Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie Features

  • A Look at Marvel Studios Lost Phase 6 Projects

    A Look at Marvel Studios Lost Phase 6 Projects

    A recent interview with Don Cheadle seemed to confirm what most fans had already come to understand: Marvel Studios’ original plans for Phase 6 have been significantly refigured. During SDCC ’22, the studio’s head honcho, Kevin Feige, showed off an impressive plan for the final phase of the Multiverse Saga that included 11 total projects. At the time, the plan was for Fantastic Four to kick off Phase 6 on November 8, 2024 and for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars to hit theaters only 6 months apart on May 2nd, 2025 and November 7, 2025, respectively. For a multitude of reasons, nothing on that slate made its scheduled release and many of the projects will never come to fruition at all.

    Though the nature of the other eight projects may never be disclosed, at least two more of them were likely destined to be films which would mean the other six were planned as streaming series. Given what the studio’s plans looked like at the time, that’s probably how it was meant to shape up.

    Avengers: The Kang Dynasty

    Following the dismal reception of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, a confluence of events led to the plans for the fifth installment in the Avengers franchise to be scrapped. The plans put in place, presumably, in the Quantumania stinger and in Season 2 of Loki were ditched following star Jonathan Majors‘ legal troubles. But what were those plans?

    The earliest rumors indicated that Sam Wilson, Shang-Chi and Shuri were set to take on Kang though they were destined to fail. Interestingly enough, that information matched a recent report that indicated the scrapped sequel would have had a heavy focus on Simu Liu‘s hero.

    In the original plan for Avengers 5, then called Kang Dynasty, Shang-Chi would’ve been one of the film’s main leads. A lot’s changed since then; Avengers 5 was meant to focus on Kang the Conqueror, but Marvel has since completely retooled the film to introduce Victor Von Doom.

    -Inverse

    It was also reported that while The Kang Dynasty was going to have a huge roster of heroes, it would not include the Fantastic Four. Instead, director Destin Daniel Cretton, who has since left the project, was keen on including Hulk, She-Hulk and Moon Knight in the project as part of the rumored team of new Avengers.

    Shang-Chi and the Wreckage of Time

    Whether or not “Wreckage or Time” was indeed meant to be the subtitle of the sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a sequel was most certainly in development. Even as the first film was being made, the wheels inside Destin Daniel Cretton’s mind were hard at work on the sequel. It’s unclear if some of those ideas would ultimately have been included in The Kang Dynasty, which was reportedly a sort of surprise Shang-Chi sequel, but it is clear that Shang-Chi was originally intended to play a major role in Phase 6 and now, with Cretton taking on Spider-Man 4, it would seem his role has been greatly reduced.

    Armor Wars

    First announced during Disney’s 2020 Investor Day presentation, Armor Wars will go down as one of the most curious projects in the history of the MCU. Originally developed as a Disney Plus streaming series, the studio made the decision to switch gears on Rhodey’s solo project, choosing to overhaul it for theaters. According to EP Nate Moore, the ideas the studio has were deemed to be “too big” for a D+ series.

    Yeah, I mean in that case, there were some great ideas that were coming out for that show but that, to be quite honest, felt too big for that show.

    Despite little to no progress having been reported over the years, Armor Wars was reportedly searching for a director in January 2024 with an eye on a 2026 release. However, recent comments by the project’s star, Don Cheadle, did nothing to generate positive vibes. “I don’t know, I’m not sure where anything is right now,” said Cheadle when asked about the film. “I think things are going through a lot of changes, and we’ll see what happens, we’ll see what it is.”

    Silver Surfer

    The only project in this list that was never officially announced by Marvel Studios or revealed by a Hollywood trade, the Silver Surfer Special Presentation may or may not have ever been in development; however, if it ever was, it certainly does not seem to be at this point.

    Originally rumored to be set to hit Disney Plus ahead of the theatrical release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the Silver Surfer project was said to be required reading for the film. Problematically, the rumored plot was said to follow Norrin Radd out and about in the cosmos while serving as the Herald of Galactus despite the fact that Marvel Studios cast Julia Garner as an all+new, all-different Shalla Bal version of the character.

    Nova

    Despite Marvel Studios giving a Disney Plus Nova series the green light in March 2022, the project–written by Moon Knight scribe Sabir Pirzada—was rumored to be headed to the big screen before being unceremoniously shoved to the back burner as other projects took precedence. However, in May 2024, a report indicated that the studio was gearing up to begin production on the series in 2025.

    While the studio has not officially indicated when the series might begin filming, Marvel TV head Brad Winderbaum did reveal that that Nova is being developed as “an amazing ensemble piece” before explaining that fans of the comics will know “how heated that Richard Rider kind of world can get.” Should the project get underway in 2025, there’s no reason to believe it will be included in Phase 6 which is expected to wrap up in May 2027 with Avengers: Secret Wars. At this point in time, it would seem that the studio’s Wonder Man and Vision Quest series will debut in 2026 and it’s unclear what role, if any, the Nova Corps would even have in the Multiverse Saga making the project a likely entry in the studio’s post-Multiverse Saga plans.

  • ‘Spider-Man: King in Black’ Could Make Good on a Pair of Recent Marvel Studios’ Blunders

    ‘Spider-Man: King in Black’ Could Make Good on a Pair of Recent Marvel Studios’ Blunders

    With any luck, Marvel Studios’ well-documented Multiverse Saga struggles may be on the way to being a thing of the past. Not many studios could have survived the deluge of debacles that Marvel rolled out in 2022 and 2023; however, following a string of successful projects in 2024, it seems as though Kevin Feige and crew–under a mandate from Bob Iger–have found a way back to the top of the food chain. And while the return to form is a welcome one, projects such as Eternals, Thor: Love and Thunder, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Secret Invasion still exist and the events depicted within them cannot be entirely discounted as the MCU forges ahead.

