Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the hottest pop culture phenomenon on the planet. The franchise has grossed over $16.8 billion in the global box office, to say nothing of the impressive success of Marvel’s television wing, which has launched hit shows like Daredevil and Agents of SHIELD.
The future is looking bright for the MCU, with Kevin Feige revealing the studio has “another 20 movies on the docket that are completely different from anything that’s come before—intentionally.” Feige has plans for the long-term, and has already had meetings about movies that would release in 2024 or 2025. These will surely include sequels to the likes of Doctor Strange or Black Panther, while they’ll also include the launch of brand new franchises. Marvel has hired Matthew and Ryan Firpo to work on the script for The Eternals, and is currently seeking a director for Black Widow.
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Marvel TV is also firing on all cylinders. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been renewed for an abbreviated sixth series next year, and there are now three popular Marvel Netflix shows releasing each year. That’s just scratching the surface of Marvel TV’s plans, which reportedly include new series that will air on Disney’s upcoming streaming service. That may ultimately become the home of the hotly-anticipated New Warriors.
It’s easy to lose track of what’s on the docket at Marvel, so stay in the know with Screen Rant’s guide to Every MCU Project In Development, and check out similar stories on Fox’s X-Men universe and Warner Brothers’ DCEU.
Captain Marvel (Updated 6/21)
Brie Larson takes center-stage as Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel. The hero is set to debut in her solo film in February 2019, before playing a major role in Avengers 4. Kevin Feige has suggested that Captain Marvel will be the most powerful MCU hero yet. “Her powers are off the charts,” he noted, “and when she’s introduced, she will be by far the strongest character we’ve ever had.” The film will explore the Kree-Skrull War, introducing the alien race of shapeshifters known as the Skrulls. Set in the ’90s, it will see Captain Marvel team up with Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and Clark Gregg’s Phil Coulson. Lee Pace will reprise the role of Ronan the Accuser, the villain in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, while the movie will introduce Jude Law’s Mar-Vell and Gemma Chan’s Doctor Minerva.
Marvel has chosen directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who are best known for films like Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind, as well as episodes of the hit Showtime series, Billions. The movie is currently in production, with footage debuting at CineEurope 2018.
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Avengers 4 (Updated 6/21)
The cliffhanger ending of Avengers: Infinity War shook the entire MCU, as Thanos snapped his fingers and erased half the life in the universe. It killed off a number of major heroes, including the likes of Black Panther and Doctor Strange; the death of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was particularly heart-wrenching. But, with many of those characters expected to return in sequels, Avengers 4 is surely going to see the surviving heroes either undo or even avert the “snap.” It’s commonly believed that Avengers 4 is some sort of time-travel film, with the Avengers possibly using the Quantum Realm to travel through time.
Marvel’s currently trying to keep details under wraps, although leaked artwork was shown at CineEurope 2018. The studio won’t even reveal the film’s official title yet, with Feige suggesting it’s some sort of spoiler. Reshoots are expected to take place in summer 2018, with the film officially scheduled to release on may 3, 2019. This film will bring an end to the first three phases of the MCU, and two months later Peter Parker will introduce us to what comes next.
Spider-Man: Far From Home (Updated 7/7)
Filming has now started on Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel, with production expected to end in December. According to Sony’s Amy Pascal, the film is set “minutes after” Avengers 4. It serves an important purpose in the MCU, with Marvel’s ultimate “everyman hero” introducing viewers to the post-Phase 3 MCU. As Kevin Feige explained, “What better person to hold your hand and lead you into the next incarnation of the MCU, in a grounded, realistic manner, than Peter Parker?”
Michael Keaton is expected to reprise the role of Vulture, while Jake Gyllenhaal is reportedly in talks to play the part of Mysterio, the film’s main villain. Little is known of the movie’s plot, which takes the wall-crawler overseas on a summer vacation. “We film in London,” Feige confirmed, “and we shoot a lot of films in London but there’s another reason we’re shooting in London which is, yes, Spidey, of course, will spend some time in New York, but he’ll spend some time in other parts of the globe.”
