I was really looking forward to Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. I am a huge Marvel fan and have enjoyed every movie and show. Of course, I have my favorites, and some were better than others, but I am a fan. All week long I have written a lot of posts about Marvel in honor of Quantumania opening this week. I am going to try to stay as spoiler free as possible for this review. The film stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathon Majors, Kathryn Newton, Cory Stoll, Bill Murray, Michelle Pfeiffer & Michael Douglas.
The basic plot of the movie is that Cassie Lang builds a device that can send a signal down to the Quantum realm so they can retrieve the information and study it without having to go there. Something happens and Cassie along with Scott Lang, Hope Van Dyne, Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne get sent to the Quantum realm. While there they meet Kang the Conqueror who needs them in order to set him free.
After waiting for this movie, I have finally gotten to see it and I can say that I enjoyed it. Out of the Ant-Man movies, I would say this is the best. Out of MCU movies, this ranks high up. The movie is predominantly set in the Quantum realm. It is visually stunning. I saw it in IMAX, and I would highly recommend seeing it in IMAX. It is worth it. We do get to learn a lot more about the Quantum realm and we get to learn about Kang.
Jonathon Majors is amazing as Kang the Conqueror. I think Marvel made a great choice casting Jonathon Majors. Kang is drastically different than He Who Remains who Jonathon Majors played in the season finale of Loki. Kang is quite the foe, and the stakes were high. Clearly from this, Kang is going to be a threat unlike anything the Avengers have faced before. I am excited to see more of Kang throughout Phase 5 and 6. I will say the climax is epic. Without spoiling anything, just like in all Marvel movies as well as any action movie to begin with there is always one final showdown between the protagonist and the antagonist. This was no different and the fight was stunning. There was an intensity in the fight between Ant-Man and Kang. It felt a little different than when the Avengers went up against Thanos. Kang, on his own is very powerful. Thanos was powerful but became a major threat once he achieved all the infinity stones. Kang had a few a moments in this where he really let loose. That was also hinted in the trailers. This did not disappoint.
The rest of the cast is great as always. It was cool to see Scott and Hope and Hope’s parents as well as Cassie become a family. They have really grown closer over time. Family was a big theme of the movie as it has been for the Ant-Man franchise. Quantum mania answered more about Janet’s time there. We got to see a lot more Janet in this one. Janet had some truly badass moments which I was happy to see. I love Michelle Pfeiffer and she truly got to shine in this.
The movie does heavily set up what’s to come in Phase 5 and 6. I won’t spoil the credit scenes but there are two credit scenes. They both help set up the future. I will say there is stuff that is not answered in this movie. I think some of those answers will come down the line. The movie definitely has higher stakes than the previous two Ant-Man movies. It is emotional and at times could get nerve racking. There were times when I was worried if a character would make it out alive. With that being said, the film still has its comedy which the Ant-Man films have done well. I think Quantum mania did a really good job at balancing both tones.
Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania kicks off Phase 5 and it is quite the launch. Quantumania has kicked things into high gear, and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Marvel already stated there are ideas for an Ant-Man 4. I am looking froward to seeing what that will look like. The movie is a fun thrill ride, visually stunning, emotional, and funny. The movie will leave you wanting more.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is currently scheduled for May 2nd, 2025. Avengers: Secret Wars is scheduled for May 1st ,2026. I read an article awhile back that had asked the question about pushing Avengers 5 back a year. They had some valid points and it made me think about it. I am a huge Marvel fan and I look forward to all the movies, shows, and special presentations. I personally don’t think it would be a bad idea to push Avengers: The Kang Dynasty back a year. The article I read awhile back mentioned they thought it would be rushing things a bit when it comes to assembling the Avengers. A point that was made was that at this current time there is not an Avengers team and there are not any teams. That is going to be changing. The Thunderbolts movie will be coming out in 2024 and that will have its own team. It sounds like Captain America will be assembling a team for his movie. The Marvels coming out later this year will have Captain Marvel team up with Monic Rambeau and Ms. Marvel. The Fantastic Four are coming in 2025. They are the last movie before The Kang Dynasty comes out. Fantastic Four is currently scheduled for February 14th, 2025. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars are supposed to be massive and I am betting the goal is to make it even bigger than Infinity War and Endgame. Phase 5 has officially kicked off with Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. Phase 4 introduced a lot of new characters. Currently most of the new characters have not met each other. I think in time that will change but that is the key point the article was referring to. Time. The article felt if Kang Dynasty keeps its current release date, it would be rushing a lot of things before the big event. The Fantastic Four are supposed to have a pivotal role in the MCU going forward. If Marvel follows the comic books at all, Kang has a deep connection with the Fantastic Four. Given the Fantastic Four movie comes out a few months before The Kang Dynasty, it sounds like it may rush a pivotal storyline.
Unless the Fantastic Four happen to appear in Quantumania, which I highly doubt, (as of this writing I have not seen Quantumania yet) the audience will have to develop a quick bond with the characters to feel something impactful for when they face Kang. There is the possibility of the Fantastic Four appearing in other projects before their movie. They could show up in Guardians 3 or The Marvels which I also highly doubt. There currently is not really a viable option for them to show up in other things out of the current list of projects before Avengers 5. Deadpool 3 is a possibility, but I don’t think it would be wise to have them show up in that given Deadpool 3 has a lot to do to introduce Deadpool into the MCU not to mention it could possibly be very cameo heavy with FOX Marvel properties just as much as MCU characters. Back when Avengers: Endgame came out, Captain Marvel had a small role in the film. Part of it was due to the fact it was filming at the same time as the Captain Marvel movie. The movie came out right before Endgame. It came out in March 2019 and Endgame came out the end of April 2019. Captain Marvel is a bit of a polarizing character. Not everyone liked the movie and there are some fans who really don’t like her. I am hoping in time those opinions will change the more we get to see her. By the time Endgame came out, the audience did not know her on the same level as they knew Iron Man or Captain America or Black Widow and dozens of other characters. Whereas Captain Marvel could get away with not having a huge role in Endgame, I do not think the same thing can be said for the Fantastic Four. I also think if they don’t have a big role in Avengers 5 and 6 it would be a disservice to the characters and a missed opportunity if they remove the Kang connection to them.
Besides the Fantastic Four, given the threat that Kang poses to the entire Multiverse, this is an all hands on deck situation. One would think this would have every character from all MCU movies and shows. Currently as mentioned earlier, most of the new characters have not met or interacted with others not in the respective projects they are in. The Fantastic Four do not know any of the Marvel heroes. Deadpool does not know anyone either. Presumably Deadpool would be meeting everyone for the first time in the Kang Dynasty. We also don’t know how many of Marvel alum will appear in Deadpool 3 if any. I do think some would be in Deadpool 3 given this is the first time Deadpool is in the MCU. The Eternals know of the other characters, but the audience have not seen them interact with any of them. We also have not seen the Eternals since their movie or heard about them. Ms. Marvel will be in The Marvels along with Monica Rambeau. Presumably Ms. Marvel will meet Nick Fury as well. Moon Knight and She-Hulk have not met anyone either. There are futures for both characters but we also don’t know when we will see them again. Second seasons for either of their shows have not been announced. The list can go on and on. It seems unless there are a lot of crossovers over the next few movies and shows most of this will have to wait until Avengers 5 which would kind of be cramming a lot in.
