The future of Marvel Studios movie releases contains a few familiar titles and a couple Marvel title movie fans may not be so familiar with. It’s an ambitious release schedule which, if you include the as-yet untitled films, stretches all the way into 2023. With Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige still pulling the strings, it’s likely Phase 4 is be building up to something on the scale of another Avengers: Infinity War / Endgame level masterpiece.
Black Widow — May 1, 2020.
Eternals — November 6, 2020.
Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings — February 12, 2021.
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness — May 7, 2021.
Spider-Man 3 — July 16, 2021.
Thor: Love and Thunder — November 5, 2021.
Black Panther 2 — May 6, 2022.
Captain Marvel 2 — 2022
Black Widow kicks off what’s known as Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s a prequel obviously since we know Natasha Romanoff met a tragic end in “Avengers: Endgame.” But we expect to learn something important that will propel us into Phase 4, possibly about a new big baddie. The movie takes place after “Captain America: Civil War,” but before “Avengers: Infinity War.” Romanoff / Black Widow is forced to confront her past before she can move forward. It stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow with Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, and Rachel Weisz.
Eternals is an ensemble movie based on a Jack Kirby comic book series featuring a group of celestial beings known as the Eternals who unite to protect Earth from their enemies, the Deviants. The movie, directed by Chloé Zhao, just wrapped production. The movie picks up after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” when the Eternals, who have been living on Earth for 7,000 years, decide now is the time to step out of the shadows to defend the planet. It features a huge cast including: Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh, Don Lee, Barry Keoghan, Angelina Jolie, and Kit Harington.
2021 will feature four Marvel titles, so strap in and get ready.
Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings will be the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie with an Asian lead. Simu Liu has been cast in the title role, with Tony Leung portraying the Mandarin — the real Mandarin, not the impostor portrayed by Ben Kingsley in Iron Man 3.
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness has had a few problems in pre-production with the director Scott Derrickson stepping down over creative differences. Those differences were likely how scary the movie would be. Derrickson was looking for something a big darker than it turns out Marvel Studios and Disney really wanted. Marvel Studios has brought in Sam Raimi, known for doing scary but kid-friendly, movies as the new director. You might recall Raimi’s take on Spider-Man in the Tobey Maguire trilogy.
Spider-Man 3 will be another partnership between Sony and Marvel Studios. One rumored to be made possible by a late night call from Tom Holland direct to Disney CEO Bob Iger pleading for Disney to work with Sony for one more movie to give him a full trilogy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sony is also releasing a Morbius film, which is traditionally set in the Spider-Man universe, so there may cross-over potential with our friendly neighborhood web-slinger.
Thor: Love and Thunder reunites the newly minted Oscar winner Taika Waititi with Chris Hemsworth (Thor) for what might be an onscreen reunion with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). Christian Bale has reportedly been attached as a villain for the movie. We don’t have many plot details but we know that Thor left Tessa Thompson in charge of the Asgardians in exile on Earth and departed with the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Black Panther 2 will return with Ryan Coogler in the directors chair and Chadwick Boseman back in the super hero role. But we don’t know much more than that.
Last month we learned that Captain Marvel 2 will get a 2022 release as well. Marvel Studios has hired “WandaVision” writer to take a stab at the script and rumored to be bringing on a new director. Brie Larson has signed on to a multi-picture contract so we know she’ll be back as Carol Danvers. The original Captain Marvel was set in the 90s and told Danvers’ origin story, but the Avengers: Endgame movie brought her up to the present day in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It will be interesting to see how she has changed as a character in her second solo film.
Keep in mind that three Disney+ limited original series will be squeezed in between these theatrical releases.
There are also a slew of untitled films, including one on the list before “Black Panther 2.” So we’re open to ideas about which movie might slide into that spot. It’s been said that Shuri might get her own film or join one of the other titles in the role of Blank Panther. There’s also a “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” that’s in pre-production with Director/Writer James Gunn having already written the script.
Lastly, there was a rumor that Marvel Studios might try to revive one of the Marvel Television characters, like Daredevil, for the big screen. So if you have a favorite from those Netflix shows let us know in the comments below.