Stan “The Man” Lee may have left us in 2018 but his presence can still be felt in The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Marvel released a highlight reel of movie projects in preparation for their return to the big screen this summer. To give that highlight reel a special emotional touch, they include quotes from Stan himself that as a narration. The latter part of the reel serves as a trailer for the next several films in “Phase Four” of the MCU. The first three phases have been collectively called The Infinity Saga.
It is worth noting that only films slated for 2020 and 2021 were announced. There were no definite indications of theatrical releases for 2022. The possibilities of Black Panther 2, Captain Marvel 2, and Avengers 5 are still very strong.
For each of the announced movies or series, we’ll give our main speculation points and pair them up with what was confirmed during the Hall H presentation.
Speculation: Florence Pugh will play Yelena Belova/Crimson Widow. David Harbour will be Taskmaster. This may introduce a cloned Natasha like in the comics
Confirmed: Pugh will be Yelena Belova, David Harbour will be Alexi Shostakov aka Red Guardian, the Russian equivalent of Captain America.
New Speculation: Yelena Belova may be Taskmaster instead of Crimson Widow
Speculation: Millie Bobby Brown and Angelina Jolie would be the same character. Thanos and Adam Warlock would be involved in some capacity.
Confirmed: Several roles were announced, none of which were Thanos or Warlock. It will take place on Earth, and Kevin Feige described it as “full-on Jack Kirby“.
Speculation:Shang-Chi will fill the void Danny Rand/Iron Fist fills in the comics as the martial-arts expert. If this is an attempt to get a Bruce Lee vibe, it will fail to do so
Speculation: Will take place before Vision’s death in Infinity War.
Confirmed: Takes place in current time, so maybe Captain America was able to revive Vision in his post-Endgame quest. Monica Rambeau is in the show, perhaps to become a new Captain Marvel or Miss Marvel.
Speculation: Possible origin story or another story from the past. Loki’s escape during Endgame could play a factor.
Confirmed: Takes place after Loki’s escape in Avengers: Endgame. This will be the classic evil Loki and not the sympathetic character he became in Phase Three.
Speculation: Could be directly related to Guardians of the Galaxy 3 given the styles of directors James Gunn and Taiki Watiti. Plus Thor left with the Guardians to close out Endgame.
Confirmed:Natalie Portman will be reprising Jane Foster and will become Thor.
Current Speculation: Thor himself will be a supporting role, and it could still tie into Guardians 3
1:01:05 – Hawkeye (Fall 2021)
Speculation: Clint is back to adventuring now that his family is safe. We may see Kate Bishop.
Confirmed: Kate Bishop will be major part of the show
Maharshala Ali was a surprise announcement as the MCU Blade. It was not stated whether this will be a feature film or a Disney+ mini-series.
1:13:00 – X-Men and Deadpool (Phase Five?)
Marvel did not outright say any immediate future of the X-Men franchise, including Deadpool. But it seems like X-Men may wait a few years and get rebranded for Phase Five.
Seth “Zandrax” Zillmann and “Crazy Train” Jonathan Bolick return for another episode of Geekville Radio.
2:00 – A NEW 007?
Every so often, characters get recast or revamped with different features. Most of the time, the changes are irrelevant. other times, they can be essential. This is a subject that has been discussed in past episodes of Geekville Radio.
The latest case is the rumored recasting of Ian Fleming’s Agent 007. James Bond has been a fixture in pop culture for over 50 years. Now, James Bond is allegedly being replaced with a new character to be played by Lashana Lynch. We look at this news and compare it to other times perennial favorites have been revamped.
Contrary to the fan theory, James Bond was not an alias. It was always the same man in all of the classic Fleming novels. What is allegedly happening is similar to what Marvel Comics does when they revamp a character (James Rhodes becoming Iron Man is an example). It is not the same character reimagined, but a new character taking Bond’s place as Agent 007.
15:50 – THE STATE OF THE MCU AFTER PHASE THREE
Marvel’s Phase Three for its Cinematic Universe (MCU) wrapped this year with Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, andSpider-Man: Far From Home. All three films wrapped up the last ten years of stories, while still bringing new characters into the fold.
Still, much of the highly anticipated Phase Four is left in mystery. Disney and Marvel are staying tight-lipped about what major threats could be in store for the heroes come 2020. So we’ll do whatever any sensible fan would do when faced with this dilemma: Make our own conclusions, and yell and scream when they aren’t met to the letter.
Let’s take a look at each of the characters and where they currently stand as of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Then we can see where they may fit in future films.
