What Marvel Cinematic Universe films and TV shows can fans expect?
Disney Investor Day was a four-hour long event with numerous announcements about Disney properties, including the expanded Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, and Chief Creative Officer of Marvel, announced a slew of exciting news about the MCU shows on Disney Plus, interspersed with details about upcoming films—all the way up to 2023. It was a lot!
We break down each upcoming limited series and film announcement from Marvel at Disney Investor Day.
Marvel’s Disney Plus TV Shows
WandaVision
We already know that WandaVision will be Marvel’s first Disney Plus content, but at Disney Investor Day, a new trailer was released that tells us a lot more about the show.
Thus far, it seemed as though only Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) were out of sync with the quirky world they found themselves in. From the trailer, it appears that even the other characters around them don’t know where they are, or who they are. More importantly, they want Wanda and Vision to rescue them.
The trailer also gives viewers their first complete look at Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau, who is just as lost as Wanda and Vision, and appears to give them impetus to fight for their world.
Aside from the trailer, it was also confirmed that the events in WandaVision will impact Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness—Olsen is currently filming it—and the as-yet untitled third Spider-Man film.
WandaVision will premiere on Disney Plus on January 15, 2021.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Filming on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier had been halteddue to the pandemic, but production has completed and the first official trailer was released for the show.
It’s an expectedly action-packed trailer, but the surprising thing is that Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is unsure about taking up Steve Rogers’ shield and the mantle of Captain America. Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) seems to be the one encouraging Wilson to become the new symbol.
We can assume that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier takes place soon after the events of Avengers: Endgame, and that by the end of the show, Wilson will be ready to become Captain America.
The trailer includes a glimpse of Daniel Bruhl’s Helmut Zemo—the villain from Captain America: Civil War, who is expected to play a large part in the series. Also in the trailer is Erin Kellyman in an unnamed role, but she could be playing Flag-Smasher.
Fans can expect to see plenty of humour and banter between Falcon and Winter Soldier—though there were few such moments in the trailer.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will premiere on Disney Plus on March 19, 2021.
Loki
The last time we saw Loki, his throat was being crushed by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. But then the Avengers returned to the New York battle with the Chitauri and accidentally let that version of Loki escape with the Tesseract.
The Loki TV show follows this Loki through time and space. Or at least that’s what we can assume from the trailer.
As “glorious” as this madcap, crime-thriller looks, it’s hard to pin down what precisely Loki is about. He’s taken prisoner by an organization known as the TVA—in the Marvel comics, that stands for the Time Variance Authority—but what he gets up to after is yet to be explained.
We get our first glimpses of Owen Wilson—likely playing Mobius M Mobius, a TVA senior manager—and Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s as-yet-unnamed character.
This is one show that fans will have to wait to watch to understand.
Loki will premiere on Disney Plus on May 2021.
What If…?
The first animated show in the MCU’s Disney Plus slate, What If…? promises to give viewers unexpected versions of much-loved characters.
The trailer gives viewers their first look at an alternate-Starlord—in another dimension, young T’Challa was taken in by Yondu and grew up to be the galaxy-exploring Starlord. In one of his last roles, the late-Chadwick Boseman will be voicing T’Challa in the show.
And we see what might have happened if the Captain America super-serum was given to Peggy Carter, and not Steve Rogers. Hayley Atwell will be voicing the fan-favourite character in this new avatar.
There is a version of the Steve Rogers-Captain America in the show, but it’s a zombie being fought by Winter Soldier. Doctor Strange also features in the trailer, fighting a dark version of himself.
We can expect to see many more alternate versions of beloved characters from the MCU in this show.
What If…? will premiere on Disney Plus in summer 2021.
Ms Marvel
Kamala Khan added the kind of diversity Marvel Comics was desperately looking for—and we’re going to see the same in the live-action shows on Disney Plus with Ms Marvel.
Iman Vellani was confirmed as the young actor stepping into Kamala Khan/ Ms Marvel’s embiggened shoes, and will portray the character as a regular teenage girl in America. How and when fans will see Kamala Khan get her powers and become an Avenger, we still don’t know.
The show will be directed by Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and Meera Menon—it’s great to see diversity on-screen and behind the scenes.
Ms Marvel will premiere on Disney Plus in late 2021.
Hawkeye
The Hawkeye Disney Plus show has been up in the air for a while, but at Disney Investor Day, it was confirmed that Jeremy Renner would be returning in the role, alongside Hailee Steinfeld as fan-favourite Kate Bishop.
Also joining the cast will be Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, with newcomer Alaqua Cox. Cox, a Deaf, Native American actor, will be playing Maya Lopez/ Echo.
She-Hulk
There were rumours about the casting of She-Hulk, and we now know that Tatiana Maslany is definitely playing Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk. The show will be directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia.
