After more than 10 years and over 20 movies, the box office juggernaut known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is still going strong. With its continued success, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige has revealed that Disney has movie and TV show plans for the better part of another decade. We’ve already provided a complete list of the order to watch all the current films, but what about the upcoming Marvel movies the studio has planned?
Get the complete list of all the current projects Marvel has in store, details on as-yet-unnamed projects, as well as how Disney’s acquiring 20th Century Fox’s comic book properties ties into the larger MCU. Which upcoming Marvel movies are you most excited about?
Black Widow – May 1, 2020
She’s already appeared in numerous Marvel movies, but we’ve never been given a proper origin story for Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow character. She first appeared in Iron Man 2, and we were given some dream-like flashbacks in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but now Marvel is set to give us the full story. Australian director Cate Shortland has been tagged to helm Black Widow, hitting theaters in May 2020. The movie will be set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, but will also dive into elements of Romanoff’s past, particularly the events of “Budapest” Widow and Hawkeye discussed in the first Avengers film. At San Diego Comic Con 2019, the main villain for the film was officially confirmed to be Taskmaster. David Harbour has signed on and will play Red Guardian, Rachel Weisz as a character named Melina, and Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, who will reportedly play another female spy trained at the same Russian “Red Rooom” Widow program as Romanoff.
The Eternals – November 6, 2020
Marvel’s first major announcement at 2019’s SDCC dealt with the upcoming Eternals film, which follows a group of humans who were given super powers by alien experiments millions of years ago, and have since used those powers to protect humanity. The 2020 film is set to star Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff and Don Lee.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – February 12, 2021
Judging by the success Marvel has in Asian markets overseas, it’s a no-brainer they fast-tracked one of their Asian superheroes to the forefront. Shang-Chi first appeared in 1973 and is a master of numerous fighting styles. At San Diego Comic Con, Feige introduced Simu Liu as Shang Chi and confirmed reports the hero will face off against the classic Iron Man villain, The Mandarin, who will be played by Tony Chiu-Wai Leung. Actress Awkwafina has also been cast, but her role remains a secret. For those who recall, The Mandarin has already appeared in the MCU, but it turned out that character was simply a fake. It’s possible the real Mandarin didn’t take too kindly to his name being dragged through the mud. Marvel has hired Destin Daniel Cretton to direct.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – May 7, 2021
In perhaps the most exciting announcement for long-time Marvel Comics fans, the title of the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel was revealed as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. As avid fans know, the multiverse is the name given to the series of alternate dimensions that make up the Marvel Comics universe, a concept that’s only been hinted at in films so far. On top of that, it was also announced that Elizabeth Olsen will be reprising her role as Scarlet Witch in the film.
Thor: Love and Thunder – November 5, 2021
All hail the Goddess of Thunder? While Chris Hemsworth is returning in a fourth installment in the Norse God’s Marvel franchise, the next film promises to mix things up significantly. Not only is Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi set to return to direct (and voice our beloved Korg), but Natalie Portman is making her return to the franchise and will reportedly wield the mystic Mjolnir and take up the mantle of Thor herself. And after the events of Endgame, what is Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) up to? It’s sure to be one of the most anticipated Marvel movies in the coming years and seems to be the cap on Marvel’s slate of Phase 4 films and TV shows.
Black Panther 2 – May 6, 2022
After the record-breaking success of Black Panther, it seemed obvious that Marvel would announce a sequel, and in March 2018 Feige confirmed the sequel was definitely happening. As for the cast, no official announcements have come through, but it’s likely the main cast who survived the events of Endgame will return, and Feige confirmed at D23 in August 2019 director Ryan Coogler will be back for the sequel. Though the first movie was released in February, Marvel moved the release date for Black Panther 2 to a prime summer blockbuster season launch date of May 6.
Blade
As the Marvel Studios panel was coming to a close at San Diego Comic Con 2019, Feige had one more surprise announcement that nobody had seen coming. After revealing a couple more upcoming projects (see below about Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox Marvel properties, Feige brought to the stage two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali and announced the actor would play the role of Blade in an upcoming MCU project.
Captain Marvel 2
At San Diego Comic Con 2019, Feige told the audience in Hall H that there was indeed a sequel to the billion dollar blockbuster Captain Marvel on the way. It would be a shock if Brie Larson didn’t reprise her role, but no other details have been revealed as of yet. However, it was revealed at SDCC19 that young Monica Rambeau (Akira Akbar) is now all grown up and will appear in the Disney+ limited TV series WandaVision (more on that below). Though Captain Marvel took place much in the 90s, it seems like it’s time to see what she’s been up to between then and her appearance in Avengers: Endgame.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
After director James Gunn was fired by Disney when past offensive tweets resurfaced (Gunn had previously apologized for the tweets, but right-wing trolls launched a campaign to get Gunn fired due to his criticism of President Donald Trump), Volume 3 seemed in doubt when some of the main cast said they wouldn’t work for another director on the project. Disney finally came to their senses and reinstated Gunn. With the events of Avengers: Endgame now over, it seems big changes are on the way for the Guardians of the Galaxy. With most of the main stars set to return with Gunn, production on GotG3 won’t start until after his planned Suicide Squad movie for Warner Bros.
