Earlier this year, Sebastian Stan‘s absence from the set of Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* and the reports of him not being a key member of the titular team caused quite a stir. Fans speculated that Marvel Studios had decided to write the character off, potentially even killing the fan favorite. While none of that seems likely, fans can now rest easy that Stan does indeed play some role in the film.
As production on the film made its way outdoors in Atlanta, photographer Atlanta Filming caught the first look at Stan’s Bucky Barnes.
It’s definitely not the type of costume fans have grown accustomed to seeing on Barnes, however. Looking more like he’s headed to some sort of Congressional hearing that into battle, Stan was captured sporting significantly longer hair than in his last appearance in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier as well as a fresh new bit of facial hair. Given Thunderbolts* will feature a significant amount of flashbacks, it’s not entirely clear if this set photo is capturing something taking place in the past or in whatever passes for the MCU’s present day.
Thunderbolts* is in production now and is set to hit theaters on May 2, 2025.
With The Fantastic Four set to begin production this summer, Marvel Studios has been busily rounding out what’s become a stellar cast. Now, after months of rumors about the film’s villain and who was in line to play him, Marvel Studios has settled on their Galactus.
According to trade reports, British actor Ralph Ineson has joined the film as the Devourer of Worlds.
Ineson has become somewhat of a horror icon over the past several years having appeared in films such as The Witch, The First Omen and The Pope’s Exorcist.
Without seeing a second of whatever Ineson will bring to the Hunger That Does Not Cease, there’s no doubt Marvel Studios’ version of the character will be better than the ethereal fart cloud that appeared in Fox’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Originally slated to hit theaters in 2024, Captain America: Brave New World has seen its release date moved a few times over the past year. Though it is currently on track for a February 14, 2025 release, it seems as though some marketing decisions were made with a 2024 release in mind. Over the past month, promo art, McDonald’s Happy Meal toys and other assorted merchandise have provided first looks at some of the characters. Additionally, the latest issue of Empire Magazine included some bits about the film and several new stills the latest of which gives fans their first look at Xosha Roquemore‘s new character.
Via The Cine Geek, the BTS still from Empire shows Roquemore and Anthony Mackie prepping for a scene with director Julius Onah.
An official New Look BTS on ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD’ has been revealed.
Featuring Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Xosha Roquemore, and Director Julius Onah.
Roquemore’s character–who is rumored to be Leila Taylor–is sporting some sort of lapel that looks similar to a U.S. Marshall’s badge. If Roquemore is indeed playing Taylor, it would be an all-new, all-different iteration of the character. In the comics, the character was a reporter and one-time romantic interest of Wilson’s who mostly got into a lot of dangerous situations that allowed Sam to do some heroing. From the looks of the still, the MCU’s Taylor might be doing some heroing of her own.
Captain America: Brave New World flys into theaters on February 14th, 2025.
As X-Men ’97 continues to remind fans just how great Marvel’s uncanny mutant heroes and villains can be, rumored details about the studio’s upcoming live-action reboot continue to pop up. With the studio reportedly having narrowed down the list of candidates to write the film, a new rumor about a potential director for the film has emerged and while there’s been no word about Marvel Studios having talks with directors, this particular name coming up does bring some intriguing possibilities to mind.
According to the internet’s busiest leaker, My Time To Shine Hello, Marvel Studios is looking to MCU veteran director Ryan Coogler to helm their new X-Men movie.
Despite there having been no previous buzz about Marvel being ready to move forward in their search for a director for the project, the rumor about Coogler does track on multiple levels. If the previous rumor about the studio being close to selecting a writer for the film was accurate, it’s possible that Coogler could serve as both the writer and director for the film. He has filled dual roles on both of his previous MCU entries, Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as well as on five other films including his upcoming vampire film that will star his friend and frequent collaborator, Michael B. Jordan. Additionally, Coogler has a well-developed relationship with Disney which includes a five-year overall deal to create projects for Disney Plus. The first of those projects, the animated series Eyes of Wakanda, is expected to debut on the streaming service later this year.
