We officially have some updates about a couple highly-anticipated animated series from Marvel Studios, as well as an exciting new announcement to enjoy. At a preview screening for What If…? season two, Marvel also shared news about its other upcoming animated properties. Firstly, an already-announced Disney+ series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is now officially set to release in 2024. Additionally, Marvel revealed a new Black Panther animated series for its line-up titled Eyes of Wakanda.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a show that was once known as Spider-Man: Freshman Year. Although Tom Holland won’t voice this Marvel Studios Spider-Man, Charlie Cox will return to give life to Matthew Murdock/Daredevil. This series will follow Peter Parker on his adventures before his time in the MCU and delve into his life as, well, a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. We look forward to seeing it sooner rather than later.

Additionally, Marvel Studios revealed a brand new animated Black Panther series. According to IGN, Eyes of Wakanda will focus “on warriors from Wakanda’s past traveling the world to recover dangerous vibranium artifacts.” The publication notes that the official description shares, “Throughout Wakandan history, brave warriors have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts. This is their story.”

Most recently, Marvel Studio’s Head of Television Brad Winderbaum gave an update on the series to Marvel’s Official Podcast, noting, “Eyes of Wakanda, more than any other show we’re doing in animation, ties directly into the MCU. This is a story about Wakandan history. It’s produced by Ryan Coogler and directed by Todd Harris who is one of our longtime storyboard artists who I first met when he designed the Hulk vs. Thor fight in Ragnarok.” Additionally, Winderbaum added, “It’s an awesome show. The action is insane and the storytelling is fantastic. It’s both about the history of Wakanda, but also expands into the greater MCU at different time periods. If you’re a fan of the movies, I think this show is going to be a real treat.”

Please note the above image is from season one of What If…? and not from the new Black Panther show. Marvel Studios has not yet shared any further cast, images, or plot details about Eyes of Wakanda. But we are super excited already. It sounds like it will be one epic adventure series.

Originally published on December 12, 2023.

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Like any good long-running fictional universe worth its name, the MCU has a metric ton of iconic objects throughout its 16 years of films and TV series. Of course, there are obvious things everyone knows, like Cap’s shield, or the Tesseract. But the MCU has many other objects we all want on our shelves too. Even if they are smaller versions. Thanks to the folks at Fanhome and their new subscription service, we can now turn your home into something of a Marvel Cinematic Universe Museum.

Fanhome specializes in subscription-based collections and models, and is bringing a collection of iconic replica items from the MCU to fans and collectors with the launch of the Marvel Movie Replicas collection. Among these items are Doctor Stange’s Eye of Agamotto, plus helmets for Loki, Iron Man, Cap, Black Panther, Ant-Man, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man. There’s an Infinity Nano Gauntlet, and even Thor’s mystic hammer Mjölnir. You can check out images of the first Marvel Movie Replicas in the collection in our gallery below:

Click To View Gallery

Produced from the Marvel Studios Movie archives, the’ve recreated the replicas in this collection with incredible detail. Each one is based on original production materials and constructed from metal and ABS plastic components. Throughout the subscription, collectors and MCU fans will deepen their knowledge about all these artifacts with an informative magazine that comes with each month’s shipment. You’ll be able to go behind the scenes with Marvel creators like Matt Fraction, Salvador Larroca, and Brian Michael Bendis.

At various stages throughout the subscription, collectors also will receive exclusive gifts from Fanhome. Among these are three full-color frame-worthy posters from Marvel (60x80cm / 23×31 inches), a ceramic mug with the Marvel logo, a light-up miniature of Tony Stark’s ARC Reactor, and a miniature metal replica of Thor’s hammer (15cm / 6 inches). Fans that upgrade to the Marvel Movie Museum Premium Subscription will receive several exclusive Iron Man helmets as well. And we all know that Tony had a lot of variant Iron Man helmets. For more information and sign-up details, click here.

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There’s a phrase that will make any superhero movie fan’s soul sparkle like an Infinity Stone: “Marvel Studios, San Diego Comic-Con, Hall H.” Any time Marvel heads to the hallowed hall of pop culture’s biggest event it means fireworks. And those fireworks are going to return this year. Deadline reports Marvel Studios is heading back to Hall H next month.

The same weekend Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters, Marvel Studios is hitting San Diego Comic-Con. The premier industry gathering will take place from July 25-July 28. Now we know the MCU will be there (likely Saturday night) with its own panel.

What news will Marvel announce? Which stars will be in attendance? And how will this Marvel Hall H showing reshape our expectations for the future of the franchise? We’ll have to wait to find out. For now our superhero-loving hearts can just enjoy the possibilities.

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When Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, lo those many years ago, that immediately meant all the X-Men characters could appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also meant Fox’s other (and let’s face it, far less successful) Marvel property, the Fantastic Four, was joining the fray. However, aside from a Reed Richards cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the Fantastic Four have been MIA. But, hope is on the horizon! The Fantastic Four will be part of the MCU’s Phase Six.

Speaking to The Official Marvel podcast, Kevin Feige confirmed exactly when The Fantastic Four movie would begin to film. He revealed, “We start shooting at the end of July… The day after [San Diego] Comic-Con is the first day of filming on Fantastic Four.” That means The Fantastic Four begins filming on July 29. He also confirmed that the movie would be a period piece set in the 1960s.

Here’s everything we know about the MCU’s The Fantastic Four movie.

Title

All the initial branding from Marvel indicated the movie’s title would be Fantastic Four. Of the three previous Fantastic Four movies, two of them were just called Fantastic Four—despite the ill-fated 2015 movie’s logo making people call it “Fant-4-stic.”

Now we know that to slightly stand out, the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie will be called The Fantastic Four.

The Fantastic Four‘s Plot

Zero idea currently what the plot of the movie will be. Not a sausage. Bugger-all.

Behind the Scenes

The Fantastic Four is possibly the most in-flux title in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe slate. Marvel Studios president and primary producer Kevin Feige announced the movie at San Diego Comic-Con 2019. Marvel then named Jon Watts, who directed the three Tom Holland Spider-Man films for Sony and Marvel, in December 2020. Watts then stepped away from the project in April 2022, stating he was taking a break from superhero movies.

Then, in August 2022, Marvel named Matt Shakman—who had directed WandaVision for Disney+—as Watts’ successor. Feige confirmed this at the D23 Expo in September of that same year.

Later in September, Marvel said Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer were writing the script for The Fantastic Four. By March 2023, Terminator franchise and Avatar: The Way of Water screenwriter Josh Friedman was at work rewriting the script. In October 2023, Cameron Squires’ name was added as co-writer.

The movie has a scheduled start of production for early 2024.