Marvel TV Shows
In 2018, Disney announced an impending streaming service and in 2019 more details became clear, including that many current stars of the MCU would be starring in their own limited TV series exclusive to the streaming service, Disney+.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – Disney+ – Fall 2020
The first Marvel series to debut on Disney+ will be Falcon and the Winter Soldier in the Fall of 2020. The series will follow MCU veterans Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) as they navigate a post-Avengers: Endgame World world. It was revealed at SDCC 2019 that Daniel Brühl will be reprising his villainous role as Baron Zemo for the series. Brühl later revealed in an Instagram post that Zemo will likely wear his comics’ accurate purple mask in the new series, based on the concept art by Marvel Studios director of visual development Andy Park.
WandaVision – Disney+ – Spring 2021
In addition to returning for the Doctor Strange sequel, Elizabeth Olsen will also be featured on the Disney+ series WandaVision, which see’s her Scarlet Witch starring along with Paul Bettany reprising his role as the Vision. Not much is known about the 2021 series other than it will tie into Multiverse of Madness, and will also feature Teyonah Parris as Captain Marvel character Monica Rambeau.
Loki – Disney+ – Spring 2021
Loki (Tom Hiddleston) became one of the most intriguing and fun characters in the entire MCU, and fans should be glad to hear that Loki’s time on screen isn’t over yet. In Avengers: Endgame, we see Loki manage to get his hands on the Tesseract during one of the time travel scenes before stepping into a portal. Where did he go? Everything will be revealed in the Loki limited TV series coming to Disney+ in 2021.
What If…? – Disney+ – Summer 2021
For decades, Marvel’s What If…? comics series enraptured fans with alternate versions of popular stories and characters. Now the What If…? concept is being adapted for the MCU in the form of an animated Disney+ series. The show will feature Jeffrey Wright as the voice of The Watcher, as well as numerous cast members from across the MCU returning to their roles in animated form.
Hawkeye – Disney+ – Fall 2021
Like Black Widow, Hawkeye is one of the main Avengers who was never given a proper background story in the films, but hopefully that all changes when Disney+ brings us a limited Hawkeye series in fall 2021. While the series should flesh out more of our bow and arrow-equipped hero, it’s also set to introduce the first “Young Avenger” to the MCU, Kate Bishop, as she takes the mantle of Hawkeye.
Ms. Marvel
In 2013, Marvel Comics introduced fans to its first Muslim superhero, a young Pakistani-American teen named Kamala Khan, who is mentored by Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel in the comics to become Ms. Marvel. Defying expectations, the character quickly became one of the most popular in Marvel’s library. After years of rumors the character would be making her way to the MCU, Marvel Studios announced at D23 that a Disney+ TV series for the superheroine was in the works.
Moon Knight
Fan-favorite hero Moon Knight will be making his way to the MCU via his own Disney+ series sometime after the Hawkeye series debuts in 2021 (according to the Phase 4 timeline leaked at D23 in August 2019). In the comics, Moon Knight is Marc Spector, who fuses with the Egyptian moon god Khonshu to grant him superhuman abilities. Spector, however, suffers from multiple personality disorder.
She-Hulk
When Jennifer Walters is severely injured, she needs a blood transfusion to survive. The best person to provide that blood is her cousin, Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk. With the Hulk’s gamma radiated blood now inside her, Walters turns into a milder version of the “green goliath.” Will Marvel stick with this origin story when She-Hulk premieres on Disney+ in a few year’s time, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Ghost Rider
Hulu will be the alternative service for Marvel properties moving forward (sorry Netflix subscribers) and two new shows have been announced so far. The first is Ghost Rider, a spin-off to the Robbie Reyes version that was introduced in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Helstrom
Not much is known yet about this occult-focused Marvel property, but showrunner Paul Zbyszewski has said, “Marvel’s known for all the heart, humor, and action they put into every series, but this time around we’re adding some scares to that mix. I think we’ve found a compelling way to dissect some of our deepest fears through the experiences of our two lead characters.”
20th Century Fox Acquisition
In April 2019, Disney finalized a planned acquisition of much of 20th Century Fox’s properties, which included characters Marvel had sold the movie rights of back during its 90s bankruptcy. At SDCC19, Feige offered a brief update on where some of those properties stand. Feige said that with all the other announcements, they did not have time to talk about the Fantastic Four or “mutants.” When those characters make their MCU debut remains to be seen, but it’s almost certain now they won’t be in Phase 4.
Excited to see these upcoming Marvel movies? Which one is top of your list? Check back often for updates, and to see the full list of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, click here.
