At SDCC we had the honor of hanging out at the infamous Hall H and watched the MCU Phase 4 plan laid out live! What an experience this was! The Hall was packed 7k plus strong, it had the same energy as going to a concert. As each movie was announced and the stars made their way to teh stage, the fans were going berserk. There were great announcements for the next phase and a helluva surprise at the end. Share our experience below with some vids and pics:
Black Widow may have met her end in Endgame, but Scarlett Johansson is reprising her role as the morally complicated spy in a solo movie. The character has appeared in multiple Marvel films over the last decade, beginning with Iron Man 2, but Black Widow (directed by Cate Shortland) puts her front and center.
“Where we find Natasha in her life at this point is very specific,”“ Johansson told EW at Comic-Con. “She really is in a dark place where she“s got no one to call and nowhere to go. She“s really grappling with her own self. When something huge explodes and all the pieces are landing, you have that moment of stillness where you don“t know what to do next ”” that“s the moment that she“s in. In that moment, you actually have to face yourself.”“
Joining Johansson are Florence Pugh as a fellow assassin named Yelena Belova and Rachel Weisz as a woman named Malena, who has also been through the grueling Black Widow training program multiple times. The Handmaid“s Tale star O-T Fagbenle also appears as a fixer named Mason, who he says has a long history with Natasha. Also in the cast is Stranger Things“ David Harbour, who plays Alexei Shostakov, a.k.a. the Red Guardian, a costumed hero created by the Russians as a communist counterpart to Captain America.
So who will Black Widow be facing off against? Footage shown at Comic-Con revealed that the film“s primary villain is Taskmaster, a notorious mercenary and villain who, in the comics, can perfectly replicate any fight move he sees. Is one of the known cast members hiding under Taskmaster“s mask, or is it an actor we haven“t met yet? We“ll have to wait to find out.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (fall 2020)
MARVEL STUDIOS/KOBAL/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK (2)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe will soon be coming to the small screen. The Mouse House is launching its Disney+ streaming service in November 2019, featuring both archival content and new shows and movies. Marvel is hard at work on several new miniseries, starting with Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan“s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Scheduled to debut in fall 2020, the series will follow Mackie“s Sam Wilson (now carrying Captain America“s shield) and Stan“s Bucky Barnes, as they team up against Daniel Brühl“s Baron Zemo. We last saw Brühl“s baddie in Captain America: Civil War, and in a pretaped video message shown at Comic-Con, the actor revealed that Zemo is alive and well ”” and he wanted to “say hello to some old friends.”“ (The footage shown at Comic-Con also included a flash of Zemo in his familiar purple mask from the comics.)
The Eternals (Nov. 6, 2020)
ALBERT L. ORTEGA/GETTY IMAGES
There may be no new Avengers films on the schedule, but the MCU is introducing a new superhero squad. The Rider“s Chloe Zhao is directing The Eternals, about a group of ancient immortal beings watching over the Earth. Comics legend Jack Kirby created them in the “70s, when he returned to Marvel after a brief time at DC Comics, and the 2020 film will follow the group“s clash against their longtime nemeses, the Deviants.
The cast includes Angelina Jolie as Thena, Richard Madden as Icarus, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, Brian Tyree Henry as Phastos, Salma Hayek as Ajak, Lia McHugh as Sprite, and Don Lee as the big bad Gilgamesh.
“It“s about this group of incredible immortals,”“ Zhao teased at Comic-Con, “but through their journey, we really get to explore what it means to be human and humanity on our time on this planet.”“
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Feb. 12, 2021)
CHRIS DELMAS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
In 2021, Marvel will release its first film about a superhero of Asian descent. Meet Shang-Chi, a martial arts master played by Simu Liu. Liu is best known for his role on the Canadian sitcom Kim“s Convenience, and he“ll be starring in The Legend of the Ten Rings with Awkwafina and Tony Leung. Awkwafina“s role has yet to be announced, but Yeung will be playing the notorious Marvel supervillain the Mandarin. (Not the fake Mandarin we met in Iron Man 3 ”” the real one.)