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Updated 4/28)
After the conclusion of the “Thanos Saga,” the MCU will seek to reinvent itself with Phase 4, which may not fit the traditional blueprint of Marvel’s trajectory thus far. Along with the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming, the only other film officially confirmed for Phase 4 is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which will be written and directed by James Gunn, who will be the first director to shepherd an entire trilogy of MCU stand-alone films.
Because the Guardians will be appearing in Infinity War and its sequel, it’s completely unknown what the plot of Vol. 3 may entail, but a few details have slipped through. Vol. 3 will be the final chapter of this iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and James Gunn will be closing the book on “his” story, while leaving the door open for a fourth film with a new creative team and (presumably) new characters. Popular cosmic character Adam Warlock will most likely be joining the fray too.
Iron Fist Season 2
The first season of Iron Fist was one of Marvel’s most heavily-criticized shows to date, but that didn’t stop Marvel and Netflix commissioning a second season. Marvel hired Raven Metzner (Sleepy Hallow, Heroes Reborn, Falling Skies) as a new showrunner, and star Finn Jones has promised a story “unlike anything seen before.” Production wrapped in May, and the series is expected to have a major presence at SDCC 2018.
Daredevil Season 3
Daredevil season 3 has also wrapped production, with Erik Oleson serving as showrunner. It’s expected to pick up after the events of The Defenders, which saw Matt Murdock believed dead. Most viewers are expecting this to be heavily influenced by Frank Miller’s ‘Born Again’ arc, and Vincent d’Onofrio’s Kingpin is set to play an important part in the plot. Swag from the set has seemingly confirmed that we’ll finally see the MCU version of Bullseye, Daredevil’s most dangerous nemesis in the comics.
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The Punisher Season 2
Jon Bernthal’s Punisher was introduced in Daredevil season 2, and it didn’t take Marvel and Netflix long to sign him up for his own show. Production of season 2 began in March, and set photos have revealed the return of Ben Barnes’s Billy Russo. Corbin Bernsen and Annette O’Toole have joined the cast as a wealthy and powerful couple who may run afoul of Frank Castle. It’s generally believed the plot will be influenced by the popular ‘Suicide Run’ arc in the comics, which saw Frank Castle recovering from a near-death experience under the suspicious eye of a local sheriff.
Jessica Jones Season 3 (Updated 7/7)
Jessica Jones season 3 began filming in June, and it’s been confirmed that star Krysten Ritten will make her directorial debut this season. So far, little is known about the plot of the show, but Rachael Taylor has been spotted performing acrobatic stunts that prove she really is turning into Hellcat.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 5
Marvel’s flagship TV series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been renewed for an abbreviated sixth season. The series will air in summer 2019, after the release of Avengers 4, so as a result the show will never have to deal with Thanos’s actions at the end of Avengers: Infinity War. Although season 5 ended with Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson retiring to Tahiti in order to die in peace, Gregg has been in talks to return next year.
New Warriors
Marvel’s New Warriors will introduce viewers to Milana Vayntrub’s Squirrel Girl, a popular comedic hero from the comics with squirrel-like features (including a fluffy tail!) and the ability to communicate with the woodland critters. She’ll serve as a member of the New Warriors, alongside five other young heroes. The series is expected to be lighthearted and humorous, different to any other Marvel series to date. It was pulled from Freeform in November 2017, and there’s been no announcement as to where the series will air.
Runaways (Updated 7/7)
Marvel Studios was working on a feature film of The Runaways way back in 2008, the year the first Iron Man hit theaters. Ultimately, the film was shelved, but the property was revived as a television series that streamed on Hulu. Season 1 released last year, and season 2 recently began filming. Just as in the comics, the Runaways series is only loosely connected to the wider MCU.
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Which MCU film are you most excited for? Will Marvel Netflix ever crossover with the big-screen movies? Can we finally get a Moon Knight project off the ground? Sound off in the comments!
Next: Every DC Extended Universe Movie Currently in Development
- The Avengers 4 Release Date: 2019-04-26 Ant-Man 2 Release Date: 2018-07-06 captain marvel Release Date: 2019-03-08 spider-man homecoming 2 Release Date: 2019-07-02