Here is my suggestion. In my personal opinion I think Avengers: The Kang Dynasty should be pushed back a year to May 1st, 2026, which in turn would push back Avengers: Secret Wars to May 2027. To keep it the first week in May the first weekend would fall on May 7th. There is nothing wrong with delaying things if it means to do them correctly. Marvel even recently said they were going to space out their content a little more. It seemed they were more referring to the shows than the movies. Blade was supposed to come out this year and will now be coming out in 2024. They had some setbacks. Instead of rushing it, they took their time to get those setbacks taken care of and they are gearing up to start filming soon. I think by delaying Avengers: The Kang Dynasty it would also allow some more time to set everything up before the Avengers movie, plot wise. It would not have to feel forced to cram a lot of things in.
Here is what I think the schedule should be. This is my own opinion. This is not an official schedule.
Fantastic Four February 14th, 2025
Doctor Strange 3 May 2nd, 2025 taking Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’s slot
Spider-Man 4 July 2025
Shang-Chi 2 September 2025
Eternals 2 November 2025
Thor 5 February 2026
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty May 1st, 2026
Avengers: Secret Wars May 7th, 2027
There would be movies in between The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. They could be used for solo movies or sequels. I don’t know what characters Marvel is planning on giving movies to.
This schedule would allow room for some of these sequels to happen before Avengers. It has already been stated there are plans for Spider-Man 4, Doctor Strange 3, Shang-Chi 2, and Eternals 2. This schedule would actually give a slot to Eternals 2 so we can have another opportunity to see them before they join the fight against Kang. Spider-Man 4 could function after Kang Dynasty. By having Spider-Man 4 come out before it would establish where Peter Parker is in his life now especially since No Way Home changed a lot for him. He could appear in Avengers 5 and 6 and just not deal with that plot point until his own movie. This would allow time to explore that beforehand. It also would make more sense when it comes to how Spider-Man fits in with the Avengers. Doctor Strange 3 technically could function in between Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness had mentioned incursions which is a heavy plot point in the Secret Wars storyline in the comics. If Doctor Strange 3 is going to heavily deal with incursions, I think it would be better if that happens before Kang Dynasty. I don’t know how much of the source material they are planning on sticking to for either Avengers film. Incursions could be a big part of both Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. It would make more sense to allow time to properly explain and set up the concept of incursions in Doctor Strange 3 ahead of Avengers. With the current schedule we probably won’t see Shang-Chi again until Kang Dynasty. I think there is a lot Shang-Chi 2 can cover that should happen before Kang Dynasty. It also would allow the audience more time to get to know Shang-Chi which in turn would build a deeper connection to the character by the time he fights Kang, which also in turn would raise the stakes even more. I don’t know how much longer Thor will be in the MCU. That relies on Chris Hemsworth who has started to express seeing an end to Thor. I think there is a good chance Thor 5 will happen. Chris Hemsworth seemed to express wanting to do one final Thor movie. It would be fitting to have Thor 5 happen before Thor joins the fight against Kang. Avengers 5 and 6 could be used as Thor’s swansong. In fact, Thor 5 could be the start of a farewell tour for Thor. With these additional projects it would allow an opportunity to have other MCU characters be involved in these ahead of Avengers 5 and 6. By the time The Kang Dynasty would come out it relationships would be established with the heroes.
Just for fun, here are my fantasy cast lists for these projects.
Fantastic Four– Not touching it. If the movie is set in the present, I could see Samuel L. Jackson show up as Nick Fury. If the movie is set in the past as in the 60s which is a rumor, I could also see Samuel L. Jackson as a young Nick Fury. The only one I could see be in this regardless of time period is Jonathon Majors as Kang even if its at the end of the movie or a credit scene.
Doctor Strange 3– My fantasy cast is Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Benedict Wong as Wong, Charlize Theron as Clea, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo, Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One, Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Cobie Smulders as Agent Hill, Benjamin Bratt as Jonathan Pangborn, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Awkwafina as Katy, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Owen Wilson as Mobius, Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer, Tara Strong as Miss Minutes, & Jonathon Majors as Kang.
Spider-Man 4– My fantasy cast is Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Zendaya as MJ Jones, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Tony Revolori as Flash Thompson, Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio, J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, Michael Keaton as Vulture, Donald Glover as Aaron Davis, Michael Mando as Scorpion, Bokeem Woodbine as Shocker II, Michael Chernus as the Tinkerer, Remi Hii as Brad, Martin Starr as Mr. Harrington, Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Dominique Thorne as Ironheart, Ming-Na Wen as Agent May, Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson, Antony Mackie as Captain America, Benedict Wong as Wong, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Cobie Smulders as Agent Hill, Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina De Fontaine, & Jonathon Majors as Kang.
Shang-Chi 2– My fantasy cast is Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Awkwafina as Katy, Tony Leung as Xu Wenwu, Meng’er Zhang as Xialing, Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan, Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Benedict Wong as Wong, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, Charlize Theron as Clea, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Gemma Chan as Sersi, Angelina Jolie as Thena, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, Barry Keoghan as Druig, Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Evangeline Lily as the Wasp, Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Harry Styles as Eros, Patton Oswalt as Pip the Troll, Stellan Skarsgard as Dr. Selvig, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina De Fontaine,& Jonathon Majors as Kang.
Eternals 2– My fantasy cast is Gemma Chan as Sersi, Richard Madden as Ikaris, Salma Hayek as Ajak, Kit Harrington as Dane Whitman, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Lia McHugh as Sprite, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, Barry Keoghan as Druig, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Angelina Jolie as Thena, Harry Styles as Eros, Patton Oswalt as Pip the Troll, Will Poulter as Adam Warlock, Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight, Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Chris Evans as Steve Rodgers/Captain America, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Zendaya as MJ Jones, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Rene Russo as Frigga, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne, Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Evangeline Lily as The Wasp, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Cobie Smulders as Agent Hill, Ming-Na Wen as Agent May, Haley Atwell as Agent Carter, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier, Josh Brolin as Thanos, Peter Dinklage as Eitri, Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster, Benicio Del Toro as The Collector, Seth Green as Howard the Duck, Mahershala Ali as Blade, Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk, Stellan Skarsgard as Dr. Selvig, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, & Jonathon Majors as Kang.
Thor 5– My fantasy cast is Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Jaime Alexander as Lady Sif, Taika Waititi as Korg, Randall Park as Agent Woo, Kat Dennings as Darcy, Stellan Skarsgard as Dr. Selvig, Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk, Harrison Ford as Thunderbolt Ross, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Charlize Theron as Clea, Benedict Wong as Wong, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Seth Green as Howard the Duck, Russel Crowe as Zeus, Brett Goldstein as Hercules, Owen Wilson as Mobius, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer, Sophia De Martino as Sylvie, Tara Strong as Miss Minutes, Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, Harry Styles as Eros, Patton Oswalt as Pip the Troll, Will Poulter as Adam Warlock, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Rene Russo as Frigga, Idris Elba as Heimdall, & Jonathon Majors as Kang.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty– I’ll make this one simple. Everyone.
