Tag: Movie Features

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Barbarian’ Director Explains Film’s Title

Barbarian, an inventive new horror film from the mind of Zach Cregger, continues the longstanding tradition of giving spooky movies a one-word title. From Us to It to Misery, there are countless mononymous thrillers with a whole lot of meaning packed into only a few syllables. Ever since Barbarian was announced, internet sleuths have done their best to crack the code and figure out just how the title relates to the plot. However, according to the director, they may never truly get an answer.

In an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, Cregger was asked if he could break down exactly how his latest directorial effort found its name. The creative, who also wrote the film, began by stating he enjoyed the mystique of not giving a direct answer. Luckily, Cregger did decide to explain the moment “Barbarian” was selected as the project’s label and how that impacted the movie going forward:

I think it’s an intriguing title. I like the idea that when the movie is over it could inspire a debate as to what it’s referencing. There’s been a lot of theories online about how I probably landed on it. None of them are especially accurate. [laughs] Truth be told, I had to name the document something when I saved it the first time. I was writing the script and I had to write something to save it, or it was going to be called ‘Untitled Screenplay’, and so I wrote ‘Barbarian’ and then I got attached to it. Then the more I wrote… maybe the movie just sort of wrapped itself around that title. I’m really happy with it. I think it’s the right title, but it is mysterious.
Zach Cregger

After it was pointed out that most of the film takes place at 476 Barbary St., which feels like a potential play on the movie’s title (“Bar-bar-y-an”), Cregger conceded that might have been done on purpose. He elaborated, giving his most solid answer:

I think that was probably what I was thinking. The first time I started writing, I named the street “Barbary Street”. So that probably was in my head. Like ‘Barbarian’, an inhabitant of this place.
Zach Cregger

Barbarian hits theaters on September 9th.

September 6, 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

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

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

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.

August 26, 2022
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.

August 25, 2022
Shelving ‘Batgirl’ but Not ‘The Flash’ Isn’t Protecting the Brand

David Zaslav, the new President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, blamed the shelving of Batgirl on wanting to protect the DC brand. And yet, The Flash movie is still on the studio’s slate as they seek to determine what to do with the film following the countless allegations and arrests surrounding its star Ezra Miller. For a studio intent on protecting its brand, the decision to react slowly to Miller’s actions is a poor one.

None of us know if Batgirl was good and now with the film being shelved in favor of a tax write-down, it’s likely we’ll never know, which is bizarre. After all, this is the same studio that released Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman 1984, films that while still successful was far from critical darlings. Batgirl was developed as an HBO Max film, with rumors later circulating that, like with Blue Beetle, the Leslie Grace film would actually get a chance to grace the big screen in a theatrical release. It had two promising directors at the helm – a duo that directed some of the best episodes of Ms. Marvel for Marvel Studios – and a rising young star in the titular role.

Let’s not forget, that it also managed to secure the incredibly talented Michael Keaton, who was set to return as Batman, and Brendan Fraser as the film’s villain. Even if it wasn’t an “event film” as the studio had hoped, there was plenty to be excited about with Batgirl. Instead of releasing it, the studio decided not to put any more money into it and try to recoup its cost with a write-down. So, why then has The Flash continued to move along with no problem?

Ezra Miller, who was once a promising actor in Hollywood, has quickly seen his star dim in recent years due to their actions. It all began with a video surfacing of Miller allegedly choking a fan in a video in April 2020. Somehow, despite the video circulating all over social media, nothing seemed to become of it, and it was quickly swept under the rug. Flash forward – pun intended – to March 2022 and Miller was arrested in Hawaii for disorderly conduct and harassment at a karaoke bar. A couple of weeks later, Miller was then arrested again for assault after he was said to have thrown a chair, resulting in the injury of a 26-year-old woman.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, in June the actor was accused of grooming a child and a protective order was put in place against him. The problem? Miller was said to be on the run with the teen. Later reports would suggest a mother and her three children had moved into the actor’s Vermont farm in a “roommate situation” that was concerning because there were said to be unattended guns and drugs on the property. Then the actor was charged with “offense of felony burglary into an unoccupied dwelling” in Stamford, Vermont earlier this week. And that’s just a simple summary of everything.

To say your studio wants to protect its brand all while bringing an actor with so many allegations back for reshoots? I mean, that seems quite ludicrous. The fact that the future of The Flash still remains in question is just downright absurd. If it’s okay to pull the plug on Batgirl, a $90 million film, ya know, one where the leading lady wasn’t at the center of a troublesome media storm? Then surely the same can be done with The Flash.

Canceling Batgirl was cruel to those who worked on the project. There was a sense of pride and passion in Batgirl that was evident by all involved. There’s no reason Batgirl couldn’t have at least been put on HBO Max and given a chance to be seen. Grace and directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi deserved to have their work seen. And while The Flash director Andy Muschietti is talented, and his cast impressive, they ultimately have to carry the weight of Miller’s troubles into the promotion of the film and that’s not fair to them. Purely removing Miller from marketing the project isn’t enough because the cast and crew will still be asked to answer for their actions.

Sure, The Flash has a hefty budget and could play a huge part in the DC cinematic universe moving forward, but at what point is the line drawn? You can’t claim you want to protect the brand and then release a film starring someone with such a worrisome list of allegations against them. Actions speak louder than words.

