Post by G on Aug 21, 2013 10:45:16 GMT -5
Original Story Copied and pasted with respect to the Original Writers from here:
www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/a-look-at-the-state-of-all-the-marvel-movies-currently-in-development/?utm_source=znet&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=zergnet_76665
Brought to Comic Crack for possible discussion:
Movies based on Marvel characters have been comparatively successful of late – compared to a diamond mine, that is. The strategy from Marvel, to form its own Entertainment division and work with Disney to create a universe rather than just a film, is paying off in a major way. And that success is limited to the Marvel Studios.
Sony continues to churn out Spider-Man movies, while Fox holds on to the rights of several Marvel characters, most notably the X-Men and Fantastic Four. Regardless of the studio behind it, Marvel characters are hot in films right now. We’ve accumulated all the news and rumors of the upcoming Marvel characters for you to sort through. Check back often, as we will continue to update this page.
This article will contain minor spoilers, so if you are hoping to remain completely unspoiled, this might not be the page for you.
(This article was original published on July 6, 2013. Any updates or additional news will be posted with the date of the update next to them.)
Films with Marvel Characters Being Developed Outside of Marvel Studios
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 2, 2014)[/b]
Filming is underway for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 right now, and that means there are a ton of set pics to be found. Some are simply Spidey doing his thing, while others are a bit more story specific.
Emma-Stone-on-the-set-of-The-Amazing-Spider-Man-2-in-NY-4
Paul Giamatti can be seen in some shots as Aleksei Sysevich, a Russian mobster in the film and the character that would become the Rhino in the comics. It isn’t clear if we’ll see Giamatti as a super-powered villain or not.
More revealing, though, are the shots of Jamie Foxx as Max Dillion, aka Electro. The images confirm that the film’s Electro will be modeled on the Ultimate Electro, who rather than wearing a gaudy yellow costume, is instead himself electric blue. Leaked images also confirm that the story will be set around Peter Parker and Gwen Stacey’s high school graduation.
Sony has announced that there will be a third and fourth Spider-Man film, debuting on June 10, 2016 and May 4, 2018 respectively. It may be that the story director Marc Webb and Sony are envisioning warranted four movies, but it may also have something to do with ensuring that the rights to the character stick with Sony for a while to come.
Shailene Woodley was set to appear as Mary Jane in the film, but her role has been cut and pushed to the third and fourth films, presumably due to pacing issues. There are rumors that the role may be recast as well.
Actress Felicity Jones has been cast in an unknown role, but she will play a villain of sorts, leading many to believe that she will appear as the Black Cat.
New images of Electro have surfaced via Entertainment Weekly, giving us a better look at Foxx in full makeup, wearing his costume. [7/11/13]
Jones has further gone on record stating that she is playing the “Goblin’s girlfriend – I’m in a relationship with him, and his accomplice.” If the film follows the comics, that could make her Harry Osborne’s (Dane DeHaan) girlfriend, Lily Hollister. In the comics, Holister stumbles upon Norman Osborne’s Green Goblin gear (along with his super strength serum) and becomes the villain Menace. [7/17/13].
Giamatti will only be in a few scenes, and Webb has called it “a little bit of a tease,” which could mean we’ll see him again in the future. [7/22/13] [7/23/13]
Harry Osborne and Peter Parker are childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in years. Harry has been at a private boarding school called Ravencroft. In the comics, the Ravencroft Institute is a maximum security prison for the criminally insane. [7/22/13]
Norman Osborne (Chris Cooper) will be sick throughout the movie, building on the story started in the first film, which will likely continue on through the sequels. [7/22/13]
Webb has hinted that the fourth Spider-Man movie could feature multiple superheroes and be a team-up film. Sony owns the rights to all characters that primarily appear in the Spider-Man comics, so there are a lot of possibilities to introduce lesser known, but still compelling, secondary heroes. [7/25/13]
Images of Giamatti in a CGI rig make seemingly confirm he will appear as the comic book version of the Rhino, at least in some fashion (see below). [7/25/13]
X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23, 2014)
Filming is under way with Bryan Singer once again taking over behind the lens, and Matthew Vaughn taking the position as producer. The movie will be a sequel to X-Men: First Class, but it will also tie in to the previous X-Men trilogy, and feature much of the same cast, including both James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart appearing as Charles Xavier at different points in time, and Michael Fassbeneder and Ian McKellen both taking a turn as Magneto. Hugh Jackman will also appear as the nearly ageless Wolverine.
Characters that haven’t been seen since the ill-fated and poorly received X-Men: The Last Stand will also return, including Halle Berry’s Storm, Anna Paquin’s Rogue, and Ellen Page’s Kitty Pryde. They will be joined by the characters of Bishop, Warpath, and Blink. Peter Dinklage will also appear as the film’s primary villain, possibly as Bolivar Trask, the creator of the mutant hunting robotic Sentinels.
Singer also announced that Evan Peters would appear as Quicksilver, the son of Magneto. That makes sense for the narrative, but it raises some weird bigger-picture issues. So far Sony and Fox have played nice with Marvel Studios’ films, neither contradicting nor confirming that the universes are different. The character of Quicksilver will also appear in The Avengers 2 along with his sister the Scarlet Witch. The two characters could act as a bridge between the different franchises, but each Quicksilver will be played by a different actor.
Rumors hint at the film opening with the assassination of President Kennedy, with the “Magic bullet” being controlled by Magneto.