Avengers: Secret Wars– Same as The Kang Dynasty.
I am a huge Marvel fan and a big dreamer. For Eternals 2, my thinking was mostly if the film was going to be another history lesson. This time around we could see the Eternals point of view of different situations that happened with the Marvel characters. I think it would make sense if Kang were to appear in all the projects in some capacity. He could be other variants or just appear in a scene or two. Marvel will do what they do best. Will Avengers: The Kang Dynasty get delayed? I honestly don’t think so. I trust Marvel and they are the only ones who know the big plan.
With Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania opening very soon, I wanted to take a look at Phase 5 before it kicks off. Here is a list of all the projects currently set for Phase 5. For me there has been some confusion with Blade and Deadpool 3. It was said that Thunderbolts was supposed to serve as the Phase 5 finale and Fantastic Four would kick off Phase 6. Fantastic Four was originally scheduled for November 2024 and has been pushed back to February 2025. Blade was originally scheduled for this fall but was pushed back to September 6, 2024. Deadpool 3 is currently scheduled for November 8, 2024. I have seen some things online saying Blade is part of Phase 5 and Deadpool 3 would kick off Phase 6. For the purpose of this, I am including Blade and Deadpool 3. I will wait until Marvel confirms if Deadpool 3 is part of Phase 5 or Phase 6. I figured Fantastic Four would still be the launch of Phase 6 even though it got delayed.
Ant-Man & The Wasp Quantumania 2/17/23
Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang, Evangeline Lily as the Wasp Credit Marvel Studios
The official kick off to Phase 5. I am super excited for this movie. I have enjoyed the Ant-Man movies. Out of the two prior films Ant-Man & the Wasp is my current favorite. I have high expectations for this movie, and I am really looking forward to seeing Kang. I am looking forward to learning more about the Quantum realm as well as getting a better idea of where everything is heading. It has already been said that this movie will directly lead into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The film stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Kathryn Newton, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, & Jonathon Majors.
Secret Invasion Spring 2023
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury Credit Marvel Studios
Not much is known about Secret Invasion. There is one trailer and from that I am super stoked for this. It looks very different than other Marvel projects. The project has been teased as a major crossover event series. I am hopeful that it means there will be lots of surprises over the course of its six episode run. I am also hoping we’ll get to see a lot of MCU characters. It has been said that the show will connect to The Marvels. I am also hoping to get answers to what Nick Fury has been doing this whole time. If rumors are true, we are also supposed to finally learn more about Nick Fury. The show stars Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Cobie Smulders, Don Cheadle, Martin Freeman, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Coleman, Kinglsey Ben-Adir, Christopher McDonald, & Charlayne Woodard.
What If? Season 2 Spring 2023
Credit Marvel Studios
What If? season 2 is supposed to be coming out this year. No date has been set. Originally it was announced that it was aiming for spring of this year. Given its February and there is no concrete date for this, I am not sure how likely it will be coming out in the spring. What If? is supposed to be either nine or ten episodes. Secret Invasion is six episodes. Realistically I think Secret Invasion will come out first. Since there is not a date for that either my best bet would be that Secret Invasion would aim for late March to early April which would mean Season 2 of What If? would either have to premiere immediately after Secret Invasion or have to wait until later in the year. I think it would come down to when Marvel wants Loki season 2 out. They may want it to drop shortly after Guardians 3 or they may want to drop it in June and have it wrap up right before The Marvels comes out. We’ll just have to wait and see. Currently barely anything is known about season 2. It was said that the episodes would be centered on Phase 4 plots. The only confirmed cast member is Jeffrey Wright who is the Watcher.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 5/5/23
Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Vin Diesel as Groot, Karen Gillan as Nebula, & Pom Klementieff as Mantis Credit Marvel Studios
This has had two trailers and based off of that, this looks to be a wild ride. James Gunn has stated this is the conclusion of the story he set out to tell and this is the last film of this iteration of the Guardians team. Despite what the trailer may be suggesting, James Gunn recently said it is not necessarily true that every character will die. The question is who will live and who will die? Honestly, I don’t really think about it because it will make me sad. I love the team a lot and ideally, I don’t want any of them to die. I do think Star-Lord is fairly safe. Besides seeing how the story concludes I am also excited to see how this fits in with the bigger picture. So much has happened since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The guardians finally met the Avengers while taking part in Infinity War and Endgame. I also feel this will be a very emotional movie. The film stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, Pom Klementieff, Maria Bakalova, Elizabeth Debicki, Sylvester Stallone, Will Poulter, & Chukwudi Iwuji.
Echo Summer 2023
Alaqua Cox as Echo Credit Marvel Studios
Echo may not be coming out this year. It was revealed there are production delays. If it is able to premiere this year, it realistically will probably be in the fall. Summer 2023 was its original target date. Since there has not been a new time frame set, I am keeping it as is. The only thing known about this is that it is a spinoff of Hawkeye focusing on Maya Lopez who we first met in Hawkeye. Daredevil and Kingpin will also be involved. I am very curious to see what they do with Echo and how it will set up Daredevil: Born Again. The show stars Alaqua Cox, Charlie Cox, & Vincent D’Onofrio.
Loki Season 2 Summer 2023
Tom Hiddleston as Loki Credit Marvel Studios
Out of the Disney Plus shows, Loki Season 2 ranks high. Since this comes out after Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, I am very excited to see how that factors into this. It has been suspected that Kang will probably show up in season 2 especially given how season 1 ended. I am also curious to see what damage Loki causes this time around and how it will impact the rest of the Multiverse Saga. The show stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, & Tara Strong.
The Marvels 7/28/23
Credit Marvel Studios
Just like half of the Marvel Projects for Phase 5, not much is known about this. It comes out after Secret Invasion, and it has been said that Secret Invasion will be directly linked to this. This will also see a team up between Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Ms. Marvel. It’s supposed to be an epic cosmic movie. The Marvels does not have any trailers at this point, and I am anxiously waiting for it to drop something. The film stars Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Samuel L. Jackson, & Zawe Ashton.
Ironheart Fall 2023
Dominique Thorne as Ironheart in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Credit Marvel Studios
Again not much is known about this Disney Plus series other than it will follow Riri Williams while she is at MIT. Riri Williams was introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and this will take place after those events. There have been rumors and speculation about Shuri making an appearance as well as Ned Leeds and MJ Jones since they both got accepted to MIT in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Even if we don’t see Ned or MJ or Shuri, I am looking forward to seeing more of Ironheart. The show stars Dominque Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross, & Alden Ehrenreich.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos Winter 2023 or 2024
Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness in Wandavision Credit Marvel Studios
A spin-off of Wandavision, the only thing known about this is that a handful of the residents from Westview that were featured heavily in Wandavision will be back. It has been said that there may be some musical moments in this similar to Wandavision. After all, Wandavision did give us Agatha All Along. The show stars Kathryn Hahn, Emma Caulfield, Aubrey Plaza, Debra Jo Rupp, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zuamata, and Patti LuPone.