August 11, 2022
OPINION: The Decision to Cancel ‘Batgirl’ Was a Bad One

To quote Zack Snyder, “You’re Living in a F**king Dreamworld” if you think there’s a single ounce of a plan for the DC Extended Universe anymore. At this point, it would be much better for your mental health to just look at every live-action DC project as its own standalone project and just let go of any attachment to a shared universe with the situations going on right now. What sparked this you ask? Well, if you’ve been living under a rock for the past 48 hours, Batgirl is no more, the film is dead and shelved indefinitely as Warner Brothers Discovery proves that even though it is a new company, the studio has retained the cluelessness of past leadership.

Batgirl was a film that went through development hell. It was originally set to be written and directed by the now disgraced fandom figure Joss Whedon. After Whedon was accused of butchering Justice League, Whedon ultimately stepped away from Batgirl. The film would go on to gain steam once again with writer Chirstina Hodson being brought on board in 2018, and directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi boarding the project in May 2021. Leading lady Leslie Grace would later sign on to the project in July 2021, with filming slated to begin later that year. After shifting release dates for other DC films, which would’ve helped to establish the new timeline, Batgirl never received a proper release date outside of 2023.

And now we know that the film is being shelved permanently. Initial reports claimed it was because the film didn’t fit what David Zaslav and the rest of Warner Bros. Discovery sought for the DC Extended Universe, while other reports claimed the decision was because the film wasn’t an “event film.” As we now know, it appears to have been a mix of it all, with the studio seeking to get a tax write-off for Batgirl.

The thing is, Batgirl was nearly done. Deadline confirmed the directors were well into post-production on the film and reports indicated the test screenings of the films were getting mixed-positive reviews. This did not stop Warner Bros. Discovery from canning it despite the film costing a reported $90 million because the studio didn’t think it fit its new image of what DC films should be. This is a ridiculous decision that reportedly had one rival studio executive “floored,” calling the situation one of the most “unprecedented” of their three-decade-long career.

A minute after this story posted got a call from a rival studio exec who was floored by move. "Worked in this town for three decades and this is some unprecedented shit right here." https://t.co/A3aBLPulWz
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) August 2, 2022

Not to feed into any rumors or conspiracies but it makes one think the new regime could be completely abandoning the previous one’s attempt at a soft reboot and possibly looking to ditch the concept of a new timeline spawning from the events of The Flash, with Ben Affleck most recently replacing Michael Keaton in Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. The change the studio is after, however, is mostly attributed to the film’s new release date, now set to release before The Flash and including some important details for the future.

The move to shelve the film, though, is just completely and utterly baffling, especially as Warner Bros. Discovery has deemed itself as a new regime that wants to save money and trim. By shelving Batgirl, the studio has willingly shelved a $90 million film for a meager $15-$25 million tax write-off. It’s a project that could’ve easily been released on HBO Max as originally intended. After all, Batgirl was a project that was reportedly near completion and at the tail end of post-production. The fact that the studio felt the film wasn’t built for theaters makes absolutely zero sense as plenty of films made for streaming have received theatrical runs. The most frustrating bit of it all is that with Batgirl being a tax write-down, it means the film can never be released through any monetizable method, or even sold to another studio, so unless the film miraculously makes its way onto the internet via a leak, it will never see the light of day.

Another downside to this decision? DC had its chance, once again, to capitalize on the potential success of a live-action Batfamily, this could’ve been the jumping-off point, the gateway to so many beloved characters from the comics. Fans have been dying to see the many children of Bruce Wayne come together on the big screen like Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Duke Thomas, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Kate Kane, and Luke Fox, but of course, instead we receive crushed dreams and wasted potential.

On top of the absent Batfamily, Batgirl would’ve offered another chance for the Birds of Prey and allowed them to become whole as they welcome Barbara Gordon into their ranks. The Batgirl film was even reportedly going to set up the Black Canary solo project, one that could meet a similar fate to Wonder Twins and now Batgirl, as it may not meet the arbitrary standards Zaslav wants DC films to hold. The fact that a tax break factored into all of this makes it feel as if Warner Brothers has lost all of its artistic integrity, leaving the studio merely an IP-fueled cash cow that’ll push out slop for the masses.

The decision to cancel Batgirl just makes no sense in the end.

August 5, 2022
Ranking the ‘Predator’ Movies From Worst to Best

With Prey‘s release reviving the Predator franchise, it’s the perfect time to take a look back and rank the entries in the franchise that we all hold dearly. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at how the various entries rank from 1986 to today.

7. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

A sequel to an already weak spin-off wouldn’t have many chances of turning out any good, to begin with, and AVP: Requiem certainly fits the part. It doesn’t work as a Predator movie and it certainly doesn’t work as an Alien movie. The end result is so much less than the sum of both its parts that it is almost embarrassing how such iconic franchises would come together to provide such a lackluster idea of a movie.

6. The Predator (2018)

A prime example of how to go bigger just for the sake of going bigger without adding much to what made the initial Predator concept work so well. By having a new genetically enhanced Predator (a.k.a. Upgrade Predator), Predator hounds, and a few other standard innovations the movie quickly turns into a generic action feature with little regard for the subtleness and the Hunter vs Prey vs Hunter x-factor of the franchise.