In the Marvel Comics, Walters is Bruce Banner/ Hulk’s cousin, so it isn’t surprising that Mark Ruffalo will be joining the show, as well. Also confirmed for She-Hulk was Tim Roth’s Abomination, who viewers haven’t seen since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
During the event, it was revealed that Walters’ career as a lawyer will take centerstage, and that other characters in that profession could make an appearance. Considering that Netflix’s rights to Daredevil have now expired, the character could very well appear in this Marvel property.
Moon Knight
Rumours surrounding a Moon Knight Disney Plus show have been circulating throughout this year, but at Disney Investor Day, Feige shared few details.
He did mention that the show would include a lot of Egyptian iconography, which is straight out of the comics, and that protagonist Marc Spector’s multiple personalities would be a subject of the show.
Moon Knight will be directed by Mohamed Diab. Rumours about Oscar Isaac being cast in the lead role were not verified.
Secret Invasion
‘Civil War’ may be one of the biggest Marvel Comics events, but ‘Secret Invasion’ isn’t far behind. And Feige confirmed that Secret Invasion is set to be a show of its own on Disney Plus.
The plot revolves around Skrull agents who have infiltrated every level of Earth society and government for years, with Samuel L Jackson’s Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos uncovering the threat.
Ironheart
More exciting news for young fans of Marvel Comics—Dominique Thorne will be taking on the role of Riri Williams, aka Ironheart.
Following Iron Man’s demise, the Avengers will need another advanced armour-creating genius and Riri will likely be taking on that mantle. Following Shuri, Riri will be the second young Black woman genius in the MCU!
Armor Wars
And another super-suited character is getting his own mini-series—Don Cheadle will be James Rhodes/ War Machine again in Armor Wars.
Adapted from the comic storyline of the same name, the show will see War Machine deal with Iron Man armour falling into the wrong hands.
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
We won’t be seeing Guardians of the Galaxy 3 till 2023, but the holiday season prior, we will get to meet the characters again in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Set to be directed by James Gunn, the special will see the galactic group get up to all kinds of shenanigans during the holiday season.
I Am Groot
An anthology series will follow seedling Groot’s adventures, alongside a host of fun, unusual characters.
More details about the show are yet to be revealed.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Marvel Films in Development
Marvel Studios is sticking with its original plan to release films in theatres over the next year, starting with Black Widow, which is slated for release May 7, 2021.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has completed production and will be in theatres July 9, 2021. More stars were announced as part of the film including Tony Leung, Awkwafina, Ronny Chieng, and Michelle Yeoh.
Eternals has also been confirmed for release on November 5, 2021.
Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness, currently in production willarrive in theatres March 25, 2022.
Black Panther II is slated for release July 8, 2022, with Ryan Coogler returning to direct. Following lead actor Chadwick Boseman’s passing in 2020, Feige confirmed that T’Challa will not be recast. The sequel will continue exploring Wakanda with the characters introduced in the first film.
Though there is no date set for Blade, with Mahershala Ali, Feige confirmed that the film is going ahead.
Captain Marvel 2
Captain Marvel 2 is definitely on, with Candyman director Nia DaCosta at the helm.
Even more exciting for Captain Marvel fans is that Iman Vellani’s Ms Marvel and Teyonah Parris’ grown-up Monica Rambeau will be appearing in Captain Marvel 2.
Since we have seen Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) post-Endgame, we can assume that she will be teaming up with these new heroes on a fantastic adventure.
Captain Marvel 2 arrives in theatres November 11, 2022.
Thor: Love and Thunder
There wasn’t much news about the fourth Thor film but following months of rumours, Feige did confirm that Christian Bale is joining the cast as villain, Gorr the God Butcher.
Chris Hemsworth will be returning as Thor, Natalie Portman will be reprising her role as Jane Foster, who will take on the mantle of Thor, and Tessa Thompson will be returning as Valkyrie.
Thor: Love and Thunder arrives in theatres May 6, 2022.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
The third Ant-Man film has a fantastic and fun title, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly return as Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne. Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer will reprise their roles as Hope’s parents, Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne.
Fans had seen a teenage version of Cassie Lang in Endgame, but Kathryn Newton will now be playing the character in the third film. Also joining the cast is Jonathan Majors as classic Marvel character Kang the Conqueror.
Fantastic 4
Feige ended the Marvel Cinematic Universe news with the surprising announcement that a Fantastic 4 film is in development with Spider-Man director Jon Watts.
This will be the third attempt at a Fantastic 4 franchise, so it will be interesting to see what direction this film goes.
What was your favourite news from the Marvel segment of Disney Investor Day? Let us know in the comments!