The character of Sabretooth may be featured, but if he is, it isn’t clear if the role will go to Liev Schreiber or Taylor Mane, both of whom have played the character.
Wolverine will be the character that bridges the two time periods. In the near future, Xavier (Stewart) and Magneto (McKellan), will be among only a handful of mutant survivors living under the rule of the Sentinels. They will somehow find a way to send Wolverine’s consciousness back to his younger self. [7/22]13]
Xavier will be in a bad place, feeling sorry for himself and nowhere near the man he becomes. [7/22/13]
The film will take place 10 years after X-Men: The Last Stand, and 10 years after X-Men: First Class. [7/25/13]
Singer has released the first look at a a full size sentinel. [8/5/13]
Fantastic Four (March 6, 2015)
The previous Fantastic Four series that spawned two films will be mercifully ignored, and the new film will be a reboot of the series. Josh Trank is attached to direct, and Jeremy Slater has been hired as a screenwriter. Matthew Vaughn is also attached as a producer, and the film will share the same continuity as the X-Men movies.
Chronicle’s Michael B. Jordan has been mentioned as a possible fit for Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch. Alison Williams has been mentioned for the role of Johnny’s sister Sue, which may necessitate a slight change to the history of the character – Jordan is African-American while Williams is Caucasian, but that is a simple enough fix.
Alice Eve has also been mentioned for Sue Storm, as has Amber Heard.
The title may be Fantastic Four: Reborn, or simply The Fantastic Four.
One of the more interesting, albeit wholly unconfirmed casting rumors, has David Tennant as Mr. Fantastic. Adrien Brody and Jonathan Rhys Meyers have also been mentioned for the role.
The FF reboot will shoot in Louisiana rather than Vancouver as originally planned, thanks to a massive tax credit the state is offering filmmakers. [7/25/13]
Although no cast has been confirmed, shooting is scheduled to begin in September. [7/25/13]
Miles Teller was rumored to be considered for the role of Reed Richards, but Teller has denied this. [8/5/13]
X-Force (TBA)
Although it is still years from actually managing to pull it off, 20th Century Fox has quietly begun to ape Marvel and Disney’s superhero plans. The pieces aren’t in place yet, but it looks like Fox is hoping to create its own section of the Marvel Universe populated by the various X-teams, as well as the Fantastic Four and possibly a few others. The next piece in that puzzle appears to be X-Force. X-Force is a team that has seen several incarnations since it was introduced in 1991, but at its core, the idea has remained the same. The team is a more militant wing of the mutants struggle for equality, traditionally bringing the fight to enemies rather than waiting to respond to threats. The roster has changed over the years, and while Fox could dig deep into the mutant well and even bring over some previously introduced characters (Wolverine was recently a member, and Colossus is currently on the team), some of the characters are more complicated than others. Cable, for example, would be difficult to bring to the big screen.
In the comics, Cable was the man that founded X-Force, and has been a member for the majority of the team’s history. He’s a tactical genius, and a leader that is willing to do things Xavier and his teams wouldn’t. He’s also the son of Cyclops and a clone of Jean Grey, sent to the future after being infected with a techno-organic virus by Apocalypse, the enemy he was created to defeat. It’s complicated. Bringing him into the fold would require serious alterations to his character, which may work, or it may alienate fans. The job of figuring that out falls to Jeff Wadlow, the writer/director of Kick-Ass 2, who is currently working on the script, and will likely direct as well.
Mark Millar has claimed that the team will consist of five characters. If that is true, it stands to reason that the five have already been selected (Thanks to our reader “leane.eckeleer” for the tip!). [7/30/13]
Films with Marvel Characters Being Developed by Marvel Studios
Thor: The Dark World (November 8, 2013)[/b]
The sequel to Thor had a rocky beginning. Director Patty Jenkins left the project in December of 2011, citing creative differences. She was replaced by Alan Taylor, who is coming off a successful stint as a director for Game of Thrones.
The story will introduce Malekith the Accursed, played by Christopher Eccelston, as the film’s antagonist. Malekith is the ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim, and first appeared in 1984. In the comics he was after the Casket of Ancient Winters. It isn’t clear if that will be a part of the film.
There will be a greater Viking influence in the sequel.
The majority of the cast from the first film will return, including Loki.
Although the character of Loki is almost always a villain in the comics, Tom Hiddleston has said that he is looking forward to a redemption for the character.
There will be a cameo from some members of The Avengers, but it isn’t known who it will be.
If you look closely, in the original Thor you can see the Infinity Gauntlet housed in the Asgardian Armory. In the comics, Thanos uses the Gauntlet, leading to a massive Marvel crossover. That may be explored in this film. [8/13/13] (Thanks to John 1295 for pointing out an error and correctly identifying the “Infinity Gauntlet”)
Benicio Del Toro will appear in the film as The Collector. The appearance is little more than a cameo, most likely meant to tease the Guardians of the Galaxy. [7/22/13]
Partially due to Loki’s surprising popularity, Kevin Feige has claimed that Loki may become a more permanent fixture to the Marvel Universe, and that “Loki could be the big bad for us, for a long time.” [7/25/13]
One of the enemies that Thor fights in the new movie is a rock-based creature known as a Kronan. The Kronans (in a slightly different form) were featured in the very first appearance of Thor, 1963′s “Journey Into Mystery” #83. The inclusion could just be a nod to the history of the character, but a Kronan named Korg recently played a prominent role in the “Planet Hulk” storyline, which was rumored to be something Marvel was considering as a way to bring the Hulk back into a solo franchise – although Marvel has since denied that. [8/12/13]
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
This section will contain what may be significant spoilers regarding the upcoming film, at least for those that haven’t read the comics.