5. Alien vs. Predator (2004)

The first installment of the AVP spin-off series introduces a few interesting concepts while trying to bring the two franchises together both through previously mentioned characters (Alien‘s Charles Bishop Weyland) and ideas (Predators hunting xenomorphs introduced in Predator 2). Even so, it show’s its hand way too soon, mostly disregarding the tension provided by the stealthiness and furtiveness that was a major staple of both its titular character’s series.

4. Predators (2010)

The concept of introducing humans into an alien game preserve jungle planet is an interesting one but it could have been pushed a bit further since it only seemed to be used to justify the eclectic group of characters and the lack of outside interference. Still, it manages to provide a few remarkable sequences while expanding on the Predator mythos.

3. Predator 2 (1990)

With the best opening sequence of the entire franchise, Predator 2 brought its titular character into the concrete jungle of near-future Los Angeles. The change of pace was a bold yet remarkable choice as the Predator’s brutality managed to fit right into a dystopian society where Jamaican and Colombian drug lords ruled over the city while the police just stood by and watched. It proved to be the stepping stone for both the AVP spin-offs (the xenomorph skull) and 2022’s Prey (the flintlock pistol from 1715).

2. Predator (1987)

An all-time classic with all the 80s action movie clichés that you can think of. Still, the movie works on a number of levels, with the authenticity given to it by the real-life backdrop of the Mexican jungle and the incredible prosthetics developed by master Stan Winston being two of the highlights. The now iconic theme was composed by Alan Silvestri (who later went on to write The Avengers theme).

1. Prey (2022)

This choice might suffer from recency bias but it could also be fair to say that looking back at the original Predator might trigger an emotional response from fans. Going back to the basics and the beautiful simplicity that made the original Predator grab the viewer and not let go until the credits rolled, Prey manages to outdo its predecessor by instilling the franchise with its best cinematography yet but most importantly with the most satisfying character journey of the entire series.

Check out our review here.

August 3, 2022
Murphy’s Team-Up Volume 26: Our SDCC Favorites

Anthony Canton III

As far as Comic Con’s announcements go, the easiest thing to say would be Avengers: Secret Wars. The truth is Kevin Feige’s plan on display for us to see is the kicker. This universe is expanding and we’ve all been wondering how it will continue to do so. As a fan, it was gratifying to see all of the projects lined up. There’s definitely fun in trying to figure out where the MCU is going on its own but to see it laid out is awesome.

It gives us all something to look forward to. If you want your street heroes and miss Daredevil…you got him back. Did you want to see how Sam Wilson’s journey will continue? We now have a title and a date. From team-ups to solo projects what we got was a reminder that the talk about the MCU was silly. Going forward, the expectation will be to see how tv gets better structurally. Otherwise, the road to what’s coming is here and we can actually enjoy the now of the MCU again. See you soon Kang.

Torbjorn Frazier

After having the pleasure to attend this year’s San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) festivities, it remains an arduous task to find just one top revelation from the weekend. While part of me wants to think outside of the box (I want to give special mention to Star Trek’s Hall H panel and them laying out a strong framework for their future on Paramount Plus), I can’t help but acknowledge that Marvel Studios were the runaway winners of the weekend.

With that in mind, I will focus on the triad of major revelations that were exclusive to the audience at Hall H. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Secret Invasion, and Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 all showcased first-look trailers for their respective projects. And the three Marvel Studios projects all left extremely strong first impressions that should all have fans excited for the start of 2023. Quantumania’s trailer highlighted how this film will certainly be the highest stakes of the Ant-Man franchise through the introduction of a Jonathan Majors Kang the Conqueror variant, but still keeping the comedic tone from the original core ensemble and the addition of Bill Murray. Meanwhile, Secret Invasion seemingly will provide the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with its first paranoia thriller since Captain America: The Winter Soldier (and I’d argue the series will lean much more into the genre than the film if the trailer is any indication). And to top it off, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3’s trailer was the largest revelation from the panel. James Gunn very much has established this film will mark the conclusion of his run on the Guardians; franchise, and he is pulling all the stops to make this ending as epic as possible in terms of both plot and cinematic scope. There are many distinct talking points coming away from it, but the largest certainly is the highly emotional arc in store for Rocket Raccoon and his origins at the hands of the High Evolutionary.

If there’s ultimately a singular major revelation from SDCC, it’s that fans could be in store for a highly exciting beginning to MCU’s Phase Five in 2023.

Dalbin Osorio

My favorite reveal, hands down, was the announcement of the next Avengers films: Secret Wars and Kang Dynasty. My guy AC called out the fickle fans who sit online all day consistently complaining about Marvel and the “no direction” post-Endgame, but anyone paying a modicum of attention to Loki could tell a) who the big bad of this saga was and b) what they were building towards. You don’t populate the world with heroes and then just leave them as such, and Kevin Feige pulling the curtain back on the conclusion of the now-aptly named Multiverse Saga confirmed what we knew. The big bad is Kang, and we are headed towards the only story that can both top Endgame and simultaneously reset the universe to a point where it makes sense that mutants other than Kamala Khan exist and that the Avengers do have to pay for their machinations of time. You see, just because He Who Remains’ TVA was ok with them messing with time doesn’t mean that all the other Kang variants and their TVAs (should they have them) will be. Kang’s line to Ant-Man (you’re an Avenger? Have I killed you before) is the first salvo in the war to come ahead. A secret war, if you will, and seeing that confirmed was pretty damn exciting.