Coogler already has some experience with mutants, having brought Namor into live-action in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Additionally, Coogler has shown a gift for creating and building out expansive worlds within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, something that may well be part of Marvel Studios’ plan for their iteration of the X-Men. One oft-rumored direction for the reboot involves it being inspired by Jonathan Hickman’s recent run on X-Men comics which involved a massive retcon of the history of the mutant island known as Krakoa. Should Marvel Studios indeed head in that direction with their X-Men franchise, it would certainly play to one of Coogler’s strengths. For now, it’s nothing but a rumor but it is certainly a solid match.
Though it had long been clear that Marvel Studios was dialing back on the number of projects to be released each year, Disney big wig Bob Iger quantified what fans should expect in a recent investor call. According to Iger, the plan moving forward is for Marvel Studios to slowly get to a point where they release 2 streaming series and 2-3 movies each year. Given the most recent updated slate from the studio still had 4 films set to release in 2025 and 4 more in 2026, it’s easy to see how that might be a problem. While it’s possible Disney will roll out a new Marvel Studios slate at this year’s D23 in August, all we can do for now is speculate as to what the future may hold…and so we will, operating under the assumption that Iger was referring to live-action series given Marvel Animation has several series that could easily be released in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
2025
During the investor conference call, Iger only mentioned two 2025 releases by name: Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*. Both of those films will definitely be ready to roll out in 2025, though there has been some doubt expressed that Brave New World will be ready for its February 14, 2025 date as it has some significant work to do via reshoots. However, both The Fantastic Four and Blade are also on the 2025 theatrical slate and if Iger sticks to his plan, only one of those would hit theaters next year and that’s only IF the studio decides to go with a third film. Of those, The Fantastic Four is the best bet as it will begin production soon enough to make it out before the end of 2025.
Cracking the potential lineup for the streaming projects is actually quite a bit simpler. After recently completing filming, Season 1 or Part 1 of Daredevil: Born Again will almost certainly hit sometime in 2025. It’s most likely to be joined next year by Ironheart, which has more or less been in the can for nearly two years.
Captain America: Brave New World Thunderbolts The Fantastic Four
Streaming
Daredevil: Born Again Ironheart
2026
Since the project should begin production in 2025, it becomes easy to slide Blade into 2026. After that, projects such as Armor Wars, Spider-Man 4, Shang-Chi 2 and Avengers 5 are all rumored to be headed into production at various points in 2025. While Marvel Studios will produce the new Spidey film, they have no control over its release date so we won’t waste time and energy thinking about that one for now. Iger also sounded very eager to get to another Avengers film so if we had to pick 3 for 2026, we’d go with Blade, Armor Wars and Avengers 5.
Again, the streaming slate seems far easier to work with simply because there are far fewer projects to think about. Wonder Man seems like a sure bet for 2026. And while the second season/second part of Daredevil: Born Again used to seem like a good fit, it’s possible Vision Quest might beat it to the punch should its rumored October start date hold.
Films
Blade Armor Wars Avengers 5
Streaming
Wonder Man Vision Quest
2027
Breaking the pattern here for a beat, by 2027 the number of known live-action projects in development is reduced to Daredevil: Born Again. Sure, there are a number of rumored projects but given Iger’s comments, how many of those can truly be counted on to make it to the screen?
Theatrically, 2027–which as of now only has a date set aside for Avengers: Secret Wars–could include Shang-Chi 2, Doctor Strange 3–which has not been confirmed to be in development by the studio or any trades. Our best guess is that by the time 2027 rolls around, we’ll only get two films and Secret Wars will get pushed down the road a bit.
Films
Shang-Chi 2 Doctor Strange 3
Streaming
Daredevil: Born Again Part 2/Season 2
As we wait for the studio to officially address the slate (or for a trade to break some news), it’s best not to take any of this too seriously and to understand we are in a time of ever-increasing uncertainty. Iger did say they would slowly change things around which might mean fans can look forward to 4 films a year in 2025 and 2026 before things slow down in 2027 and beyond. Either way, Iger’s comments point to fans having 4-5 Marvel Studios projects a year to enjoy which is great any way you slice it.
