo.

    A New Look at Wakanda Forever

    wakanda forever trailer views

    The first look at Black Panther: Wakanda Forever came at SDCC ’22. By the time D23 rolls around, that trailer will be 7 weeks old and there will only be 9 weeks left until the film hits theaters. That means it’s almost certainly time for a second trailer for the film and one that gives fans a bit more of an idea of what’s going on. Should the cast and creatives be on hand, it would also provide Ryan Coogler and Dominique Thorne an opportunity to discuss upcoming projects such as the Wakanda-centric streaming series, Ironheart and any other potential properties they might be attached to.

    D+ Series Updates

    Secret Invasion has completed additional photography and Marvel Studios has three Disney + series at different points in production in Echo, Loki Season 2 and Ironheart. Between Disney Plus Day on September 8th and the Studio Showcase on September 10th, it’s fair to expect major updates on these series and more. Marvel Studios could chose to finally address the casts of these projects, show some footage and give an idea of what might be going on in them. With Secret Invasion set to be the first D+ project in 2023, it’s very likely the footage from SDCC will be shown again and, POSSIBLY, even made public. However, any footage from the other series isn’t likely to hit the web.

    Since this is Disney’ own convention, expect them to go big on not only the D+ stuff already in production, but to continue to emphasize how integral the streaming service is to Marvel Studios’ plans by addressing the next wave of projects as well. Details and casting information could drop for Agatha: Coven of Chaos and Daredevil: Born Again and Feige could fill out the empty slot in Phase 6 that currently looks to be made up of 8 streaming series spread out from late-2024 through Summer 2025. This means projects like Wonder Man, the Wakanda-centric project we like to refer to as Midnight Angels and a half-dozen more could be officially titled/announced. This could include second seasons of Ms. Marvel and Moon Knight as well as a handful of projects that have yet to be revealed and that long-awaited update on Armor Wars. Again, expect there to be a heavy D+ push between Disney Plus Day and the Showcase.

    Major(s)-mania

    Jonathan Majors will be the face(s) of the franchise over the next 3 years. His appearance at SDCC had the crowd on its feet and it’s likely he’ll be in attendance at D23 and get a similar reaction. It’s also likely he will be there with the teaser for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and it is POSSIBLE that with that film only 5 months away from D23, the studio could let the hype train start rolling by making sharing it on social and YouTube. If Majors in on site, expect some MAJOR teasing about his upcoming roles outside of Quantumania. Majors is a generational talent and Marvel Studios knows it. He’ll be a busy man over the next 3 years.

    The Marvels

    the marvels ms marvel

    With a release date just shy of 10 months away from D23, fans shouldn’t expect a teaser to drop publicly, but there should be enough finished footage to give fans in attendance at the Expo something to think about. Maybe it’s part of a larger sizzle reel or maybe it gets its own part of the panel, but it’s hard to imagine Marvel Studios not giving this project a presence at D23, especially since it was largely absent from SDCC.

    Blade

    With production finally set to get underway in October of 2022, it’s time for Marvel Studios to give an official update on Blade. Other than finally getting a release date, the studios hasn’t provided any information on the film since it was announced at SDCC ’19. If Mahershala Ali were to pop out on stage and join Feige in announcing the cast of the film, it would really renew hype in the project.

    Full Phase 5 and Phase 6 Slates

    By the end of the panel, it is very reasonable to expect that all of Marvel Studios Phase 5 and 6 projects have been revealed. Much of that work will be done via the D+ announcements, but there are still 3 films (February 2024, February 2025 and July 2025) that haven’t been revealed. Expectations are that Deadpool 3, Shang-Chi 2 and Nova will fill those slots, but there could be another film that slides into one of those spots. However, there’s never been a more fluid time in production schedules than now, so fans almost have to expect dates to shift at this point. It’s also possible that since Feige basically has as much time as he wants (while the Showcase is scheduled to run 2 hours, the stage is open for another 3.5 hours afterwards), he could tease projects such as Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts by giving fans a little more info on what they might be about and who might show up.