Daredevil: Born Again Spring 2024
Charlie Cox as Dardevil in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Credit Marvel Studios
The big question surrounding this is if it will be a complete reboot of the character or if it will be a continuation of the Netflix series. This is the first Disney Plus show to have eighteen episodes since every other Marvel series has had either six or nine. I am looking forward to seeing what Marvel does with Daredevil and Kingpin. The show stars Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Margarita Levieva, & Sandrine Holt.
Captain America: New World Order 5/4/24
Anthony Mackie as Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Credit Marvel Studios
I am very excited to see where this one goes. This will follow up from the Falcon and the Winter Soldier with Sam Wilson now Captain America. It was announced that The Leader will be the antagonist. I also think this is going to heavily connect to the Thunderbolts which comes out after this. Thunderbolt Ross is going to be in this as well as the Thunderbolts and Marvel revealed he is the President of the United States. I am very curious how he got that job. The film stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Carl Lumbly, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford, & Xosha Roquemore.
Thunderbolts 7/26/24
Julia Louis-Drefus as Valentina De Fontaine, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as The Winter Soldier, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster Credit Marvel Studios
This is supposed to be the Phase 5 finale. I am not sure if that is still the case since Blade is coming out after this as well as Deadpool 3. Regardless, this movie is said to be game changing and is expected to drop a bombshell that will shake things up. Seeds have been planted through Phase 4 of this anti-hero team up featuring Yelena, Red Guardian, U.S. Agent, Ghost, Taskmaster, The Winter Soldier, and Valentina De Fontaine. The film stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, Olga Kurylenko, & Harrison Ford.
Blade 9/6/24
Credit Marvel Studios
Blade was first introduced in the post credit scene in Eternals. He was not seen, but he was heard. There is speculation that Dane Whitman will be in the movie given the post credit scene of Eternals. I am very excited to see how Marvel brings Blade to life. Monsters have been introduced into the MCU through Werewolf by Night. Blade would be the first movie to feature monsters. There could be the chance that we could see some of the characters from Werewolf by Night in this. The film stars Mahershala Ali, Delroy Lindo, & Aaron Pierre.
Deadpool 3 11/8/24
Credit Marvel Studios
I am very excited for Deadpool 3. This will be the first MCU appearance of the character since Disney bought FOX. Deadpool will also be the first X-Men character to be in the MCU. The X-Men have yet to arrive but are on their way at some point. Fantastic Four will be arriving in 2025. This will be the first R rated Marvel movie and Wolverine will be in it as well. It is expected and speculated that there will be time travel shenanigans mostly to explain how Deadpool is in this world now. I am looking forward to what Deadpool can really do now that its in the MCU. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, & Emma Corrin.
I am looking forward to Phase 5 and to see where everything heads. I think Phase 5 is going to be a great phase with tons of twists and turns. I look forward to seeing all of these projects. Who knows what other surprises Marvel has in store?
Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania is the third film in the Ant-Man franchise. There are some lingering questions that have not been answered from prior films as well as the MCU as a whole.
Who did Sonny Burch work for?
Credit Marvel Studios
Sonny Burch played by Walton Goggins was an antagonist in Ant-Man and the Wasp. He was after the Mobile Laboratory so he could sell the Quantum tunnel. It was revealed that it was for his employer, but it was never answered who sent him. This is a lingering question that fans would like an answer to. Sonny Burch has not appeared in a Marvel film since. I highly doubt he will be in Quantumania but I guess anything is possible. You don’t necessarily need Burch in order to answer who his employer was. It can be answered in a simple line of dialogue. It could be something as “Sonny Burch from a few years back worked for…” as an example or “…that’s the guy who hired Burch.” The employer could be nobody but given its Marvel, a lot of fans viewed it as the employer is somebody important. One popular theory has been that Norman Osborn is the employer. Currently its not known where an MCU Norman Osborn stands. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, it was stated by William Dafoe’s Norman Osborn that there wasn’t a Norman Osborn in this world. That could also be a misdirect or that he simply didn’t know there was one. Even without Burch being in Quantumania it is possible to still answer who his employer was especially if the employer has a fascination with the Quantum realm. I also have a feeling that this probably will be a lingering question for a little while longer.
Who was Agent Jimmy Woo’s informant?
Credit Marvel Studios
Randall Park reprised his role as Agent Jimmy Woo in Wandavision. It was revealed that he had someone on the inside in Westview which was sealed off because of Wanda Maximoff. By the time the series ended it was never answered who the informant was, or what they were an informant for. After the show, it was stated that this would be answered later on. Here is the best opportunity to answer that since Jimmy Woo is in the movie. Currently beyond Quantumania it is not known when Agent Woo will show up again. This would be the best time to answer that lingering question. I think there is a good chance we could get an answer since Woo is in the movie, unless he is trapped in the Quantum realm, I would think he will probably have the only scenes in the regular world. Based on the marketing it is obvious most of the film is going to be in the Quantum realm focusing on Scott Lang, Hope Van Dyne, Hank Pym, Janet Van Dyne, Cassie Lang, and Kang the Conqueror. If Jimmy Woo has a semi decent sized role it most likely would be him working on a case in the regular world. I don’t see him getting trapped in the Quantum Realm, but anything is possible especially after the events of Wandavision.
Is Darren Cross alive?
Credit Marvel Studios
Darren Cross played by Cory Stoll was the villain in the first Ant-Man. He was Yellowjacket and during the climactic battle with Scott, Yellowjacket was shrunken down to the atomic level and was presumed dead. Since the first movie, fans never really believed Yellowjacket was dead. There was always a question if Yellowjacket would return in Ant-Man 3. There is a new question. It has been revealed that Cory Stoll will be playing MODOK in Quantumania. Now, fan theory is that Darren Cross has become MODOK. If that is true, I feel it will be answered in the movie especially since this will be the first time meeting MODOK. I think either way it will be answered. It could be a case that Cory Stoll just landed another Marvel role. Gemma Chan and Michelle Yeoh played two different characters in the MCU. It is not completely out of the realm of possibility. There is also the chance there could be a twist and that while down in the Quantum realm, Scott and Hope and Cassie could run into Darren Cross which would reveal he is alive. A further twist could be if MODOK is after Cross for some reason.
Are Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel connected to Quantumania?
Credit Marvel Studios
As seen in the photo above, fans have picked up on similarities between these objects. The bottom is from the Quantumania trailer which has a striking resemblance to Ms. Marvel’s bangles and the weapons that the Ten Rings used in Shang-Chi. The top left corner photo is from the season finale of Loki. It is on He Who Remains’ desk. The design is similar to the other objects in the photos. Will this get answered? I think one way or another this will get answered.