For the first time since returning to Disney, Bob Iger has provided details on his vision to scale back on Marvel Studios’ content. Via Variety, Iger’s plan is to dial back on streaming series (2 per year) and films (2 or 3 per year) in the near future. Iger said the company-wide decision to reduce output and increase the quality of what is produced is “particularly true with Marvel.”
“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,” said Iger during the company’s quarterly earnings call Tuesday. “And we’re working hard on what that path is.”
Though four films are currently slated to release in 2025, Iger stated that has a “couple of good films in ’25,” before mentioning Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*. However, The Fantastic Four and Blade are all currently listed on Disney’s most updated slate as 2025 releases, but many questions have been raised about the latter two being ready for release next year.
“Overall, I feel great about the slate,” said Iger, who also added that following the 2025 films the studio would be “heading to more Avengers.” Iger added, “It’s something that I’ve committed to spending more and more time on. The team is one that I have tremendous confidence in and the IP that we’re mining, including all the sequels that we’re doing, is second to none.“
Of note on the streaming side, Iger referred to the “WandaVision spinoff Agatha” as “a vestige of basically a desire in the past to increase volume.” Though the series has already generated positive buzz, a streaming series being referred to as vestigial doesn’t seem like a vote of confidence for many of the other TV series rumored to be in development.
Deadpool & Wolverine will be Marvel Studios’ first R-rated project when it hits theaters this July but it certainly won’t be it’s last. Even though horror films can do just fine as PG-13 projects, Mahershala Ali‘s long-gestating Blade project has already been deemed an R-rated film. That film, which is currently slated to hit theaters in 2026, has already been rumored to set up another, major team-up flick and a new rumor indicates that Marvel Studios may already be eyeing some candidates to helm it.
According to social media scooper My Time to Shine Hello, Marvel Studios may be interested in working with Fede Álvarez on the rumored Midnight Sons project.
While theres never been any official word or even so much as a tease from Marvel about a Midnight Sons project being in the works, it’s been a hotly rumored project for some time. Recently, Michael Giachhano, who helmed Werewolf By Night for the studio, was rumored to be attached. Having just worked with Disney on Alien: Romulus, which is exoected to be a big hit for the studio, Álvarez is at the very least a logical guess to be on a list of potential directors should the project ever move forward.
Should the studio truly be interested in Álvarez, it would almost certainly indicate at least a willingness to consider crafting Midnight Sons as another R-rated project. Álvarez has exclusively worked in R-rated or TV-MA content as a director and the type of stories that the supernatural team-up film might draw from almost all certainly could lend themselves to a more mature adaptation.
Whether from behind-the-scenes set photos, marketing materials and merchandising leaks, there have been plenty of “first” looks at the new costume Anthony Mackie will be wearing in Captain America: Brave New World. However, with the film about to head into significant reshoots, Marvel Studios has provided the best “official” look at the costume via Empire.
In what director Julius Onah calls Sam’s “coming-out show” as Captain America, the 2025 film will see Wilson step out of the vibrant white costume he wore in the final episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and into a predominantly blue costume that looks a bit like the one sported by Chris Evans in Avengers: Endgame.
Much like the previous trilogy of Cap films, Brave New World will dive directly into the realm of politics as Sam steps into the role of Captain America. “Part of the challenge for Sam as Captain America, working within the government, is the way he’s going to make decisions,” explained Onah, who took care to point out that like Steve Rogers, Sam won’t be a yes man for the United States. “The point of view he’s going to have will at times put him at odds with the President,” explained the director, teasing the relationship Wilson will have with Harrison Ford‘s Thunderbolt Ross.
