The road to Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four draws closer to reality. In an interview with The Wrap, director Matt Shakman confirmed that production for the film adaptation of Marvel’s First Family is scheduled to begin in early 2024. This period would be a logical production window as the film is currently set to release on February 14, 2025. Though with release date delays that have become commonplace for Marvel Studios, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for audiences to expect the film to have at least one more delay in release.
Matt Shakman being hired to helm Fantastic Four comes after previously directing the entirety of the acclaimed WandaVision series for Disney+. His work on the inaugural Marvel Cinematic Universe streaming project got him hired to work on a Star Trek feature film sequel for Paramount. But the offer of the Fantastic Four forced him to relinquish his role on Star Trek. Shakman spoke about this decision and his motivations with Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four.
Movies have different journeys and momentums and schedules are a little bit mercurial, and so when the ‘Fantastic Four’ opportunity came up, it was just too hard to pass up, and to go back home to Marvel, a place that I worked on ‘WandaVision’ at, with those people who are wonderful collaborators. It’s really a family there and to be able to go back and tackle something that I truly love, and they’re very similar in some ways: they both were launched in the ’60s at the same time, they’re both about optimism and looking to the stars and technology can solve everything and they’re about family too — the family you have, the family you make. So they’re aligned in many ways and speak to my heart and equally, so I’m excited to be working on ‘Fantastic Four’.
Matt Shakman
This quote should pique the interest of fans of the Fantastic Four. Matt Shakman’s excitement about the themes of family and exploration is key to successfully adapting Marvel’s First Family. They’re also concepts that weren’t adeptly explored in the previous film adaptations of the team. If Shakman’s creative vision for the team can be capitalized on, fans should have a lot to be excited about in 2025 with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Then in terms of the 2024 production start, it should further confirm the notion that audiences won’t learn of an official cast till the second half of 2023. A big reveal at San Diego Comic-Con seems to be an ideal time for the pageantry of such an occasion.
Evangeline Lilly‘s Hope van Dyne/Hope Pym/The Wasp became the first MCU hero to have her name in the title of a film in 2018’s Ant-Man and The Wasp. Now the star is ready to see her character take the next step and take center stage in her own solo film.
During the premiere of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Lilly, who suited up as the character for the fourth time, was asked by a Variety reporter how much longer she would like to portray the character. At least one more time, as it turns out. “I’m gonna make a pitch,” said Lilly, “that I think it might be time for a Hope spinoff…for a Wasp standalone film.“
While there’s no guarantee Hope, or any of the Ant-Family, will survive their run-in with Kang the Conqueror in Quantumania much less the events of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, the character has proven to be savvy and resourceful. Given that Hope is largely a character created for the MCU, there’s no telling where he path may lead in the future, making that The Wasp solo film a distinct possibility down the road.
Jonathan Majors‘ Kang the Conqueror seems to be everything he’s been made out to be. The first reactions to the premiere of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania have revealed that Majors blew audiences away and that Kang is truly a threat unlike anything the MCU has seen before. Of course, Majors‘ first Variant of the character, He Who Remains, warned of the coming of someone such as Kang and now that he’s arrived, it’s hard to say just what it will take to defeat him.
He Who Remains and Kang the Conqueror are just two of the many Variants of Kang that Majors is likely to play in the Multiverse Saga and it’ll take more than different costumes to truly set the characters apart. To that end, Quantumania and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty writer Jeff Loveness had (and still has) his work cut out for him in creating the unique twists on the Variants that Majors will bring to life. During an interview at the Quantumania premiere, Loveness described how he developed the Conqueror for the film.
“Jumping off of Loki, where he’s more of a whimsical, kind of like an unexpected character, we just wanted to break expectations with this third movie,” said Loveness. “I think everyone kind of maybe expected a funny or a goofier Ant-Man villain,” he continued, “and so Peyton [Reed] and I said, ‘No, let’s put Ant-Man up against the most dangerous villain in the Multiverse and let’s do the opposite of what you saw in Loki. Let’s make this the worst of the worst.’”
Of course, all the written development in the world doesn’t matter if the talent bringing the character to life doesn’t stick the landing. As he’s done with every role in his career, Majors turned in a special performance and Loveness joined in on the praise for the talented actor. “And there’s a reason he’s here and I think Jonathan is incredible. I don’t think I’ve seen a screen actor like him in quite some time. The guy nailed every line and I’ve never had such a thrill writing like an actor like him before.“
Fans don’t have too much longer to see for themselves just what all the fuss is about Kang as Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters on February 17th.