MTF III

My favorite reveal from Marvel’s SDCC panel was the official announcement of Daredevil: Born Again. Although Charlie Cox’s return to the role in the MCU was no secret (shoutout to #SavedDaredevil), the extent of Daredevil’s role in future Marvel projects was still held close to the vest. And even after confirmation of appearances in Echo and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, the official announcement of his Disney Plus series was universally well-received. But no one could have predicted that the series would get 18(!) episodes to tell its story.

I recently advocated for longer seasons of the Marvel Disney Plus series, because the six-episode season structure wasn’t adequately serving them, so tripling that output assuages all of those concerns. Daredevil: Born Again is 5 episodes longer than what fans were used to getting from Netflix, which should provide its narrative with more than enough time to breathe so that the show can service multiple character subplots, conclude several arcs, and overall, do the necessary world-building to truly establish the MCU’s Street Level.

Will we see any of the former Defenders pop up? Will we get a split season of 9 and 9 with a break in between? Will the “canon” questions be definitively answered? So many questions were raised by the announcement of Daredevil: Born Again, and I can’t wait to discover all the answers.

Hunter Radesi

Not sure if this is a surprise to anybody, but my favorite reveals from San Diego Comic-Con were probably Spider-Man: Freshman Year and Daredevil: Born Again. These are two of my all-time favorite characters, and to see both of their names pop up in Hall H, headlining projects, was a dream come true. I’ve been craving a solid new animated Spider-Man project for years, and it looks like Jeff Trammell is getting ready to deliver. Learning Freshman Year is going to be a full-blown variant series, as opposed to a mini-MCU prequel, was so exciting. I haven’t been satisfied with a Spidey show since The Spectacular Spider-Man, but this one looks to have everything I could want from a web-head adaptation. Diverse supporting characters, classic bad guys, a unique animation style, and a passionate creative team working behind the scenes. As for Born Again, that one doesn’t take much explaining. Who wouldn’t be pumped about another season, a full 18 episodes, of Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio doing their thing? My eyes will be on Disney+ for the next couple years.

August 1, 2022
SDCC: Every Marvel Studios Project That Wasn’t Discussed

Kevin Feige once said that Marvel Studios would not appear at San Diego Comic-Con unless they could overdeliver, and this year’s event proved he wasn’t kidding. Through two major panels, one for animation and the other for live-action, the entertainment giant landed punch after punch of exciting news. Those in attendance were treated to countless announcements at a rapid fire pace, and information drops were used to both expand on known projects and reveal entirely new ones. If any fans felt left in the dark after 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, they should have a pretty good idea as to what the future holds now.

That being said, there were still quite a few titles missing from the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline shown at the end of the company’s Hall H presentation. Despite all the thrilling surprises, it’s hard not to wonder what might be going on with the shows and movies Feige didn’t talk about over the weekend. As such, it feels right to round up every single MCU project that’s definitely in development but somehow still on the downlow. Let’s dig in:

This was the biggest question mark coming out of Marvel’s Hall H. Armor Wars, an upcoming Disney+ series based on the comic arc of the same name was officially announced during a Disney Investor Day presentation in 2020. It’s probably the longest-standing MCU project yet to score a release window, despite a promising premise and a genuine leading man in Don Cheadle‘s War Machine. Actor, writer, and comedian Yassir Lester was brought on to serve as the series head writer almost a full year ago, and that was more or less the last time fans heard of any progress behind-the-scenes. The fact that Armor Wars wasn’t even mentioned during this year’s Comic-Con initially caused a bit of panic that the series might have been quietly canceled, until Lester took to social media and confirmed it’s still planned to release.

As history has shown, Marvel Studios is not above shifting its calendar to accommodate new things. It’s very likely that Armor Wars is simply still in its early development stages, and will be slipped into the release schedule when the company and the creatives feel everything is ready to go. It’s also possible the show’s story fits better later in the MCU timeline, and Feige just revealed its existence earlier than he ended up needing to. Until more is known, fans will just have to settle for seeing Cheadle‘s James Rhodes in Secret Invasion instead.

It really felt like this one was coming, and it’s still kind of shocking that it never did. Deadpool 3 has been in various stages of production since 2018, with its creative process being understandably delayed by Disney’s acquisition of former parent company 20th Century Fox. Since then, it’s been confirmed by the likes of Feige and star Ryan Reynolds that another film is indeed on the way. If that wasn’t enough, they’ve also revealed that this threequel will finally transition its R-rated antihero into the MCU proper.

The lead-up to this year’s convention saw Disney put both previous Deadpool films on their previously-kid-friendly streaming service, and the convention grounds themselves had the Merc with a Mouth handing out free chimichangas to promote the big additions. Nothing has ever felt like more of a sign that Marvel might announce the new entry during their Hall H panel. Alas, no Deadpool 3 was found on the timeline. At least fans can rest easy knowing Reynolds, along with franchise writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, are currently hard at work preparing Wade Wilson for his next cinematic adventure.