Despite this film not hitting theaters for nearly a year, we already know quite a bit about it. Part of that is due to the planning that began in the previous Captain America film, and the long term, multi-picture deal that Sebastian Stan (who played Bucky) received. The Winter Solider was a character that was only recently introduced in the comics, but who instantly became a hit, and we could see him reappear in several Marvel projects.
Following his apparent death in World War II, Bucky Barnes returns. In the comics, the Soviets find the body of Barnes who is near death. They put him in cryogenic freeze, and rebuild him with a cyborg arm to replace one ruined in the fall that apparently killed him. Over the next several decades, the brainwashed Barnes is reborn as the Winter Soldier, and is sent out on several classified assignments, often involving assassinations. In the comics, the character also knows, and worked frequently with Natasha “Black Widow” Romanoff.
Scarlett Johansson will reprise her role as the Black Widow, and will be a co-star more than a supporting character. Leaked images have also suggested that the Black Widow and Steve Rogers/Captain America will have a romantic relationship. [7/22/13]
Robert Redford will appear as Alexander Pierce, a member of Shield’s Board of Directors, who will be one of the primary antagonists.
Peggy Carter reprises her role from The First Avenger. Emily VanCamp will appear as Sharon Carter, Peggy’s descendant.
Anthony Mackie has been confirmed as Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon.
Toby Jones will return as Armin Zola in some fashion.
The film will pick up where The Avengers ended, with Cap as an Agent of Shield. His costume will reflect that, and he will be wearing the “Agent of Shield” outfit from the comics, but with a helmet.
Cap may break into the Smithsonian to steal his original WWII outfit as part of a strategy to help Barnes regain his memories.
A new poster has been released (below) [7/9/13]
Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury will play a big role. [7/22/13]
The film will feature the villain Crossbones. [7/25/13]
Co-director Anthony Russo has claimed that the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier will have a lasting impact on the rest of the Marvel Universe that begins with Cap. [7/25/13]
Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014)
The Guardians of the Galaxy will be a bit more off-kilter than the other Marvel films. It will introduce several new alien races, and expand the Marvel Universe to a galactic scale. That could open the door for several new storylines and characters, including the first Captain Marvel, aka Mar-Vell, of the Kree. From there it is an easy step to the Avengers “Galactic Storm” storyline, which put the Avengers in the middle of a war between the Kree and the Skrull (who were introduced as the “Chitauri” in The Avengers).
The story will revolve around a “powerful object” that the group gets their hands on, forcing them on the run. The inclusion of Drax the Destroyer is also likely to have larger consequences. The character in the comics was specifically created to defeat Thanos, the enemy seen at the end of The Avengers, who has been confirmed to return in future Marvel movies, possibly starting with Guardians.
Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, and Zoe Saldana have all been cast as members of the team. The other characters will be CGI.
Michael Rooker will appear as Yondu, one of the founders of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
John C. Reilly will appear as Nova member Rhomann Dey, opening the door for future members of the Nova Corps in other Marvel films.
Karen Gillan is playing Nebula, the self-professed daughter of Thanos. In the comics, her claims anger Thanos, who uses the Infinity Gauntlet to turn her into a zombie-like creature. She then steals the Gauntlet for herself and fights a collection of Marvel heroes, along with Thanos himself. Nebula is also bald, causing Gillan to shave her head (see below). [7/9/13] [7/22/13]
Lee Pace plays Ronan the Accuser, a member of the Kree race who was often an antagonist, but not always a bad guy. Djimon Hounsou plays Korath, another member of the Kree and an ally of Ronan. [7/9/13] [7/22/13]
Benicio Del Toro will appear in this film, and several other Marvel films as The Collector, a member of the “Elders of the Universe,” and a possible antagonist. Traditionally though, The Collector has been more ambiguous in his intentions. [7/9/13]
Glenn Close will play Nova Prime. [7/22/13]
President of Production at Marvel Studios Kevin Feige has confirmed that Thanos will appear in Guardians, as well as several other films. [7/25/13]
Pictures of Close and the Nova Corps have been released. [8/12/13]
Vin Diesel is reportedly in negotiations to voice Groot. The character of Groot is plant-based, and has a genius level IQ. Due to the nature of his language though, the only words he says that can he heard by organic ears are “I am Groot.” [8/12/13]
The Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
Joss Whedon is already hard at work on the development of the sequel, and casting has begun – but there may still be several surprises. The plot will feature the birth of Ultron, but it will be an original take based on the Marvel universe created by the films, and not specifically drawing on any one comic story arc.
Whedon has claimed that the film will be darker than the original, and has hinted that this is part of a long planned trilogy. With Robert Downey Jr. confirming that he will appear in both Avengers 2 and 3, this seems to be the case. Whedon has also confirmed that the characters of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch will appear, but how they will fit with Fox’s X-Men universe isn’t clear, and the legalities suggest that they may be totally separate interpretations.
The signing of Downey Jr. also defuses the possibility that some of the other actors, who were asking for a raise, won’t be replaced. Downey Jr. had stated he wouldn’t re-sign without them.
Sam Rockwell’s character of Justin Hammer from Iron Man 2 may appear.