    The Surprise

    Nothing contained in this article would come as a surprise to fans who follow Marvel Studios closely, thus the title and the premise that these things can be “expected.” What Feige has excelled at during these types of events, however, is dropping a bomb before heading off stage. At SDCC ’19, it was Blade. At SDCC ’22, it was the Phase 6 slate and the reveal of the Avengers double-feature to end it. What will he bring to D23? It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if anyone could tell fans ahead of time, but given the fact that by the time D23 hits fans will be aware that Bruce Banner/Smart Hulk has left Earth for Sakaar and the rumor that Disney would be able to distribute a Hulk film starting in 2023, it would be fantastic time for Feige to confirm that the rumors of a World War Hulk film are true! Early rumors had the film going into production late in 2022. Even if that slid into early 2023, it would still be possible for the film to meet the February 2024 release date. If not then, a pre-Secret Wars release date would be eminently possible.

  • How ‘WandaVision’ Proves Matt Shakman is a Great Choice for ‘Fantastic Four’

    How ‘WandaVision’ Proves Matt Shakman is a Great Choice for ‘Fantastic Four’

    With the looming approach of D23 and the slew of major news that is likely to come from the event, many are anticipating an announcement on who will be directing Marvel Studios’ upcoming Fantastic Four film. Since Jon Watts stepped away from the project this past April, the question of who would helm this project has been ever-present in the cultural zeitgeist. This especially has risen again with the official announcement at San Diego Comic-Con of Fantastic Four kicking off Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a November 8, 2024 release date.

    Though it seems there may be an answer to this question with rumors gradually circulating that Matt Shakman will be overseeing Marvel’s first family. With this rumor coming to light, the response for the most part has been met with general optimism for what Shakman can bring to the table. Though the case can be taken one step further in that Matt Shakman would be a most fantastic (pun intended) choice to direct this film based alone on his previous experience with WandaVision.

    When looking at why Matt Shakman is aptly qualified to helm the Fantastic Four remake for the MCU, the most obvious place to start is the director’s previous experience with Marvel Studios. For starters, bringing in the director of one of their most critically-received Disney+ projects is bound to turn heads in anticipation. On top of it all, Shakman’s work on WandaVision has showcased his ability to cultivate strong family dynamics in a limited time. Themes pertaining to “family” are arguably the most important component when developing a Fantastic Four project, and he’s definitely proven to have a talent for it.

    Another notable component of WandaVision is the stylistic vintage pastiche it has to offer. The concept of visually recreating the aesthetics of classic sitcoms from the middle of the 20th century appealed greatly to make the series stand out during its run on Disney+. Considering there has been a contingent of fans that have long desired for Fantastic Four to be a period piece set in the 1960s to pair with the comic origins of the characters, it’s the perfect match.

    Whether or not Marvel Studios would move forward with that creative direction is one thing, but it’s possible that Shakman’s directorial vision from the previous Disney+ series could help influence some type of 1960s vibe to help make Fantastic Four standout within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    The other element that WandaVision also uses is its cosmic undertones, which the series maintained with the character arc of Monica Rambeau. One of the more surprising parts coming out of the series was how it leaned slightly more towards the concepts of science fiction in relation to Wanda’s supernatural abilities. Between the introduction of SWORD and the inclusion of Skrulls, WandaVision also has played an arguably equal part in setting up the cosmic side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with that of the mystical and multiversal.

    With that in mind, it’s not a reach to think that Marvel Studios would at least consider Matt Shakman thanks to his experience with this corner of the universe. Given the X-Files-esque mystery elements of figuring out the science fiction phenomenon of the Hex, it would not be surprising if this type of intrigue is what Kevin Feige and his team would want from the cosmic exploration that is synonymous with the comic versions of the Fantastic Four. Even the way Monica gains her abilities stood out in a way that could inspire the way the Fantastic Four become Marvel’s first family.

    Ultimately if these rumors end up becoming true, fans of the Fantastic Four should be excited about the prospects of Matt Shakman as director. If his merits from WandaVision were strong enough to land him a position directing the next theatrical Star Trek film, then he is certainly qualified to step up and oversee one of Marvel Studios’ most important properties of the future.