Marvel’s Hall H presentation was surprisingly Avengers-heavy for a franchise with so many new toys to play with. As stated before, the MCU can now legally include mutants, and more specifically, the X-Men, in their theatrical projects. Patrick Stewart became the first mutant in the MCU earlier this year when he reprised his iconic role as Professor Charles Xavier for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Iman Vellani took the reigns as part of a huge twist ending when Kamala Khan turned out to be a mutant in Ms. Marvel‘s finale episode. Now seemed like the perfect time for Marvel to announce exactly when to expect the X-Men’s return to cinemas, in a film Feige continues referring to as The Mutants, but no such confirmation ever came. Not even a peep about a potential creative team.

It’s worth noting the X-Men did have a presence at the convention, however, in the form of the animated X-Men ’97 series coming to Disney+ in fall 2023. It’s very possible Marvel held back on revealing The Mutants so that show would have time to shine, and besides, there were still about eight empty slots on that Phase 6 slide. It wouldn’t be shocking if Marvel’s Merry Mutants found themselves occupying one in the very near future.

It’s actually pretty strange that this one didn’t make the cut. It’s an incredibly open secret that Marvel Studios is developing an untitled Disney+ Halloween special centered on Werewolf by Night, but the transparency behind the project isn’t what makes its lack of attention at San Diego Comic-Con so weird. Not only does this one-hour special have a director in longtime composer Michael Giacchino, a runtime, and a full-blown cast in Gael García Bernal and Laura Donnelly, it’s actually already completed filming and is supposedly set to release in October of this year. It seems like, by this point, it should at least have an official title. Yet, the elongated Marvel One-Shot, or whatever it may be, was not even included in the MCU’s Phase 4 when Feige discussed the future timeline with fans, despite coming out before the Phase ends with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

It’s starting to look like Marvel Studios doesn’t consider holiday-themed specials as part of their actual Phase plan. Much like the still-untitled Halloween special, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is all filmed and rearing to go for this December season. Set photos, promotional merchandise, and a lot of updates from director James Gunn have kept fans satiated for the past year, but an official release date would be a nicer present for under the tree.

It wasn’t that long ago fans learned Simon Williams would be coming to the MCU. It was just last month The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton and Community writer Andrew Guest would create a Wonder Man series for Disney+. The article mentioned that cameras could begin rolling on the show as soon as 2023, so many fans felt that an official announcement from Marvel might come out of Hall H. Sadly, Feige‘s presentation ended without any sort of Phase placement or casting reveal for Wonder Man. Perhaps supporters of the longtime Avenger will have better luck at D23.

Nova is maybe the most elusive MCU project in the company’s history. The character has been rumored to appear in a number of projects since it seems, the beginning of the company’s history. It was once confirmed that Richard Rider, the last of the Nova Corps, was intended to appear in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, but was cut for the sake of trimming story fat. All hope seemed lost until news dropped in March that a Disney+ series focusing on the character was in development from Moon Knight scribe Sabir Pirzada. Of course, this led many to believe Marvel would finally make the project official at Comic-Con, putting an end to the cult-like social media campaign to bring Nova to live-action. Maybe Marvel likes all the begging because that obviously didn’t happen.

Black Panther Spin-Offs

Early last year, it was reported by Deadline that Marvel Studios had put two Black Panther spin-off series into development at Disney+. One was said to revolve around Danai Gurira‘s Okoye, while the other would be Wakanda-centric and produced by director Ryan Coogler. Not much has been heard about either show since then, even if many expected at least one to be announced alongside Wakanda Forever‘s portion of the night’s program. Much like the mutant situation before it, this could be due to the fact Marvel wanted its highly-anticipated sequel to get every bit of the attention.

Not long after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings became a massive success, it was announced that director Cretton and star Simu Liu would return for another go-around. It wasn’t likely that Marvel would make a big fuss about the future project with so much else to cover, but it did seem logical that a title reveal or release date could come with the outlining of Phases 4-6. While this didn’t pan out, fans can still be excited to see Cretton come back for Disney+’s Wonder Man, which as previously mentioned, also wasn’t discussed at Comic-Con.

July 30, 2022
Fish Out of Water: Every Failed Attempt at Bringing ‘Namor’ to Life

With the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on November 11th, director Ryan Coogler and producer Kevin Feige will have managed to pull off the one thing it felt like Hollywood would never allow to happen – Namor on the big screen. Marvel’s first Avenging Son, often referred to as the Sub-Mariner, has been on the cusp of live-action glory since the 1950s, but somehow, every previous attempt at bringing the character to life has faltered before coming to actual fruition. Now, Tenoch Huerta is set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in one of the franchise’s original flagship roles, putting a new spin on a character that’s been around since the dawn of comics. Though, before fans take a dive into the actor’s wave-making MCU debut, they could stand to learn a thing or two about the long history of failed attempts that kept Namor out of the spotlight for decades on end.

Television

Namor was introduced by Bill Everett in 1939’s Marvel Comics #1 as the antithesis for the comic’s protagonist, the original Human Torch. This made him Marvel’s first ever supervillain, albeit backed by the noble cause of protecting Atlantis and its citizens. Much to the company’s surprise, however, the Sub-Mariner became popular with readers who sympathized with his motives, and the character was quickly shifted from outright baddie to full-blown antihero status. The move resulted in Namor receiving his own published title and becoming something of a phenomenon, churning out book sales on par with Timely Comics’ other major player, Captain America.