    The studio’s mid-2023 course correction hasn’t had time to be fully realized as yet but with a somewhat improved Captain America: Brave New World and a much-improved Thunderbolts* headed to theaters in 2025, the enjoyment of the fruits of Iger‘s mandated labor is within reach. Not every project was given the same grace as those two, however, and as the second half of the Multiverse Saga gets rewritten on the fly, it’s clear that some of the studio’s original plans will never come to fruition. Eternals 2? Nope. Thor 5 starring Hercules/ Maybe. The Kang Dynasty? Ope. Armor Wars? We’ll see. However, even though direct sequels and the big ideas set up to unfold within them may never see the big screen, recent rumors about the future of the MCU may provide a gateway to make good on a pair of projects that probably should have turned out quite a bit better than they did.

    Whatever the plans for Phase 6 were in 2022, they have become something quite different in 2024  No one change can tell the whole story of what went down behind the scenes but the shift in the studio’s plans for director Destin Daniel Cretton are very telling. Once on track to helm two of the studio’s most important Phase 6 films (a Shang-Chi sequel and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty) is now helming Spider-Man 4. 1+1 means Spidey 4 is now pretty damn important to whatever plans Marvel Studios has for to start bringing the Multiverse Saga to a close.

    Recent reports indicated that the fourth installment in the Tom Holland-led franchise underwent an overhaul that saw it evolve from a street-level team up to a multiverse story and recent rumblings have begun to reveal the nature of the new script written by Spidey vets Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Should the latest rumors prove true, Marvel Studios and Sony will expand their collaboration beyond their already impressive efforts and will oversee a creative crossover event of unprecedented magnitude. An increasingly louder and louder buzz points towards Marvel incorporating Sony’s most marketable Spidey-adjacent star, Tom Hardy, into the MCU following Venom: The Last Dance. Furthermore, as Hardy’s Eddie/Venom joins the narrative, so will the film’s villain, Knull, the creator of the symbiote race and one of Marvel Comics’ most powerful and frightening new villains. And incredibly enough, Knull has connections that extend well-beyond the Spider’s web that could easily be weaved into the character’s MCU arc and, in doing so, make good on a pair of moments that currently sit near the top of the studio’s list of recent missteps.

    As fans prematurely bemoan Spider-Man 4 potentially telling “another multiverse story” (like the last one was sooooooo bad),   the true nature of Knull and the storytelling potential it offers is being overlooked. Sure Spider-Man: King in Black would feature two characters who originated in a universe other than Earth-616’s but recent retcons to the history of the Klyntar have blazed a trail that, quite honestly, Marvel Studios’ Parliament would be foolish not to explore on the MCU.

    The Retcon is On…Hopefully

    Retcons have allowed comic book writers the ability to make changes great and small to previously established canon in order to make room for (sometimes) exciting new stories. So far, this is territory into which the MCU hasn’t waded very far but should they choose to work with Sony to bring the terrifying King in Black into their sandbox, they have a great opportunity to easily retcon some small pieces of previous films which might, in the end, make them feel a little more important.

    Thor: Love and Thunder had plenty of problems and though the film’s cold open wasn’t one of them, the type of increased creative collaboration with Sony that would allow Marvel Studios to include Knull in Spider-Man 4 could work in favor of at least making the fourth Thor film feel a bit more important than it did. Though it wasn’t seen on screen, the battle between Gorr’s god, Rapu, and the Dark Shadow Lord that left the former dead played out on the pages of 2013’s Thor: God of Thunder #6. However, in Jason Aaron’s iconic run, the character who fought the gold-armored god (and was stabbed in the melon by a spear!) was Knull. And just as in the film, and as one might expect from being stabbed in the head, Knull appeared to be dead and his Necrosword was scooped up by Gorr, who then used it to butcher gods across the cosmos.

    It took Knull more than one hundred years to recover from his wounds. After his recovery, the primordial god began to use his powers to create the symbiotic parasites that eventually became the Klyntar race of which Venom is a member. It’s not entirely clear how long Gorr was actively killing gods in the MCU but the point of retcons is that it doesn’t really matter. Thor: Love and Thunder‘s Dark Shadow Lord could easily be retconned as Knull and the Shadow Realm and Shadow Monsters Gorr had access to in the movie could easily be tied to Knull’s title as the King in Black and the god of darkness. Truthfully, it would be incredibly foolish of Marvel Studios not to take advantage of the opportunity to make these changes should Knull be part of the plans for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.

    Making the Best of a Bad Situation

    For far too long now, it’s been very clear that not only do Marvel Studios’ mid and post-credit stingers distract audiences from the very films they pay to watch but also hold no promise of an eventual payoff. In simple terms, the studio has played fast and loose with what they stick on after the body of the film, making the stingers either irrelevant of a problem for the “next guy up” to solve. There are no stronger examples of this than both of the stingers attached to Eternals but Spider-Man: King in Black could very well help save one of them.

    Thanks to one of the film’s stingers, Kit Harrington‘s Dane Whitman seemed to be destined to do…something…after Eternals. Whitman’s destiny as the Black Knight was teased before being interrupted by the offscreen voice of Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury Mahershala Ali‘s Blade. Two years later, Blade still hasn’t even begun production and Harrington‘s MCU future remains dishearteningly undefined. However, Whitman’s Ebony Blade could be the key to unlocking the potential of one of those two characters and possibly even both.

    Marvel Studios has made it clear they’re not interested in pulling directly from the pages of Marvel Comics and in this case, that could work in their favor. Whitman’s Ebony Blade has an interesting history that itself was retconned during the King in Black limited comic book series. Its MCU history is completely unknown which means the creatives have been handed a blank slate and could smartly craft something that could allow Harrington to bolster the supporting cast of Spider-Man 4 while making the Ebony Blade an important MacGuffin in the battle against Knull.