A Brand new concept art from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has caused quite a stir among fans. The artwork reveals an intense, graphic scene that wasn’t in the final cut of the film, as it showcases the death of our beloved Wong with his brain scattered on the ground. That is not all, as it also includes Mordo with a huge scratch mark on his face after fighting Scarlet Witch.
The level of detail in the concept art is sure to leave a lasting impression and has fans speculating about what the movie would have looked like if this stayed as part of the original vision. This new piece provides a glimpse into the intense world of Doctor Strange and certainly leaves us wondering what mature Marvel films will be able to offer to viewers in the future.
The head from Mordo is actually part of a deleted sequence that would’ve featured the Scarlet Witch decapitating the 616 version of the character as her way to intimidate Strange. It definitely would’ve made for an interesting way to set up the character but also would limit the use of Mordo in future projects as a result.
It’s definitely interesting to see just how much Multiverse of Madness has changed since its original vision. We don’t know if the decapitation was part of Scott Derrickson’s original take on the character or ifthis is more in line with Sam Raimi‘s usual gory take on horror. It’s not uncommon for early versions of the scripts and artwork to push the boundary as much as possible, but it makes you wonder what didn’t make it past the brainstorming stage.
The upcoming continuation of the iconic Planet of the Apes trilogy is moving full steam ahead, as the 20th Century Studios production has added one more member to its cast. The Hollywood Reporter has unveiled that Dichen Lachman, known for her recent work on the series Severance, has joined the production of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which will explore the aftermath of 2017’s War of the Planet of the Apes long after Caesar’s reign.
In this continuation, we’ll explore two apes on their unique journey as one uncovers human technology and the other is on his way to find freedom. Though, a human woman seemingly becomes essential to his quest and has her own goals. Production is already happening in Australia and Lachman joins the rest of the cast which consists of Freya Allan, William H. Macy, Kevin Durand, and Owen Teague.
As of now, Lachman‘s role remains unclear, but Lachman is a good get for the series. She was recently seen on Jurassic World Dominion as a black market dealer, and even voiced General Atitaya in Raya and the Last Dragon. She also made a big splash with her recent work on the Apple TV+ series though she’s also going to be busy filming the second season of Severance. So, she might have a supporting role in the Planet of the Apes sequel.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a success in more ways than one. While it didn’t topple Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the film has managed to become the second biggest release for the productions studio in 2022. Now, it seems the film is making even more waves as after the longest theatrical runs since the pandemic started, Wakanda Forever has become Disney+’s biggest Marvel premiere to date.
The debut is measured by hours streamed in the first five days of its release. The film fittingly kicked off Black History Month on February 1st after breaking the 45-day plan that was established under Bob Chapek leadership, who was very streaming first in his strategy. It didn’t quite pan out and we’re seeing some developments to find a better balance but Disney must definitely be excited knowing just how much people loved the latest Marvel entry.
It also is a good sign that people’s interest in Marvel is still strong as ever with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania set to release in just a few weeks. Early predictions already have it as the biggest opening for the trilogy and have the potential to use its event status alongside the introduction of Kang the Conqueror. So, it’s going to be an exciting year for Marvel and we’ll see just how high the bar will be set in 2023 as the world continues to move on from the pandemic.
The only thing James Gunn loves more than making movies about superheroes is shooting down online rumors about those movies. No Hollywood creative is more active online than Gunn, who can often be found responding to tweets about his projects to limit the spread of misinformation. Now the co-chair of the newly formed DC Studios, Gunn will have his hands in almost every DCU project but none more so than Superman: Legacy which he is currently writing and likely to direct. Though that movie isn’t scheduled to come out until 2025, rumors have already begun about casting for the new Man of Steel, which means Gunn was able to get involved.
The Twitter account DCU Leaks was the latest account to test Gunn and quickly found out that the director isn’t one to mess around. Two minutes after DCU Leaks stated that Luke Eisner was the front-runner for the role of Superman in the new film, Gunn shot down the rumor, calling it “false” and adding that “casting has not begun.”
With Superman: Legacy not slated to release until July 11, 2025, there’s no reason for casting to have begun for the film. Production is unlikely to start until mid-2024, meaning casting for the project probably won’t heat up until late 2023 or early 2024. That’s not to say Gunn may not have actors in mind, but at this point, it’s clear there’s nothing to the rumors of a “front-runner” for the role.