So, it didn’t take long for some television executives to decide that Namor deserved the same kind of live-action treatment Captain America got with Dick Purcell in his 1944 serial. The success of George Reeves‘ Man of Steel series was also a big factor, with producer Frank Saperstein (or Saverstein) believing that, “if you could do it with Superman, you could do it with The Sub-Mariner.“ According to a late 1960’s interview with creator Everett, conducted by former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Roy Thomas, the Goodson-Todman production company was interested in adapting Namor to low-budget TV in 1954, with Saperstein, a huge fan of the character, paving the way. Everett was brought on board as a story consultant, with final say over scripts, and B-movie star Richard Egan had agreed to take the lead role.

The plan was to use the initial antihero version of Namor, not the more heroic interpretation that was favored during World War II, and bring him into “modern” situations. Unfortunately, alleged behind-the-scenes drama over unmet demands caused the creative ship to sink before it ever set sail, and The Sub-Mariner remained confined to the pages of comics. Interestingly, there have been claims that a separate live-action Namor pilot was planned to be filmed sometime in the 1970s, but canceled when executives realized the concept was too similar to NBC’s short-lived series Man From Atlantis. Although, there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of reputable sources backing this up, so take that one with a grain of salt for now.

*Note: Much of the information about the 1950s Sub-Mariner project given by Bill Everett is disputable. The writer wasn’t lying, but it’s entirely possible he misremembered some of the details regarding what happened during the series’ whirlwind production. For example, he states a producer named Frank Saperstein approached him about adapting Namor, but a quick search reveals nobody was working in the industry under that name at the time. It’s very possible Everett was actually talking about director Frank Satenstein, who worked with Goodson-Todman at the time these events took place.

Namor: Sub-Mariner

After Namor’s television exploits failed to materialize, his comic series wound up being scrapped and, instead of achieving the worldwide fame he’d once seemed destined for, the character fell into relative obscurity. Then, a 1997 article from Variety casually revealed to fans that Philip Kaufman, an auteur known for his range with films like The Right Stuff and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, was developing a movie titled Namor: Sub-Mariner as part of Marvel Studios’ original production slate. The filmmaker would have directed the project from a script by Sam Hamm, who also wrote 1989’s Batman, and hoped to center the story around Namor’s “certain bad feelings toward the people up above, on Earth, because of his ecological concerns“. Regrettably, not much more was ever revealed about Namor’s potential cinematic debut, and it seems whatever Kaufman had planned fizzled out within a couple years.

Namor, the Sub-Mariner

At some point, after Kaufman‘s work on the character had ceased, Saban Entertainment took a crack at the underwater hero with Randall Frakes handling the screenplay. The writer was best known for his work with director James Cameron on films like Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and was then crafting a new story under the title Namor, the Sub-Mariner. The news broke by way of an entirely different announcement, that Frakes had signed with Ember Entertainment, and nothing more was heard about the script after.

Sub-Mariner

By 2001, then-Marvel Studios President Avi Arad and Kevin Misher had made plans to sell Namor’s film rights to Universal and act as producers on whatever movie the company came up with. Arad was confident in the Sub-Mariner’s bankability, saying he felt the antihero could make for a massive franchise that dealt with the world’s true final frontier – the ocean. He also echoed sentiments made by Kaufman during the prior attempt at adapting the character, explaining that Universal had a chance to tell a Namor story dealing with a lot of real-world problems:

Even though it was first published in 1941, Sub-Mariner has modern-day implications because if you look at the undersea and what’s happening there, you have to address such issues as Exxon Valdez and the oil spill, undersea bomb testing, pollution and global warming… The ocean is a source of food, medicine, energy and scientific study, so we are dealing here with issues that are at the forefront of today’s society. This project is a very real story told through the eyes of someone who has to not only understand humans but has to protect his own people.
Avi Arad

Misher was more focused on who might be attached to the film, naming the aforementioned Cameron as his ideal director and Jude Law as his pick for the titular character. Road to Perdition‘s David Self was hired to write the script in 2002, and Chris Columbus signed on to helm the movie under the name Sub-Mariner two years later for a projected 2007 release. Sadly, intense burnout from making the first two Harry Potter films caused Columbus to drop out of directing Sub-Mariner in 2005, and the whole of production soon followed him down the drain and out of theaters.

The Sub-Mariner

Marvel Studios and Universal moved on rather quickly, securing Jonathan Mostow to write and direct a new version of the Namor origin in 2006. Now titled The Sub-Mariner, the film would tinker with the character’s classic roots and remove him from his upbringing in Atlantis. Instead, Mostow‘s script would see Namor as a young surface-dweller who discovers he “actually is a prince from Atlantis, with him turning out to be the key man in a brewing war between the underwater world and the modern surface world“, according to a statement released by The Hollywood Reporter at the time. At this point, Kevin Feige had entered the mix as Marvel Studios chief, and stepped in to say the film’s “spectacle will be tempered with character. Our hero is caught between two worlds. That is the heart of the story, and it is that dichotomy that makes him so interesting“.

Mostow, who is best known for directing the critically-panned Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, remained committed to the project until at least 2009. While on the press tour for his film Surrogates, the filmmaker reiterated that The Sub-Mariner would eventually be made and that the only thing holding them back was an inability to crack the script. He also commented that Universal was continually renewing their option to produce a big screen adaptation of Namor, something that ultimately prevented Feige and the ever-growing Marvel Studios from taking the reigns themselves and making a film all on their own.

