Following the Lucasfilm presentation, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige took the stage at D23 Expo 2022 to share Marvel news on upcoming projects.
Feige, reflecting on his multiple sojourns to D23 Expos over the years, spoke of watching the performances created just for the event from around the worlds of Disney: “I’ve always been a little jealous,” Feige admitted. “Why can’t we get our own musical number?”
Well, they can, because that question kicked off an incredible, high-energy performance of the fan-favorite “I Could Do This All Day” from the show-within-a-show “Rogers: The Musical,” featured in last year’s Disney+ Original series “Hawkeye.”
The number, boasting 22 performers, was accompanied by a six-piece rhythm section led by composer and conductor Marc Shaiman, who wrote the song for the episode.
Afterwards, Feige returned to the stage to deliver his news. Despite all the pre-D23 Expo rumors, there were few announcements of new projects.
Rather, he chose to add more details to several recent announcements made at SDCC22, including the “Multiverse Saga”: the conclusion of Phase 4, the Phase 5 slate, and the Phase 6 titles that include “Fantastic Four” and two new Avengers films: “The Kang Dynasty” and “Secret Wars.”
Let’s take a look at Feige’s Marvel news presentation:
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER
Director Ryan Coogler came on stage and shared an exclusive look at an incredible scene and some highlights from the much-anticipated follow-up to 2018’s Black Panther. These were not made available to view online.
Then to the crowd’s delight, cast members Letitia Wright (Shuri), Winston Duke (M’Baku), Tenoch Huerta (Namor), and Angela Bassett (Queen Ramonda) joined Coogler and Feige onstage.
“It was an amazing experience and we absolutely look forward to bringing it to you. This is the calm before the amazing storm,” Bassett shared. “Chadwick was with us every step of the way, he paved the way. We had to meet his level of excellence.”
Look for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in theaters November 11, 2022.
IRONHEART
While on stage, Coogler shared an early look at the new series he’s executive producing that takes place after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Dominique Thorne, who appears in the film, returns as Riri Williams, a young, genius inventor determined to make her mark on the world.
Her unique take on building iron suits is both brilliant and flawed, and Ironheart delves into the dynamics of tech versus magic.
Feige then invited series costar Anthony Ramos to the stage to greet fans and share a little about his character, Parker Robbins aka The Hood.
The new series is slated for Disney+ in Fall 2023.
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA
Feige then officially kicked off his Phase 5 of the MCU announcements by bringing to the stage the stars of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”: Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), Evangeline Lilly (Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp), and Jonathan Majors (Kang).
The crowd was then treated to an exclusive look at the film, which follows Super Hero partners Scott and Hope, who team up with Hope’s parents, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), as well as Scott’s daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton), to explore the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that’ll push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.
“This is going to be unlike anything you’ve seen from us,” Rudd teased. “It throws this whole thing into such new territory. I mean, I’m really excited.”
Hitting theaters February 17, 2023, Feige announced the film connects to “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” which makes sense since the big bad in this movie is Kang.
He also said the trailer shown for the presentation will not be released online. An actual one will be coming, but until later this year.
WEREWOLF BY NIGHT
Feige then announced Marvel Studios’ first-ever special presentation, created for this Halloween, called “Werewolf by Night”, which may have been new to the D23 Expo audience, but readers of this site already heard about it in February.
Director Michael Giacchino was joined onstage by his “fun-scary” special’s stars, Gael García Bernal and Laura Donnelly, to help share the new trailer.
Giacchino explained how the horror films of the 30s and 40s inspired him in creating the show.
The Marvel special starts streaming on Disney+ October 7, 2022.
Check out this cool retro-style trailer and poster:
SECRET INVASION
Actor Don Cheadle (Rhodey/War Machine) then joined Feige on the Hall D23 stage to talk about “Secret Invasion,” a thrilling new event series that showcases a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years.
This Disney+ series will also star Cobie Smulders, who reprises her role as Maria Hill, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Martin Freeman as Everett Ross, and Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull, Talos.
They also revealed the series’ brand-new trailer:
ARMOR WARS
Cheadle then segued into revealing details about another Disney+ project he’ll star in, “Armor Wars.”
He said Rhodey fans will see the character in a whole new light, and considering the title of the series, audiences can look forward to all-new suits for the hero, featuring different types of armor.