    While there once was some chance that Harrington might lead a Black Knight solo project that could serve to tell the long history of the Ebony Blade and the cursed knights who wielded it over the years, that’s incredibly unlikely to happen now given Disney’s new marching orders for their major studios. However, tossing Whitman into the mix of Spider-Man: King in Black would allow for a far more condensed version of the story to be told, as happened in the King in Black event series. And while a one-to-one adaptation of that won’t happen, that’s in the best interest of the potential story. For a long time now, Marvel Studios’ plots have always been simpler than those speculated or made up by fans and it could happen again with Whitman’s Ebony Blade. In the comics, the blade was forged from a substance known as Starstone which was created during the Big Bang. A powerful relic from the beginning of time, the Ebony Blade was sought after by Knull during his attempted conquest of Earth. It’s easy enough to imagine Knull, an Eldritch god who himself came to be during the birth of the cosmos, seeking out such a relic as he comes to Earth-616 in Spider-Man 4, giving Whitman a reason to have existed in the MCU in the first place and allowing for the Eternals‘ stinger to have some serious significance rather than being yet another throwaway scene. Ali’s Blade could provide some exposition while also helping fight off Knull’s horde of invaders and most everyone would start feeling quite a bit better about most everything.

    Of course, everything you just read is dependent, first and foremost, on the rumors of Knull joining the MCU being accurate. Beyond that, it’s not hard to start to see pathways that would allow for “yet another multiverse” movie to be one of the more exciting films in what remains in the Multiverse Saga while also upping the profile of some of the MCU’s less-than-beloved projects from its first half.

  • Shadow of the Bat: With Two Robins on the Way, the DCU’s Batman Won’t Be Far Behind

    Shadow of the Bat: With Two Robins on the Way, the DCU’s Batman Won’t Be Far Behind

    As James Gunn and Peter Safran work to build out their vision of the DCU, the DC Studios’ co-chairs have made it clear that the shared narrative will extend beyond the screen and into multiple other media. Live-action streaming series, animated streaming series and video games will all help create the all-new, all-different canon of the DCU and part of the plan to maintain a sense of continuity is to have one actor play a role across all the different medium.  As an example, Frank Grillo will enter the DCU as the voice of Rick Flag Sr. in the animated Creature Commandos and then reprise the role in live-action in Season 2 of Peacemaker.

    Television, movies and games all intertwine within the same universe. We’re going to cast actors that are going to be able to play the characters in this, as well as in other things, some of which we’ve already cast.

    -James Gunn

    According to Gunn, part of the reason that they’ll seek to maintain continuity between the different projects is to ensure that all DC Studios’ projects are in equal ground. “We don’t want the series to feel in any way like step-children or lesser than,” said Gunn in a 2023 interview. It’s an intriguing way to move forward as it may continue to allow, as is the case for Grillo, actors to enter the DCU first with their voice before physically embodying their character.

    With that notion in mind, the recently announced animated film, Dynamic Duo, could become the door through which the DCU’s Caped Crusader enters the chat.

    Animation will lead into live action and back into animation. It’s a way to tell stories that are gigantic and huge, but without spending, you now, $50 million an episode.

    -James Gunn

    As part of the initial reveal of DC Studios’ Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, The Brave and the Bold was announced and described by Gunn as “a very strange sort of father-son story.” As one of the first five movies to be announced, it was easy to assume that The Brave and the Bold would make its way to screens sooner rather than later but for a multitude of reasons, that’s not yet come to pass. And that brings us to the newly announced Dynamic Duo.

    It’s important to note that as of now, there’s no clarity on whether or not Dynamic Duo will be set within the DCU, only that despite Matt Reeves‘ 6th and Idaho producing the film, it is not set in Reeves‘ Batman Epic Crime Saga. Indeed earlier this year Gunn cautioned that not every DC Studios’ animated project would be set in the DCU and Dynamic Duo may be the first example of that; however, if it is not, then it seems extremely likely that a project which features two Robins would also include Batman. In fact, Reeves pretty clearly indicated it would.

    I have wanted to make a film with Arthur and Swaybox for many years, and for that film to be Dynamic Duo, an incredibly special and unique Batman and Robin story for families, is a dream.

    With a script by Coco and Lightyear scribe Matthew Aldrich already in the works and a director on board, work could begin on the project at any time which means casting could get underway imminently. When that happens, will Gunn be searching for the voice of (and eventually the face of) the DCU’s Batman? Hopefully, given his social media presence, that question is answered by Gunn before long.

    Sources: CBR, Cartoon Brew, Deadline

  • ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’: Meet The Resistance

    ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’: Meet The Resistance

    With Deadpool & Wolverine now available digitally after a record-breaking theatrical run, some fans are catching the buddy comedy for the first time from the comfort of their home theater. Though Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are the film’s stars and the ones out to save the day, they get plenty of help from a surprising group of heroes.

    Despite being made by Marvel Studios and containing a scene set in the MCU’s Sacred Timeline, most of Deadpool & Wolverine takes place on Earth-10005, multiple other Earths across the Multiverse or in The Void at the End of Time. While there’s plenty of fun had as Wade hops from Earth to Earth in search of the right Wolverine for the job, it’s in The Void where the film really flexes its creativity, bringing in a ragtag team of washed up heroes known as The Resistance. The Resistance generated a lot of buzz during the film’s theatrical run and is likely to do so again as the project’s second life begins. So, who are the characters who make up The Resistance and why are they there? Let’s take a look!

    The Members of The Resistance

    Johnny Storm/The Human Torch

    Played by: Chris Evans

    References: Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

    The first member of The Resistance met by Wade and Logan, Johnny Storm also meets a horrible fate at the freaky hands of Cassandra Nova. The film cleverly exploited Evans‘ return, baiting the audience into believing they might be seeing the triumphant return of Captain America. While that didn’t turn out to be the case, Evans gave Johnny a proper sendoff which includes a profanity-laced tirade for the ages.

    Thank you to Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and Shawn Levy for letting me be a part of such an incredible movie! They’re three of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Special thank you to Ryan for making it all happen. Playing Johnny again was a dream come true and he’ll always have a special place in my heart.

    Chris Evans

    Elektra Natchios

    Played by: Jennifer Garner

    References: Daredevil (2003) and Elektra (2005)

    After debuting as the character along Ben Affleck‘s Matt Murdock/Daredevil in 2003 and leading an Elektra film in 2005,  Jennifer Garner suited back up as the assassin almost 20 years later and didn’t miss a beat.

    I didn’t know that Elektra and I needed an ending, but Shawn and Ryan did. They are gifted in many ways, but seeing and elevating people around them is at the top of the list.

