What’s next for Marvel Studios? Who’s recently joined the cast of your most anticipated series or film? Where can you find the teasers and trailers? Look no further, true believers. Everything you need to know about the future of the MCU has been collected for you here. Click on each logo to learn what we currently know about the upcoming MCU projects.
Outside of the Avengers films, Marvel Studios’ next film, Thunderbolts*, will demand more from audiences than any other MCU film to date. Thanks to its ensemble cast, the Jake Schreier-helmed film looks to serve as a sequel or follow-up to more projects than any other non-Avengers film in the MCU’s 17-year history.
Originally developed as a sequel to 2021’s Black Widow, Thunderbolts* has evolved significantly–perhaps more than any MCU project ever–over the past few years. While it will still feature Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova as the lead and introduce Lewis Pullman‘s not-so-mysterious Bob, it will also feature a heavier-than-originally-expected dose of Sebastian Stan‘s Bucky Barnes. Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen and Olga Kurylenko will all also reprise their MCU roles and team up with Yelana and Bucky to take on Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ baddie, Val, and her enigmatic OXE group.
You’re talking about a group of characters that have done a lot of bad things, and maybe are struggling with feeling good about themselves. There’s an element that does speak to mental health, and loneliness, and how some of the darkness that we experience in our lives can’t be necessarily fixed, but can only really be made lighter through connection and finding others.
-Jake Schreier
With so many characters and their stories intersecting in Thunderbolts*, the upcoming film might require a bit more prep time than some of Marvel Studios’ recent projects. If you’re still reading, you’re probably ready to get started and so, as is our way, we present The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before… Thunderbolts*.
If you’ve never seen a single second of any of Marvel Studios’ films or streaming series, these Tier One projects should be considered the bare minimum to get yourself ready for Thunderbolts*. These four projects will introduce you to the film’s main characters and set the stage for you to follow the next steps on their journeys.
Truthfully, Captain America: The First Avenger is tough to slot on a list like this until you realize it’s a fictional universe and nothing actually matters. That said, while a fair argument can be made for its inclusion in Tier One, a counterargument can be made that, for all intensts and purposes, the James Buchanan Barnes introduced in TFA died in the fall from the train. While he’s no longer the Winter Soldier, Bucky is not–and never has been–the character from this film. Pairing Captain America: The Winter Soldier with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier does enough to prepare a first-timer for Bucky’s role in Thunderbolts*; however, TFA does provide additional context for Bucky’s tortured persona and why he’s striving so hard to change the world around him.
So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man.”
-Abraham Erskine, Captain America: The First Avenger
“Did it make him stronger?”
“Yes. But there were other… effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man.
And after you logic your way through all of that, the simple fact remains that even though it’s not the first film in which it’s mentioned, Captain America: The First Avenger is chronologically the first time the Super Soldier Serum is a factor in the MCU. It’s continued to play a role in several projects and will do so again I Thunderbolts*.
While it’s not the first appearance of Bucky Barnes–that came in Captain America: The First Avenger—Captain America: The Winter Soldier is THE definitive Bucky film. Over a decade later, the 2014 film remains unparalleled as an action-packed thriller and helped set Sebastian Stan on the path to MCU royalty.
While the last film in the Ant-Man franchise may well be remembered as one of Marvel Studios’ worst films, Ant-Man and The Wasp, the franchise’s second installment, is a fun ride worth taking. It served a surprisingly major role in The Infinity Saga but if you’re prepping for Thunderbolts*, you’re watching it to get to know Hannah John-Kamen‘s Ava Starr, aka Ghost. Thunderbolts* is Ava’s first MCU appearance since Ant-Man and The Wasp, so there’s a lot to catch up on, including how her powers have evolved since we last saw her.
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Actually, it’s Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. I know it’s hard, but I don’t like to repeat myself, so you can just call me Val. But don’t call me Val, just keep it in your head.
-Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
Marvel’s second streaming series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier might do the heaviest lifting of any project on the list. Not only does the 6-episode introduce Wyatt Russell‘s John Walker, who looks to play a pretty major role in Thunderbolts*, it also tells a key chapter in Bucky’s story and introduces Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val, who is responsible for assembling the Thunderbolts. The project also adds to the Super Soldier Serum narrative by introducing Isaiah Bradley, the Flag Smashers and by creating a new Super Soldier when Walker injects himself with the newest version.