The Fantastic Four‘s Cast

The MCU’s Fantastic Four team has officially set its cast. Pedro Pascal will play Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic. Vanessa Kirby will play Sue Storm, a.k.a. the Invisible Woman. Ebon Moss-Bachrach will play The Thing. Finally, Joseph Quinn will play Johnny Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch.

Julia Garner (Ozark, Inventing Anna) will play the Shalla-Bal version of Silver Surfer. In the comics, Shalla-Bal appeared as Norrin Radd’s partner, but at one point, she received the same powers as the Silver Surfer and they were both Galactus’ heralds.

Paul Walter Hauser has also joined the cast, as have John Malkovich and Natasha Lyonne. We don’t know who these actors are playing. We do know Ralph Ineson will be playing Galactus.

The Fantastic Four‘s Release Date

The Fantastic Four will release on July 25, 2025.

Originally published on December 22, 2023.

The post Kevin Feige Confirms When THE FANTASTIC FOUR Movie Begins Filming appeared first on Nerdist.

After years of speculating, in 2022, Marvel Studios confirmed that Deadpool would officially join the MCU for a third installment of the R-rated comic book franchise at the start of Phase Six, Deadpool & Wolverine. This would mark the first official character of the Fox X-Men universe joining the MCU (although Patrick Stewart as a variant Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness kinda counts too, we suppose).

Deadpool movies also have one important rule, according to Ryan Reynolds, and that’s that only Deadpool can break the fourth wall. Reynolds reveals to Vanity Fair, “There are rules. Very specific rules. You would diminish stakes in the film if everyone—or even anyone else—was also aware of the fourth wall or any kind of meta aspect. Deadpool is the only character who has that ability to do that.”

Additionally, Reynolds explains, “If everyone [broke the fourth-wall], then you would no longer invest in that character as much. You really want to believe that the villain is a villain. You really want to believe that your costar’s character is true as well. Deadpool can undermine that—and does undermine that—because you don’t want the audience to take him as seriously.” Reynolds also reveals, “I always feel like an absolute dick when I’m trying to explain: I need people as invested as humanly possible in every other character while knowing that only Deadpool is the unreliable narrator.”

Co-star Jackman made the error of trying to suggest Wolverine break the fourth wall, but quickly realized it wasn’t the way. He offers, “I made the same mistake—day one. I made the suggestion and it was like, ‘Yeah…'” But Jackman adds, “Ryan beautifully describes Deadpool’s brain as a half-baked omelet. And so, whatever he’s doing—talking to a camera, to Wolverine—it’s just another layer of annoying crap that I’ve got to put up with. Who knows what the hell he is doing? But it’s just another excuse to punch him in the face.” Makes sense to us.

Here is everything we know so far about Deadpool & Wolverine.

Title

Thanks to a Super Bowl trailer (check it out below!), we know that this film, formerly called Deadpool 3, is actually Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Plot

The plot of Deadpool & Wolverine remains a mystery. All we know is that Hugh Jackman is returning as Wolverine, and that it takes place before the feral X-Man’s death in Logan. In fact, Jackman has confirmed that time travel will be involved in the threequel in a big way.

While originally, Deadpool & Wolverine was called Deadpool 3, director Shawn Levy wants to make sure fans understand that the title change is not just cosmetic. Levy notes to Screen Rant:

As far as crafting the Deadpool & Wolverine story, I just felt privileged every day because you’re talking about two massive movie stars in their most iconic roles. It also gave me an opportunity. It’s the third Deadpool movie, but it’s not Deadpool 3. It’s a different thing that’s very much Deadpool and Wolverine. And it’s not trying to copycat anything from the first two movies. They were awesome, but this is a two-hander character adventure.

As most folks know by now, Deadpool’s third solo film will reunite him with his X-Men Origins: Wolverine co-star. Deadpool and Wolverine will work together, although they have made it very clear that these two characters “hate each other.” It will not be a love-fest in this story. But the fact that Deadpool & Wolverine is smack in the middle of the Multiverse Saga should give us all a clue as to what’s going to go down, and probable multiversal shenanigans will ensue.

Dogpool, of course, will also star.

Make sure to follow him on Instagram.

We also now know what Deadpool & Wolverine‘s new official logo looks like thanks to a fun poster.

Deadpool & Wolverine will, of course, be the first R-rated movie in the MCU. And that means it’s not pulling any punches. In fact, its latest official synopsis drops two F-bombs. Let’s take a look:

Marvel Studios presents their most significant mistake to date—Deadpool & Wolverine. A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctantlier… reluctanter? Reluctantest? He must convince a reluctant Wolverine to—Fuck. Synopses are so fucking stupid.

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Cast

We know Hugh Jackman will return, along with the very obvious Ryan Reynolds. Here’s who else we know about: Karan Soni, cab driver Dopinder, Leslie Uggams, Emma Corrin, and Matthew Macfadyen. In exciting news, Morena Baccarin and Stefan Kapicic are reprising their roles as Vanessa and Colossus in Deadpool & Wolverine. So are Rob Delaney’s Peter, Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead), and Shioli Kutsuna (Yukio). Jennifer Garner’s Elektra from the 2003 Daredevil Marvel Fox movie is also reported to reprise her role in this MCU film.

Behind the Scenes

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s director for this third outing will be Shawn Levy, most recently known for his work on Stranger Things. This would be a reunion for Levy and Reynolds, as the pair previously worked together on the movie Free Guy. Levy is also known for the time travel movie The Adam Project.

On the writing side of things are Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, writers for the popular animated series Bob’s Burgers. The writers for the first two Deadpool films, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, are also contributing to movie number three’s screenplay, as is Ryan Reynolds himself.

Deadpool & Wolverine Release Date

Deadpool & Wolverine will arrive on July 26, 2024.

Originally published on January 4, 2023.

The post Only Deadpool Can Break the Fourth Wall in DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE appeared first on Nerdist.

The tortured process of bringing a Blade reboot to life at Marvel Studios has been something to behold. Blade was first announced at Comic-Con in 2019, when Oscar winner Mahershala Ali stepped onto the stage to announce he would portray the Daywalker. Since then, it’s gone through multiple screenwriters, different production start dates, several release dates, and two directors. Yet Marvel has revealed very little about the film in all this time, aside from the basic info we already knew from comics and previous movies. Now, an article in The Hollywood Reporter has revealed a few key characters of the MCU Blade.

One of the main reveals is that the film would have featured two characters from the pages of Marvel Comics. The first was Blade’s daughter. We presume this is Bloodline, who first appeared last year in the comics. Named Brielle Brooks, she also has a thing for slaying the undead, just like dear old dad. Although a recent creation, the idea of Blade having a daughter goes back a few years. Marvel announced a series about Blade and his daughter in 2015, Back then, her name was Fallon Grey. That series never happened, and Bloodline came about seven years later instead.

