The list of Marvel Announcements!
When news broke not long ago that entertainment industry titan Marvel was returning to San Diego Comic-Con (Thursday July 21st through Sunday the 24th), fans and experts took notice. The notion that the company had not been present since 2019 sounds blasphemous given that their bread and butter is, after all, stories inspired by comic books. Ironically, things have changed since the summer of 2019. At the time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was coming off its greatest coup, Avengers: Endgame. But with the Phase 4 theatrical output not scoring on Rotten Tomatoes as highly as previous waves and some of their Disney+ shows struggling to top the ratings charts, there is mild concern about where the Kevin Feige led operation will go from here.
Perhaps a return to one of pop culture’s biggest stages for major announcements was deemed necessary. To be perfectly clear, the MCU is still healthy. Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness ended its theatrical run just shy of $1B, and Thor: Love and Thunder recently crossed $500M globally. Such figures do not spell doom and gloom. Even so, the bosses at Marvel and Disney surely don’t mind taking advantage of all the stages offered to them to advertise new material. San Diego Comic-Con is among the most famous of stages, especially its legendary Hall H. That is where Marvel dominated late Saturday afternoon.
Below is what fans present for the panel rejoiced in:
Spider-Man: Freshman Year (2024 on Disney+)
By now fans of the brand know that its output is not solely limited to major theatrical releases. Not only has the MCU branched out into live-action shows on the Disney+ streaming service, but animation as well. 2024 will see the launch of Spider-Man: Freshman Year, a series with a visual style steeped in the classic comics of the 1960s. Many iconic villains will make appearances, such as Doctor Octavius and Scorpion. The web-slinger won’t have to face the baddies on his own, however, as non-other than Daredevil himself voiced by Charlie Cox will make an appearance.
I Am Groot (August 10th on Disney+)
Marvel also has fun for the little ones planned. Although not a brand new announcement, the studio shared a trailer for the upcoming I Am Groot series of short animated adventures. A fan favourite since his debut in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, the show will explore the adventures of Groot as a small plant growing up and all the mischief he finds himself in. We don’t know about you, but all we can think of saying when seeing the trailer is “I am Groot!”
The Upcoming MCU Lineup
But of course, the big news that had most people salivating concerned the current and next phases of the MCU, 4, 5, and 6 respectively. And so without further ado.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (August 17th on Disney+)
The streaming show received a final trailer depicting the trials and tribulations of the new lawyer in town. Tatiana Maslany stars as the eponymous legal expert Jennifer Walter while experiencing the growing pains of being a big green monster with superstrength. Although it is unclear who the villain of the piece is, her training maestro is Bruce Banner who explains, among other helpful tips, that her new best friend is now spandex.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (November 11th in Theatres)
Arguably the highlight of the night, fans have eagerly awaited to see what Ryan Coogler and company have in store for Wakanda Forever, which comes out this year in November. The first Black Panther film was a remarkable success, both critically and financially, but the real world tragedy of Chadwick Boseman sent the sequel’s production into a tailspin.
It goes without saying that final judgement is reserved when movies are released, but Marvel certainly came with a teaser trailer for Wakanda Forever that suggests they may succeed in pulling this off.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania! (February 17th 2023 in Theatres)
The first of two movies that showcased footage to those present but not to the wider public, the third Ant-Man will come to theatres in early 2023. As the title suggests, much of the action will transpire in the quantum realm. Many tantalizing elements await fans for this entry, including a character played by legend Bill Murray, Kang the Conquerer (Jonathan Majors), last seen in Loki Season 1, and something called MODOK, a cybernetic villain with a head no one can miss.
While the footage shown remains a secret for the moment, a beautiful poster was shared.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5th 2023 in Theatres)
A trailer was shown at the event but has not been made available to the public. For the uninitiated, that’s fairly common seeing as the convention and its high-profile guests want to make sure the weekend carries an air of exclusivity. Nevertheless, director James Gunn and most of the cast made appearances. Gunn also made it quite clear that Vol. 3 is the end of his journey as director of the series. In fact, the popular director went so far as to say it is the “end of this story.” We await to see just what conclusion he has in store.