The Avengers 2 may feature a few other Marvel characters who could then receive their own films. Dr. Strange has been mentioned.
Whedon has said that Tom Hiddleston’s Loki will not appear in the film, but Kevin Feige refused to comment on it. [7/25/13]
Ms. Marvel may be introduced, and Whedon has confirmed that he would like to see more female Avengers.
Other Marvel characters previously introduced, including Don Cheadle as War Machine and Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, may appear.
Despite claims that Jeremy Renner would quit the role of Hawkeye, or that he may be fired, both Renner and Hawkeye will appear in the sequel. [7/23/13]
Whedon has said that Hank Pym, the creator of Ultron in the comics and a member of the Avengers, will not appear. [7/22/13]
Even before starting work on the first film, Whedon hoped to see Ultron as the villain of the second film. [7/22/13]
In the comics, Ultron created Vision, an android that has been a member of the Avengers on and off since the late 60s. With the announcement that Scarlet Witch – who eventually married Vision – will appear in the film, the inclusion of Vision seems very possible. [7/22/13]
The teaser shown at Comic-Con reportedly features Iron Man’s mask being reformed into Ultron’s head. That seems to suggest that Tony Stark somehow factors in to Ultron’s creating. [7/25/13]
Feige stated that one of the best things about the Avengers in the comics is the shifting roster, suggesting the team may significantly over the sequels. [7/25/14]
Whedon has promised a big role for the Black Widow. [7/25/13]
Whedon is not planning to include Agent Coulson in the sequel, although that could change. [7/25/13]
Ant-Man (November 6, 2015)
You can credit the birth of this film primarily to Edgar Wright, who was so adamant about wanting to make this movie that he created a short sizzle reel showing how it would look visually. The reaction was so strong that it isn’t just an Ant-Man film, it is Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man. It will also kick off Marvel’s Phase Three.
The story will show a different side of the Marvel Universe and a comedic take of the superhero genre. The plot is still being kept quiet, but the rumors are that the film will focus on the character of Scott Lang rather than Henry Pym. Lang will be more of a loveable loser than a superhero.
Hank Pym could still appear in the film, and with him could also come the Wasp.
With Wright attached, it is an obvious possibility that his long time collaborators, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost may be involved.
Wright has confirmed that he and Joe Cornish have completed the script. It required a bit of work to ensure that it will fit into the Marvel universe, including the things that are still to come. Wright will begin pre-production following the worldwide release of his current film, World’s End. [7/12/13]
Nathan Fillion and Armie Hammer have both been mentioned for the starring role, and both actors have refuted that rumor. [7/12/13]
Wright has said that the film will have funny moments, but it won’t be a comedy. [7/22/13]
Wright stated that we will “meet” Pym in Ant-Man. [7/25/13]
Ant-Man has been described as a “bad ass secret agent,” which would fit with Scott Lang. [7/25/13]
Feige stated that Pym will have a “big role” in his own film. It isn’t clear if he was referring to the Ant-Man film, or another film specifically starring Pym. (Thanks to or reader “leane.eckeleer” for pointing this out!) [7/25/13]
Following a tweet from Simon Pegg pointing to an Ant-Man image, rumors about him playing the title character were everywhere. Pegg quickly replied and said his tweet was just a shout out to Wright, and he currently is not involved with the film. [8/17/13]
Unknown (July 8, 2016) & Unknown (May 5, 2017)
Marvel recently announced that it is staking out July 8, 2016 and May 5, 2017, but it isn’t clear what the films will be. They might be sequels to existing properties, or they could be new properties.
Kevin Feige claimed during Comic-Con that at the earliest it will be a year until Marvel announces what these two films are. Since he was at Comic-Con at the time, a Comic-Con 2014 reveal is a definite possibility. [7/25/13]
Random Rumors
Vin Diesel posted that Marvel asked him for a meeting, but he didn’t know why. This could be anything from a role in a new property to voice over work for the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Diesel has talked more about his role, claiming that “Marvel was excited about bring[ing] a different kind of relationship, a different kind of love story, I guess kind of inspired from the Dom-Letty relationship, into the Marvel universe.” [7/24/13]
Dr. Strange is one of the top properties Marvel has said it wants to develop, Luke Cage – possibly as part of “Heroes for Hire” – and the Black Panther have also been mentioned.
The rights to the character of Daredevil have recently been returned to Marvel. Of all the characters Marvel has the rights to, Daredevil is one of the most popular, so it is likely we’ll see this property developed very soon.
The Shield TV show on ABC may be the first of many Marvel-based live-action shows to hit the small screen. Disney owns ABC, so the structure is in place to create as many TV series based on Marvel characters as it wants.
Robert Downey Jr. has confirmed that he will return for The Avengers 2 and 3, but he has yet to commit to Iron Man 4.
Marvel is said to be eyeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt for the role of Doctor Strange. [7/16/13]
Ryan Reynolds is still fighting for a Deadpool movie, and Bryan Singer has said there is a chance – although Deadpool will not appear in the upcoming X-Men film. [7/23/13]
Rob Liefeld recently described the three minutes of Deadpool test footage shot by director Tim Miller. The proposed story would be a reboot, and not a continuation of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. (Thanks to our reader “Neil Duff” for pointing this out!) [7/23/13]
Feige is planning on more Iron Man movies, but nothing is firm. [7/25/13]
Marvel has films planned through 2021. [8/8/13]
Mark Millar, who is now working on Fox’s Marvel films, said that he expects the Fox films will combine characters, although he later said there were no firm plans to do so. [8/19/13]
www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/a-look-at-the-state-of-all-the-marvel-movies-currently-in-development/?utm_source=znet&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=zergnet_76665
Brought to Comic Crack for possible discussion:
Movies based on Marvel characters have been comparatively successful of late – compared to a diamond mine, that is. The strategy from Marvel, to form its own Entertainment division and work with Disney to create a universe rather than just a film, is paying off in a major way. And that success is limited to the Marvel Studios.