Pearl and MaXXXine star Mia Goth was the other major comics character, the villain Lilith. In the comics, Lilith Drake is the daughter of Dracula, and has fought Marvel’s supernatural heroes many times. In the film, she would have wanted the blood of Blade’s daughter. Considering Blade began as a supporting character in Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula comics, it makes sense for him to fight someone related to the King of the Vampires in the MCU. In actual mythology, Lilith was the first wife of Adam, and the supposed source of many vampire mythology. Marvel Comics had their own take on the character, which likely inspired whatever Marvel Studios was working on.

It’s unknown if either of these characters will survive into the latest Blade draft from writer Eric Pearson. One of the first MCU Blade scripts took place in the 1920s, with the most recent one taking place in the modern day. Some characters from earlier scripts might not make the cut, if and when this movie goes before the cameras. Blade currently has no director attached, so it’s certainly not making its 2025 release date. In its article, The Hollywood Reporter notes, “The new plan [for Blade] calls for the script to be written over the summer and then go out to directors.” Hopefully, Marvel Studios can finally crack the code on Blade, and give us Mahershala Ali slicing and dicing the undead. This shouldn’t be the hardest movie in the world to get off the ground.

The post BLADE Would Have Included His Daughter Bloodline, and Lilith, Daughter of Dracula, New Script Coming Soon appeared first on Nerdist.

In what seems now like a running joke, the Marvel Studios version of Blade has lost another director. According to a report from Variety, director Yann Demange (Lovecraft Country), will no longer direct the film. This makes Demange the second director to walk away from the project. Director Bassam Tariq exited an earlier version intended to go into production in 2022. The studio also announced that screenwriter Eric Pearson, who co-wrote The Fantastic Four for Marvel, is the latest writer taking a crack at the Blade script. The report suggests that star Mahershala Ali is still on board as the titular hero, although other actors have departed the project.

In a big bit of fanfare, Kevin Feige announced that Oscar winner Mahershala Ali was starring as the day-walking half-human/half-vampire superhero on stage at Comic-Con 2019. Since that announcement five years ago, nothing has gone right with this project. Writers have come and gone, and now two directors have left. Nevertheless, Marvel Studios seems committed to making this one happen, come hell or high water. Ever since the character’s Wesley Snipes trilogy in the late ’90s and early 2000s, the Marvel hero has become iconic. So, needless to say, the property remains a priority for Marvel. We’re not sure why it’s so hard coming up with a good vampire hunter story, but here we are.

The only time we’ve had an MCU performance by Mahershela Ali as Blade was a quick voice cameo at the end of Eternals. Sadly, three years later, nothing has come of that post-credits scene. First appearing in Tomb of Dracula #10, Blade has been a mainstay of Marvel Comics for five decades. One way or another, Marvel Studios is determined to bring him back to the big screen. It just may take a few more years for that to happen. The film still has a late 2025 release date, but we wouldn’t hold our breath for that one to pan out.

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A recent report about Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy being offered a fifth Avengers movie contained a spicy nugget of information. The next film is said to be bringing back a whopping 60 characters. You thought 30 main characters in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame was massive? Marvel is going to try and outdo that. Now, we have a suspicion it’s 60 characters spread across two films—The Kang Dynasty (or whatever Avengers 5 is called) and Secret Wars. Regardless, 60 is a lot. And here are our best guesses on who makes the cut. And who doesn’t, and why.

The Variants

A lot of marquee Avengers are currently dead, really old, or exist in another studios’ universe, like Sony’s Spider-heroes. This is the Multiverse Saga though. We fully expect these variants from other realities to appear, if not in Avengers 5, then in Avengers: Secret Wars.

1. Iron Man/Tony Stark

The Tony Stark of the 616 universe might have died saving reality, but we’d be shocked if his variant, played by Robert Downey Jr., did not return. He recently said he’s “surprisingly open-minded” about a return. That tells us all we need to know.

2. Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff

Just like Tony, Nat died saving reality. But a variant of her must exist out there, ready to be Black Widow again. We expect Scarlett Johannson to return for an OG Avengers actor reunion.

3. Captain America/Steve Rogers

Technically, the 616 Steve is still alive. He’s just very, very old. But we want to see Cap in his prime throwing the shield, and the only way to do that is to get a young Cap variant from the Multiverse.

4. Loki

Technically, the Loki we meet in his own Disney+ series is a variant, even if Tom Hiddleston’s character is now the God of Stories, keeping the Multiverse functioning.

5. Spider-Man I

Since No Way Home, we’ve learned that the Tobey Maguire Spidey from the Sam Raimi films is a variant. So we expect to to see the classic cinematic Peter Parker show up in Avengers 5.

6. Spider-Man II

Everything we just said about Tobey’s Spidey applies to Andrew Garfield’s as well.

7. Thanos

The “Big Bad” of the Infinity Saga may have died, but another version exists out there. We expect to see John Brolin return as a version of the Mad Titan, even if he’s not the primary villain.

8. Captain Peggy Carter

Although the version of Captain Carter from Earth-838 was killed by an angry Scarlet Witch in Multiverse of Madness, the What If…? series showed us another is out there. We’d love to see her fight alongside Steve Rogers.

The Mighty Avengers

9. Thor

The God of Thunder is one of the primary core Avengers. No way Chris Hemsworth won’t come back for a reunion.

10 Hulk (Bruce Banner)

Mark Ruffalo is always game to play Bruce Banner. We can’t imagine the Jade Giant sits this one out.

11. Hawkeye (Clint Barton)

Clint Barton might be retired, but he’ll always come calling if the Avengers need him. Jeremy Renner seems like a shoo-in.

12. Nick Fury

The greatest spy on Eath’s solo series Secret Invasion may have disappointed most, but he’s an eternal presence throughout the MCU. Samuel L. Jackson needs to be there.

13. War Machine (James Rhodes)

After being wasted in Secret Invasion, here’s hoping we see Don Cheadle in the suit again in Avengers 5 and 6. Also, we will never believe the War Machine in Endgame was a Skrull. Stop trying to make Fetch happen.

14. Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)

At the end of The Marvels, Carol Danvers has moved back to Earth, ready to be called to action. We can’t imagine Carol won’t return as Captain Marvel. Brie Larson’s cosmic protector is too powerful to leave benched for a big event.

15. Captain America (Sam Wilson)

Our new Cap, Sam Wilson, is definitely going to be on an Avengers team in whatever the new iteration of the team is. Count on seeing Anthony Mackie on the roster.