And though it seems Ross will have his own very interesting arc, it’s Samuel Sterns’ The Leader, played by Tim Blake Nelson, who will be the true antagonist of the film. “Sam finds himself almost standing between Samuel Sterns and what he thinks the government owes him, and how he wants to go about getting that,” said Onah of the villain who first appeared in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. As fans of the comics know, being at odds with Sterns isn’t a great place to be and it sounds as thought that’s something Wilson will learn the hard way in Brave New World. “The action in this movie is incredibly exciting because this is a guy who can break, this is a guy who can bleed,” explained Onah. “We get to have a lot of fun pushing him to the limit.”
We’ll see just how far the new Star-Spangled Man with a Plan can be pushed when Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14, 2025.
The most recent look at Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine seemed to pretty clearly indicate that Hugh Jackman‘s Logan is a Variant that had not yet been seen in any of the Fox X-Men films. The new trailer had plenty enough dialogue and context clues to deduce that Jackman was not resuming the role so much as reinventing it through an all-new, all-different Variant but the internet, of course, remained skeptical. Thankfully, Marvel Studios’ One-Above-All, Kevin Feige, has put that skepticism to bed.
In an interview with Empire, Feige revealed that he was initially opposed to Jackman’s return to the role but came around to the notion once it was settled that he would not be playing a version of the character he had played before.
Recalling a conversation he had with Jackman, Feige told Empire, “I said, ‘Let me give you a piece of advice, Hugh. Don’t come back. You had the greatest ending in history with Logan. That’s not something we should undo.’” And so the studio found a way to avoid undoing it by using the concept of the Multiverse to create a new version of the character (When asked by Empire to clarify if Jackman was playing version of the character that fans had not met before, Feige simply said “Correct.”), something Jackman himself wasn’t quite sure of himself until he went for a drive.
“I was about an hour into the drive,” recalled Jackman. “And that question came into my head: ‘What do I want to do?’ And as soon as I asked the question, I wanted to do Deadpool & Wolverine. I just knew it. I drove for another hour. Couldn’t stop thinking about it. And I got out of the car, called Ryan, and said, ‘Ryan, if you’ll have me, I’m in.’”
Whatever skepticism either Feige or Jackman had has certainly been assuaged by the reception to the two trailers for the film. Deadpool & Wolverine looks like it’s exactly what Marvel Studios needs to reestablish itself at the box office. The film hits theaters in the U.S. on July 26th.
According to Deadline, Paul Walter Hauser has agreed to join the film in an unknown role. Hauser is a familiar face to many, having been featured in Cobra Kai and Cruella and starring as the titular character in the Richard Jewell biopic. The actor has recently signed on for two other major roles in the reboot of The Naked Gun and as Chris Farley in an upcoming film about the late comedian.
Though Deadline’s report indicated that Hauser’s role was kept under wraps, there’s plenty of speculation (and it’s all rather reasonable) that he’ll be playing classic Fantastic Four villain Harvey Elder, aka The Mole Man. In April, the character’s appearance was teased by Marvel as part of a viral marketing campaign which featured Fantastic Four #1 which not only introduced the Marvel’s First Family but also the Mole Man! Following Hauser’s casting, insider Jeff Sneider revealed that he’d heard the character will indeed make an appearance in the beginning of The Fantastic Four.
Now before I slay you all, behold my master plan! See this map of my underground empire! Each tunnel leads to a major city! As soon as I have wrecked every atomic plant, every source of Earthly power, my mighty mole creatures will attack and destroy everyting that lives above the surface!
Harvey Elder, Fantastic Four #1
Though Hauser’s casting as Elder is only theoretical, it’s also theoretically perfect. Though he evolved a bit over time, the Mole Man was originally incredibly campy. Hauser might just be the best bet in Hollywood to deliver the cheesy lines spewed by the Mole Man over the years.
The Fantastic Four is set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site, you consent to cookies.
This website uses cookies
Websites store cookies to enhance functionality and personalise your experience. You can manage your preferences, but blocking some cookies may impact site performance and services.
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.
Name
Description
Duration
Cookie Preferences
This cookie is used to store the user's cookie consent preferences.
30 days
These cookies are needed for adding comments on this website.
Name
Description
Duration
comment_author_email
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author_url
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks and analyzes website traffic for informed marketing decisions.
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__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.