They had blood samples from an American test subject with semi-stable traces of serum in his system. After much labor, I was able to isolate the necessary compounds in his blood. I was a god. I did what no other scientist since Erskine was able to do. But mine was going to be different.
Dr. Wilfred Nagel, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
Released simultaneously in theaters and via Disney Premier Access on D+, Black Widow not only finally gave Scarlett Johansson the lead after spending a decade in the MCU but it also introduced her messy family of Russian spies. Popping back Nat’s life after decades away, Florence Pugh‘s beautifully flawed Yelena Belova, David Harbour‘s bellicose and bombastic Alexi Shostakovich, Russia’s very own Super Soldier, and Rachel Weisz‘s shifty Melina Vostokoff helped show a more vulnerable side of the character. The chemistry between Pugh and Harbour was a highlight of the film and something to look forward to again in Thunderbolts*. And if you’re watching, stick around for the PCS which leads directly into the next project on the list…
Given how little screentime Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val has had in the MCU, it stands to reason that the project in which she’s on screen the most is a must watch heading into Thunderbolts*. While it still isn’t a truly heavy dose of the character, it does provide plenty in the way of exposing the kind of person she is whilenalso revealing her lust for power and what she’s willing to do to acquire it.
Tier Two projects occupy an interesting place on The Ultimate Lists. While they’re never required viewing, they always offer something that can add to the viewing experience of the upcoming project.
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After being forgotten for a decade and a half, The Incredible Hulk is cool again…or at least relevant. Bruce Banner’s work on Project Gamma Pulse was meant to recreate Dr. Erskine’s Super Soldier Serum. Obviously that didn’t go as planned…TIH includes not one but two Super Soldiers gone wrong in Banner and Emily Blonsky. When will these people learn?!?!
One of the studio’s strongest beginning-to-end streaming series, Hawkeye features a three-episode appearance by Pugh‘s Yelena that while not necessary to enjoy Thunderbolts* will add to your enjoyment of it. Yelena’s time in Hawkeye–most of which is spent enjoyably with Hailee Steinfeld‘s Kate Bishop–is fascinating and allows for further excavation of the deeply rooted issues the former Red Roomer deals with.
For completists only…
Tier three projects may offer nothing more than cameos, passing references or relevant background information for upcoming projects but nothing in them will ever make or break a fan’s viewing experience.
The best example of what type of information can be expected from Tier Three projects comes right off the bat: you’re watching this one just to visit Stark Tower for the first time. The building is a central location in The Avengers and, 13 years later, is again in Thunderbolts*, though now under new ownership.
Following Stark Tower becoming Avengers Tower in the final moments of The Avengers, the next visit to the facility can be found in the PCS to Iron Man 3 where the science bros are talking some things out.
The last project in which Avengers Tower serves as a key location in the Sacred Timeline, AoU sees the facility fully realized as a true home base for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Following the events of the film, the Avengers moved out of the tower and into the Avengers Compound in upstate New York.
While Cap and Iron Man throwing down is the main attraction, Bucky’s very naughty past is what incites the Civil War. A great watch and full of plenty of interesting details about Bucky’s past and post-TWS present, skipping Captain America: Civil War won’t impact your viewing of Thunderbolts* but a watch/rewatch will help you better understand the new Bucky Barnes.
A brief trip to Avengers Tower reveals that the Happy is in charge of moving out the team’s things so that the new owner can take possession…that new owner is, of course, Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Val!
Avengers: Infinity War is always worth a watch though it really doesn’t have much to offer in the way of preparing for Thunderbolts*. A little bit of Bucky’s story is told here, including revealing what he’d been up to In Wakanda, but beyond that, just enjoy it for the action!
Like Infinity War, Endgame offers a bit of Bucky but the real interest here, if there is any, is the ripple effect Nat’s death will eventually have on Yelena…but Yelena isn’t in the film, so just knowing Nat died will suffice. You could also argue that the Time Heist adds some additional context to what was going on inside Avengers Tower during the Battle of New York but how important will that be?
Because Bucky is in it…for a minute.