16. Ant-Man (Scott Lang)

Ok, so the third Ant-Man film didn’t set the world on fire. We still love Scott Lang, and Paul Rudd needs to be there for whatever happens in Avengers 5. And not just as a giant corpse, like in Deadpool & Wolverine.

We should note, we didn’t include Wasp, as Evangeline Lilly has announced she’s retired from acting for now. It is unlikely they’d recast her. We also think both Hank and Janet Pym have earned a happy retirement. Besides, those iconic actors, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer, are expensive for the relatively tiny roles they’d play.

17. Vision

We expect an emotional reunion between Paul Bettany’s android who cries and his beloved Wanda in Avengers 5, after the events of his upcoming solo series.

18. Monica Rambeau

We’re not sure what her superhero codename is yet (Captain Marvel II? Photon? Spectrum?) But Teyonah Parris definitely needs to return for a fifth Avengers movie.

19. Spider-Man III (Peter Parker)

The friendly neighborhood Spider-Man of Earth 616, played by Tom Holland, is gonna be a key player. We fully expect this Peter Parker to have a big role in the Avengers going forward. And we are dying to see that Tony Stark/Peter Parker reunion.

The Mystics, and Those From Mystic Lands

20. Doctor Strange

He may not be Sorcerer Supreme anymore, but he’s still Earth’s most powerful mage. Benedict Cumberbatch will almost certainly return as Stephen Strange to help save reality once again.

21. Wong

The current Sorcerer Supreme, there’s no way Benedict Wong’s character won’t pop up. He will have to be there, wielding his sling-ring.

22. Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)

Yeah, we know. Wanda Maximoff supposedly died in Multiverse of Madness. However, no body, no death. Those are comic book rules. We expect to see Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch, decked out in red again.

23. Clea

Oscar winner Charlize Theron appeared in the end credits tag after Multiverse of Madness, but nothing has been done with that little cliffhanger. Now would be the time to call in Clea from the Dark Dimension.

24. Namor

We haven’t seen the undersea ruler since Wakanda Forever, but he’s been an Avenger in the comics. Now would be a good time for him to join up.

25. Shang-Chi

Carol Danvers and Bruce Banner welcomed Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi into the world of the Avengers at the end of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and it’s time to pay that off.

The Young Avengers

26. Cassie Lang

The daughter of Ant-Man, the now teenage Cassie has dad’s powers, and is a superhero in her own right. Hopefully, we’ll see Kathryn Newton suit up as a Young Avenger.

27. Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan)

At the end of The Marvels, we see young Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) approach Kate Bishop about forming a Young Avengers team. We imagine if the Young Avengers are formed, they’ll play a part in Avengers 5, with Kamala leading the way.

28. Hawkeye II (Kate Bishop)

The arrow-shooting heroine is a lead Young Avengers hero in the comics, so we think Hailee Steinfeld will have to appear in this film, alongside her buddy Clint Barton.

29. Wiccan (Billy Kaplan)

Although not 100% confirmed, it seems that Joe Locke from Heartstopper is playing Wiccan in Agatha All Along. As a very powerful Young Avenger, we expect him in a big league Avengers film.

30. America Chavez

The dimension-hopping teen (Xochitl Gomez) played a big role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. With the Multiverse being a big deal going forward, we doubt that she’ll miss Avengers 5.

The World of Wakanda

If there’s a reality-shaking event, then the citizens of Wakanda should be in the thick of it. We think some characters have earned a rest, like Nakia, but we expect most of these major players to be alongside the Avengers.

31. Black Panther (Shuri)

The current Black Panther, Princess Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, has to represent Wakanda in whatever world-shaking events will take place in the future Avengers.

32. M’Baku

At the end of Wakanda Forever, Shuri left M’Baku as the steward of Wakanda, until T’Challa II comes of age. So whatever big events happen that involve Wakanda, Winston Duke’s character will have to return.

33. Black Panther (T’Challa II)

We think thanks to time travel or Multiversal shenanigans, we’ll see an older version of T’Challa’s son take his place as the Avengers’ Black Panther in this movie.

34. Okoye

Although no longer head of the Dora Milaje, the Wakanda national is now a Midnight Angel. Time for this angel to join the Avengers on their next big screen

35. Ironheart (RiRi Williams)

Another character who debuted in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, this inheritor of the Iron Man legacy is set for her own Disney+ show soon. And we expect her to be part of a new Avengers movie.

The Streaming Series Stars

Ever since Netflix, and now Disney+, there have been several heroes who star in streaming series who need to make the jump to the big screen. We left off Jessica Jones and Punisher, only because their worlds are so extra street level, as to not fit into an Avengers story.

36. Moon Knight (Marc Spector)

We don’t know what the deal is with Moon Knight season 2, but we feel Oscar Isaac’s Avatar of Konshu should be there for whatever big Multiversal event takes place.

37. Daredevil (Matt Murdock)

The original Marvel Neflix star, the blind vigilante/lawyer is now officially a part of the MCU. Even if it’s just a cameo, we expect Charlie Cox to be swing by and knock a few bad guys out.

38. Luke Cage

The venerable hero of Harlem, we last saw Mike Colter’s bulletproof badass at the end of season two of his self-titled Netflix show. It’s time for him to join the big leagues and become an Avenger.

39. She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters)

We’re currently not sure if the gamma-powered lawyer is going to get another season of her Disney+ series, but Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) definitely needs to lend her considerable strength to the Avengers for whatever is coming next.

40. Wonder Man

His show has yet to debut, but this longtime Avenger (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen) needs to fight alongside his comic book teammates at some point. Why not Avengers 5 and 6?

The Thunderbolts

We have a strong feeling that many of the Thunderbolts won’t survive their own upcoming movie. But if any two are going to make it out alive, and into an Avengers 5, it’s these two.

41. The Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes)

The former Hydra assassin and BFF of Steve Rogers, should the Winter Soldier survive the events of the upcoming Thunderbolts, actor Sebastian Stan should definitely to the role, and appear alongside the Avengers.

42. Yelena Belova

The adopted sister of Natasha Romanoff, Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh, has appeared in Black Widow, Hawkeye, and soon, in Thunderbolts. It’s time for her to graduate to Avengers status.

The Cosmic Heroes

After Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, many of the original Guardians have earned their retirement from superheroing. Also, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista have made it very clear they are done with Gamora and Drax, respectively. Nebula has chosen to remain on Knowhere with Drax. And Mantis just wants a different kind of life now. This is why we didn’t include them.

43. Star-Lord (Peter Quill)

The former leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, he returned home to Earth after decades to live with his grandpa. Now that he’s on Earth, Chris Pratt’s space hero will likely team up with the Avengers, and probably his former Guardian friends, one more time.

44. Rocket Raccoon

The irritable raccoon creation of the High Evolutionary, he now leads a new team of Guardians. If the Multiverse is in danger, we expect Rocket to show up and help save it. And maybe steal some stuff.

