MarvelBlog News for June 27th, 2022
This week, the biggest story at Marvel doesn’t involve movies or television. But it does explain why we’ll have a couple of slow news weeks. I’ll explain in the latest MarvelBlog News update.
Coming on July 21st…
Source: Kendall Whitehouse/ Marvel Studios/ San Diego Comic-Con 2019
In 2019, Marvel ruled the legendary San Diego Comic-Con when Kevin Feige revealed the entire Phase 4 slate for the MCU. Two of those projects, Fantastic Four and Blade, haven’t even filmed yet, but the rest have either debuted in theaters or on Disney+.
For this reason, Marvel needs to resupply its fanbase with a new batch of projects that will anchor the next few years. Understandably, Marvel hasn’t done that yet. When you look at the Phase 4 graphic, you’ll know why.
For example, Black Widow didn’t debut on May 1st, 2020. We definitely didn’t get The Falcon and The Winter Soldier that fall, either. COVID-19 annihilated the studio’s plans for its next wave of comic book adaptations.
Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff and Florence Pugh as Yelena in Marvel Studios’ BLACK WIDOW. Photo by Jay Maidment. ©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.
In fact, we’re only now watching Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on Disney+ — you have, right? – 13 months after it should have entered theaters. During 2020 and 2021, Marvel wisely chose to skip the Comic-Con events, even though they were virtual events.
The studio could have presented literally anything via a Zoom call, and we would have eaten it up as fans. Feige and his crew didn’t believe that represented Marvel in the best manner, though. Now, the pandemic has waned in scope, with the tide turning about social gatherings.
Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney
The 2022 version of Comic-Con will take place from July 21st through July 24th…and I don’t mean virtually. So, MarvelBlog News is ecstatic to share that Marvel has announced that it WILL return to Comic-Con for the first time since 2019.
From now until late July, Marvel news will likely slow to a crawl as the company prepares for several bombshell reveals at Hall H.
Calibrating Expectations
Source: Marvel
What will Marvel announce? I have my guesses about several currently unconfirmed projects. Some of them, like Nova, are open secrets, while others like [redacted] are close enough to filming that they should be known.
Remember that Marvel loves to drop a bombshell or two during its live Comic-Con events. Just three years ago, the studio asked Natalie Portman on stage to reveal that she’d portray Lady Thor in a new Thor movie. NOBODY saw that coming.
Calibrating expectations, I think it’s fair to expect the confirmation of release dates for several confirmed projects like Secret Invasion and Agatha: House of Harkness. The latter title probably won’t arrive until late in 2023 or possibly even in 2024. Marvel will garner some headlines by talking about it, though.
Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
As for Secret Invasion, it’s a vital project for the next direction of the MCU, and it has already completed filming. Presuming we don’t have any reshoots, that project could feasibly sneak back into 2022. However, I strongly suspect the first half of 2023 is the target.
Other titles will have firm dates, while some will be more general in scope, but massive announcements are in the offing. To wit, I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I expect movement on at least two of the following three franchises: X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Avengers.
Honestly, announcements regarding all three wouldn’t surprise me. Is Marvel ready to reveal to the world who its new (or old) Wolverine is? Could we get confirmed details about A-Force or Thunderbolts? There are a lot of intriguing possibilities in play.
Source: Marvel
Oddly, you probably shouldn’t trust many unconfirmed rumors for the next three weeks. Marvel has weaponized misinformation during the pandemic. So, leakers could get led down the wrong path during the next three weeks.
Thor: Love & Thunder Updates
Source: Marvel Studios
Speaking of Lady Thor, her movie debuts in theaters on July 8th. It also may work as the conclusion of Chris Hemsworth’s work as Thor. That’s pure speculation from this MarvelBlog News, but the introduction of Gorr the God Butcher at least raises the possibility that Odinson might go away for a while.
Obviously, people are psyched for the conclusion of this project, and I’ve got terrific news on this front. Early reviews are quite good. Here, I’ll just quote the current Rotten Tomatoes headline:
“Thor: Love and Thunder First Reactions: Wacky, Surprisingly Moving, and Possibly One of the Best Marvel Movies Yet.”
Source: Marvel Studios
Marvel couldn’t pay a publicity firm to come up with a better lede than that. The last-minute hype for the film includes a final trailer entitled Team:
That’s right, folks. The fourth Thor film is even better than you’d known. It has giant goats! Also, that split thing that Thor does is pretty cool. Anyway, there’s very little chance that Love & Thunder usurps Top Gun: Maverick as the number one film in North America this year.
However, I’m starting to think it’ll approach the opening weekend of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which debuted with $187.4 million. More importantly, Love & Thunder sounds like a crowd-pleaser, unlike the divisive Multiverse of Madness (which I quite liked). As such, it should have better legs.
Source: Marvel Studios
We will know for sure in a couple of weeks.
Marvel Miscellany
I’ve been moving and haven’t had a chance to track down MarvelBlog News stories the way I usually do. However, there’s one rumor that has intrigued me. After Stitch, my wife’s favorite pop culture character ever is probably Ramona Flowers.
Well, at least one source believes that the actress who portrayed Ramona Flowers, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is about to join the MCU. I’m trying not to get too excited here for the reason I just mentioned. Marvel rumors right now aren’t as reliable with Comic-Con coming soon.
Source: Lucasfilm
However, Winstead has a Disney tie with her husband, Ewan McGregor, starring in Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+. Also, Winstead was sublime as a badass in Live Free Or Die Hard, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, Birds of Prey, and Kate.
She also has signed on for Ahsoka, which means she’s already friendly with Disney.
As such, I’m inclined to believe that Winstead will, in fact, join the MCU…and fittingly as someone with green hair. You can do the math from there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbDaw9EzXeY
Well, that’s all for this edition on MarvelBlog News; have an incredible week everyone!