    Jennifer Garner

    Eric Brooks/Blade

    Played by: Wesley Snipes

    References: Blade (1998), Blade II (2002) and Blade: Trinity (2004)

    A decade before the MCU kicked off with Iron Man, Wesley Snipes brought Blade the Vampire Hunter to the big screen, lending legitimacy to superhero properties and changing the pop culture landscape forever. Despite Reynolds and Snipes having a fairly well-known feud with one another while filming Blade: Trinity, Reynolds reached out and the two found a way to not only bring Blade back but give him the proper send-off he never got.

    Well, if you can make it happen. Sure. I’ll come and do it. I did not think it was possible. I didn’t think he would be able to pull it off. I didn’t think that Marvel was into it. Disney was into it.

    Wesley Snipes

    Remy LeBeau/Gambit

    Played by: Channing Tatum

    Reference: None

    Though a version of Gambit appeared in the absolutely awful X-Men Origins: Wolverine, there’s little more to the story of this particular version portrayed by Channing Tatum. When Disney and Fox merged in 2019, Tatum’s long-developing Gambit film went by the wayside as the Fox X-Men franchise was euthanized. Tatum’s passion for the character came through in Deadpool & Wolverine, leading for fans to call for his return as the Cajun down the road.

    I thought I had lost Gambit forever.

    -Channing Tatum

    Laura/X-23

    Played by: Dafne Keen

    Reference: Logan (2017)

    Dafne Keen first starred as X-23, a clone of Wolverine, in 2017’s Logan and instantly became a fan favorite. While her return to the character was rumored months ahead of the film’s premiere, Keen kept the secret from almost everyone. Unlike the other members of The Resistance, Laura eventually ended up on Earth-10005, seemingly promising more in store for the character in the MCU.

    Shawn [Levy] told me this lovely story about him reading this scene where Deadpool was telling Wolverine about X–23, and thinking, ‘Maybe we should just have X-23.’ She’s a big emotional motor for Wolverine, and Wolverine is her entire emotional motor.

    Dafne Keen

    Deadpool & Wolverine is now available for purchase on digital platforms.

    Sources: Variety, THR, Deadline

  • The Power 15 List: Which Franchises Have the Most Juice With Fans Right Now?

    The Power 15 List: Which Franchises Have the Most Juice With Fans Right Now?

    1. Marvel Cinematic Universe (Disney/Sony)

    On the heels of winning San Diego Comic-Con with the Avengers news that shook the fandom, and with a film at the box office in Deadpool and Wolverine which is breaking records, the MCU is riding high. And this weekend’s D23 event may provide an additional jolt of enthusiasm about the franchise. However, with only Agatha All Along on Disney Plus to sustain content appetites for the rest of the year, we can expect to see some loss of momentum, particularly when the next shoe drops with respect to the beleaguered Blade film.

      2. Game of Thrones (WBD)

      This weekend’s House of the Dragon finale will likely cap a season that undoubtedly restored the feeling for the television franchise that reigned over the monoculture like a Targaryen Dynasty. And with additional spinoffs in the works, all skepticism about sustainability has been melted away with dragon flame. Warner Brothers Discovery’s flagship franchise is flying high, and we continue to whistle that iconic theme.

      3. Star Wars (Disney)

      The mixed reaction to The Acolyte and the continuing Culture War noise surrounding this franchise have really left Star Wars vulnerable. A Skeleton Crew trailer release is imminent, and maybe an infusion of Stranger Things energy into the graying, embittered fandom will do it some good. This is a franchise built on childlike wonder, and much of the recent content has been lacking in that regard.

      4. The Boys (Amazon)

      Head-to-head against The Acolyte, the most recent season of The Boys held its own in terms of mindshare, and even though Season 4 didn’t hit the highs of previous seasons, that hasn’t stopped Amazon from greenlighting a prequel spinoff to go with the Mexico-set spinoff announced a while back. The fact that the next season will be its final one will center it even more firmly in the discourse, as fans and critics will wonder if it can “stick the landing.” If anything, The Boys’ biggest Achilles heel might be the extent to which real-life steals its absurdist thunder.

      5. Dune (WBD)

      With one of the most critically and commercially successful films of the year, a sequel expected to be fast-tracked, and the spinoff prequel Dune: Prophecy series set for November on HBO, 2024 has been quite the year for the Dune franchise. And that’s before the memes. However, it does still remain to be seen how far the franchise climbs in the pop cultural consciousness, or whether this year will be its apex, given that other franchises were hobbled by the pandemic and the strikes, and given that things get extra weird on Arrakis from here on out.

      6. DC Elseworlds (WBD)

      While James Gunn‘s DCU prepares to pull out of the station, fans of those characters will get to visit Gotham twice this fall, as the HBO series The Penguin returns us to the world of Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga. And although Robert Pattinson’s Batman is unlikely to feature heavily in the series, his shadow will likely loom over the story. And at the cinema, the highly anticipated sequel to the billion-dollar grossing Joker will offer us another glimpse into Todd Phillips’ Scorsese-tinged hyper-reality, as Lady Gaga‘s Harley Quinn enters the fray. Other alternate universe projects have yet to be announced, and details remain limited on the proper sequel to The Batman, but needless to say, the more successful these two projects are, the more likely that others will also see the light of day.

      7. DCU (WBD)

      Superman has recently wrapped, the first teaser trailer for Creature Commandos (dropping in December) has been released, and news items about upcoming projects continue to surface. Still, while anticipation for what James Gunn is cooking up remains high, excitement is muted. There was no SDCC panel, and it’s possible that audiences won’t get non-set leak Superman footage until 2025. So for the remainder of 2024, we could very well be in “wait and see” mode.

      8. Star Trek (Paramount)

      Although it’s been many years since the last Star Trek film (despite Quentin Tarantino‘s best efforts to give audiences “Hard R Trek”), the franchise has been flourishing on streaming, with a number of well-regarded series on Paramount Plus, and more on the way. And the recent announcement of the first live-action comedy in the franchise’s history could push Star Trek further into the mainstream than it’s been in years.