Sony continues to churn out Spider-Man movies, while Fox holds on to the rights of several Marvel characters, most notably the X-Men and Fantastic Four. Regardless of the studio behind it, Marvel characters are hot in films right now. We’ve accumulated all the news and rumors of the upcoming Marvel characters for you to sort through. Check back often, as we will continue to update this page.
This article will contain minor spoilers, so if you are hoping to remain completely unspoiled, this might not be the page for you.
(This article was original published on July 6, 2013. Any updates or additional news will be posted with the date of the update next to them.)
Films with Marvel Characters Being Developed Outside of Marvel Studios
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 2, 2014)[/b]
Filming is underway for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 right now, and that means there are a ton of set pics to be found. Some are simply Spidey doing his thing, while others are a bit more story specific.
Emma-Stone-on-the-set-of-The-Amazing-Spider-Man-2-in-NY-4
Paul Giamatti can be seen in some shots as Aleksei Sysevich, a Russian mobster in the film and the character that would become the Rhino in the comics. It isn’t clear if we’ll see Giamatti as a super-powered villain or not.
More revealing, though, are the shots of Jamie Foxx as Max Dillion, aka Electro. The images confirm that the film’s Electro will be modeled on the Ultimate Electro, who rather than wearing a gaudy yellow costume, is instead himself electric blue. Leaked images also confirm that the story will be set around Peter Parker and Gwen Stacey’s high school graduation.
Sony has announced that there will be a third and fourth Spider-Man film, debuting on June 10, 2016 and May 4, 2018 respectively. It may be that the story director Marc Webb and Sony are envisioning warranted four movies, but it may also have something to do with ensuring that the rights to the character stick with Sony for a while to come.
Shailene Woodley was set to appear as Mary Jane in the film, but her role has been cut and pushed to the third and fourth films, presumably due to pacing issues. There are rumors that the role may be recast as well.
Actress Felicity Jones has been cast in an unknown role, but she will play a villain of sorts, leading many to believe that she will appear as the Black Cat.
New images of Electro have surfaced via Entertainment Weekly, giving us a better look at Foxx in full makeup, wearing his costume. [7/11/13]
Jones has further gone on record stating that she is playing the “Goblin’s girlfriend – I’m in a relationship with him, and his accomplice.” If the film follows the comics, that could make her Harry Osborne’s (Dane DeHaan) girlfriend, Lily Hollister. In the comics, Holister stumbles upon Norman Osborne’s Green Goblin gear (along with his super strength serum) and becomes the villain Menace. [7/17/13].
Giamatti will only be in a few scenes, and Webb has called it “a little bit of a tease,” which could mean we’ll see him again in the future. [7/22/13] [7/23/13]
Harry Osborne and Peter Parker are childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in years. Harry has been at a private boarding school called Ravencroft. In the comics, the Ravencroft Institute is a maximum security prison for the criminally insane. [7/22/13]
Norman Osborne (Chris Cooper) will be sick throughout the movie, building on the story started in the first film, which will likely continue on through the sequels. [7/22/13]
Webb has hinted that the fourth Spider-Man movie could feature multiple superheroes and be a team-up film. Sony owns the rights to all characters that primarily appear in the Spider-Man comics, so there are a lot of possibilities to introduce lesser known, but still compelling, secondary heroes. [7/25/13]
Images of Giamatti in a CGI rig make seemingly confirm he will appear as the comic book version of the Rhino, at least in some fashion (see below). [7/25/13]
X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23, 2014)
Filming is under way with Bryan Singer once again taking over behind the lens, and Matthew Vaughn taking the position as producer. The movie will be a sequel to X-Men: First Class, but it will also tie in to the previous X-Men trilogy, and feature much of the same cast, including both James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart appearing as Charles Xavier at different points in time, and Michael Fassbeneder and Ian McKellen both taking a turn as Magneto. Hugh Jackman will also appear as the nearly ageless Wolverine.
Characters that haven’t been seen since the ill-fated and poorly received X-Men: The Last Stand will also return, including Halle Berry’s Storm, Anna Paquin’s Rogue, and Ellen Page’s Kitty Pryde. They will be joined by the characters of Bishop, Warpath, and Blink. Peter Dinklage will also appear as the film’s primary villain, possibly as Bolivar Trask, the creator of the mutant hunting robotic Sentinels.
Singer also announced that Evan Peters would appear as Quicksilver, the son of Magneto. That makes sense for the narrative, but it raises some weird bigger-picture issues. So far Sony and Fox have played nice with Marvel Studios’ films, neither contradicting nor confirming that the universes are different. The character of Quicksilver will also appear in The Avengers 2 along with his sister the Scarlet Witch. The two characters could act as a bridge between the different franchises, but each Quicksilver will be played by a different actor.
Rumors hint at the film opening with the assassination of President Kennedy, with the “Magic bullet” being controlled by Magneto.
The character of Sabretooth may be featured, but if he is, it isn’t clear if the role will go to Liev Schreiber or Taylor Mane, both of whom have played the character.
