MarvelBlog News for July 25th, 2022
A few weeks ago, I told you that MarvelBlog News would slow down until Marvel’s San Diego Comic-Con panel. Now, that day has come and gone and…wow! We have a LOT of catching up to do! This week’s MarvelBlog News includes bombshell after bombshell.
Phase Five: Coming in 2023
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 23: Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, participates in the Marvel Studios’ Live-Action presentation at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Kevin Feige took the stage on Saturday night, July 23rd, and commanded attention. Within moments, he thrilled a breathless audience with a confirmation and a revelation.
The confirmation involves the timeline for the MCU’s current Phase Four. As predicted, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will wrap up that phase. So, we now only have two remaining projects on the schedule for Phase Four: Black Panther 2 and She-Hulk.
Afterward, Phase Five will begin, and that’s where the revelation comes into play. Feige announced a grand total of six movies and six Disney+ television series coming for Phase Five.
Source: Jesse Grant/ Getty Images
Here’s the complete list with scheduled release dates:
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – February 17, 2023
- Secret Invasion – Spring 2023
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – May 5, 2023
- Echo – Summer 2023
- Loki Season 2 – Summer 2023
- The Marvels – July 28, 2023
- Blade – November 3, 2023
- Ironheart – Fall 2023
- Agatha: Coven of Chaos – Winter 2023/2024
- Daredevil: Born Again – Spring 2024
- Captain America: New World Order – May 3, 2024
- Thunderbolts – July 26, 2024
Source: Marvel Studios/ Marvel
First, MarvelBlog News cannot stress this enough. Do NOT get attached to the release dates toward the bottom of that list, particularly the films. As a reminder, Disney recently flip-flopped the release dates of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels. Those come out within the next year.
Release dates grow more tenuous as they get further out. Also, you may notice the absence of some expected titles like the Wakanda television series, Armor Wars, and anything related to the Mutants. I’ll explain why in just a bit. For now, let’s examine the newly confirmed MCU updates.
Coming in Phase Five
For starters, Marvel unveiled a new and VERY good trailer for Wakanda Forever. Here it is:
That sound you hear is my breathing a sigh of relief. MarvelBlog News previously reported last year that Marvel had hired Tenoch Huerta to portray Namor in the MCU. I performed legwork on that story twice in six months and never could find definitive confirmation. So, I listed it as a rumor in two previous updates.
Thankfully, the new trailer reveals that Sue Richards’ favorite Atlantan is ready to square off against the new Black Panther, whomever that may be. Feige also locked down the schedule, at least generally speaking for next year’s Disney+ titles. We’ll get Secret Wars first followed by Echo and Loki.
Ironheart, who also appears in the Black Panther 2 trailer, may or may not end Marvel’s 2023 Disney+ campaign. The newly renamed Agatha: Coven of Chaos – I think I preferred House of Harkness – will either finish 2023 or start 2024.
Source: Marvel Studios
Either way, the Agatha Harkness series won’t be the last one in Phase Five. That honor goes to Daredevil: Born Again. Yes, we’re less than two years away from the returns of Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio as Matt Murdock and the Kingpin.
In fact, we’re substantially less than two years away, as the latest She-Hulk trailer shows Daredevil at the end. Here it is:
We also learned release dates for three remaining Phase Five movies, only one of which was previously 100 percent confirmed. Those titles are Blade, Captain America: New World Order, and Thunderbolts. We were 99 percent sure about those last two, but nothing is ever certain until Kevin Feige says so.
As I’d suggested would happen, Marvel has chosen Thunderbolts over Dark Avengers, which had some uncomfortable branding issues.
Coming in…Phase Six?!
Source: Marvel Studios
Feige didn’t stop with Phase Five. Instead, he saved a bombshell for the next part of his presentation. I don’t want to oversell what happened, but it kinda felt like celebrating two Christmases at once. We now know how Phase Six will start…and end!
In November of 2024, the previously announced Fantastic Four will debut in theaters. Feige didn’t get into casting for…any of these projects. So, we still don’t know who will play the various members of Marvel’s First Family.
Instead, the panel skipped straight to the finish by confirming that the final two movies of Phase Six are Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. I’ll give you a moment to catch your breath and maybe grab a drink of water…because WOW!
Source: Marvel Studios
According to a splashy chart posted in Hall H, Phase Six will end on November 7th, 2025…barely a year after it starts! That image also displayed 11 tantalizing slots, only three of which were filled.
Remember the titles I mentioned earlier like Armor Wars? They almost certainly fill up some of the empty slots, while the others will remain a mystery for the time being. Marvel released this logo to encapsulate the entirety of Phase Four through Phase Six:
Marvel Studios welcomes you to The Multiverse Saga. pic.twitter.com/HC1b747YPl
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 24, 2022
And yes, Multiverse Saga merchandise is already available. If you buy some now, you can wear it for at least four years before it seems dated!
Other Marvel Announcements
Source: Daniel Knighton/ Getty Images
This Comic-Con represents Marvel’s first appearance since 2019. So, the company understandably wanted to flex its muscle. Marvel held multiple panels, including one highlighting the various upcoming Disney+ animated series.
We learned several things during these discussions. For starters, X-Men ’97 will debut in the Fall of 2023. Also, Disney has already renewed it for a second season! Marvel also showed off the trailer for next month’s I Am Groot:
As a reminder, this “show” is really a series of Groot shorts akin to what Disney+ has done with Dug Days. You can watch I Am Groot on August 10th, and it’s been renewed for season two as well. Marvel also provided an early look at Spider-Man: Freshman Year. Even better, we received these tidbits:
Harry Osborn, Amadeus Cho and Nico Minuro will appear in ‘SPIDER-MAN: FRESHMAN YEAR’ #SDCC pic.twitter.com/BXyto1ryKG
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 22, 2022
As an obsessive Runaways fan, I’m thrilled that Nico Minoru will appear. Also, we’ll get a season two, fittingly named Spider-Man: Sophomore Year. Somehow, I think it’s a safe bet to expect this series to run for at least four seasons…
The final animated news we learned is that Marvel Zombies will be TV-MA, and What If…? has already earned a season three renewal. I’ve got three other tidbits. The new Daredevil series will include 18 (!) episodes in season one.
That’ll be the longest season to date in the official MCU…unless Agents of Shield counts. Also, a quick bit from Ant-Man 3 showed the first live-action MODOK in the MCU. Is that why the animated series got canceled? Maybe. Finally, you won’t be surprised, but you will be sad:
Kevin Feige reveals the Russo brothers are not directing the next ‘Avengers’ movies #SDCC pic.twitter.com/ivfoQdAlCk
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) July 24, 2022
Yup, the Russo Brothers are directing the next two Avengers movies. Ah well.