      9. MonsterVerse (Legendary/WBD)

      Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire was moderately successful at the box office, and the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters streaming series was well-received, albeit underappreciated, with a second season on the way. This franchise still has its drawing power, but its days at the top of the zeitgeist may be behind it.

      10. Spider-Verse (Sony)

      Tom Holland‘s MCU Spider-Man franchise is represented elsewhere, but through the power of the Spider-Verse franchise, every possible Spidey and Spidey-adjacent character — be they in the Amazon researching spiders before dying, bonding with goopy alien symbiotes in San Francisco, or…doing whatever Kraven is doing — is connected via multiversal web. And Beyond the Spider-Verse very well might connect these divergent threads. There’s still no word on when that movie will drop, but for now, fans of the Venom films can look forward to the conclusion of that trilogy in Venom: The Last Dance, which releases in October.

      11. Transformers/GI Joe (Paramount)

      Last year’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts revealed that the two franchises were being merged, and while there’s a degree of uncertainty as to when we’ll get that film, next month’s Transformers: One animated film will give longtime fans the robot-centric big screen adventure they’ve clamored for since they first discovered Stan Bush’s “The Touch.”

      12. Lord of the Rings (WBD/Amazon)

      While technically, the rights to the Tolkien books have been bifurcated, and the Rings of Power series will likely never cross over with the LOTR projects in the works at Warner Brothers, each is capable of elevating the overall excitement around the stories told on Middle Earth. But unfortunately, Season 1 of Rings of Power, despite its budget and the advertising blitz around it, never really hit the mainstream, and it’s hard to see Season 2 breaking through.

      13. Jurassic Park/World (Universal)

      Yes, they’re still making these, and yes, the films still have a billion-dollar upside. But with less than a year until the next film, directed by Gareth Edwards and starring Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali, is slated to hit theaters, it’s hard to see what new ground this franchise could stake out to fire up the fanbase.

      14. Harry Potter (WBD)

      Putting aside the toxic JK Rowling of it all, this franchise needs a cultural reset, and indeed, WBD is looking to introduce a new generation to the world of wizards and wands. They’re still a few years away from getting that project out, though, and who knows what nonsense JK could say or do to further sully the franchise’s legacy before then.

      15. Anne Rice Immortal Universe (AMC)

      Yes, The Walking Dead has been an AMC mainstay, but while that seems to be limping along, the series based on the Anne Rice novels seem to be gathering momentum. However, despite their highly engaged fan followings, particularly for Interview With the Vampire, the media landscape for these shows doesn’t seem favorable for a jump into the mainstream anytime soon.

      Honorable Mention:

      The Walking Dead (AMC), Mission: Impossible (Paramount), Fast & Furious (Universal), Mad Max (WBD), John Wick (Lionsgate), Ghostbusters (Sony), James Bond (EON)

    1. Midnight Sons

      Midnight Sons

      Premiere: TBD

      In early 2024, it was reported that Marvel Studios was moving ahead with a film adaptation of Midnight Sons and was interested in reteaming with Werewolf By Night director Michael Giacchino to helm it.

      Rumored Cast

      • Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell
      • Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone
      • Mahershala Ali as Blade
      • Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight
      • Unknown actor as Ghost Rider
    2. The All-New, All-Different Hypothetical 2025 Marvel Studios Release Calendar, V1

      The All-New, All-Different Hypothetical 2025 Marvel Studios Release Calendar, V1

      Bob Iger‘s return to Disney and a pair of strikes have rendered nearly everything we once thought we knew irrelevant. Movies once slated for 2023 or 2024 have been moved to 2025 and the domino effect has probably only just begun. With so much having changed since last we ventured into the waters of the hypothetical calendar, it’s high time to relaunch them anew…and adifferent.

      January 8th-March 5th: Daredevil: Born Again, Episodes 1-9

      Following a major creative overhaul, the first episodes of Daredevil: Born Again–which were originally slated to debut in the Spring of 2024–are now TENTATIVELY on track to drop in January 2025. Though they didn’t throw the baby out with the bath water, it sounds like showrunner Dario Scardapane and new directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are going to take their time and make sure the MCU’s first Daredevil project does the character justice and given Bob Iger‘s demands that the projects live up to the high standards previously set for Marvel Studios, that might mean this gets pushed even further. We’ll know more shortly after the first of the year as we’ve recently heard that production is meant to get underway in January.

      February 14th: Captain America: Brave New World

      Reports of significant reshoots on Cap 4 lined up with Disney’s decision to move the film into 2025. Those reports suggested that the film will undergo roughly 5 months of additional photography which is a longer period of time than the film was in production for the first time around. Now, the studio has brought on a brand new writer in Matthew Orton and though they are targeting a mid-2024 restart, production will not resume until his work on the script is done. Throw in the amount of time it’ll take to make the VFX hold up–especially with an appearance by the Red Hulk in the cards–and the February 2025 date makes all the sense in the world.

      May 2nd: Fantastic Four

      Fantastic Four was announced at SDCC ’19 and two long work stoppages have kept pushing it further and further down the road though it’s continually in the news cycle. At this point, all anyone wants is for the casting rumors around this project to come to an end and for cameras to roll. According to a relatively recent interview with director Matt Shakman, production should get underway next Spring and be ready to serve as the studio’s tentpole film for 2025 and launch the summer movie season…just as it should.

      June 27th: Spider-Man 4

      No project on this hypothetical calendar is more hypothetical than this one. If all the rumors are true, its release is partially dependent on Daredevil: Born Again–and that’s IF the creative threads that originally tied the two projects together stay in the series with the new showrunner taking over. Throw in that there’s been no official announcement from Sony about this project and that Tom Holland‘s “new deal” hasn’t been officially announced either and you’ve got even more reason to think this one may not happen in 2025 at all. However, a script has been in the works for most of the year, Sony has this date on the calendar for a Marvel film and, at the moment, doesn’t have any other projects that seem to fit the date. On the other hand, rumors persist that Jon Watts may be on board to direct and plans are being made to film next summer…

      July 25th: Thunderbolts

      By the time production finally starts on this project, the entire plot will have been leaked online. Despite multiple creative retoolings and a revolving door of writers, Thunderbolts is ultimately only delayed by a year from its original July 26, 2024 release date. Production is currently set to get underway in the spring with a TENTATIVE April start on the books.