Wolverine will be the character that bridges the two time periods. In the near future, Xavier (Stewart) and Magneto (McKellan), will be among only a handful of mutant survivors living under the rule of the Sentinels. They will somehow find a way to send Wolverine’s consciousness back to his younger self. [7/22]13]
Xavier will be in a bad place, feeling sorry for himself and nowhere near the man he becomes. [7/22/13]
The film will take place 10 years after X-Men: The Last Stand, and 10 years after X-Men: First Class. [7/25/13]
Singer has released the first look at a a full size sentinel. [8/5/13]
Fantastic Four (March 6, 2015)
The previous Fantastic Four series that spawned two films will be mercifully ignored, and the new film will be a reboot of the series. Josh Trank is attached to direct, and Jeremy Slater has been hired as a screenwriter. Matthew Vaughn is also attached as a producer, and the film will share the same continuity as the X-Men movies.
Chronicle’s Michael B. Jordan has been mentioned as a possible fit for Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch. Alison Williams has been mentioned for the role of Johnny’s sister Sue, which may necessitate a slight change to the history of the character – Jordan is African-American while Williams is Caucasian, but that is a simple enough fix.
Alice Eve has also been mentioned for Sue Storm, as has Amber Heard.
The title may be Fantastic Four: Reborn, or simply The Fantastic Four.
One of the more interesting, albeit wholly unconfirmed casting rumors, has David Tennant as Mr. Fantastic. Adrien Brody and Jonathan Rhys Meyers have also been mentioned for the role.
The FF reboot will shoot in Louisiana rather than Vancouver as originally planned, thanks to a massive tax credit the state is offering filmmakers. [7/25/13]
Although no cast has been confirmed, shooting is scheduled to begin in September. [7/25/13]
Miles Teller was rumored to be considered for the role of Reed Richards, but Teller has denied this. [8/5/13]
X-Force (TBA)
Although it is still years from actually managing to pull it off, 20th Century Fox has quietly begun to ape Marvel and Disney’s superhero plans. The pieces aren’t in place yet, but it looks like Fox is hoping to create its own section of the Marvel Universe populated by the various X-teams, as well as the Fantastic Four and possibly a few others. The next piece in that puzzle appears to be X-Force. X-Force is a team that has seen several incarnations since it was introduced in 1991, but at its core, the idea has remained the same. The team is a more militant wing of the mutants struggle for equality, traditionally bringing the fight to enemies rather than waiting to respond to threats. The roster has changed over the years, and while Fox could dig deep into the mutant well and even bring over some previously introduced characters (Wolverine was recently a member, and Colossus is currently on the team), some of the characters are more complicated than others. Cable, for example, would be difficult to bring to the big screen.
In the comics, Cable was the man that founded X-Force, and has been a member for the majority of the team’s history. He’s a tactical genius, and a leader that is willing to do things Xavier and his teams wouldn’t. He’s also the son of Cyclops and a clone of Jean Grey, sent to the future after being infected with a techno-organic virus by Apocalypse, the enemy he was created to defeat. It’s complicated. Bringing him into the fold would require serious alterations to his character, which may work, or it may alienate fans. The job of figuring that out falls to Jeff Wadlow, the writer/director of Kick-Ass 2, who is currently working on the script, and will likely direct as well.
Mark Millar has claimed that the team will consist of five characters. If that is true, it stands to reason that the five have already been selected (Thanks to our reader “leane.eckeleer” for the tip!). [7/30/13]
Films with Marvel Characters Being Developed by Marvel Studios
Thor: The Dark World (November 8, 2013)[/b]
The sequel to Thor had a rocky beginning. Director Patty Jenkins left the project in December of 2011, citing creative differences. She was replaced by Alan Taylor, who is coming off a successful stint as a director for Game of Thrones.
The story will introduce Malekith the Accursed, played by Christopher Eccelston, as the film’s antagonist. Malekith is the ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim, and first appeared in 1984. In the comics he was after the Casket of Ancient Winters. It isn’t clear if that will be a part of the film.
There will be a greater Viking influence in the sequel.
The majority of the cast from the first film will return, including Loki.
Although the character of Loki is almost always a villain in the comics, Tom Hiddleston has said that he is looking forward to a redemption for the character.
There will be a cameo from some members of The Avengers, but it isn’t known who it will be.
If you look closely, in the original Thor you can see the Infinity Gauntlet housed in the Asgardian Armory. In the comics, Thanos uses the Gauntlet, leading to a massive Marvel crossover. That may be explored in this film. [8/13/13] (Thanks to John 1295 for pointing out an error and correctly identifying the “Infinity Gauntlet”)
Benicio Del Toro will appear in the film as The Collector. The appearance is little more than a cameo, most likely meant to tease the Guardians of the Galaxy. [7/22/13]
Partially due to Loki’s surprising popularity, Kevin Feige has claimed that Loki may become a more permanent fixture to the Marvel Universe, and that “Loki could be the big bad for us, for a long time.” [7/25/13]
One of the enemies that Thor fights in the new movie is a rock-based creature known as a Kronan. The Kronans (in a slightly different form) were featured in the very first appearance of Thor, 1963′s “Journey Into Mystery” #83. The inclusion could just be a nod to the history of the character, but a Kronan named Korg recently played a prominent role in the “Planet Hulk” storyline, which was rumored to be something Marvel was considering as a way to bring the Hulk back into a solo franchise – although Marvel has since denied that. [8/12/13]
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
This section will contain what may be significant spoilers regarding the upcoming film, at least for those that haven’t read the comics.