45. Groot

He is Groot.

46. Adam Warlock

A major Marvel hero with a relatively minor role in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, an upcoming Avengers film might be the best plan to let a golden-skinned Will Poulter shine.

47. Valkyrie

The current King of Asgard, Valkyrie is always itching for battle. So we say let Tessa Thompson pick up the sword one more time and fight on the side of her buddy Thor and his fellow Avengers. Maybe bring that flying horse again.

The Marvel Mutants

48. Deadpool

With Shawn Levy in talks to direct Avengers 5, having completed Deadpool & Wolverine, we are pretty sure he’ll bring in Wade Wilson in a major role. We simply can’t imagine Ryan Reynolds not appearing in some capacity.

49. Wolverine

We don’t buy that Hugh Jackman’s Deadpool & Wolverine performance as being his last as Logan. Fool us once, good sir. He’ll be popping those claws as an Avenger. Or at an Avenger.

50-59. The X-Men

Yes, we think all of the original Fox X-Men are appearing in the last Avengers movies. We’re talking Cyclops (James Marsden), Storm (Halle Berry) Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Beast (Kelsey Grammar), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen) and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn), and Stefan Kapičić as Colossus.

60. Kang the Conqueror

Oh yeah, this movie needs a villain. Whether Avengers 5 is called The Kang Dynasty or something else, we are pretty sure the time-controlling villain will play a part. We’re also sure he won’t be played by Jonathan Majors this time. But some variant from the Multiverse will fill his shoes.

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The final post-credits tease of X-Men ’97 season one saw the ancient mutant Apocalypse among the ruins of Genosha, after the genocidal attack by Bastion. He was lamenting his dead mutant children, saying “So much pain. So much Death.” He says the words “death” holding Gambit’s charred playing card, suggesting that just as in the comics, En Sabah Nur will transform the deceased X-Man into his Horseman of Death. This role once belonged to another former X-Man, Archangel. But what about the three other Horseman? Which mutants will take those roles?

Where there is a Horseman of Death, there are always three other Horseman at the side of Apocalypse. They are War, Pestilence/Plague, and Famine. The question is, which dead mutants will the ancient Apocalypse raise from the grave to join Gambit? While it’s not necessarily a given that all four horsemen will be resurrected mutants, we have a feeling their master will want to make a statement—using dead mutants murdered by Sentinels against humanity. Here’s who we think will join Gambit as the other three Horsemen.

Dazzler/Horseman of War

Longtime X-Men fans were thrilled to see mutant pop star Alison Blaire, a.k.a. Dazzler, in X-Men ’97, partying it up in Genosha. She’s a major X-Men character who only appeared briefly in the ’90s X-Men: The Animated Series. Her return was short-lived, as when tragedy struck Genosha, we saw Ali among the dead after the Sentinel attack. If Apocalypse resurrects her as a Horseman, our guess is she’ll be the Horseman of War. Even though her powers of turning sound into light may appear goofy, it also means she can fire deadly lasers from her hands. This is something she did handily in the original 1989 X-Men pilot. It’s a pretty outwardly aggressive power if perverted by someone like Apocalypse.

Banshee/Horseman of Pestilence

Poor Sean Cassidy. The romantic partner of Moira MacTaggert of Muir Island, the mutant Banshee was a major X-Man for many years in the comics. He appeared a handful of times in the ’90s cartoon. We see the Irish mutant flying away from the destruction in Genosha in “Remember It,” when a Sentinel blast incinerated him, along with the mutant Marrow. However, since his mutant ability involves a highly powered sonic scream, given how an airborne disease travels, we think Banshee might be a prime candidate for the Horseman of Pestilence. In the comics, the Apocalypse Twins resurrected him from death as one of four Horseman of Death. We could see a twist on that in X-Men ’97 year two.

Madelyne Pryor/Horseman of Famine

Jean Grey’s clone Madelyne Pryor was one of the breakout stars of X-Men ’97 as the Goblin Queen. Sadly, her life ended tragically after briefly connecting with her son Cable moments before she died in Genosha. As an Omega Level mutant, since she’s Jean’s genetic double, Apocalypse would be wise to use her as a Horseman. With her vast mental powers, she could lay waste to the Earth as only the Horseman Famine could. We also think she’d be the first of Apocalypse’s Horseman to break free from his control, just as she broke free of Sinister’s control in the episode.

Many other mutants died in Genosha, so the possibilities for new undead Horsemen is endless. We’ll find out who makes the cut for Apocalypse when X-Men ’97 eventually returns to Disney+.

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If we had to predict what Deadpool & Wolverine‘s box office total will look like we’d guess “all the money.” How close will we get with that prognostication? We’re about to start finding out, because tickets for Deadpool & Wolverine have now gone on sale. And Marvel Studios celebrated its big multiversal pre-sale with a new promo and a new poster for the highly-anticipated movie.

Deadpool & Wolverine tickets are now officially on sale everywhere movie tickets are sold. That’s one big step closer to letting fans see the oozing sexual chemistry between Wade and Logan. Another is this new teaser for the film, which actually reveals there’s slightly less sexual chemistry than we thought. (Though definitely not zero!)

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s new poster does confirm there’s still plenty of animosity between the two, though.

Yeah, we’re sticking with “all the money.” And it’s a good bet on our end. Fandango has revealed that “Deadpool & Wolverine has broken Fandango’s best first-day ticket sales record for 2024. The film is also the best first-day pre-seller from the Deadpool franchise, surpassing the first day of ticket sales for Deadpool and Deadpool 2.”

Additionally, AMC’s CEO revealed that Deadpool & Wolverine has sold more day one tickets than any other R-rated movie in AMC’s history.

There you have it. Deadpool & Wolverine releases on July 26, so snag your tickets today.

Originally published on May 20, 2024.

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MCU fans used to get two feature films in a single year. That was an easy load to bear and keep track of. Now a single MCU show can take up twice as much time all by itself. That giant time commitment can make viewers feel like they have to watch everything if they want to understand anything. That’s an easy way to lose exhausted fans. So Kevin Feige is trying to eliminate that pressure with a major rebrand. Marvel will now call its live-action Disney+ shows Marvel Television. And MCU cartoons like X-Men ‘97 will instead go by Marvel Animation.

In news we first saw at Variety, the iconic Marvel Studios logo will not appear, for the first time ever with an MCU release, in the opening credits of Agatha All Along when it debuts in September. This rebrand is Marvel Studios’ way of letting viewers know they don’t have to watch every single release, including its TV shows. The days of complete MCU interconnectedness is over.