      September 3rd-October 8th: Ironheart

      A project that has been in the can for quite some time, Ironheart is on track to release 2 full years after it was originally slated to hit Disney Plus. It’ll be interesting to see if Disney ever addresses exactly why this series took so long to release (not even VFX touch-ups and reshoots can explain away a 2-year move), especially when the footage shown at 2022’s D23 looked pretty fun.

      November 7th: Blade

      Mahershala Ali has the patience of a saint. Ali is the driving force behind this project which, like Fantastic Four, was announced over 4 years ago, and is staying the course despite several changes to the creative team over the past year or so and the delays due to the strikes. As of now, Blade looks like it’ll actually start production in the second half of 2024 and be ready for theaters, complete with an R-rating, by November 2025!

      All in all, this is a major revamp from the last time we rolled out a hypothetical 2025 calendar. With things at Disney never having been in flux more than they are now, it’ll be fun to see just how much of this holds true.

    3. 6 Villains Who Could Replace Kang as the Big Bad of the Multiverse Saga

      6 Villains Who Could Replace Kang as the Big Bad of the Multiverse Saga

      On the heels of news from a couple of weeks ago that Destin Daniel Crettin will no longer be directing Avengers: Kang Dynasty, the speculation that Jonathan Majors’ Kang will no longer serve as the main antagonist, or “big bad,” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Multiverse Saga has really started to heat up. This is especially true when you consider that the character’s primary influence has been felt on the series side, where Loki just wrapped up its two-season, 12-episode arc in a satisfying way. But even if pivoting away from the character solves one problem, that still raises an even more important question: Who should step in to replace Kang, either for both Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, or just the finale?

      Below are five possible alternatives:

      The Big Name
      1. Doctor Victor Von Doom



      Among superhero fans, this character needs no introduction. Indeed, as far as Marvel villains go, he is at the top of the food chain, capable of matching science with Tony Stark, matching magic with Stephen Strange, and matching kingdoms with the Black Panther. Alongside the X-Men, he was arguably one of the most coveted of the Fox-controlled characters that Marvel Studios acquired when Disney purchased 21st Century Fox in 2017. And Doctor Doom was at the center of not just the original Secret Wars comic event in 1984, but the more multiverse-centric event from 2015. Indeed, “God Doom” featured Victor at his most iconic, reaching his apotheosis and ruling the remnants of a shattered Multiverse as its God Emperor. From that position, it’s easy to see how he could seamlessly fill out the “Dynasty” aspect of The Kang Dynasty.

      However, it is precisely because Doom can be such an enriching asset to the MCU as an ever-present, ongoing antagonist that it would be viewed as a waste to slot him into the role of the “Final Boss” to be vanquished by the Avengers. Telling his story and developing his character over multiple projects and across multiple conflicts can flesh him out and give mainstream audiences more of an opportunity to connect with him over the long term. But having him be the Final Boss of the Multiverse Saga and not be defeated in a satisfying way would be worse, because it won’t provide the closure and sense of culmination. It’s a Catch-22 for Marvel if they were to slot Doom into the role, and that explains why it shouldn’t be him.

      The Variants
      2. Thanos



      This would be one of the more controversial choices, for sure, but in a way, it would bring things full circle. Yes, the Avengers’ inability to deal with their own failure in Avengers: Infinity War led them back to him in Avengers: Endgame. But surely, across an infinite Multiverse, there had to be a Thanos with even grander ambition than snapping away half the lives in the universe. A Thanos who wants to snap away half of the universes, then, is just the kind of leveling up that made The Force Awakens’ “build a bigger Death Star” plan so successful — play the hits, only louder.

      But admittedly, there’s a huge risk in bringing back the villain the MCU successfully pulled off because they couldn’t quite pull off establishing The Next Thanos; it could be seen as an admission of defeat and creatively bankrupt. That said, the idea of time loops and recurring, iterant cycles has been central to the Multiverse Saga so far. Marvel might be able to lean into the deja vu of it all and make it work.

      3. Infinity Ultron



      If Thanos is the Avengers villain who won, then Ultron is the Avengers villain who lost. But What If…? gave us a glimpse into a fully actualized Ultron who, if unleashed on the world could become a threat to every universe in the Multiverse. And right now, with artificial intelligence such a big part of the zeitgeist, there’s a way to bring this upgraded Ultron to the big screen in such a way that it feels not like a retread, but an existential threat.

      On the other hand, there aren’t a lot of ways to make Ultron drones visually interesting, and audiences would probably grow tired of repetitous battles, even if it’s fun to see heroes unleash their full powers on killer robots.

      4. The Maker



      Now it would for sure be a tough sell to fans for newly-introduced Reed Richards and his evil Variant to be thrust into prominent roles in The Multiverse Saga at around the same time. But while it certainly runs the risk of being considered rushed, the fact that the MCU already introduced the Council of Kangs makes a Council of Reeds less likely, and functionally, if Good Reed is going to possibly step up with a plan to save the Multiverse from collapse, an Evil Reed who has a much more sinister plan can capably fill the void left by infinite Kangs.

      The other major upside for using The Maker in this fashion is that unlike Doom, he can be definitively defeated without fans feeling like a character with long term Big Bad potential has been wasted. What better time to introduce us to the ultimate twisted mirror version of a hero as major villain than the Multiverse Saga? Which brings us to the next possibility…

      5. Hydra Cap



      One of the most controversial characters introduced in comics in recent years is the version of Steve Rogers who was actually a sleeper Hydra Agent, ushering in the fascist takeover of the United States. In many ways, Hydra Cap was prescient, but over the years, the polarizing nature of the controversy has waned, so much so that Steve’s “Hail Hydra” in Endgame was viewed as a nod to the character. It’s been nothing new that rumors have swirled around Chris Evans’ possible return to the MCU, and after playing villainous roles in Knives Out and The Gray Man, he’d likely be game for playing an Evil Captain America.