Despite this film not hitting theaters for nearly a year, we already know quite a bit about it. Part of that is due to the planning that began in the previous Captain America film, and the long term, multi-picture deal that Sebastian Stan (who played Bucky) received. The Winter Solider was a character that was only recently introduced in the comics, but who instantly became a hit, and we could see him reappear in several Marvel projects.
Following his apparent death in World War II, Bucky Barnes returns. In the comics, the Soviets find the body of Barnes who is near death. They put him in cryogenic freeze, and rebuild him with a cyborg arm to replace one ruined in the fall that apparently killed him. Over the next several decades, the brainwashed Barnes is reborn as the Winter Soldier, and is sent out on several classified assignments, often involving assassinations. In the comics, the character also knows, and worked frequently with Natasha “Black Widow” Romanoff.
Scarlett Johansson will reprise her role as the Black Widow, and will be a co-star more than a supporting character. Leaked images have also suggested that the Black Widow and Steve Rogers/Captain America will have a romantic relationship. [7/22/13]
Robert Redford will appear as Alexander Pierce, a member of Shield’s Board of Directors, who will be one of the primary antagonists.
Peggy Carter reprises her role from The First Avenger. Emily VanCamp will appear as Sharon Carter, Peggy’s descendant.
Anthony Mackie has been confirmed as Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon.
Toby Jones will return as Armin Zola in some fashion.
The film will pick up where The Avengers ended, with Cap as an Agent of Shield. His costume will reflect that, and he will be wearing the “Agent of Shield” outfit from the comics, but with a helmet.
Cap may break into the Smithsonian to steal his original WWII outfit as part of a strategy to help Barnes regain his memories.
A new poster has been released (below) [7/9/13]
Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury will play a big role. [7/22/13]
The film will feature the villain Crossbones. [7/25/13]
Co-director Anthony Russo has claimed that the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier will have a lasting impact on the rest of the Marvel Universe that begins with Cap. [7/25/13]
Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014)
The Guardians of the Galaxy will be a bit more off-kilter than the other Marvel films. It will introduce several new alien races, and expand the Marvel Universe to a galactic scale. That could open the door for several new storylines and characters, including the first Captain Marvel, aka Mar-Vell, of the Kree. From there it is an easy step to the Avengers “Galactic Storm” storyline, which put the Avengers in the middle of a war between the Kree and the Skrull (who were introduced as the “Chitauri” in The Avengers).
The story will revolve around a “powerful object” that the group gets their hands on, forcing them on the run. The inclusion of Drax the Destroyer is also likely to have larger consequences. The character in the comics was specifically created to defeat Thanos, the enemy seen at the end of The Avengers, who has been confirmed to return in future Marvel movies, possibly starting with Guardians.
Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, and Zoe Saldana have all been cast as members of the team. The other characters will be CGI.
Michael Rooker will appear as Yondu, one of the founders of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
John C. Reilly will appear as Nova member Rhomann Dey, opening the door for future members of the Nova Corps in other Marvel films.
Karen Gillan is playing Nebula, the self-professed daughter of Thanos. In the comics, her claims anger Thanos, who uses the Infinity Gauntlet to turn her into a zombie-like creature. She then steals the Gauntlet for herself and fights a collection of Marvel heroes, along with Thanos himself. Nebula is also bald, causing Gillan to shave her head (see below). [7/9/13] [7/22/13]
Lee Pace plays Ronan the Accuser, a member of the Kree race who was often an antagonist, but not always a bad guy. Djimon Hounsou plays Korath, another member of the Kree and an ally of Ronan. [7/9/13] [7/22/13]
Benicio Del Toro will appear in this film, and several other Marvel films as The Collector, a member of the “Elders of the Universe,” and a possible antagonist. Traditionally though, The Collector has been more ambiguous in his intentions. [7/9/13]
Glenn Close will play Nova Prime. [7/22/13]
President of Production at Marvel Studios Kevin Feige has confirmed that Thanos will appear in Guardians, as well as several other films. [7/25/13]
Pictures of Close and the Nova Corps have been released. [8/12/13]
Vin Diesel is reportedly in negotiations to voice Groot. The character of Groot is plant-based, and has a genius level IQ. Due to the nature of his language though, the only words he says that can he heard by organic ears are “I am Groot.” [8/12/13]
The Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
Joss Whedon is already hard at work on the development of the sequel, and casting has begun – but there may still be several surprises. The plot will feature the birth of Ultron, but it will be an original take based on the Marvel universe created by the films, and not specifically drawing on any one comic story arc.
Whedon has claimed that the film will be darker than the original, and has hinted that this is part of a long planned trilogy. With Robert Downey Jr. confirming that he will appear in both Avengers 2 and 3, this seems to be the case. Whedon has also confirmed that the characters of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch will appear, but how they will fit with Fox’s X-Men universe isn’t clear, and the legalities suggest that they may be totally separate interpretations.
The signing of Downey Jr. also defuses the possibility that some of the other actors, who were asking for a raise, won’t be replaced. Downey Jr. had stated he wouldn’t re-sign without them.
Sam Rockwell’s character of Justin Hammer from Iron Man 2 may appear.
The Avengers 2 may feature a few other Marvel characters who could then receive their own films. Dr. Strange has been mentioned.