Marvel Studios is only one-third of the way through its Multiverse Saga and with the onset of Phase 5, fans will soon learn the true nature of the saga’s big bad. Though the Multiverse Saga won’t wrap up for another few years (if it keeps its current pace), Disney has already planted flags for four post-Secret Wars theatrical projects meaning, to nobody’s surprise, that they plan to continue phasing and saga-ing beyond the Multiverse Saga. Whatever that new saga holds, it will ultimately have to culminate in a major event worthy of drawing heroes from every corner of the universe to help save the day and while any number of comic book events could be adapted to provide such a threat, an epic multi-event run from the late 00s and early 10s might not only be the best bet but also already be in the earliest stages of being established in the MCU. It’s possible that Marvel Studios could be teeing up Phases 7-9 to become the MCU’s Annihilation Saga.
What is Annihilation?
Much like the Infinity Saga and the Multiverse Saga, the Annihilation Saga wouldn’t be the direct adaptation of one of Marvel Comics’ major events or any particular run, but rather inspired by several different runs and centered on a threat worthy of large-scale team-up films on the level of Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars and while there’s no shortage of such threats, one might be closer to making his way into the MCU than the rest: Annihilus.
Originally introduced as a Fantastic Four villain, Annihilus has grown in power over the years and has become a threat to the existence of the entire universe. The ruler of a pocket dimension known as the Negative Zone, Annihilus, with the power gifted to him by wielding the Cosmic Control Rod, set his sights on conquering Earth and then the entire “positive” galaxy. Thus, in 2006, Annihilus was the main antagonist of the Cosmic crossover event, Annihilation, in which he lead his Annihilation Wave out of the Negative Zone and wreaked havoc on the galaxy as he attempted to extinguish all life within it. Should the MCU wish to make The Living Death That Walks the main antagonist of its next saga, Annihilation would be cornerstone content for it; however, a significant amount of groundwork would need to be done ahead of time and it looks like Marvel may already be pouring the foundation.
The Fantastic Four
Matt Shakman‘s Fantastic Four will introduce the First Family to the MCU along with opening the door to hundreds of characters and settings closely associated with them. No details about the film but the Fantastic Four have such a rich history with Annihilus and The Negative Zone that it would be a shame to allow the character to be introduced any other way. That said, there’s no reason for the First-Born Son of Oblivion to be introduced in the 2025 film when there’s plenty of time over Phased 7 through 9 for him to make his debut.
Galactus and His Heralds
A Silver Surfer solo project is heavily rumored to be headed to Disney Plus at some point in the Multiverse Saga and while the Sentinel of the Spaceways would certainly be a major player in an Annihilation Saga, his master and the horde of heralds who served him over centuries were a major part of the Annihilation event as Annihilus coveted the Power Cosmic. Rumors of Galactus’ presence in 2025’s Fantastic Four have recently heated back up and it’s been said that the Silver Surfer project would stream prior to Galactus’ appearance. Marvel Studios could use that solo project as a way to deliver the rich and complex history and mythology of Galactus and his heralds ahead of Fantastic Four which would allow for those characters to move smoothly into their roles in the Annihilation Saga. While his former heralds served as soldiers in the war against Annihilus, the “Galactus event” turned the tide of the war.
Nova
There was no greater hero in the war against the Annihilation Wave than Richard Rider and it was Rider who ultimately ended the war by killing Annihilus. Xandar, home to the Nova Corps, was one of the first planets to fall to the Annihilation Wave. Rider survived and allowed the Xandarian Worldmind to merge with him while also agreeing to host the entirety of the Nova Force. With the help of many friends and heroes, Rider formed the United Front which brought members of some of the galaxy’s fiercest civilizations together in the fight against the Bug King. Though it’s currently unclear what format it will ultimately take, a solo Nova project is in the works at Marvel Studios which means Rider could be introduced and set up just in time for Annihilus to give him the push he needs to become Marvel’s greatest Cosmic hero.
Adding these characters to the mix during the Multiverse Saga would allow them to join forces with whichever Guardians of the Galaxy survive Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to defend both the galaxy and Earth against an incredibly powerful threat.
How Would It Take Shape?
As has been the case through the first two sagas, not every second of every project needs to serve the endgame of that saga. While there are sure to be connections in nearly every project, what’s important is that the characters get put in the right places in time for the main event and that’s just a matter of smart scheduling. Following (or even prior to) the events of Avengers: Secret Wars, the concept of the Negative Zone could be introduced in any number of ways. Reed Richards discovered it and its anti-matter properties in the comics and could easily do so here. Having the Fantastic Four visit the Negative Zone and be perceived as a threat by Annihilus, however, is a pretty simple first step. All Annihilus has ever desired is to conquer all there was, so upon learning of there being more to conquer other than the Negative Zone, the wheels are set in motion.