Iron Man/Tony Stark – In the climactic finale to Avengers: Endgame, Tony sacrificed himself to save the universe. As anybody who reads comics can tell you, nobody stays dead in comics (well, except for Thunderbird, he’s still dead). It wouldn’t be terribly surprising to see Tony back in some capacity, even if it’s in a flashback or cameo from another universe. That said, the chances of him back full time are pretty slim at best though.
Captain America/Steve Rogers – The last scene in Avengers: Endgame was Steve returning back to a post World War II America to reunite with Peggy Carter. Some fans objected, saying that Cap would never do this in the comics. While that is technically true, the unfortunate truth is actors age in the real world, whereas superheroes never need to.
Could we see a cameo in a period piece or a time travel story? Or even once more as a 100-year-old mentor? Chances are fans wouldn’t complain.
Thor – The final scene of Endgame saw Thor joining Guardians Of The Galaxy, even making an Asgardians Of The Galaxy joke. Since Thor doesn’t have to worry about leading his people for a while, it seems likely he will continue his big-screen adventures, whether in a solo film or in Guardians 3.
Hulk/Bruce Banner – Bruce has learned to control himself to the point where he has the best of both worlds. The Hulk’s strength and endurance paired with Banner’s intelligence. Allegedly, only Universal can make a Hulk standalone movie, which is why he is always second fiddle to other heroes in their movies. Still, with Hulk likely staying Hulk full-time, the character can continue to have onscreen adventures even if Mark Ruffalo should bow out.
Plus there’s always the possibility of introducing Amadeus Cho as The Totally Awesome Hulk. And it’s probably only a matter of time before we get She-Hulk.
Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff – She’s dead. Yet she’s getting a movie. More on that later.
Hawkeye/Clint Barton – All Clint wanted was his family back. He got that, so presumably, he’ll be suiting up again as an Avenger sooner rather than later. Could we be getting Kate Bishop?
Ant-Man/Scott Lang – Reunited with his daughter after five years, Scott looks to be good to go for another round of adventuring. He and Hope Van Dyne are probably a duo from here on out.
Dr. Stephen Strange – Strange was pivotal in helping the heroes turn the tide and defeat Thanos. There is plenty more mysticism and magic in store for The Sorcerer Supreme.
Black Panther/T’Challa – Another breakout hero for Phase Three who scored a billion-dollar jackpot with his own movie. Panther will be around for the long haul.
Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers – The chances are high that Carol will take flight again in her own film, as well as back up the other heroes if needed.
Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes – Disney’s upcoming streaming service ensures we’ll see a lot of Bucky in the forseeable future.
Loki – Seemingly killed off in Avengers: Infinity War, but escaped from captivity during Endgame. What effect did his escape during the past have on future films?
29:30 – PHASE FOUR MOVIES
It’s no secret that Disney and Marvel have several years of MCU films on the docket. Some, such as Black Widow and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3, fans have been clamoring for years to get. While others, The Eternals and Shang-Chi, seem more experimental.
Seven films are confirmed for Marvel’s Phase Four at the time of recording, thought there could be more in the works. There are also mini-series spotlighting MCU characters set to air on Disney’s streaming service Disney+. However, many of those appear to be standalone stories and not related to the immediate future of the MCU.
We will likely hear a lot about what is in store for Phase Four in the coming weeks with San Diego Comic-Con and D23 around the corner.
Release Dates
These are the current release dates given by Disney/Marvel, but are not officially connected to any titles at the moment.
May 1, 2020
November 6, 2020
February 12, 2021
May 5, 2021
November 5, 2021
February 18, 2022
May 6, 2022
July 29, 2022
So without further ado, let’s take a look at what Marvel has in store for The MCU in Phase Four
Confirmed Phase Four Films
Black Widow – At long last, Scarlett Johansson is starring in her own Black Widow movie. Fans have been asking for this since her debut in Iron Man 2. The problem is her clear self-sacrifice during Endgame.
Images from the filming set show a 2017 model BMW SUV which would imply at least some of the story taking place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. Other on-set photos point to Taskmaster as the villain.
The supporting cast is made up of David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, and Florence Pugh. Rumors point to Harbour as Taskmaster, and Pugh as Yelena Belova, aka Crimson Widow.
As for how this could fit into Phase Four, the current Black Widow in the comics is a clone of Natasha. That could be an inspiration for a big-screen return. Which, depending on when the clone was created, could pose an interesting question: Which one died, the real Natasha or the clone?
Black Panther 2 – It’s no surprise that T’Challa will be returning to the big screen after such a runaway hit in 2018. Ryan Coogler will also return to write and direct. There is a rumor that Michael B Jordan will appear in some capacity. Of course, that doesn’t mean Killmongor is alive. It could be a flashback or fantasy segment.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 – After much controversy, James Gunn is returning to write and direct the third installment in the space comedy franchise. Most of the cast will be returning, but no confirmation whether Thor will be involved.