Whedon has said that Tom Hiddleston’s Loki will not appear in the film, but Kevin Feige refused to comment on it. [7/25/13]
Ms. Marvel may be introduced, and Whedon has confirmed that he would like to see more female Avengers.
Other Marvel characters previously introduced, including Don Cheadle as War Machine and Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, may appear.
Despite claims that Jeremy Renner would quit the role of Hawkeye, or that he may be fired, both Renner and Hawkeye will appear in the sequel. [7/23/13]
Whedon has said that Hank Pym, the creator of Ultron in the comics and a member of the Avengers, will not appear. [7/22/13]
Even before starting work on the first film, Whedon hoped to see Ultron as the villain of the second film. [7/22/13]
In the comics, Ultron created Vision, an android that has been a member of the Avengers on and off since the late 60s. With the announcement that Scarlet Witch – who eventually married Vision – will appear in the film, the inclusion of Vision seems very possible. [7/22/13]
The teaser shown at Comic-Con reportedly features Iron Man’s mask being reformed into Ultron’s head. That seems to suggest that Tony Stark somehow factors in to Ultron’s creating. [7/25/13]
Feige stated that one of the best things about the Avengers in the comics is the shifting roster, suggesting the team may significantly over the sequels. [7/25/14]
Whedon has promised a big role for the Black Widow. [7/25/13]
Whedon is not planning to include Agent Coulson in the sequel, although that could change. [7/25/13]
Ant-Man (November 6, 2015)
You can credit the birth of this film primarily to Edgar Wright, who was so adamant about wanting to make this movie that he created a short sizzle reel showing how it would look visually. The reaction was so strong that it isn’t just an Ant-Man film, it is Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man. It will also kick off Marvel’s Phase Three.
The story will show a different side of the Marvel Universe and a comedic take of the superhero genre. The plot is still being kept quiet, but the rumors are that the film will focus on the character of Scott Lang rather than Henry Pym. Lang will be more of a loveable loser than a superhero.
Hank Pym could still appear in the film, and with him could also come the Wasp.
With Wright attached, it is an obvious possibility that his long time collaborators, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost may be involved.
Wright has confirmed that he and Joe Cornish have completed the script. It required a bit of work to ensure that it will fit into the Marvel universe, including the things that are still to come. Wright will begin pre-production following the worldwide release of his current film, World’s End. [7/12/13]
Nathan Fillion and Armie Hammer have both been mentioned for the starring role, and both actors have refuted that rumor. [7/12/13]
Wright has said that the film will have funny moments, but it won’t be a comedy. [7/22/13]
Wright stated that we will “meet” Pym in Ant-Man. [7/25/13]
Ant-Man has been described as a “bad ass secret agent,” which would fit with Scott Lang. [7/25/13]
Feige stated that Pym will have a “big role” in his own film. It isn’t clear if he was referring to the Ant-Man film, or another film specifically starring Pym. (Thanks to or reader “leane.eckeleer” for pointing this out!) [7/25/13]
Following a tweet from Simon Pegg pointing to an Ant-Man image, rumors about him playing the title character were everywhere. Pegg quickly replied and said his tweet was just a shout out to Wright, and he currently is not involved with the film. [8/17/13]
Unknown (July 8, 2016) & Unknown (May 5, 2017)
Marvel recently announced that it is staking out July 8, 2016 and May 5, 2017, but it isn’t clear what the films will be. They might be sequels to existing properties, or they could be new properties.
Kevin Feige claimed during Comic-Con that at the earliest it will be a year until Marvel announces what these two films are. Since he was at Comic-Con at the time, a Comic-Con 2014 reveal is a definite possibility. [7/25/13]
Random Rumors
Vin Diesel posted that Marvel asked him for a meeting, but he didn’t know why. This could be anything from a role in a new property to voice over work for the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Diesel has talked more about his role, claiming that “Marvel was excited about bring[ing] a different kind of relationship, a different kind of love story, I guess kind of inspired from the Dom-Letty relationship, into the Marvel universe.” [7/24/13]
Dr. Strange is one of the top properties Marvel has said it wants to develop, Luke Cage – possibly as part of “Heroes for Hire” – and the Black Panther have also been mentioned.
The rights to the character of Daredevil have recently been returned to Marvel. Of all the characters Marvel has the rights to, Daredevil is one of the most popular, so it is likely we’ll see this property developed very soon.
The Shield TV show on ABC may be the first of many Marvel-based live-action shows to hit the small screen. Disney owns ABC, so the structure is in place to create as many TV series based on Marvel characters as it wants.
Robert Downey Jr. has confirmed that he will return for The Avengers 2 and 3, but he has yet to commit to Iron Man 4.
Marvel is said to be eyeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt for the role of Doctor Strange. [7/16/13]
Ryan Reynolds is still fighting for a Deadpool movie, and Bryan Singer has said there is a chance – although Deadpool will not appear in the upcoming X-Men film. [7/23/13]
Rob Liefeld recently described the three minutes of Deadpool test footage shot by director Tim Miller. The proposed story would be a reboot, and not a continuation of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. (Thanks to our reader “Neil Duff” for pointing this out!) [7/23/13]
Feige is planning on more Iron Man movies, but nothing is firm. [7/25/13]
Marvel has films planned through 2021. [8/8/13]
Mark Millar, who is now working on Fox’s Marvel films, said that he expects the Fox films will combine characters, although he later said there were no firm plans to do so. [8/19/13]