Paul Bettany“s Vision may have died in Avengers: Infinity War, but he“ll still be appearing with Elizabeth Olsen“s Scarlet Witch in the new Disney+ series WandaVision. It remains to be seen what the series will actually be about, but Olsen has promised that “it“s going to get weird.“
The show will also find Wanda Maximoff and Vision teaming up with Monica Rambeau. The character made her debut as a child in Captain Marvel, but in WandaVision, she“ll be all grown up and played by Teyonah Parris.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 7, 2021)
JAY MAIDMENT/MARVEL STUDIOS; ZADE ROSENTHAL/MARVEL STUDIOS
Speaking of Scarlet Witch, Olsen will also be starring opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in 2021“s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Original Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson is returning for that one, and he promises that it“ll be “the first scary MCU film,”“ pitting Cumberbatch“s egotistical physician against all sorts of cosmic horrors.
Cumberbatch has said that although Strange was largely an authoritative, confident figure in Infinity War and Endgame, Multiverse of Madness will disarm the character and present him with some unexpected challenges. And according to Feige, the events of WandaVision will directly tie into the film.
Throughout the MCU, Tom Hiddleston“s mischievous Loki has served as both universe-threatening antagonist and reluctant ally, but now he“s getting a story of his own. The Loki we all know and love died at the hands of Thanos in Infinity War, but the new Disney+ series follows the Loki who nicked the Tesseract and disappeared after the Avengers went back in time in Endgame.
“The question I get asked more than any other question in Endgame was, where did Loki go, and what happened to Loki?”“ Feige said at Comic-Con. “This series will answer where he went.”“
According to Hiddleston, this Loki hasn“t yet become the sympathetic figure in Thor: Ragnarok; he“s still the narcissist and bad guy we met in 2012“s The Avengers. “There“s a lot of psychological evolution that is still yet to happen,”“ Hiddleston said.
What If”¦? (summer 2021)
ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAGES
The MCU is getting animated. Marvel Comics has a long history of exploring alternate realities through its What If”¦? comics line, and now the MCU is doing the same through a new Disney+ series.
The show will explore ideas like “What if Peggy Carter picked up Steve“s shield to become Captain America?”“ and it“ll include the voices of returning Marvel stars like Michael B. Jordan, Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson, Hayley Atwell, Chadwick Boseman, Karen Gillan, Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Neal McDonough, Dominic Cooper, Sean Gunn, and Natalie Portman.
Westworld“s Jeffrey Wright is also lending his voice as the Watcher, an alien being who observes different story lines throughout the multiverse.
Now, fingers crossed that the show includes an appearance by Lucky the Pizza Dog.
Thor: Love and Thunder (Nov. 5, 2021)
JASIN BOLAND/MARVEL STUDIOS
Crank up the Led Zeppelin: Thor: Ragnarok“s Taika Waititi is returning to direct a new adventure with the Asgardian god of thunder. The aptly named Love and Thunder will hit theaters in 2021 and feature the return of both Chris Hemsworthas Thor and Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie. Plus, as Thompson revealed at Comic-Con, the film will confirm Valkyrie“s status as the first openly LGBTQ superhero in the MCU.
Also joining the cast is Natalie Portman, who will be returning as Jane Foster. This time, however, she“ll be wielding Thor“s hammer Mjölnir herself. Waititi has said the story will be inspired by Jason Aaron“s comic book series, which followed Jane as she took on the Asgardian god“s powers and transformed into the Mighty Thor.
Blade (release date TBD)
CHRIS DELMAS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
With all the news that Marvel dropped during its 2019 Comic-Con panel, perhaps the most unexpected and exciting was the announcement that Mahershala Aliwill be playing a new version of Blade. According to Feige, Ali called Marvelafter he won his second Oscar (for Green Book) and told them he“d be interested in tackling the iconic vampire hunter. Luckily for all of us, the studio immediately said yes.