Any number of events either during or after Secret Wars could be used to explain how Annihilus locates The Crunch, the physical meeting point of the 616-universe and the Negative Zone and the portal through which he launches the Annihilation Wave. Should the first Nova project be one of Marvel Studios Special Presentations, it could tell the tale of how Xandar fell to Thanos, how Richard Rider became Nova and how Xandar was rebuilt. Depending on how grand their plans are for the character, Marvel Studios could use use the next project, Nova: AnnihilationDay, to show how Annihilus grew in power and the sheer might of the Annihilation Wave.
Marvel Studios seems to love two-part conclusions to their sagas and that’s where the creatives at the studio could get…creative. Thanks to the heroics of Richard Rider and the United Front, the Annihilation Wave never reached Earth in the comics but Annihilus attempted to conquer and/or destroy the planet plenty of other times. The Fantastic Four and Adam Warlock played a hand in stopping Annihilus in several of those stories and could team up with Nova and The Avengers, respectively, to stop The Lord of The Negative Zone in the two-part finale to the Annihilation Saga: Avengers: Annihilation and Avengers: Annihilation Earthfall. It’ll all come together much better when talented people get involved.
Of course, there are any number of other major villains and events that could shape the next saga, including the impending arrival of the X-Men, so don’t start etching this in stone just yet. However, Annihilus is one of a handful of villains whose means, motive and opportunity have been on par with those of Thanos and Kang in the comics, putting him at least on the list of possible big bads set to star in his own saga.
Avatar: The Way of Water has enjoyed quite the free range at the box office. No one wanted to even get close to what was definitely one of the biggest releases in 2022 and as it nears the global take of Titanic, it seems the film has finally been dethroned. The interesting part is that the one to do so was Knock at the Cabin by M. Night Shyamalan. His film opened at $14.2M in 3,643 theaters but also marks the lowest opening for a Shyamalan film.
It seems like audiences aren’t quite enjoying the film as it has received a C CinemaScore, which is slightly below Old‘s C+ just a few years ago., which opened with $17M. So, Knock at the Cabin hasn’t had that big momentum that you’d hope to have to go into the weekend, but it still managed to dethrone a massive blockbuster so that’s something. Globally, it also opened to a soft $7M though these kinds of films normally leg out with a C CinemaScore may hold back.
That wasn’t all this weekend as an experiment to slash ticket prices to attract older audiences has seemingly paid off with 80 for Brady pulling in $12.5M and taking the second spot. You read that correctly, Avatar: The Way of Water dropped down to third with a still impressive $10.8M in its eight weeks after holding on to the #1 title for seven weeks in a row; something only the previous Avatar entry managed.
It should be noted that the 80 for Brady film also had more viewers than Knock at the Cabin at 1.3M. While it’s lower at the box office due to the lower ticket prices, it’s a promising showcase of one of the struggles that cinemas have nowadays. The tickets are continuing to get more expensive and audiences are becoming pickier to make sure it’s worth their run. So, reliable films like a Marvel Studios entry or something with strong word-of-mouth tend to pull in audiences.
Though production in Marvel Studios Thunderbolts won’t begin for several more months, the film’s plot is starting to take shape. Credible rumors suggest that the team assembled by Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine will find themselves up against one of Marvel Comics’ most powerful characters: Robert Reynolds, aka Sentry. Now, a new rumor from one of YouTube’s most popular sensationalists adds a little extra seasoning to the rumored rumble between Sentry and the Thunderbolts.
The rumor packs a pretty meaty claim about what it is that makes the Sentry such a dangerous character; if it’s accurate (and I have every reason to believe it is), Marvel Studios has chosen to go a route with the character that seemed improbable. According to the new information, Robert Reynolds will have a relationship with the malignant entity known as the Void.
In the comics, the Void is an ancient being of unspeakable evil whose origins seem to predate the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II. The entity attached itself to Sentry, slowly driving him mad and driving him to commit unimaginable atrocities. Over the years, the Void’s true nature has been reconned and added to but the reality remains that its inclusion in the MCU portends very bad things for the Thunderbolts.
Since rumors of the Sentry’s role in Thunderbolts first surfaced, fans have theorized that the team of Super Soldiers and spies probably didn’t stand much of a chance against the Superman analog. With the all-but-certain addition of a dark entity fueling Sentry’s rage, it’ll be interesting to see how the group holds up to a being with the power of a million suns who is possessed by an evil being.
Thunderbolts is tentatively slated to land in theaters on July 26, 2024.
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