The film stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Edward Pierce, with David Harbour, with Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
In Thunderbolts* Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes—Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?
-Official Synopsis for Marvel Studios Thunderbolts*
Jake Schreier directs Thunderbolts* and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Brian Chapek and Jason Tamez serve as executive producers. The screenplay was written by Joanna Calo and Eric Pearson and Lee Sung Jin.
Wakanda Forever was nominated for five Oscars ahead of the 2023 Academy Award ceremony. While fans who held their breath and crossed their fingers that Angela Bassett would take home the first Oscar for an actress in a Marvel Studios film didn’t get their wish, the film did snap one shiny trophy as costume designer Ruth E. Carter won the Oscar for Best Achievement in Costume Design.
The Oscar is the second for Carter’s work on the Black Panther franchise as she won the 2018 award in the same category. Carter and her team were faced with a huge challenge in Wakanda Forever as they created a distinct and unforgettable look for Namor and the people of Talokan. From the headpieces worn by Namor, Namora and Attuma to the Vibranium chest piece worn by Namor, Carter’s designs were beautifully realized and rendered practically. In addition to the costumes worn by the people of Talokan, costumes worn by Shuri and M’Baku also drew praise from audiences. The win is the second of Carter’s career out of four nominations.
CG is always a hot discussion point online, especially when it comes to Marvel Studios’ productions. There’s an “it’s not the same” mentality since Avengers: Endgame wrapped and everything since Phase 4 has received quite further analysis in how exactly it looks. Interestingly enough, CG was praised for the work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, especially on the work bringing Talokan to life. Yet, the criticism returned with the CG-heavy Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania; though some reactions even praised the CG.
Vulture has released another article from anonymous VFX workers sharing their experiences, where they unveiled that a lot of resources went towards Wakanda Forever. That isn’t too surprising given the film had an earlier release and there was a lot of pressure on a film that had the highest potential to be a big earner. Yes, Quantumania had a good box office opening but still is part of one of their smallest box office earners.
Wakanda Forever took precedence. It felt like the higher-up and supervisor roles were shifted around to put that on their plates and there was a smaller team working on Ant-Man. It was on the back burner — less of a pressing thing.
The biggest issue seems that there were some uncertainties from the director Peyton Reed, whose vision might have been changing during production and led to a point they could not return. It seems also the VFX artists were disappointed they didn’t have a chance to really bring the world to life and take shortcuts to keep the work at a certain quality. The biggest issue is when they had to take over other artists already started work which they highlight is “not how things usually go when you are working for other studios.”
I haven’t seen the finished movie yet. There were some cool sequences we were putting together that seemed promising. But there could have been more people involved on the project. Maybe more money spent. With a lot of these projects being worked on simultaneously, resources become thinner. The quality starts lacking. You can’t expect all of the VFX companies to give the highest-quality work, especially if you’re going to do it on a lower budget.
Thought another actually had a more surprising outlook, as he had less of an issue with the Quantumania work which highlights something commonly overshadowed when covering these issues: no one is affected equally. Marvel Studios is a client that works with production companies and from experience, if you are in an agency of any kind: you’ll always face last-minute changes and potential overtime trying to keep that alive. Yet, it doesn’t always affect everyone’s equality.
My experience on Quantumania was comparable to the majority of productions we [VFX specialists] work on and, therefore, not especially bad or difficult. I wouldn’t say other projects necessarily took priority or that morale was particularly bad (although one of my co-workers actually became unhappy because of the lack of work he was given on that movie — he spent days on standby only to end up doing nothing, and this went on for months). Our working conditions are often less than ideal, and Quantumania was just another in a long line.
One more artist did have some harsher words while also highlighting the stronger focus on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. They wished they would have pushed back the film, which we did see with The Marvels but likely due to it already being in the marketing cycle Marvel Studios could no longer really pull back as they otherwise would’ve just added more costs and less investment for the CG work.
A lot of us are sitting here thinking, The money is there. Why is it not coming down? Marvel spending a bit more money to pay more VFX people wouldn’t make that much of a difference for the executives all the way at the top. But if it comes down to them not being comfortable with their bank numbers and us working until burnout, we lose out every time. Honestly, I equate it to human greed.