Joining the cast in an alleged voice role is Mark Hamill, who has been rumored to be anything from Rocket’s creator to The High Evolutionary..
The Eternals – Angelina Jolie headlines the cast, and Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things fame is also allegedly in negotiations to star in what will be a cosmic level story. Eternals, Celestials, Inhumans, Titans, and Deviants are all characters who fit in these classifications. But they may be simplified for a big-screen take. In the comics, Thanos and Adam Warlock have links to them. So it is possible we may get a Thanos origin story.
Captain Marvel 2 – Given Carol’s big screen debut topped the billion dollar mark, it’s a safe bet she will grace the screen in her own sequel.
Avengers 5 – While not officially announced, another movie with the Avengers name is almost certain. As with previous films, it will probably wrap up Phase Four and set the stage for Phase Five. There are a ton of suitable stories from the comics that could be adapted to the big screen.
Secret Invasion – Now that Skrulls are regulars, it opens the possibilities of major players getting replaced with imposters
Secret Wars – A legendary universe-wide event where Dr. Doom gets the powers of a god.
Kang The Conquerer – With time travel is a part of the MCU, it’s a pretty safe bet the heroes will meet, and anger, Kang.
Evolutionary War – The High Evolutionary (mentioned earlier as a possible Mark Hamill role) comes to Earth and wreaks havoc
Up In The Air
Thunderbolts – A Thunderbolts film has been rumored for some time. They are an undercover villain team from the 1990s that turned into a team of anti-heroes. Sometimes called Marvel’s Suicide Squad.
After much anticipation, Marvel’s epic universe-wide story has finally arrived. The gist of War Of The Realms is the ongoing war throughout all the Asgardian realms finally comes to Midgard, aka Earth. I would be surprised if this doesn’t get made into a film within the next decade or so, as the concept is just too cool to not do on a blockbuster big screen.
Here are six noteworthy things concerning War Of The Realms. Spoiler alerts of course.
1) Laufey Is Back
Unless you’re an old school Marvel fan, or remember the first Thor movie very well, you may not know the name Laufey. Well, as depicted in said first Thor movie, Odin adopts Loki. Laufey is Loki’s biological father. It’s not mentioned a ton in the MCU, but Loki does have the last name of Laufeyson. After being deader than dead to the point of being a skeleton, Laufey is brought back from the dead by Malekith. Plus, he is a true Frost Giant and stands probably a good 50 feet tall.
2) Loki is Dead… Again
Speaking of The God Of Mischief and Evil, Loki is literally eaten alive by Laufey. Yep, munched down like a potato chip by his own dad. This is probably the 173rd time Loki has died, but who’s counting? We’ve seen him die time and time again, and he always has some plan for coming back. This time will likely be no different. Plus, just like Infinity War, he dies in the opening act of the story. Not a usual trope to kill a character out of the gate, if he’s going to stay dead. Or stay dead by the comics standards of a few months at least.
3) Valkyrie Is Dead
It was Malekith himself that did the deed in the final page of issue #2. Now, some Marvel fans know that Jason Aaron is penning the new Valkyrie title. And now that the “real” Valkyrie is dead (or at least dead by the comics standards of a few months), it explains why Jane Foster is stepping into the role.
4) Thor Wields Dual Hammers
Of course, with Mjolnir’s destruction last year, Thor has been using different hammers. Now, he openly wields two. One has a very similar shape to Mjiolnir, while the other one has a flat end, while the other has a ball end similar to Stormbearker. Perhaps it was inspired by the hammer Thor made during Infinity War.
5) Luke Cage Is (Apparently) Worthy Of Asgard Weapons
In a teaser cover image for the War Of The Realms tie-in Strikeforce (which sadly does not feature Tito Santana or Rick Martel), Luke Cage is carrying a hammer that looks very similar to Mjolnir. It’s possible it may be in cosmetics only, and not a true mystic hammer, but I think most fans would have no problem seeing Luke as being worthy of picking up an Asgardian Enchanted Hammer.
6) Bog Tigers Are Cool
Malekith has been seen on and around a white tiger that has wings similar to a bat or dragon. The proper name of this creature is Svartalfheim Bog Tiger. If War Of The Realms is ever turned into a movie, the bog tiger will be a new hit sensation with fans. Many stuffed animals would be sold. As big as BB-8 or porgs were to Star Wars? Only time will tell.
That’s only 1/4th of the way through the main story, so there is probably more to come. You can pick up War Of The Realms #1 and #2 now, along with the other tie in issues throughout the Marvel brand.
Anything you liked about War Of The Realms? Sound off below!