This rebrand is also meant to alert fans that they might be getting a story with a very different type of tone that they’re used to. That way they can only watch what they want without thinking they’re missing out.

That’s a far cry from the serialization formula that helped make the MCU the world’s biggest franchise. But that doesn’t mean this is a mistake. Only time, and viewerships numbers, will tell us if it is.

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It’s the news that Marvel mutant fandom has been waiting patiently for over five years for. According to a report in Deadline, Marvel Studios is officially ramping up for their big-screen reintroduction of the X-Men franchise. Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes screenwriter Michael Lesslie is in negotiations to write the script for the new X-Men MCU movie. The film is still very early in the development process, without a director attached and no release date yet. With the massive success of X-Men ’97 on Disney+, and the return of Hugh Jackman as Logan for Deadpool & Wolverine, it seems Kevin Feige realized now is the time to get the ball rolling. MCU X-Men, here we come!

Besides the Hunger Games prequel, Lesslie wrote an adaptation of Macbeth starring former Magneto Michael Fassbender. He was also the lead writer on the series The Little Drummer Girl, featuring  Florence Pugh, Michael Shannon, and Alexander Skarsgard. In terms of genre productions, he wrote the original script for the 2016 version of Assassin’s Creed. Rumors abound that the new X-Men reboot movie will focus on the X-women more than the men. Other rumors suggest the MCU X-Men film will focus on newer characters, pushing aside the likes of Cyclops, Storm, Jean Grey, and Wolverine. Given the success of X-Men ’97, however, we wonder if Marvel Studios will stick to those plans.

The real question here is whether or not these new MCU mutants will arrive in enough time for the Avengers: Secret Wars movie. Right now, that film is set to premiere in 2027. Part of the appeal would be to have the X-Men participate in that giant event, along with the Avengers and Fantastic Four. The assumption was the X-Men we see in Secret Wars might be the original Fox actors. However, the fast-tracking of the X-Men reboot movie suggests they might wait until we have a new X-Men team in place. Perhaps we’ll learn more around Comic-Con and D23 time later this summer.

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Hugh Jackman? More like Hugh Backman. Back as Logan, that is. And when he returns he’ll help his buddy Wade Wilson do more than save a universe or two. He’ll help Wade set a personal onscreen record. Deadpool & Wolverine‘s listing from AMC Theaters says it will have a runtime of two hours and seven minutes. That unofficial length would mean it’s the Merc With a Mouth’s longest movie entry yet.

AMC Theaters now has an official page (which we first learned about at Collider) for Deadpool & Wolverine. It states the film clocks in at 127 minutes. (Great length! No notes!) That exceeds both the 1:48 length (108 minutes) of 2016’s Deadpool and the 1:59 runtime (119 minutes) for Deadpool 2. That extra space should allow for even more MCU and Fox X-Men era surprise cameos.

But we’ll also be fine if it just means more of Deadpool and Wolverine.

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The long-anticipated series series, Daredevil: Born Again finally has a release date window for us to countdown toward. Daredevil: Born Again will release in March 2025. The Disney+ series will see the return of Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, but also several other of his Netflix Marvel heroes-in-arms. When Daredevil: Born Again releases in March, it will bring with it the return of Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye, Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page, and Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson. Of course, Vincent D’Onofrio, will return to play Kingpin.

We can’t wait to see how Daredevil: Born Again compares both the MCU’s past renditions of Daredevil and to the Netflix Marvel series.

Although we don’t know when exactly in March Daredevil: Born Again will release, the month only has so many days to choose from. In the meantime, you can catch up on all things Daredevil on Disney+.

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From the looks of things in the trailers, it seems Deadpool & Wolverine is going to have many cameos from characters from the Fox X-Men universe. One scene in the second trailer shows Cassandra Nova, probably the film’s main villain, emerging in front of several characters in the Void. Her stronghold seems to be the dead body of an Ant-Man variant. Eagle-eyed Marvel fans will notice several mutants from the Fox X-Men films standing about. While we can’t confirm if the original actors return to these roles, we can tell it’s those same characters at least. Here’s who we know is in the Void with Logan and Wade in the Deadpool & Wolverine trailers, and which X-Men films they originated from.

Azazel (X-Men: First Class)

One of the easiest characters to spot at the giant Ant-Man corpse that is Cassandra Nova’s HQ is none other than Azazel. The red-hued demonic-looking mutant first appeared in 2011’s X-Men: First Class. In that film, he was one of Sebastian Shaw’s henchmen in the Hellfire Club. However, the movies explained that he died between the events of that film and Days of Future Past. Perhaps he didn’t really die, and they sent him to the Void? Azazel was once believed to be Nightcrawler’s father in the comics. However, recent events show that Mystique was Nightcrawler’s father, and conceived Nightcrawler while using Azazel’s form. Jason Flemyng portrayed Azazel in First Class. Will he return for Deadpool & Wolverine? We still don’t know.

Lady Deathstrike (X2: X-Men: United)

Lady Deathstrike threw down with Wolverine in one of the best-ever X-Men films, X2: X-Men United. The movie reimagined Yuriko Oyama as an experiment of William Stryker’s in the Weapon X project, just like Logan. She was a mutant with a healing factor like Wolverine’s, and had similarly grafted adamantium claws. This is a significant change from her comic book counterpart. Nevertheless, Kelly Hu and Hugh Jackman had a legendary fight in the climax of X2, where Deathstrike appeared to definitively die. It seems like a version of her still exists in the Void, so we may finally see the Wolverine/Deathstrike rematch after two decades. Hopefully, with Kelly Hu in the role.

Sabretooth (X-Men)

Rumors persist that the Liev Schreiber version of Sabretooth from X-Men: Origins will appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, yet the version in the trailer is confirmed as the Tyler Mane iteration from the first X-Men. It was always unclear if both versions of the animalistic mutant were meant to be the same character or not. Yet this is the version who said to Storm “You owe me a scream” back in 2000, now stuck in the Void.

Toad (X-Men)

Another veteran of the original X-Men film who seems to be lurking in the shot of everyone together is Toad. In the first X-Men film, Darth Maul performer Ray Park portrayed Magneto’s amphibian lackey. He even had a big battle moment with Jean Grey. Storm dispatched him as she uttered the lines “Do you know what happens to a toad when it’s struck by lightning?” True, it seemed like Toad kicked the bucket after Storm smoked him. But maybe he was just discarded with the other Fox mutants in the Void?

Pyro (X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand)

We first saw Aaron Stanford’s fire-controlling mutant Pyro in the first trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine. This was his big comeback, after a serious head butt from Iceman in X-Men: The Last Stand. It’s hard to say if it’s the version from the previous Fox X-Men films, or some kind of variant—a variant that is now stuck in the Void. Unlike the other characters, we can at least confirm the same actor plays Pyro from the original X-Men films.