Will the Loki Season Finale be acknowledged?
Credit Marvel Studios
This is a big question, for me anyway. In the season finale of Loki, Loki and Sylvie opened the multiverse when Sylvie killed He Who Remains played by Jonathon Majors. He Who Remains is supposed to be a variant of Kang. Once He Who Remains was killed, it essentially freed Kang and will probably be a key factor in the plot of the Multiverse Saga. The show already stated there was a multiversal war once before. I think it is safe to presume that by the end of Quantumania, Kang will be free, and he will be unleashed in the MCU therefore endangering the entire Multiverse. My main question is when this happens will this be at the same time as when Sylvie kills, He Who Remains? Will this get answered in the movie? I hope so. What are the chances it will? Your guess is as good as mine. It could be subtly answered or answered off screen from Marvel Studios directly.
Will Quantumania connect all of Phase 4?
Credit Marvel Studios
Kang knows about the Multiverse. Kang is probably aware of all of the events in all timelines including the MCU timeline. That would mean he knows events that transpired in Eternals, Shang-Chi, Spider-Man, Wandavision, etc. Will this be the movie to prove once and for all that Phase 4 is still connected to the bigger picture? That has been a common complaint by fans. I think the chance this will get answered is very likely.
Every Marvel movie and show has tons of surprises. One big surprise is always the appearances of other Marvel characters. Infinity War had the return of Red Skull. The mid-credit scene in Shang-Chi had Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner. Spider-Man: No Way Home had Daredevil and both Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man. With Quantumania coming out in a few days, I figured why not take a guess who could show up in the movie. It has been said that Quantumania is meant to be an avengers type movie similar to Captain America: Civil War. With a statement like that, one would think some MCU alums would pop up even if its just for a scene.
Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)
Credit Marvel
Samuel L. Jackson said in an interview awhile back that he had filmed three marvel projects at once because they were all filming next to each other. Two of those projects are Secret Invasion and The Marvels. It has been rumored that the third movie is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania mostly due to the fact that the movie was filming around the same time as the other two projects. It would be nice to see more Nick Fury. He pops up everywhere so it is possible he could factor in, in some capacity whether a credit scene or an appearance at the end of the movie. At most it could at least give an update where he is right now.
Likelihood of showing up: The best shot out of everyone solely based on the fact this had filmed at the same time as Secret Invasion and The Marvels.
Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld)
Credit Marvel
Kate Bishop was introduced in Hawkeye and quickly became a fan favorite. There has been speculation that she would be in this movie. Realistically I am not sure how she could fit in unless there is a scene where Cassie meets Kate in a coffee shop or on the street.
Likelihood of showing up: Slim to none.
Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)
Credit Marvel
If Kate Bishop were to appear and if it was a simple thing that she was in town and runs into Cassie therefore meeting for the first time, it is possible Kate could be in town with Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye. Also, Clint and Scott worked together before so there is an established relationship. Clint could be in town just to check up on Scott or to say hello.
Likelihood of showing up: Slim to none.
Shang-Chi (Simu Liu)
Credit Marvel
There has been speculation that there is a connection with the weapons used by the Ten Rings and Quantumania. The mid credit scene of Shang-Chi revealed that the rings are unlike anything that has been seen before and is probably thousands of years old. It was also revealed that Shang-Chi’s ring appeared to have sent out a signal. There has been fan speculation that the credit scene is happening around the same time as when Cassie sends out a signal to the Quantum realm based off the trailers. If the rings are connected to Kang, it would make sense if we see the scene again in a different context or see what happens after that scene once Kang is freed. At the very least the movie could end with Scott looking for Shang-Chi after learning more about the Quantum realm and wanting to see the ring for himself.
Likelihood of showing up: Decent shot.
Wong (Benedict Wong)
Credit Marvel
Wong was the unofficial MVP of Phase 4 showing up in multiple projects. Given Wong was also involved in Shang-Chi as well as the midcredit scene, it would also make sense if Wong popped up here in relation to that. Also, if Shang-Chi makes an appearance and if it is the same scene from a different context, it would make sense for Wong to be there as well. Even if Shang-Chi doesn’t appear, Wong could still show up anyway, especially since he is the Sorcerer Supreme.
Likelihood of showing up: 50/50.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch)
Credit Marvel
At this point, even if we have not gotten specific scenes with them, all of the heroes who fought Thanos have met. They all attended Tony Stark’s funeral so realistically they probably interacted with each other there. Even if Doctor Strange doesn’t have any scenes with the group, it is possible for him to show up in an isolated scene or interact with Kang. At the very least we could get a credit scene to give an update to where Doctor Strange is now after the events of Multiverse of Madness. Also, Kang probably knows everything anyway. Even if Doctor Strange is in a different world Kang would probably know about it and be able to find him easily. On a side note, if Doctor Strange does appear in the movie, it would help better link Multiverse of Madness to the bigger picture.
Likelihood of showing up: Decently but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Madisynn (Patty Guggenheim)
Credit Marvel
Madisynn was introduced in She-Hulk, and she was hilarious throughout that episode. She also developed a friendship with Wong. Madisynn wound up in multiple dimensions including possibly one where she met Mephisto in the episode she was in. Even as a gag I could see Madisynn randomly show up in the Quantum realm where she goes on about how she got there to begin with.
Likelihood of showing up: Slim to none but anything is possible.
Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds)
Credit 20th Century Fox
Deadpool will finally be joining the MCU in 2024 when Deadpool 3 comes out. Realistically Deadpool will probably not be in this. However, there could be a scene to set up how Deadpool winds up in the MCU to begin with. It also would be a nice tease to get fans hyped for Deadpool 3.
Likelihood of showing up: Slim to none.
Loki (Tom Hiddleston)
Credit Marvel
Given the events of Loki, it would make sense if Loki himself shows up. If Quantumania references the events of the Loki season finale, it would be the perfect opportunity to see Loki. The season finale also ended with Loki being stuck in another world where Kang is the ruler. Season 2 of Loki is due to come out later this year. The movie could set up season 2. There could be a scene where Kang meets Loki. Even it does not happen in Quantumania, there is a good chance Kang will show up in season 2 of Loki.
Likelihood of showing up: 50/50.
Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino)
Credit Marvel
Sylvie was introduced in Loki. Since she is the one who killed He Who Remains and caused this whole multiversal mess it would make sense if she were to appear.
Likelihood of showing up: 50/50.
Mobius (Owen Wilson)
Credit Marvel
Since Loki seems to have profound repercussions for the events of the Multiverse Saga, it seems fitting that the bulk of the cast could show up in Quantumania. Mobius works for the TVA which stands for The Time Variance Authority. The TVA regulates all realities and timelines. They course correct anything that should not be in the timeline which was the basis for Loki’s show since he broke off from the original timeline, he was supposed to be in.
Likelihood of showing up: Better shot than some of the others.
Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw)
Credit Marvel
Same reasons for the other three. In the comics Ravonna Renslayer has a long history with Kang including being his lover. Because of this, there has been speculation that she is connected to Kang. If the MCU goes this route, it would make sense if she were to show up in this. She could still show up even if they are not going to go this route. She was last seen in the season finale of Loki looking for answers. Her journey could lead her to the Quantum realm and to Kang.
Likelihood of showing up: Maybe.
Miss Minutes (Tara Strong)
Credit Marvel
Out of all of the Loki cast, Miss Minutes seems like the one who could realistically show up other than Loki. After Tara Strong posted a tweet saying “It’s time y’all” in response to Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, fans have been speculating if that meant that Miss Minutes will be in the movie. It could also mean that Tara Strong is just excited to see the movie.
Likelihood of showing up: 50/50.
Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard)
Credit Marvel
We have not seen much of Dr. Selvig these last few years. He did return briefly in Thor: Love and Thunder. That scene was a video call with Jane. Dr. Selvig could factor in simply by studying the Quantum realm in a lab or in his office.
Likelihood of showing up: Not impossible but not very likely.
Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie)
Credit
Since this is the third Ant-Man movie, it would be full circle if Sam popped up. Sam made an appearance in the first Ant-Man movie. He could be in a scene at the beginning of the movie. It could be simply Sam and Scott having lunch together.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is only days away from opening and launching Phase 5 of the Multiverse Saga. Before Quantumania comes out, I want to look back at Phase 4 which was the first phase after the conclusion of the Infinity Saga.
Phase 4 has mixed reactions from the fans for various reasons. Some say the phase did not have a point to it. Others felt it was discombobulated. The list goes on. Phase 4 was different than the first three phases. Phase 1 introduced the Avengers and concluded with Avengers. Avengers also revealed the bigger picture in the mid credit scene where it was revealed Thanos was behind the Attack on New York. Phase 2 furthered the stories for the characters and made some bold choices including dismantling S.H.I.E.L.D. in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Phase 3 really hit its stride leading into Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame concluding The Infinity Saga with Spider-Man: Far From Home. Phase 4 took some bold steps. Phase 4 was the first phase to add Television to the mix. Through Phases 1, 2, and 3, TV shows were not necessarily cannon to the MCU. The Netflix series did not connect to the films. Cloak & Dagger from Freeform and Runaways from Hulu were on their own although Cloak & Dagger did guest star on Runaways in its final season. Even Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. wound up veering from the MCU in the later years. To this day there is still question if Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is cannon or if it does not count. Agent Carter had it slightly easier since it was a period piece. However, there is question to how that fits in given how Endgame ended for Captain American and Peggy Carter. Phase 4 not only introduced TV shows to the mix, but it also introduced Special Presentations as well. All TV shows and Special Presentations are on Disney Plus.
Phase 4 consisted of Wandavision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Black Widow, What If? Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Hawkeye, Spider-Man: Now Way Home, Moon Knight, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Ms. Marvel, Thor: Love and Thunder, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Werewolf by Night, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. All projects are in release order. That is 17 projects in Phase 4 making it the biggest phase yet and the quickest launching in 2021 and concluding in 2022. Phase 3 was the biggest prior with 11 films. Phase 4 has 7 films, 8 TV shows, and 2 special presentations.
One big complaint is that fans feel Phase 4 does not connect to the bigger picture. I think it is way too early to know for sure. Phase 5 has not started yet. We won’t have a full answer until Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars come out. Only then we will know how everything connects. I do believe that Phase 4 matters and that it is all connected. We are in the Multiverse Saga. Right off the bat, Wandavision, Loki, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness have kicked off events that have opened up the Multiverse. Even the animated series What If? deals with the Multiverse. That premise of the series is all about the multiverse. The only glimpses of Phase 5 we have gotten up to this point are the trailers and commercials for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the trailers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and a trailer for Secret Invasion which is a limited series for Disney Plus. Quantumania is the big one because it is kicking off Phase 5 as well as it properly introduces Jonathon Majors as the main villain of the Multiverse Saga, Kang the Conqueror. As with any footage for any Marvel project, Marvel fans study and analyze the footage and look for clues. There is a part in the trailers that suggest a connection to the Rings from Shang-Chi and the bangle that Ms. Marvel wears. We won’t know if they are connected until Quantumania comes out unless the movie makes us wait for an answer. My hope is that Quantumania will provide the answers to how Phase 4 fits in specifically the relationship between the events of Quantumania and the events of the season finale of Loki. More on that a little later.
Here are my thoughts on all the projects in Phase 4.
Wandavision
I loved Wandavision. I thought it was bold and brilliant. I was invested from the first minute as were many Marvel fans. I liked that each episode covered a different decade, and it was a sitcom. I should say it started out as a sitcom and then by the finale moved into what Marvel does best. The show played homage to many different sitcoms of the eras. The first two episodes were in black and white. The show had Kathryn Hahn as the nosy neighbor Agnes similar to Gladys the nosy neighbor in the 60s sitcom Betwitched. Fans went nuts with theories and analyzed everything. They analyzed the dialogue. Agnes says, “The Devil is in the details,” prompting everyone to think Mephisto was coming. He did not. They analyzed visuals such as Agnes wearing a witch’s hat in the Halloween episode prompting fans to believe she was really Agatha Harkness. She was. Wandavision was about grief and was a love story for fan favorite characters Wanda Maximoff and Vision. Wandavision gave us many twists and turns and it was a wild ride. It concluded with an explosive finale that set up a lot for the future. Monica Rambeau, who was introduced in the show and is the daughter of Maria Rambeau will be in the Marvels with Captain Marvel. Agent Jimmy Woo will be in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Agent Woo was first introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Agatha is getting her own show Agatha: Coven of Chaos which will also see a lot of the residents of the town Westview that Wanda and Vision lived in return. We got the return of Darcy, the intern from the Thor movies. I loved Wandavision. I thought it was a great start to Phase 4. The show heavily led into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Several characters from the show went on to appear in the movie including Wanda.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
This show was divisive amongst the fans. I enjoyed it. I don’t really understand why people did not like it. I generically know the reasons. I just don’t get it. The show was a fun show that connects to the bigger picture. A lot of the characters from the show will be appearing in the movie Captain America: New World Order and the Thunderbolts. The show set up a lot of future projects as well. I like the dynamic between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, the Falcon, and the Winter Soldier respectively. It had cool action scenes, and it was nice and grounded compared to the heighted Wandavision mostly since Wanda has powers whereas Sam and Bucky do not.
Loki
I loved Loki. This is the show that really kicked off the Multiverse mostly because of the events of the season finale. Also, Jonathon Majors first appeared in the season finale as He Who Remains. I personally want to know when Quantumania takes place and once the film ends, where that will line up in relation with how season 1 of Loki ended. I hope there will be an answer to how these events line up. I enjoyed every aspect of Loki. I loved the characters. Loki is the first show to get a second season which will be premiering later this year. I cannot wait and I hoping to see Jonathon Majors again.