At Friday’s C2E2 panel, Marvel announced the next epic story to span across the Marvel Universe will be called War Of The Realms. The proper series drops in April, and will consist of six issues. Like with most Marvel Universe tie-ins, multiple heroes will be affected in their own ongoing titles.
As the name implies, this involves Asgard and all the other realms in Marvel lore. Malekith The Accursed, the Dark Elf Lord, will be the main force behind these wars. All but one realm has felt the effects of these wars. The last one left untouched is, of course, Midgard aka Earth.
This means Asgardians, Frost Giants, Dark Elves, Light Elves, etc… will all be wreaking havoc on Earth, in it will be up to the Marvel heroes to deal with it. It also seems to be an attempt to make Malekith an “A-Lister” on the level of Loki, Dr. Doom, or Kang.
Marvel has pulled out all the stops with this tale, including releasing an official theme song for this comic event. It is linked below for listening
Squadron Supreme will be re-introduced and will be based out of Washington DC, making them “DC’s Finest Heroes” (ba-dump CHING!). Not to be outdone, fan favorite Phil Coulson will be a part of the war as well in the Avengers title.
War Of The Realms will be written by veteran Thor writer Jason Aaron. art will be by Russell Dauterman and Natthew Wilson. The first issue hits April 3rd and the series will run through the summer. Aaron did state that this will end his seven year run on Thor, and he will be part of a new (presumably ongoing) Valkyrie stand-alone title.
Overall, this is looking like another solid epic story from Marvel. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this becomes the basis for a future Thor film, should Chris Hemsworth stick around for Phase Four or Five.
This show might as well be called Geekville Disney Radio, as it’s all Disney projects in the news this week. Seth is joined by Crazy Train and special guest Uncle Greg to discuss these topics.
First off, Disney has announced an all new Star Wars trilogy to be helmed by Rian Johnson. The only thing known about the unnamed movies are that they will not be centered around the Skywalker family. What setting could this be? And is this something fans truly want to see?
In other Star Wars news, Disney has officially announced a long rumored Star Wars TV show as part of their upcoming streaming service. Again, what could the setting be? And who could run such an anticipated project?
On top of this, Disney has stated that there will be no new Marvel shows on Netflix, and that all future spinoffs will be on their aforementioned streaming service. But what does this mean for existing material like Daredevil and Jessica Jones?
In the final segment of the show, the panelists review the latest blockbuster film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor Ragnarok. Did it live up to the hype? Was it “The Best MCU Movie Ever”? And how awesome were Jeff Goldblum, Cate Blanchett, and Karl Urban?
All this and more in another fun filled Geekville Radio!
The Flash standalone movie will be an adaption of Flashpoint, which is funny because that was the gist of Season 3 of The Flash TV show. Could this mean we see Jeffrey Dean Morgan?
Also discussed during the show: A Green Lantern Corps. Movie, Justice League Dark, Shazam, and Aquaman.
Speaking of Aquaman, Seth reminisces about this scene from Justice League Unlimited, which Jason Momoa would absolutely kill it doing.
Over in the DC TV Realm, we got trailers for all the Flarrowverse titles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHZEeDEwRE0
Arrow Season 6 Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYDdu_mC6cI
The Flash Season 4 Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwGNep39atY
Legends Of Tomorrow Season 3 Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaI6dcoRRQQ
Supergirl Season 3 Trailer
Also announced for TV, Young Justice Season 3: Outsiders. Which sadly will not star Scott Hall and Kevin Nash– Oh wait… wrong Outsiders.
In Marvel news, there was an Avengers Infinity War trailer shown, but it hasn’t been released to the public. Thus we are limited to knowledge on what was actually shown. How many faces were actually seen in the trailer? And who’s left to be seen?
Thor Ragnarok Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1qcP1tI9J4
Black Panther Trailer
It was revealed that the Captain Marvel movie will be set in the 1990’s with Skrulls as the villains.
Over in Marvel TV, we got a new Defenders Trailer, complete with a wonderfully evil Sigourney Weaver
The Gifted trailer has revealed all the major players
The Gifted Trailer
As you can see from the trailer, Thunderbird, Polaris, Blink, Eclipse, Andy Strucker & Lauren Strucker are the main characters of the story.
Inhumans Comic-Con Trailer
In non-comic news, the Ready Player One trailer took the world by storm. Seth and Train loved the trailer, but hear some of the immediate differences noticed between the book and the movie
And we of course can’t forget the Pacific Rim: Uprising trailer, starring John Boyega.
Pacific Rim: Uprising
Is there anything that sparked your interest about Comic Con? Anything you want us to go over? Anything cool you want discussed in the future? Sound off below. Like and Share to get the word out!