There Will Be More Cameos to Come for Deadpool & Wolverine

We bet we can expect many more cameos to come when Deadpool & Wolverine releases in theaters. But the good news is that all of these cameos will serve a purpose in the story of the movie.

Recently, director Shawn Levy shared, “I’ll say we didn’t start off with a wishlist. From the day we started devising this Deadpool and Wolverine story, we let the story dictate the characters, not the other way around. Aaron and his return as Pyro was an outgrowth of that, and that applies to pretty much all the characters you’ll see in the movie.”

We can’t wait to see what other Fox X-Men cameos will come our way as we learn more about Deadpool & Wolverine.

Originally published on April 22, 2024.

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It’s official, Marvel Studios is now on a “reduced output” plan, per Disney CEO Bob Iger. And Marvel Studio heads, Marvel Studios Co-President Louis D’Esposito and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, admit that it has been a “rough time” for the MCU.

D’Esposito shares with Empire, “It’s been a rough time… If we [Marvel Studios] just stayed on top, that would have been the worst thing that could have happened to us. We took a little hit, we’re coming back strong. Maybe when you do too much, you dilute yourself a little bit. We’re not going to do that anymore. We learned our lesson. Maybe two to three films a year and one or two shows, as opposed to doing four films and four shows.”

We feel a resounding, “You think?” Coming from the direction of the fans, but, hey, better late than never. Hopefully, doing less and doing it well will actually be of help to the MCU. Feige additionally notes, “It’s nice to be able to rally behind one feature project this year. I’m much more comfortable being the underdog. I prefer being able to surprise, and exceed expectations. So it does seem like the last year, which has not been ideal, has set us up well for that.”

We don’t know if we’d call Marvel Studios “the underdog,” but we’re willing to see what Feige and the rest have in store.

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You know you’re a true comic book superstar when there are endless variations of you out there. Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, they’ve all got multiple versions of themselves running around. Although Deadpool has not been around nearly as long as those previously mentioned icons, he already has a ton of “other Deadpools” out in the wild. There’s Kidpool, Lady Deadpool, and yes, Dogpool. And as the name suggests, he’s Deadpool, just as a canine. Thanks to Ryan Reynolds’ Instagram posts, we know “The Merc with the Bark” is going to appear in Deadpool 3. But what is the actual Marvel Comics history of Dogpool? Or as Deadpool loves to call him, “Cujo.” We’re here to explain it all.

The Marvel Comics Origins of Dogpool

Like Alligator Loki and Spider-Ham before him, Dogpool continues a proud tradition of animal versions of famous Marvel heroes. As far as animal doppelgänger characters in the Marvel Universe go, Dogpool is a relatively recent addition. He first appeared in Prelude to Deadpool Corps #3 in 2010, and then died tragically in Deadpool Kills Deadpool #1 back in 2013. The pooch known as Dogpool hailed from Earth-103173, and was known as Wilson, just like the Wade Wilson of Earth-616 we all know and love. In his world, Wilson was the guinea pig test subject for a brand called Mascara X, intended to be makeup that would always replenish itself after just one use. Of course, “Mascara X” is a spoof on “Weapon X,” where Wade Wilson (and Wolverine) got their powers.

Just like the Deadpool we all know, Wilson gained healing powers. And also like human Wade, they hideously disfigured him as a result. The amoral Babeline Cosmetics company didn’t realize the tests gave Wilson powers, and they threw the poor doggo into the dumpster. Depressed by his state, and the rejection he received from all who looked at his ugly mug, Wilson tried to end it all by throwing himself in front of a moving vehicle. But he survived and healed instantly. A circus truck passed by and saw the miraculous self-healing dog, and so Wilson joined their circus. They rechristened him as Deadpool, “the Death Defying Hound.” He was part of this circus, and almost killed by a dog Wolverine. Until the human Wade Wilson came to his Earth to recruit him into the Deadpool Corps, that is.

Dogpool Joins the Deadpool Corps and Promptly Dies

So what is the Deadpool Corps, you might ask? Well, much like the Thor Corps, it’s an army made of different multiversal variants of Wade Wilson. The 616 Deadpool actually founded the team, to save reality from a powerful cosmic being, the Awareness. The Awareness had one goal—to devour the consciousness of the Multiverse itself. They recruited Dogpool, who formed a close bond with Kidpool. Later, once the Awareness threat ended, Wade Wilson had to gather the Deadpool Corps once again, to fight the Dreadpool Corps, made up of evil Deadpools from across the multiverse. It was during this event that Dogpool came to Earth-616 to warn our version of Wade. When an evil Deadpool tried to kill the 616 version, Dogpool heroically gave his life to save him. During his brief time on this Earth (and a few others) Dogpool made a lasting impression.

Dogpool in Deadpool 3 and in the MCU

So how will Dogpool fit into the overall story of Deadpool 3? Well, we already know the multiverse is playing a big part in the upcoming film. And rumors suggest we’ll be seeing Kidpool, and maybe even the entire Deadpool Corps. And you can’t have the Deadpool Corps without at least one appearance from Dogpool.

In a recent interview with Empire, Reynolds shares of the pup, “It’s love at first sight…He loves Dogpool.” And offers, “Her real name is Peggy, and she won the award for Britain’s Ugliest Dog. The reason why I was a huge proponent for her was because she feels like the animal manifestation of Wade Wilson. It was, just like many things during the writing process, a tiny little afterthought, and it grew. It was one of those things where you just keep listening to the movie, and Dogpool became a staple.” But, of course, Dogpool is still a Deadpool. Reynolds concludes, “Dogpool’s a Pool, so probably has some moral flexibility about where she wees and poops.”

Maybe it’ll be a brief cameo, or maybe Dogpool will tag along with Wade for most of the movie. We just know that he looks like a very good boy (although a bit mangy) and we can’t wait to see him up on the big screen when Deadpool 3 hits theaters on July 26, 2024.

Originally published on December 29, 2023.

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It’s about to become a whole lot easier to keep track of the MCU. Disney CEO Bob Iger has revealed that Marvel Studios will be reducing its output as part of a plan to focus on the quality of its products. On a conference call about quarterly numbers, Iger seems to reference that a desire “to increase volume” was driving decisions in the past, but no longer. The focus now will be to “decrease volume… reduce output and focus more on quality.” In its reduced state, the MCU will now only see three new movie releases and two new series releases per year.

Iger shares, “We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three. And we’re working hard on what that path is.”

With any luck, reducing Marvel Studios’ output to only three MCU movies and two shows per year will improve the quality of the content. Perhaps this content reduction will also allow releases to breathe allowing fans to fully anticipate and feel excited about their releases.