Black Widow
Black Widow was the first Phase 4 movie. I thought the movie was good. To be honest, I don’t remember it that much. I have only seen it once when it first came out. I watched it on Disney Plus because I was not ready to go back to the movie theater yet.
What If?
What If? is an animated show, the first for Marvel. It was a fun show and had great episodes. The title of the series says it all. It has great animation. It is yet to be seen how cannon this is to the MCU. A huge chunk of the voice cast are the same actors who portray the characters in the movies. There are some exceptions. Scarlett Johnson, Chris Evans, and Robert Downey Jr. do not voice their characters for the show. What If? is also getting a second season which is due to premiere sometime this year. I cannot wait.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
I loved this movie when I saw it. This was the first origin movie of Phase 4. Black Widow was a long awaited solo movie for the character. I loved Shang-Chi a lot. It was visually stunning and had great actions sequences. It had a great cast of new characters, and it had a good story. I am looking forward to seeing more Shang-Chi in the future.
Eternals
Eternals is not the most liked by Marvel fans. When I saw it, I enjoyed it. I liked that it was different than other Marvel movies. Eternals is an intimate movie. It plays a little like an indie movie on a big budget. The movie is also one of the longest Marvel movies clocking in a little over two and a half hours. It also has a big cast with 10 main characters. It made sense to me why this movie was long so it can give the audience a chance to get to know everybody. The future for the Eternals is not known but I am looking forward to and am hopeful in seeing the Eternals again.
Hawkeye
I enjoyed Hawkeye a lot. It was a great holiday show since it was set during the holidays. It was funny and exhilarating, especially the season finale. It was nice for Hawkeye to finally get a solo project. I am hopeful we will get to see Hawkeye again.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Best Spider-Man film yet. This heavily focuses on the Multiverse and features Doctor Strange. There were a lot of rumors and speculation prior to the movie coming out. Some of the rumors were proven true while others were not. Regardless, I thought the film was very rewarding. No Way Home changed the game for the character, and I am very excited to see what will happen to Spider-Man next.
Moon Knight
Moon Knight made some bold choices. The show is still part of the MCU even though it is pretty much a self-contained series. I liked the show. I liked that Marvel took a risk with it. There have been rumors of Moon Knight getting a second season but none of that has been confirmed at this point. I hope we get to see Moon Knight again and I look forward to seeing where he’ll turn up next.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
I liked the movie but I was a little disappointed. I had high expectations for this since there was so much hype for this movie. It was said that Wandavision, Loki, and Spider-Man: No Way Home would lead into Multiverse of Madness. While watching the movie, I did not see where some of the connections were. Wandavision was obvious since Wanda Maximoff is in the movie. There were no references to the events of Loki and there was only a brief reference to No Way Home. The thing that disappointed me a little bit was that I was expecting more. With a title like Multiverse of Madness, I was expecting Multiverse shenanigans. I was expecting a lot of Multiverse of Madness. I was expecting to see a lot more Multiverse. Instead, they only really went to two other worlds. There is a sequence where they go through a bunch of other worlds before they land in one. That was a quick sequence. I also was expecting to see more variants of the characters.
Ms. Marvel
I thought Ms. Marvel was a good show. I binged the whole series in one night because I was behind when the episodes were dropping. I like the character and I am excited to see her in the Marvels with Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau. Since I binged the whole series, it’s kind of is a blur so I don’t remember everything specifically.
Thor: Love and Thunder
This movie is one where I also felt a little disappointed. I felt the movie should have been a little longer. Some parts seemed a bit rushed through the movie. It is still a good movie. I do think Thor: Ragnarok was better.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
This show was polarizing for a lot fans. I enjoyed it. She-Hulk was the first true sitcom for Marvel. Wandavision started out as a sitcom but eventually went the same direction the films go in. I thought She-Hulk was enjoyable and funny. It made me think of the Deadpool movies especially since both characters break the fourth wall. I am hopeful to see the She-Hulk cast again.
Werewolf by Night
I loved it. It is one of the best Marvel things yet. I liked how Werewolf by Night played homage to classic monster movies. It is also the first true horror Marvel project. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness had horror aspects. I liked that Werewolf by Night was black and white. It had a great story. I hope to see the characters again sooner than later.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Wakanda Forever is considered the Phase 4 finale. It is the last movie for Phase 4. The Guardians Holiday Special is technically the finale to Phase 4. Wakanda Forever is a brilliant movie. It has everything. It has action, emotion, story, and it is game changing for the future. It has a great story and beautifully played tribute to Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. The movie is
visually stunning and has beautiful costumes and Wakanda is a great world.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
This is considered the true finale of Phase 4 and it is a good one. It is pure joy. Given it was already stated and proven by the trailers, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is going to be a heavy and darker movie. Given what is to come, it was very enjoyable to see the Guardians in a fun Christmas special. The special does set up things for the upcoming movie and the special introduced Cosmo the Dog who will be in the movie. Also, the special had some great music.
Overall, I think Phase 4 is a good phase. Some of the projects are better than others. I love Marvel and I am looking forward to how it all will connect to the bigger picture. I am planning on revisiting Phase 4 where I will go more in depth for each project individually.
I saw an article recently that talked about this very concept of who will have a strong 2023, Marvel or DC. After reading the article it got me to think about that question. This is my take on that topic.
Before getting into it, here is a list of what is scheduled to release this year for Marvel and DC. For the sake of this, I am looking at the MCU which does include the Disney+ shows. X-Men 97 is an animated series and is a sequel to the 90s cartoon. Given it is not considered cannon for the MCU it is left out as well as the Sony Marvel Movies Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Kraven the Hunter. Now that DC is in the midst of massive restructuring, for the sake of this only the films are included. This is based off statements that the DCU will be fully cannon between film, television, and video games. As of now any DC show that is currently scheduled is not cannon to the DCU with the exception of Peacemaker.
Marvel
Credit Marvel Comic Logo PNG
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania 2/17/23
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 5/5/23
The Marvels 7/28/23
What If? Season 2 Early 2023
Secret Invasion Spring 2023
Loki Season 2 Summer 2023
Ironheart Fall 2023
Agatha: Coven of Chaos Winter 2023
Echo 2023
2023 is a big year for Marvel. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kicks off Phase 5 of their Multiverse Saga and it properly introduces Kang the Conqueror played by Jonathon Majors who is the main villain of this saga. Everything will culminate in Phase 6 films Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is meant to be a game changer the same way Captain America: Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War were when they were released. Quantumania is also going to lead into Avengers: Kang Dynasty. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is one of the most anticipated films of the year. It is also the conclusion of James Gunn’s trilogy with this group of characters. This will also probably be the last Marvel project from James Gunn since he has now moved into corunning DC Studios with Peter Safran. There is also The Marvels which is Captain Marvel 2. While Ant-Man & Guardians of the Galaxy have trailers, fans are waiting for a trailer for The Marvels. It will probably be coming soon. Might it be attached to Quantumania? Not much is known about The Marvels, but it will see the return of Brie Larson as Captain Marvel as well as the film debuts of Monica Rambeau played by Teyonah Parris and Ms. Marvel played by Iman Vellani. Monica Rambeau made her debut in the show Wandavision while Ms. Marvel debuted in her show of the same name.