Shades of “Iron Man 3,” right?
Feige also revealed that “Armor Wars” will be linked to “Secret Invasion.”
The project’s logo was also released:
LOKI (SEASON TWO)
Feige then welcomed “Loki” stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, along with new cast member Ke Huy Quan (“American Born Chinese,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”) to chat about the new second season.
Teasing the crowd, Hiddleston revealed that Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 left off, with Loki in a familiar, but strange, place.
“Loki is back at the TVA, he’s had a very difficult confrontation with Sylvie, and Mobius and Hunter B-15 don’t know who he is.”
Nothing that he saw Jonathan Majors backstage, who played Kang in Season 1, Di Martino then quipped, “I thought I killed that guy!”
Feige also mentioned that much like season one tied into “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness,” season two of “Loki” directly connects to the larger Multiverse Saga of the phases four through six.
Season 2 of Loki begins streaming on Disney+ in Summer 2023.
FANTASTIC FOUR
Feige officially confirmed that Matt Shakman, who directed every episode of 2021’s “WandaVision,” wil be directing the new “Fantastic Four” reboot.
He didn’t confirm any casting, so any rumors you heard are still just that…rumors.
The film kicks off Marvel’s Phase Six, and opens in theaters on November 8, 2024.
ECHO
The cast of Echo, including star Alaqua Cox, along with Vincent D’Onofrio, Devery Jacobs, Graham Greene, Cody Lightning, and Chaske Spencer, joined Feige on stage to chat about the new series.
They provided some details about Maya Lopez (Cox), whose ruthless behavior in New York City (after the events in Disney+’s “Hawkeye”) catches up with her in her hometown.
They also showed some sneak-peek footage to the crowd that is not yet available online.
“It’s a great cast, I was so impressed by these people. They’re amazing talents, all of them. To bring Fisk and Maya back together is such a thrill,” D’Onofrio said of his role in the series.
“Echo” is scheduled for a Summer 2023 release on Disney+.
DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN
Once most of the “Echo” cast left, D’Onofrio remained on stage,and Hall D23 erupted with excitement when Feige welcomed Charlie Cox to join them to briefly talk about “Daredevil: Born Again.”
Production isn’t underway yet on the 18-episode Disney+ series, but fans were treated with a clip from an upcoming episode of “She Hulk: Attorney at Law” (now streaming on Disney+) that features Cox’s superpowered hero.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: NEW WORLD ORDER
Director Julius Onah then joined Feige on stage to chat about “Captain America: New World Order,” which continues Sam Wilson’s journey as Captain America.
Onah then called on stage returning “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” stars Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Captain America), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres), and Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley), who were joined by new cast member Tim Blake Nelson (Dr. Samuel Sterns/The Leader), himself reprising his role from 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk.”
“Captain America: New World Order” hits theaters May 3, 2024.
THUNDERBOLTS
Probably one of the biggest Marvel news reveals of the presentation, Feige next excited the crowd by revealing the identities of the Thunderbolts by welcoming them to the Hall D23 stage: Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine), David Harbour (Red Guardian), Hannah John-Kamen (Ghost), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent), and Sebastian Stan (James “Bucky” Barnes/The Winter Soldier).
They’ll also be joined by Olga Kurylenko (Taskmaster), and Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova)—the latter sent a video message sending her love both to the assembled fans and to her costars.
I will say while I love these characters, and they’ve already been introduced into the MCU, it makes the Thunderbolts primarily a team of super soldiers. Ghost is the only one with powers, and at the end of “Ant-Man and The Wasp” she was still having immense struggles with controlling them.
I guess we’ll find out the reasoning for this when “Thunderbolts” debuts in theaters July 26, 2024.
THE MARVELS
Finally, Feige wrapped the Marvel Studios portion by revisiting key moments in the MCU before welcoming to the stage director Nia DaCosta and The Marvels cast members Iman Vellani (Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel), Teyonah Parris (Monica Rambeau), and Brie Larson (Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel).
Fans were given a special look at scenes from the new movie (again not available online), and it was revealed both Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Goose will return.
The Marvels opens in theaters on July 28, 2023.
Which of these upcoming projects are you looking forward to from Marvel Studios? Has any of this Marvel news made you more excited for something? Let us know in the comments!
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