At the end of the day, we don’t understand this CG model fully and the Internet’s overall reaction will remain the same even if these reports never saw the light of day. The CG work these artists accomplish is great and a lot of the criticism also mentioned by Vulture is fewer effects work-oriented but rather just the design choices that are done before it lands in the laps of these CG workers. Marvel Studios’ biggest issue is the freedom they want to give their directors which ends up leading to constant decision-making that adds changes throughout production.
There is a good chance this might not become a thing moving forward. More time does not always equate to better quality, as it also means more potential for changes and adaptations. Marvel Studios’ original production cycle was much shorter as Quantumania, The Marvels, and even Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 were all filmed back in 2021. There weren’t any film productions that started in 2022, very likely that they to take away any lessons they could and reshuffle how they will start moving forward.
While I’ll be on the side of “the effects were 99% of the time pretty damn good,” there’s always potential to get better. The Internet has a strong focus on singular effects that they deem “not great” while ignoring other effects issues you commonly see with any production. No film’s CG is perfect, as not everything is Avatar: Way of Water as that has a ridiculous production budget. Expecting every film to echo it will just add to the bloated budget issue already becoming apparent in Hollywood’s need to create big blockbuster success.
Ever since COVID, the market is flooded and people are overworked, not just in the CG department. Given time, things will change and we’ll likely see production studios like Marvel learn to make a change for the better. We’re just still seeing the post-COVID productions and the aftermath of that time. Plus, CG workers also need a union to protect themselves from this and create new standards in the industry. Marvel Studios is not innocent and that is evident, but we’re hopefully seeing a general positive direction after the chaos that was the pandemic’s effect on Hollywood.
Source: Vulture
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.
Source: Twitter
With the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever last year, discussions started instantly on what the future of this franchise will look like. One avenue set up from the film is following Okoye on her journey as a Midnight Angel after her dismissal from the Dora Milaje. It has been hinted at in May of 2021 that an Okoye-based project was in the works, but no one hypothetically involved had commented up until this point.
However, while being interviewed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, actress Danai Gurira referred to the reports of her leading a Marvel Studios Disney+ project. This is what Gurira had to say about the subject:
I have been told that I can gently allude to this possibility. So, I am gently alluding. Just gently.
Danai Gurira
While not much can be gleaned from this quote about specific details, it’s notable to have confirmation that something pertaining to an Okoye-led project is in development for Disney+. Based on the description of deleted scenes for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s digital release, more direct allusions to the project were almost made in the film.
A logical direction would be to follow Gurira’s Okoye and Michaela Coel’s Aneka as they independently serve tactical missions for Wakanda. The show or special could also dive deeper into the dynamics of the Dora Milaje, especially with Florence Kasumba’s Ayo being a romantic partner of Aneka.
With Letitia Wright confirming that Black Panther 3 won’t be for “a while”, it makes sense for the stories of Wakanda to continue through the perspective of different characters. Especially with the potential of some sort of invasion of Vibranium happening in the future, it would be important for audiences to see more of the sovereign nation before that sort of project.
Source: The Direct
James Cameron‘s Avatar: The Way Of Water continues to dominate the box office over the holiday weekend, but that doesn’t mean other films aren’t holding on as well. Disney’s other massive release of the year, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has still been going strong as it now stands at $820M worldwide. Many worried that heading to Disney+ too early could drag its box office down, but it seems that it’s being given quite a lot of time to breathe.
After several weeks of listing the movie as “Coming Soon to Disney+”, the platform has finally updated the page, which is now listed as “Coming to Disney+ February 1, 2023.” Not too long ago, Disney+’s support team apparently confirmed the movie to be released on January 20th on the streaming service, which now has been seemingly debunked. It’s unclear if they may have pushed back the release date, or perhaps the Support Team jumped the gun on sharing the information.
The time duration between the end of the theatrical window and the Disney+ release has varied quite a lot, from Black Widow‘s 0 days (with Disney+ premier access) to Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings‘ 81 days. Most recent projects have commonly released around the 45-day mark, which has led to some fear of its influence on a film’s box office performance. Luckily, it seems Disney is moving away from exactly that.