      What are the downsides? Perhaps the “political” aspects of the character would take away from the more cosmic scope of the other presumed antagonists. But across an infinite Multiverse, while our Steve was capable of wielding Mjolnir, perhaps Evil Steve wielded the Infinity Gauntlet or some other immensely powerful weapon as he extended Hydra’s reign across dimensions. In any event, the shot of Chris Evans wearing the Hydra colors as he stepped out of the shadows, a la the train station scene in Infinity War, would be one helluva reveal.

      6. King Killmonger



      If Hydra Cap represents the twisted mirror version of “I Could Do This All Day,” King Killmonger represents the twisted mirror version of “Wakanda Forever.” Another recent comics storyline was the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, where the highly advanced African nation first sought to explore space, but turned to conquest, and established an empire across the stars in the name of Wakanda, led by an emperor, N’Jadaka, who was essentially a reincarnated Killmonger. For the MCU, that story doesn’t have to be replicated beat by beat, but if an audience primed for Kang the Conqueror got, essentially, Killmonger the Conqueror instead, with all of the accouterments of a Wakandan ruler but leveled up to cosmic, it would be quite the sight. Not to mention that in Michael B. Jordan, you’d have an established A-list star and charismatic performer who could sell the idea and get audiences to buy in. Yes, it would for sure be an out-of-left field pivot, but it would certainly be provocative and get the people going.

      Shifting the focus of the Multiverse Saga away from Kang would be a bold and controversial move. And surely the brain trust at Marvel Studios are weighing the pros and cons of such a move as we speak. But if they chose to take such a drastic step, each of these choices offers a feasible alternative, and if well-executed, could still lead to a satisfying conclusion to these recent Phases of MCU storytelling.

    4. Fantastic Father: Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards Casting Suggests Franklin and Valeria Are Coming To the MCU Sooner Than Expected

      Fantastic Father: Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards Casting Suggests Franklin and Valeria Are Coming To the MCU Sooner Than Expected

      Last week, fans finally got a long-awaited glimpse into the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s plans for the Fantastic Four, when the story broke that Pedro Pascal, he of The Mandalorian, The Last of Us, and countless “Daddy” memes, was cast as Reed Richards, the patriarch of Marvel’s First Family. And of course, that set the social media sphere aflame. But one aspect of the casting has been underexplored. At 48 years of age, Pascal won’t exactly be a spring chicken when Fantastic Four debuts on the big screen. And what that likely means is that a heretofore never explored aspect of Mister Fantastic in live-action is likely to be explored here: Reed Richards, father.

      Based on Pascal’s age, a story based around the F4’s origin seems unlikely. Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny will probably be established heroes, and therefore it’s perfectly reasonable to assume that alongside the core Four, we will be introduced to Reed and Sue’s children, Franklin and Valeria Richards. In fact, it’s quite plausible that they’ll be teenagers, rather than toddlers.

      This is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, as a franchise that debuted in 2008, the MCU is getting a bit long in the tooth, as the Gen Xers and Millennials who were part of what made the MCU a phenomenon are aging into the phases of their lives when they’re no longer dictating what’s cool. And while Marvel has seeded their universe with Young Avengers in order to hopefully connect with Zoomers on their level, the Fantastic Four is a throwback. You couldn’t get more Boomer. So who better to provide the eyes through which we meet them, if not their children? Yes, the F4 are a little bit (or even a lotta bit) uncool to modern audiences, but there can be something charming about Mom and Dad not being cool.

      As stated earlier, the Fantastic Four feel like quaint throwbacks to a bygone era, and it’s for that reason that so many imagined Fantastic Four as a 60s period piece. But Franklin and Valeria are different; they’re not stuck in the amber of any previous generation’s aesthetic. They, more than the others, can bring a Modern Family element to a Father Knows Best dynamic. And it’s because they can look at their parents and uncles — who they love — and tell them that they’re a thousand years old and completely out of touch. Ironically, that kind of Gen Z gaze is how you make the F4 resonant to modern audiences, relatable both to the kids who see their parents in them, and the Gen Xers/Millennials, who see themselves in the context of their own relationships with their kids.

      Which brings us back to Reed. There’s a certain amount of inherent unlikeability to being the smartest man in the world. It was always going to be necessary to smooth Reed’s edges a little bit, and get people to root for him and Sue to make things work. Casting the eminently charming Pedro Pascal helps. He’s already shown an ability to project fatherly qualities, even when his characters are supposedly loners. And when the MCU introduces us to Franklin and Valeria Richards, Pascal will be able to showcase that side of Mister Fantastic and enhance the Fantastic Four’s position as the First Family of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    5. Marvel Studios is at a Crossroads

      Marvel Studios is at a Crossroads

      Marvel Studios’ has faced its worst opening weekend with The Marvels. Is it a simple discussion surrounding superhero or Marvel fatigue? Going by just how varied the discussions are online, it’s very likely not as simple as anyone wants it to be. One could discuss the impact of the last few years, a rough 2023 box office for blockbusters, the SAG as well as WGA strikes, and many more factors. So, there might simply not be a singular reason and just a lot of elements coming together.

      Of course, these kinds of numbers establish the expected “end” of Marvel Studios’ discussion online. Articles have dropped announcing that the films are no longer events which is why no one is watching them. Certain subsections proclaim the end of Marvel due to “wokeness” and whatever personal reason one has when leaving the franchise behind as “it should’ve ended with Endgame” echoes throughout the dark corners of the web. For years, the discussion was that superhero movies would go the way of the Western and if that point has been reached, we’ll likely see a very different Marvel Studios moving forward.

      As such, it seems like the perfect time to discuss what exactly the future might hold for Marvel Studios and likely the results that’ll come from this blow at the box office. We have no insight into what Marvel Studios will truly do moving forward but there are already some minor hints that may tease what the future has in store and what we can expect from the studio that reinvented blockbusters for over 15 years. We’re at a crossroads and potentially the beginning of a new era moving forward.