The film does not yet have a director or release date.
Also in the works is a sequel to 2019“s Captain Marvel. A release date and director have yet to be announced, but Brie Larson will presumably be returning as the Air Force-pilot-turned-interstellar-superhero. Hopefully, a sequel means we“ll also see the return of Carol Danvers“ cat flerken, Goose.
Ryan Coogler is also returning to write and direct a sequel to 2018“s Black Panther, which is expected to start shooting in late 2019 or early 2020. There“s no release date yet, but the film will return to Wakanda and once again follow Chadwick Boseman“s righteous warrior-king T“Challa.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3Â (release date TBD)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is also back on track. Original writer-director James Gunn was fired after old, offensive tweets resurfaced, but after he apologized and cast members rallied to his defense, Disney reinstated him in March.
PHASE 4 READING GUIDE
Black Widow Web of Intrigue TP
It’s been a long, lively life for Natasha Romanova, the former Russian spy known as the Black Widow – fighting side by side with the Avengers, the Champions, S.H.I.E.L.D. and others. But could it end with the Widow surrounded by international assassins? Old enemies and new are using Natasha’s instructor, her mentor and her ex-husband against her – or so it seems – but who and what can be trusted in a spy’s landscape of lies? Guest-starring Nick Fury, Jimmy Woo and other espionage experts!
Black Widow by Waid & Samnee TP Vol 01
They wowed you with DAREDEVIL, now the Eisner Award-winning team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee take Black Widow to new heights – by forcing her to go on the lam! Natasha has a lifetime of secrets, and when some of the darkest ones are made public, nobody is safe. As S.H.I.E.L.D. turns on its once-greatest asset, she seeks out her own answers in a knock-down, drag-out tale of action and espionage! But the Widow’s hunt for the Weeping Lion sends her back to the one place she never wanted to go! With a little help from old friends – and old enemies lying in wait – she’ll face the new incarnation of the Red Room: the Dark Room! But as S.H.I.E.L.D. closes in, Natasha finds herself on a collision course with the Invincible Iron Man!
All-New Captain America TP Vol 01
Hydra Ascendant
The spy-fi, high-flying adventures of Sam Wilson – the all-new Captain America – begin here! Hydra has infiltrated society completely. Cap’s new partnership with Nomad is tested as they race to uncover the Sect of the Unknown, but Hydra gathers Steve Rogers’ old rogues’ gallery to take down the new heroes! The all-new Captain America battles Sin and Baron Blood, and uncovers Hydra’s ultimate goal – but is it too late? Millions of innocent souls hang in the balance – but broken and nearly dead from Hydra’s gauntlet, can Cap stop the Great Leveling? In the face of Zemo’s atrocities, Sam Wilson will earn his stripes – make the single greatest sacrifice of his life – and he will never be the same again. The stage is set for the Age of Hydra!
Winter Soldier Second Chances TP
Bucky Barnes believes in second chances. Having survived death, manipulation, loss of identity and a lifetime of murder, the man known as the Winter Soldier has worked hard to atone for his many sins. But now…he’s going to go one step further. What do you do after you’ve found redemption? You help others do the same! Bucky is working to help others leave behind their lives of crime. It’s his way of channeling his own pain in a productive, personal way – by helping others find the same salvation he’s found. But not all paths are the same – and not everyone can be saved. Is there any hope for RJ, Hydra’s teenage assassin extraordinaire, who’s been sent to kill the man he’s been modeled after: the Winter Soldier himself?
Eternals TP by Gaiman & Romita Jr.
More than thirty-five years ago, comics legend Jack “The King” Kirby returned to the House of Ideas with perhaps his biggest idea of all: the universe of the Eternals!