February 1st also marks the start of Black History Month in the United States and Canada, which might be part of the decision as to why this date was chosen. Just like all the other MCU movies streaming on Disney+, this will be available to watch in IMAX enhanced, which allows viewers to have an immersive experience and enjoy the beauty of Wakanda and Talokan in the comfort of their homes.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now playing in theaters.
Source: Disney+
Yes, you read the title right. It seems that Shuri was always meant to inherit the title of Black Panther, but not in the way Chadwick Boseman‘s tragic death led the story. It seems that they originally wanted to have Letitia Wright‘s character also inherit the title and explore the dynamic that persists of two characters holding it at the same time.
Instead, the mantle has now been passed on due to T’Challa also passing away in the universe. So, the story had to take a different direction with her being the sole heir to the title and a surprising twist on who will rule Wakanda. In an interview with Empire, Wright got a chance to reflect on the original plans and the weight of carrying the title.
It was bittersweet. Shuri was always gonna do it. But it was gonna be done in a different way where her brother was gonna be alongside her, really explore that, like the comic books, the ways that T’Challa and Shuri would be Black Panther alongside each other and try to figure out how to defend their nation. But unfortunately that’s not how it panned out. I knew the responsibility, I knew the weight of it, but it was just bittersweet, something I struggled with a lot. But I’m extremely proud of myself, had great support.
Letitia Wright
The more we hear about the original storyline behind Wakanda Forever, the more it seems that most of the pieces were always in place but had to reshape it surrounding a much stronger story of grief. It matched the overall theme of Phase 4 but it always leaves one wondering what could’ve been.
Source: Empire Movie Podcast via ScreenRant
There were some concerns that Disney would try to get Black Panther: Wakanda Forever out on Disney+ before the holidays hit. While Eternals managed to wait out until January, there was still some uncertainty about just how long they’ll keep that release window alive. We’ve seen Marvel Studios manage to move away from the initial 45-day Disney+ release with each project, such as Thor: Love and Thunder managing to hold out for 62 days, and luckily Wakanda Forever wasn’t forced out to enjoy the holiday box office.
Yet, it seems that a January release is indeed still in the cards, as Disney+’s Support Team has seemingly confirmed a January 20th release for the Black Panther sequel on the platform. As such, the Marvel Studios film won’t release on the streaming platform after 70 days of a theatrical run; good news for those wondering if we might see Disney enforce that 45-day window moving forward.
As of now, Wakanda Forever stands at a strong $818M international run, where most of its income stems from the domestic box office at $437M. The film faced many hurdles such as losing its main star Chadwick Boseman, having to rewrite the entire project, and living in the shadow of the unique project that was the first entry back in 2018.
It’s not going to pass a billion or even $900M but its box office isn’t something to just ignore either. The film made its money back and held quite steady at the box office with another good year for Marvel Studios. It’ll only be interesting to see how its streaming numbers will be when it releases on Disney+ later this month.
Source: The Direct, Hollywood Handle
Chadwick Boseman left a legacy behind like no other and there was no simple task for Ryan Coogler and his crew to continue it with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. They made the difficult choice to have his character T’Challa pass on. Yet, the biggest challenge was how they’d decided to tackle this sensitive topic and they only knew that they wanted to explore “the transformative quality of grief and trauma” as revealed in an interview with New York Times.
We wanted to have an emotionally intelligent conversation. It’s about the transformative quality of grief and trauma. There’s this expectation with emotional trauma that you just need time. ‘Oh, give them a couple weeks off; they’ll come back to work and get back to it.’ But that person is completely different in some ways. You just don’t see it because the change isn’t visible.
Ryan Coogler
He goes on to highlight the decision to not have someone external being responsible for the death of T’Challa, as it would mainly lead to Shuri’s grief being directed outward rather than exploring her own emotions surrounding the loss.
If somebody else would’ve taken T’Challa out, Shuri would’ve looked for that person. We wanted it to be a situation where the only place to go was internal.
Ryan Coogler
There’s something fitting with the choice, as it also reflects the grief that everyone involved went through in how Boseman just suddenly passed away and that feeling of having no control. The script also became a way for Ryan Coogler to handle the loss of his friend, going through the same challenge that Shuri was throughout the film handling the ever-persistent grief.
Source: NY Times via The Direct