Further Into the Future
As Marvel is want to do, team Feige does not limit itself to hyping projects to be released in the coming months. Much like with Comic-Cons past, an entire lineup of future projects was shared, several entries of which are 2-3 years away, barely in the pre-production phase. Such is the magic of events like San Diego Comic-Con, where announcements for shows and films that are but a twinkle in the mind’s eye get fans dreaming of what said promises will deliver.
Daredevil: Born Again (Spring 2024 on Disney+)
The man without fear returns! Teased in last year’s Spider-Man: No Way Home and the Hawkeye show, Marvel made has made it official that Daredevil as played by Charlie Cox is a full-fledged participant in the MCU. Of note is that the series will last 18 episodes, significantly longer than any current or previous Disney+ shows.
Secret Invasion (Spring 2023 on Disney+)
Samuel L. Jackson returns as Nick Fury alongside Ben Mendelsohn as Talos for one of Marvel’s most cherished and exciting stories from the comics. Fans have been speculating about this one since the post-credits stinger at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Echo (Summer 2023 on Disney+)
A spinoff of Hawkeye, the series will follow the character of Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) following the events of the aforementioned show. The character heads back to her hometown, but trouble is sure to follow.
The Marvels (July 28th 2023 in Theatres)
The sequel to the 2019 hit Captain Marvel will see Carol Danvers team up with several other supercharged women to take down whatever new threat comes their way.
Loki Season 2 (Summer 2023 on Disney+)
One of Disney+’s most lauded and popular shows centered on the god of mischief. Kevin Feige heard the call and has answered with a second season that is about a year away at this point.
Blade (Fall 2023 in Theatres)
It’s been known for 3 whole years that Mahershala Ali will take over the mantel from Wesley Snipes as the day-walking vampire hunter. In fact, fans with fox ears have actually heard the character in a recent MCU film! It is only fitting that Blade finally gets to slice and dice in the MCU seeing as he is one of the first Marvel characters to receive the cinematic treatment all those years ago in 1998.
Ironheart (Fall 2023 on Disney+)
A relatively new character in the comics, Riri Williams will be first seen in just a few months in Wakanda Forever. That appearance will serve as a tease for her own show on Disney+ coming about a year later. Taking up the mantle from the original MCU character Tony Stark is no easy task. Expectations will be high.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos (Winter 2023 on Disney+)
Agatha Harkness, the much-beloved character from last year’s Wandavision, is set to return to the MCU late 2023 with her own streaming show. This is a real thing, not a magic trick. We promise!
Captain America: New World Order (May 3rd 2024)
It seems wild that a movie has a release date locked in 22 months in advance, but t’is the Kevin Feige way. Summer 2024 will get off to a start with the next entry in the Captain America series, sort of. Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is the new Captain and has already starred in his own Disney+ show in 2021. Now it’s time to put the big boy boots on, strap on the shield and head to the silver screen.
Thunderbolts (July 26th 2024 in Theatres)
A brand new superhero team is going to fight scum and villainy in the summer of 2024. Or rather, a team formed of characters who themselves were villains not so long ago. An interesting premise for sure. Who better to fight the bad guys than those who know them best?
Fantastic Four (November 4th 2024 in Theatres)
Marvel’s original family makes its long-awaited MCU appearance. Even then, fans need patience, because it’s still over 2 years away. To the disappointment of some, no casting news yet. Keep holding your breath, Krasinski fans!
Avengers Assemble! Twice!
Which Avengers exactly? It’s hard to say when a movie is almost 3 years away and another close to 3 ½ years away, but it was made public Saturday night that no less than 2 new Avengers movies are in the works. On May 5th, 2025 fans will enjoy (hopefully) Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (thus making Kang the new Thanos, insofar as a major villain benefits from a long-term game). Shortly thereafter, on November 7th, 2025, Avengers: Secret Wars will conclude Phase 6. Notice that’s the second MCU title announced at Comic-Con with the word “secret.”
End of Article Stinger
Phew! What a lineup. So much for fans to look forward to. It was a terrific Saturday night for Marvel fans that’s for sure. All right, that’s over and done with.
…
Wait, there is Disney’s major event D23 in September? Fine, but surely things other than Marvel will be presented. I mean…Hold on, were those empty slots in the Phase 6 timeline Kevin Feige revealed at Comic-Con? Huh, would you look at that.
-Edgar Chaput