Their creation was the result of Kirby’s ceaseless curiosity about the origin of man and his mythologies – but like many of the King’s concepts, it was definitely ahead of its time. Flash forward to 2006: Superstar creators Neil Gaiman and John Romita Jr. have boldly taken on these concepts with a loving hand, in the process telling a fresh and crackling fun yarn full of mystery, suspense and majestic power – all with an eye on helping establish Kirby’s creations as a vital part of the Marvel Universe once and for all. Against the backdrop of Marvel’s CIVIL WAR, the Eternals are being awoken one by one from a strange, waking dream, at once coming to terms with the fact that they are far more than the normal people they have thought themselves to be. They find there is little time to commiserate about such things, however, as they are thrust into a life and death struggle that spans both time and space!
Thor TP Vol 1 Goddess of Thunder
Mjolnir lies on the moon, unable to be lifted! The secrets of Original Sin have left the God of Thunder unworthy for the first time! But when Frost Giants invade Earth, a new hand will grasp the hammer – and a mysterious woman will take up the mantle of the mighty Thor! Who is this new Goddess of Thunder? Not even Odin knows…but she may be Earth’s only hope against the Frost Giants! Get ready for a Thor like you’ve never seen before, as this all-new heroine takes Midgard by storm! Plus: the Odinson doesn’t like that someone else is holding his hammer…and now it’s Thor vs. Thor! And Odin, desperate to see Mjolnir returned, will call on some very dangerous, very unexpected allies. It’s a bold new chapter in the storied history of Thor!
Mighty Thor TP Vol 01 Thunder in Her Veins
Dr. Jane Foster is the Goddess of Thunder – and it’s killing her. Her enemies are many as Asgard descends further into chaos, and unrest threatens to spread throughout the Ten Realms. Yet she wages her greatest battle against a far more personal foe: the cancer killing her mortal form. When Loki steps back into Thor’s life, will it ease her troubles or only add to her pain? There’s no such question about Malekith as he continues to fan the flames of a looming War of Realms – when he isn’t wedding-planning, that is! And as Asgard is torn apart, the skies will shake in one of the bloodiest battles of all time: It’s Thor vs. Odin like never before!
Vision by Tom King HC
One of the most celebrated comic books of the century, collected alongside an expansive array of special features! Vision wants to be human, and what’s more human than family? So he heads back to the beginning – to the laboratory where Ultron created him as a weapon. The place where he first rebelled against his destiny and imagined that he could be more – that he could be a man. There, he builds them. A wife, Virginia. Teenage twins, Viv and Vin. They look like him. They have his powers. They share his grandest ambition – or obsession? – the unrelenting need to be ordinary. Behold the Visions! Theirs is a story of togetherness and tragedy – one that will set the Android Avenger on course for a devastating confrontation with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
West Coast Avengers Vision Quest TP
It’s battles, betrayals and the bizarre as only Byrne could bring you! Watch as one of comicdom’s most recognizable talents remakes the West Coast Avengers, starting with the capture and dismantling of the Vision! As secrets about the synthezoid come to light, the Whackos are determined to get their teammate back, safe and sound – but what happens when the Vision they recover isn’t the Vision they remember? And most important, how will this shocking change affect the Vision and the Scarlet Witch’s marriage…and family? Plus: Ancient secrets of humanity revealed! The Scarlet Witch’s first step into the descent that disassembled the Avengers! The debut of the Great Lakes Avengers! And featuring the triumphant return of one of Marvel’s hottest golden age greats: the original Human Torch!
Scarlet Witch TP Vol 01 Witches Road
Witchcraft is broken – and the Scarlet Witch is on a journey across the globe to fix it. From the back alleys of Manhattan to the serene Greek Isles to the Irish countryside, the former Avenger will face myths and legends from ancient lore, cure curses, and discover there’s is even more to her complex family history than she knew. In Spain she will visit a church where witches like her were once burned at the stake – and be haunted by the ghosts of the Spanish Inquisition! But will the powerful mage known as the Emerald Warlock be friend or foe to Wanda – or the Uncanny Avengers? And as she solves magical crimes and pieces witchcraft back together, one vital question remains: Who shattered it in the first place?