Of course, this would become the topic of much debate over the course of the next decade. After years of radio silence, it became clear that The Sub-Mariner would never see the light of day, but the belief in whether or not Universal stilled owned the character’s film rights was constantly in flux. From 2010 until as recently as 2018, a number of high-ranking Marvel and Hollywood figures gave differing information on Namor’s cinematic status. Marvel Entertainment CCO Joe Quesada and THR’s Borys Kit both made claims that Marvel had the rights back in the early 2010’s, but Feige spent most of that era staunchly sticking to his guns that prior deals with Universal would make an MCU Namor film nearly impossible. On top of it all, there was even a strange, brief moment when an unknown project, also titled The Sub-Mariner, was listed as entering production in 2017, with no studio specified.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

With marketing for Wakanda Forever kicking up, however, it seems the days of Namor’s live-action limbo are over. The character will appear as the antagonist in the Black Panther sequel, bringing to life a longstanding comic book feud between Atlantis and Wakanda. Based on what promotional material has shown the public, it appears the MCU will opt to alter the origins of Namor and his people, giving them a connection to real-world history and bringing them more in line with the Black Panther series’ cultural themes. It’s unknown if this debut will lead to some sort of solo project down the line, or if those pesky behind-the-scenes complications are still preventing the Sub-Mariner from headlining his own film. It’s possible that Namor can be a featured character in Marvel Studios productions, but can’t have his name in a title without involvement from Universal – a situation similar to the one that confined Mark Ruffalo‘s Hulk to team-ups for over a decade. Either way, it’ll be nice to finally see one of Marvel’s very first marquee names get the spotlight, even if it’s only as Black Panther’s latest foil.

Source(s): Alter Ego, Variety, SFGate, IGN, Entertainment Weekly, Superhero Hype, Collider, Production Weekly

July 28, 2022
Murphy’s Team-Up Volume 25: Our SDCC Wishlists

Hunter Radesi

Maybe the least discussed aspect of Marvel Studios’ future is it’s upcoming line of animated series. I hope that Kevin Feige and company treat these projects with an equal amount of respect as their signature live-action material, and we get loads of new information on What If…? Season 2, Marvel Zombies, and especially Spider-Man: Freshman Year. Until further notice, Freshman Year is the only officially announced Spider-Man project on the horizon for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I would love to have my hype levels increased with some casting announcements, or even a trailer that includes a villain reveal. As I’m constantly saying on Twitter…I just want pictures of Spider-Man!

Otherwise, I just hope Marvel’s Hall H panel gives us plenty to be excited about going forward. Title reveals for Captain America 4 and the Halloween Special, logo reveals for Daredevil and Nova, and more official word on projects that have huge creative potential. I love how different Phase 4 has been, and I can’t wait to see how Phase 5 might carry that torch. Oh, and please, second season announcements for Hawkeye, Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel.

MTF III

4. I want to see who will win the Con between Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. Two fantasy IP juggernauts square off in the late summer/early fall, and both want to leave an impression on fans. Much has been said about Amazon’s big money bet on Rings of Power, but for HBO, after the 4th Quarter goal line fumble that was the GoT Finale, Time Warner Discovery may have even more riding on House of the Dragon scorching old narratives and soaring into a more hopeful future.

3. DC Films Timeline – With no Flash to wow people, but with that film so essential to the future slate of their DC connected universe, it will be intriguing to see whether there are any nods to connectedness between their upcoming projects. Black Adam and Shazam! have natural connective tissue, but there isn’t a lot of clarity on Batgirl, or whether those Black Canary rumors are true. And maybe we’ll get some Blue Beetle footage.

2. MCU Animation – In the Star Wars side, we’ve seen seamless integration between the live-action and animated prongs of the franchise under Dave Filoni. But What If only offered the smallest promise of seeing something similar with Marvel. However, between What If…? Season 2, Spider-Man: Freshman Year and X-Men ’97, animation could be used as a way of filling narrative in the massive multiverse undertaking Marvel is engaged in right now as they march to Secret Wars. I’d love some more details.

1. Marvel Phase 4 and Beyond – We’re all looking for a road map, and who can forget the massive calendar reveal for Phase 3. Marvel could really wow us by giving us the remainder of the Phase 4 slate, and how it will culminate. Marvel has a lot of balls in the air and places the stories could be going. Offering us some clarity for the next 3-5 years like they did back in 2014 would settle a lot of stomachs within the fanbase, as they strap in for the ups, downs, loopty-loops that Feige and Co have planned for us.

Anthony Canton III

When it comes to SDCC I’m thinking of two projects, one coming soon and one a bit off in the distance. First, Wakanda Forever is on my mind. The tribute to Chadwick, what that means to everyone who came out for the first film and supporters world wide. It’s going to be emotional. You want to protect this film and hope it’s treated with the utmost care. There’s a curiosity with everything around it so hoping to learn a bit more.

Secondly, there’s a project next year. Quantumania comes to the forefront. Sure it’ll be great to see Scott, Hope, and the gang all back. The real intrigue is Jonathan Majors. His “He Who Remains” performance is the most electrifying singular appearance we’ve seen in the MCU. Now we see Kang in all his glory and hopefully get some more answers to the multiverse. Hopefully there’ll be some footage with a “See You Soon.”