      First Signs Exist in 2023

      Bob Iger returned as the CEO of Disney, which saw Bob Chapek try his best to figure out what exactly they would be doing during a pandemic. He carried over the Disney+ goals that were started by his predecessor only to buckle under the weight and get replaced. Yet, Iger’s run since hasn’t been something one would describe as a “return to form” but he has pointed out that a reduction of releases is something they are definitely going to review the future.

      At the time the pandemic hit, we were leaning into a huge increase in how much we were making. And I’ve always felt that quantity can be actually a negative when it comes to quality, and I think that’s exactly what happened. We lost some focus.

      Bob Iger

      2023 was still a big push from all studios to make bank after a rough pandemic, but it has led to many films fizzling out. As much as we want to point to Barbenheimer and Super Mario Bros. Movie as a showcase of how strong the year was: it simply wasn’t. Many films have bloated budgets due to filming during COVID and subsequently were never going to truly make their money back outside of some massive numbers. Prices are on the rise and with a cost of living crisis affecting people’s decisions, it becomes clear that people are far more selective than they’ve ever been (a reason it’s not as simple as just fatigue).

      One thing is clear though: we’ll see fewer releases moving forward. We already saw the reduction of output in 2023 with only two Disney+ series hitting the streaming service with quite a bit of time between each release; even if Secret Invasion didn’t quite help matters. The Marvels was pushed from July to November, which ended up hurting it due to the actor’s strike heavily hampering its promotion build-up. So, we’re already in the middle of a transition phase for the studio.

      New Disney+ Strategy

      Actually, there is one new highlight I ended up leaving out and that is Marvel Spotlight. Out of nowhere, Marvel Studios unveiled an entirely new banner just for their “grounded” stories that aren’t necessary for the major storyline being told throughout the phases. It was a strategic move that definitely left some ripples alongside a strong first impression with Echo’s trailer. Ever since there’s been a bit more positivity in the air that was definitely needed for the franchise that has been. Of course, outlets were still ready to say it’s too late or won’t fix any of the issues it’s facing. Head of Streaming, Brad Winderbaum, shared the inspiration for this new brand:

      Marvel Spotlight gives us a platform to bring more grounded, character-driven stories to the screen, and in the case of Echo, focusing on street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity. Just like comics fans didn’t need to read Avengers or Fantastic Four to enjoy a Ghost Rider Spotlight comic.

      Brad Winderbaum

      It’s unclear if this might just become the de facto banner for the Disney+ shows and the way it is being described is to ease viewers into it. The fact of the matter is: there’s a lot of debate about Disney+ and the film’s connections potentially muddling viewership a bit, especially with The Marvels that technically ties into multiple stories. While many have been quick to point out that every Marvel film quickly introduces elements from these shows and doesn’t require audiences to do the homework they complain about online, it’s a clever way to just visually create a distinction and ease audiences in.

      Still, one thing that the Disney+ shows should do is focus primarily on becoming the venue of exploring either side stories from movie characters or simply setting up its own subset within the grander universe. In a way, they could take the Defenders approach from Netflix and simply have its own little build-up with various characters that can bleed into Avengers releases that tie the entire Phase together. Small references here or there could ease viewers in but not lead to discussions of: “why is Ms. Marvel headlining a movie, does it mean I need to watch her show to know who she is?”

      Daredevil and Echo could become the grounded, street-level heroes on Disney+ that are visually and much more distinct from what they do with the movies. That would also help make the films stand out more, as these shows are no longer just as bombastic and expensive as their main counterparts. Agents of SHIELD worked as a complementary series that looked like it was part of the universe but distinctively is a TV series.

      New Cinematic Strategy

      2024 will only give us Deadpool 3 and that likely is mainly due to the writer’s strike but also potentially a deliberate choice to restructure next year. The only question is if they will stick with their 2025 schedule, which now includes three releases as is the usual norm for the studio. Yet, we might see them move away from that once they start reshuffling moving forward.

      The biggest problem that plagues these films is the production costs that have ballooned since COVID. The Marvels marks the final production that occurred during that time with everything heading our way in the coming years once again being under somewhat normal production rules for the studio moving forward. Though the SAG and WGA strikes are definitely going to show their thorns with Captain America: Brave New World which is getting extensive reshoots and Deadpool 3.

      Still, it would seem wise to perhaps pull back a bit going into 2025. Once again rolling out three films and who knows how many Disney+ series might just set them right back to where they are currently. Perhaps going back to the days of two releases a year to slowly build up momentum again might be the best way forward.

      Hell, if they do it right they could have one major event release per year with a bigger budget behind it, something we might see with Captain America 4, and then try to focus on a smaller project in that same year which can make back its money with even a softer release. Blade is rumored to have a $100M production budget and would perfectly fit that very bill. Once things “normalize” we might see the old MCU budgets back in action, as the current ones are definitely not intended. That way they can build up relevance and still given minor characters a spotlight even if they carry a bigger box office risk.

      No Single Solution

      Even making these examples and ideas of how Marvel Studios could move forward; mostly based on what signs are already there; there’s no true single solution to it all. Every franchise will eventually end up in a slump and the box office developments between The Marvels and previous projects are still showcasing a distinction. The current slump may remain an anomaly due to multiple factors affecting its release and the question will be if Deadpool 3 can draw in a crowd given where Marvel stands.

      Going into 2024, I wouldn’t expect many more releases outside of Echo and perhaps one more Disney+ series. There’s a chance the binge model works for them so they do make use of it to avoid the series occupying too much time and potentially not leading to the consensus of overwhelming audiences. Yet, this year has proven that they can have a massive success like Loki’s second season and a mild reception like Secret Invasion.

      The clear thing is: that once they show more consistency moving forward for audiences as they build toward Avengers: Secret Wars, we might see audiences once again return to theaters to not miss out on the latest Marvel movie. The studio is at a crossroads rather than an immediate stop. Whatever happens, moving forward depends on how they react to this current status and how they decide to build upon it moving forward.

      Source: The Verge, CNBC, Deadline, Variety, ComicBookMovies.com