Loki Agent of Asgard TP Vol 01
Kid Loki’s all grown up – and the God of Mischief is stronger, smarter, sexier and just plain sneakier than ever before. As Asgardia’s one-man secret service, he’s ready to lie, cheat, steal, bluff and snog his way through the twistiest, turniest and most treacherous missions the All-Mother can throw at him – starting with a heart-stopping heist on Avengers Tower! And that’s just the beginning as Loki takes on Lorelei in Monte Carlo’s casinos and heads back to the dawn of Asgard to join its greatest heroes on a quest for a certain magical sword! But when he puts together a crew to crack the deepest dungeons of Asgardia itself, there may be one plot twist too many for even Loki to handle!
Loki Journey into Mystery by Kieron Gillen Omnibus
Kieron Gillen’s complete epic! The god of lies has been reborn, but will young Loki be Asgard’s savior? For when Earth is gripped by FEAR ITSELF, ancient prophecy says only Thor can stop the monstrous threat of the Serpent – but the plan is doomed to fail without help from Loki. Will the trickster find redemption – or damn himself for eternity? Either way, a Nightmare lies in wait hoping to rule the world, and Loki will have to risk everything on his craziest scheme of all! Plus: A forgotten hero returns, the New Mutants lend a hand, Captain Britain needs help with a godly war, and Hela sets her sights on the Holy Grail! But will all the nine worlds end in Surtur’s fire?
Master of Kung Fu Epic Collection TP Vol 01
Weapon of the Soul
One of the most groundbreaking Marvel comics of all time! The series that captured the kung fu craze starts here! Born to be the world’s most fearsome fighter, Shang-Chi’s life takes an unexpected turn when he discovers the truth about his father, the villainous Fu Manchu. So begins the epic story of the Master of Kung Fu! In his quest to end the reign of his malevolent patriarch, Shang-Chi pits his deadly hands and unstoppable spirit against incredible foes like Midnight, Tiger-Claw…and even the Amazing Spider-Man! He’s joined by Sir Denis Nayland Smith and “Black” Jack Tarr of the British secret service, who will stop at nothing to end the devil doctor’s reign.
Master of Kung Fu Epic Collection TP Vol 02
Fight Without Pity
MASTER OF KUNG FU easily ranks as one of the most iconic series in Marvel history. Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy’s blend of kung fu action and globetrotting espionage reached beyond the already high standard for the title and pushed it to new horizons of action and adventure! Experience the thriller “Crystal Connection;” the debuts of the whip-cracking Pavane, the savage Razor-Fist and the lovely Leiko Wu; the showdown on Mordillo’s Island; the cinematic Hong Kong fight against the Cat; the tense intrigue of “Oriental Expediters;” the mystery of MI-6’s mole; and the sweeping scale of “The Return of Fu Manchu!” Each adventure will have you on the edge of your seat, so don’t hold back! Enter the world of Shang-Chi!
Doctor Strange What is it that Disturbs You Stephen TP
Magical tales from a spellbinding artist! P. Craig Russell brings his distinctive style to Doctor Strange in an Eisner Award-winning tale decades in the making. It’s a psychedelic story of sorcerous seduction that will take you from the arcane shadows of the Sanctum Sanctorum to the dizzying spires of the mystical city of Ditkopolis! The Master of the Mystic Arts puts Clea to the test, faces a challenge to his title as Sorcerer Supreme and battles a hoary host of foes. Plus: Russell turns his attention to (Scarlet) witchcraft and other chilling mysteries!