João Pinto

I’ll basically set this up in three different levels, each with decreasing odds of actually happening:

1) Some footage with our first look at Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Besides introducing audiences to the MCU’s take on Atlantis, Namor, Namora, Attuma, and Riri Williams, this would always be a special project following Chadwick Boseman’s passing. Ryan Coogler and the team behind the movie have worked extremely hard to give us a majestic sequel to Black Panther and seeing it finally come to fruition is extremely high on my wishlist.

2) New information regarding Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four. After years of expectations, and theories regarding who might get to portray Marvel’s First Family on the big screen, finally getting an official announcement would feel like the once impossible movie is one step closer to becoming a reality. Getting a director confirmation would also do wonders in terms of shedding some light on what might be Kevin Feige’s approach to the project.

3) With all the talk that the MCU’s Phase 4 lacks direction, getting an announcement of a project spinning out of several Phase 4 entries would do wonders in terms of making audiences relax regarding the MCU’s near future. Be it a project focusing on the Young Avengers (bringing together characters from Hawkeye, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Secret Invasion, Multiverse of Madness, and Quantumania), or on the Thunderbolts (Black Widow, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Falcon and the Winter Soldier), by getting news of what we might call Phase 4’s Phase 2 would bring us closer to understanding what secret wars might be in store in the MCU’s upcoming future.

Jared Kirschenbaum

Fans like myself were relieved to see the film rights to Marvel’s most beloved characters return to Marvel Studios after Fox somewhat butchered the X-Men and Fantastic Four. With the deal having only been completed 4 months before, it’s understandable that at SDCC in July of 2019, Feige could only bring mere mention to the plans the studio had for the F4 and mutants. However, it has now been 3 years since Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. And aside from the appearance (and prompt disposal) of Earth-838’s Professor X and Mr. Fantastic, and a directorless Fantastic Four film in the works, the only indication fans have had after 3 years that these characters are on the horizon is the word ‘mutation’ being dropped at the end of Ms. Marvel.

Yes, fans know that the pantheon of characters once forbidden to be touched by Marvel Studios will soon be making their way into the MCU. But after 3 grueling years, knowing just doesn’t cut it anymore. I want to see it. That is why my SDCC 2022 wish list simply consists of a rundown on how Marvel Studios plans to integrate the properties once belonging to 21st Century Fox into the MCU. Now, will this happen? No, there is no chance in hell that this will happen. Will Marvel Studios instead probably date their upcoming Disney+ series’, show some footage from an upcoming film or two, maybe even announce a certain Halloween special? Yeah, that sounds very reasonable. But the ‘what ifs’ of how Marvel Studios will choose to explain the fact that Mutants have been completely absent from the MCU thus far, or whether or not they will explore the Fantastic Four’s origin in their upcoming film have been cluttering my brain for far too long. So, if Feige takes the Hall-H stage and announces Marvel’s plans for the Mutants and Fantastic Four, which include the new director of the Fantastic Four movie and maybe a little more information on it, as well as a core X-Men movie, a proper Magneto origin project, a Storm movie, a New Mutants series, an X-Factor series, a Hellfire Club series, an Excalibur series, a Starjammers series, I will finally be at peace. Anyway this will certainly not happen, but you can bet that I am looking forward to that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer they will probably release. And who knows, maybe they’ll confirm Namor is a mutant.

Dalbin Osorio

Blade. When Mahershala Ali came out in 2019 and put on the Daywalker hat like the first pick in the NFL draft, it signaled that things were about to get real trippy and comic-booky for the MCU. 3 years later we don’t know much other than the director and some casting… Oh, and he stopped Jon Snow from picking up the ebony blade! That short intro was incredibly exciting, as was the casting of Delroy Lindo and Aaron Pierre (as perhaps Jamal Afari?), and with rumors that we could see Blade go toe to toe with Dracula, this is at the top of my wish list.

Then, I need to see Kang. Maybe a mash-up of different Kangs in different projects teasing the secret war ahead. Mahershala v Majors down the line in a Blade versus Kang fight? All in.

And, lastly, I’d kill for the Fantastic Four cast and director to be announced. There’s a lot of speculation on who will play who and where, but I loved Krasinski’s take on a weary and still arrogant Reed Richards and wouldn’t mind him being Mr. Fantastic. Him being directed by Spielberg, maybe? Home run.

Torbjorn Frazier

While more of an esoteric than any specific desire for San Diego Comic Con, I’d most want to learn as much context for the upcoming slate of Marvel Studios projects. When looking back at Marvel Studios’ showing at the 2019 event, the most interesting takeaways weren’t really the announcement of the projects themselves (there weren’t really any surprises on that front for those who knew where to look). Instead, curiosity was most piqued at what those projects would be bringing to the table. It was at the 2019 Hall H panel that the concept of the multiverse was quietly established as a major future narrative direction through Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Loki. It was also where audiences learned that the Ten Rings would be coming back into the fold of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Shang-Chi and that Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster would become the Mighty Thor in Love and Thunder. Being able to receive this level of context and major story elements for projects like potentially Secret Invasion, Echo, or Captain America 4 (amongst others) would go a long way in creating sustainable intrigue well past this year’s Hall H showcase.

July 20, 2022