On the TV side What If? and Loki will be the first Marvel shows to get second seasons. Loki, is also the first live show to get a second season up to this point. Even the animated shows in the works including X-Men 97 and Spider-Man have already been renewed for season 2. Loki is the show that really kicked off the Multiverse Saga due to the events in that series. I won’t spoil anything here. Secret Invasion will see the return of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury who has been around since the beginning. It has also been rumored that Secret Invasion will directly impact The Marvels. Only one trailer has been released for Secret Invasion but a new one is supposed to be on its way very soon. It is also rumored to be heavily linked to The Marvels which also stars Samuel L. Jackson. Ironheart will be getting her own show. Audiences have already gotten to meet Ironheart who was introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Agatha: Coven of Chaos is aiming for late in 2023 possibly 2024. Its included here since there is not a concrete date of when it will drop. It is a spinoff of Wandavision with the popular Katharyn Hanh reprising her role as Agatha Harkness. Reports have stated that Echo will be delayed. Originally Echo was aiming for summer 2023. At this point it is not known if it will still be released this year or end up releasing in 2024. The last update was that Echo was still trying to aim for a 2023 release.
Marvel has 9 projects total with 3 movies and 6 shows. Fans have had a mixed reaction to the Phase 4 projects. However, when all is said and done the fans will still show up for the movies and shows. I know currently from what I have seen Secret Invasion and Loki are really the only ones that have anticipation. I think once trailers are released for the other projects hype will start to build up. Captain Marvel has had some controversy and has been a bit polarizing compared to the other characters. However Captain Marvel was a huge hit when it came out and made over 1 billion worldwide. It also opened right before Avengers: Endgame. The movie that has the most hype is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. That franchise has been very popular and this is the conclusion of this story that adds to the hype. After the promos the hype has grown for Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. I think by the time The Marvels come out it will do very well and may be better received by fans. Secret Invasion may help build up hype for it especially if it is indeed linked to The Marvels.
DC
Credit DC Comics Logo PNG
Shazam: Fury of the Gods 3/17/23
The Flash 6/16/23
Blue Beetle 8/18/23
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom 12/25/23
Peacemaker Season 2 Late 2023
With the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) over and the DCU (DC Universe) gearing up for launch 2023 will pretty much mark the end of the DCEU. This year is a little weird for DC. The films coming out this year may very well be the end for these current characters. The only thing known about the future at this point is that Henry Cavill is no longer Superman and they are going to have a younger version with James Gunn writing his own Superman movie. This also seems to spell the end for Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam as well. He is not set to appear in Shazam: Fury of the Gods unless he secretly filmed something. Shazam! was a hit and was well liked by audiences when it came out. There is hype for the sequel which will see the whole cast return. This time around Helen Mirren and Lucy Lui are playing Kalypso and Hespera who are the Daughters of Atlas and the villains of the movie. Should Fury of the Gods be a hit, the question remains what happens next for Shazam. Will Zachary Levi get to keep the role? Can there still be a Shazam 3 and if so, could it see Shazam face off with Black Adam? Part of the goal was to eventually see Shazam and Black Adam face off. In the more recent years, it seemed Dwayne Johnson was more focused on having Black Adam and Henry Cavill’s Superman face off. The Flash sees Ezra Miler reprise his role and finally get a solo movie. The Flash was supposed to come out five years ago in 2018. Barring any further delays, the movie will finally release in June. The Flash was always viewed as the movie to serve as a reboot or to fix all the problems in the DCEU. The main reason is due to the time travel that The Flash typically does. There were rumors of doing an adaption of the Flashpoint storyline at one point. However, it does not seem to be the case anymore. There have also been rumors that Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot who plays Wonder Woman were supposed to have cameos in the movie and are cut out. Currently both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck are supposed to be in the film as Batman. It remains to be seen if either of them will get cut out. Michael Keaton was supposed to reprise his role in the Batgirl movie, but that movie got the ax. If they end up cutting more people out of the movie, I would think they would cut Michael Keaton out and keep Ben Affleck even if it is just meant as a farewell to his character. The other main issue with the movie is the fact Ezra Miller has gotten himself into a lot of legal trouble and has had many scandals. Even if The Flash does well, there is the question of would the studio want to keep Ezra Miller in the role or recast entirely? Fans have suggested Grant Gustin taking on the film role after starring as The Flash on the hit CW show which is also entering its final season within the next few weeks. Blue Beetle is a new movie with a character we have never met. I was never really clear if Blue Beetle is even meant to be part of this world or not given it was originally supposed to be for HBO MAX. The studio decided to give it a theatrical release. I’m not sure how connected it is supposed to be to that world or if it is a standalone movie. We’ll see when it comes out. Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom was originally supposed to come out Christmas 2022. It was pushed back a full year. Aquaman did very well. Will the sequel be able to do just as well? There are some controversies with this one as well particularly with Amber Heard. Since Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s trial, there has been a sector of the fanbase who have been pushing for Amber Heard to be removed from the movie. Currently she is still in the movie. I don’t know how substantial her screentime is in this one. Also there have been rumors that Jason Momoa will step down as Aquaman and take on Lobo for the DCU. Recent statements were made by Jason Momoa that he would remain as Aquaman. He could end up playing both roles, but we won’t know until they start unveiling the plans for the DCU.
Currently the only show that is considered cannon would be Peacemaker Season 2. However, I am not sure if season 2 is even happening this year or is aiming for 2024. The Penguin show starring Colin Farrell is linked to Robert Pattison’s Batman which is not part of this world.
Who will dominate 2023? Marvel and DC could both be winners but there are some hurdles for both. A complaint of Phase 4 for Marvel has been that fans felt the movies and shows did not serve a bigger purpose and did not feel as connected compared to the prior films. This year has the opportunity to really link everything together and show that Phase 4 is just as important. The Marvel movies will probably dominate as they usually do. The shows are the ones that have a little more to prove. However, all of the Marvel shows up to this point have been successful including the ones that were not as well liked. DC has a lot more bumps given the films may be obsolete when it comes to the bigger picture. I don’t know if The Flash and Aquaman will be able to do as well given the controversies surrounding those films. Between the two, I think Aquaman has a better chance of doing well. Ben Affleck is also supposed to be in Aquaman but there have been rumors of him being cut out of the film. We won’t know until the movie comes out. DC could still have a successful year, and this is the first year they are releasing 4 movies. Currently the only film to have a trailer is Shazam which just released its latest trailer. The Flash has a teaser trailer, but nothing has since been released. 2 out of the 3 movies for Marvel have trailers and Secret Invasion has a trailer with a new one expected to be coming sooner than later and The Marvels will most likely debut its first trailer around the same time of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Only time will tell who will be the winner of 2023. I look forward to how this year will shape out for both Marvel and DC.
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