Doctor Strange & the Sorcerers Supreme TP Vol 01
An ancient evil threatens to unravel the fabric of reality, and one Master of the Mystic Arts may not be enough to stop it. Doctor Strange must unite Sorcerers Supreme past, present and future to stem the coming darkness – including Merlin, the Ancient One and Wiccan! Then there are the surprise packages: Sir Isaac Newton! A Ghost Rider from the 1800s! And the mysterious Nina! But Strange should watch his back with this super group of spellcrafters, as not all of these mages have his best interests in mind! When the Forgotten arrives, it will take the whole team to put him down – but if anything happens to the young Ancient One from the past, what will that mean for Stephen?
Hawkeye TP Vol 01 My Life As A Weapon
Fraction. Aja. Hawkeye. Kate Bishop. Cars. Guns. And videotape. The breakout star of this summer’s blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton – a.k.a. the self-made hero Hawkeye – fights for justice…and good rooftop BBQs! And with ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he’s out to get some downtime from being one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Matt Fraction and David Aja (IMMORTAL IRON FIST) reunite to tell the ongoing tales of the Arrow-Avenger. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble! Plus: Relive Kate’s first meeting with Clint, as she learns wanting something can be miles away from actually earning it.
Hawkeye Kate Bishop TP Vol 01 Anchor Points
Your favorite Hawkeye in her own book at last! Kate Bishop, the former Young Avenger (who you’ll remember from saving that other Hawkguy all the time and basically keeping his life in some semblance of order) is heading back out west to Los Angeles, with her bow and arrows and P.I. badge in tow. There are crimes to solve, and she’s the best archer for the job! Her first case seems easy – a little too easy. Could it be she’s uncovered a major conspiracy right off the bat? And when an unbearable hate wave spreads across L.A., it’s up to the Guardian Angel of the City of Angels to calm down the entire town. The odds may be stacked against her, but this is where she thrives – nobody puts Katie in a corner!
What If Classic Complete Collection TP Vol 01
Titanic tales of triumph and tragedy in the mighty Marvel tradition – with a twist! Overseen by the Watcher, the most offbeat series of all revisited major Marvel moments, asking the tantalizing question: what if? Imagine that a young Spider-Man joined the Fantastic Four! Consider the Hulk with Bruce Banner’s brain! Envision a world where the Avengers never existed – or one where they assembled in the 1950s! How about the FF with different powers? Daredevil’s secret exposed? Cap and Bucky surviving World War II? The first time Jane Foster wielded the hammer of Thor, a different Hulk or multiple Spider-People? Some of the ideas that shook Marvel’s foundations began in the realm of remote possibility! But can even Uatu believe his eyes when Jack Kirby reimagines himself and his fellow Bullpen legends as the Fantastic Four?!
Blade Undead by Daylight TP
Relive the adventures of Marvel’s half-vampire monster slayer – the man called Blade! In his deadly debut, Blade becomes immortal enemies with the biggest bloodsucker of all – Dracula himself! Then the stakes get higher when Blade’s girlfriend is targeted by vampires! For Blade and Safron, love definitely hurts! Finally, Blade heads to New Orleans to take on the city’s new crime boss – one that just happens to be the vampire that killed his mother! Deacon Frost isn’t the only thing giving Blade the blues – there’s some bad Voodoo going down. Good thing Blade knows a Brother who can help with that! Get ready for Blade’s sensational new movie with four key stories that give you the lowdown on the Daywalker!
Blade Blood & Chaos TP
Blade is back – and he’s slashing his way through all sorts of bloodsuckers! The Daywalker finds himself in the middle of an undead gang war when a vampiric Mafia Don’s daughter seeks vengeance for the sins of her father, and Blade is her weapon of choice! Meanwhile, in New Orleans, Morbius the Living Vampire is drawn into a dark and deadly plot! But how does the covert branch of S.H.I.E.L.D. called Silvereye plan to deal with vampires and other creatures of the night, and where does our favorite vampire hunter fit in? As a deadly fiend awakens, Blade, Silvereye – and perhaps the world – will be made to fear the Reaper! It’s blood and chaos as only the Daywalker can bring it!
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Author Profile
Al Mega
I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!
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