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There are lots of ways to tell when a show has made its way to the forefront of pop culture. Sometimes it’s as simple as bonkers ratings and robust social media attention. You can also get a good idea how much people care by how many theories and explainers sites like ours write. Even an influx of popular memes and jokes can indicate a project has thoroughly made its way into the cultural consciousness. But there’s one specific sign something is truly connecting with audiences that is especially fun. It comes in little plastic brick form. We know viewers can’t get enough of a series when it gets a LEGO recreation. And that’s exactly what Disney+’s X-Men ’97 just got for its opening credits.

YouTuber LegoBricks Studio has turned Marvel’s mutants into a delightful LEGO short. Over three weeks the channel used Mecabricks to re-create the opening credits for the MCU’s X-Men: The Animated Series reboot. It recently launched to widespread acclaim. That’s true of both the show and its fantastic opening sequence. Accompanied by the original series’ iconic theme song, this intro shows Charles Xavier’s most important X-Men character by character before they run into battle against Magneto and his forces.

You can really appreciate how good this LEGO version is by seeing how it stacks up to the actual intro.

Not every LEGO re-creation is (re)created equally, though. Some are truly just full on shot-for-shot LEGO versions. But this X-Men ’97 takes it a step further by full embracing its LEGO-ness. You can see that when Beast goes from docile doctor to fierce warrior by spinning his LEGO head. He goes from smiling to growling just like an actual LEGO mini-figure. And rather than just a regular light emanating from Professor X’s head, it’s an illuminated LEGO piece.

Perfection.

And also the latest sign just how much people love this show.

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With so many X-Men characters from the Fox film franchise returning in Deadpool & Wolverine, can we expect to see Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey among them? Janssen previously stated she would not be back for the forthcoming film, but now she’s singing a more uncertain tune. Here’s what she had to say when speaking to the folks at Comic Book about a potential comeback as the host of the Phoenix Force in Deadpool & Wolverine:

I don’t know. I doubt it, but you never know. I mean, I didn’t expect to come back after dying as Jean Grey. I came back as the Phoenix [in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand], and I came back in flashback scenes in The Wolverine, and then in Days of Future Past.

It’s now been a decade since the actress portrayed Jean in Days of Future Past, which came out in 2014. Her role was recast with Sophie Turner for the pair of X-Men prequel films, X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix. Nevertheless, fans have wanted to see the original Jean return ever since the altered timeline undid her death at the end of X-Men: The Last Stand. Why bring her and other dead X-Men back if not to use them in something down the line?

So far, the non-Hugh Jackman actors confirmed as coming back for Deadpool & Wolverine are all relatively minor players. We’re talking characters like Deathstrike, Pyro, Sabretooth, and Toad. But what about the main X-Men cast themselves? Patrick Stewart keeps hinting there’s more Professor Charles Xavier in his future. James Marsden has made similar hints about returning as Cyclops. Last year, Halle Berry showed off a photograph of herself in Storm’s signature white hairdo. If all of them return, then we imagine Jean Grey is coming back to the fold as well. We’re crossing our fingers for this Phoenix to rise from the ashes.

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After 23 years, Hugh Jackman will finally wear his comics-accurate costume in Deadpool & Wolverine. Although the first X-Men movie made a snarky remark about yellow spandex costumes, fans have waited forever to see Logan in the outfit on-screen. With the confirmation of the TVA in the trailers, as well as the inclusion of the Multiversal junkyard called the Void, it feels like several of the Fox-era X-Men might appear in this film alongside Logan. In fact, we already know of several minor mutants who will show up, and they deserve comic-book-style costume upgrades too, properly paying homage to their Marvel Comics origins. But which X-Men comics costumes should appear in the MCU’s world? Here are the X-Men we’d love to see in the MCU, and the costumes we’d love to see them wear.

If Gambit Appears, We Want the Ragin’ Cajun in His Classic Purple

Gambit is an iconic member of the X-Men, mainly due to his inclusion in the X-Men: The Animated Series roster. He’s had a recent bump in popularity too, thanks to his bigger role in X-Men ’97 on Disney+. However, he barely appeared in the Fox X-Men films, showing up only in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, played by Taylor Kitsch. But in that movie, he was barely a supporting player, and looked more like a lost member of Blues Traveler. If rumors are true and Channing Tatum will finally appear as Remy LeBeau in Deadpool & Wolverine, we want to see him in his purple colors and weird cowl, charging up playing cards.

X23’s Wolverine Costume Needs to Appear On Screen

Dafne Keen stole the show as Laura, the child of Wolverine created by science, in 2017’s Logan. She was only a little kid when she made that film, which featured her father Wolverine sacrificing himself and his young child carrying on in his name. But Dafne Keen isn’t a little kid anymore, and if she appears in Deadpool & Wolverine, as is heavily rumored, we’d like to see the now grown-up X23 officially take up the mantle of Wolverine. And with the codename comes the costume. It could be an older version of Laura from the Logan universe, or a Multiversal variant. But we want to see her in the iconic yellow and blue just like dear old dad.

Cyclops’ Blue and Yellow Costume Should Join Wolverine’s Suit in Deadpool & Wolverine

Scott Summers, the X-Men member whom you may know as Cyclops, has had literally dozens of costumes in the comics. While we love Cyclops’ ‘70s/’80s blue costume, with the skullcap and the pirate boots, we believe it would be a hard one to pull off on-screen in the MCU. For many, his most iconic costume is his ‘90s Jim Lee-designed one, used in X-Men: The Animated Series. We almost got a version of this costume in a Marvel movie, as it was teased for a moment at the end of X-Men: Apocalypse. Of course, by the time of the next film, Dark Phoenix, Cyclops was wearing yet another suit. If James Marsden shows as up as Cyclops in Deadpool & Wolverine or Secret Wars, we think a proper version of his ‘90s X-Men costume is in order for the MCU. Although we’d like one with a more accurate color scheme than the X-Men: Apocalypse one that Tye Sheridan wore. That’s a good place to start.

We’d Love for Storm’s Epic Cape to Take Flight in the MCU

For all of the major diversions costume-wise in the first X-Men movie, the costume worn by Halle Berry as Storm is pretty close to what the Marvel Comics presented. (That first wig, though? That’s another story). While we are partial to Ororo Munroe’s original costume designed by Dave Cockrum, we do think it would be hard to justify the headpiece, leather swimwear, and thigh-high boots in live-action. But Storm’s ‘90s look, designed by Jim Lee, is perfect to wear on screen. This costume is very similar to the first X-Men movie costume, only this time, we would want the MCU’s version to have yellow accents and the red X symbol on the shoulders. Sometimes in the comics, this costume looks like black leather, sometimes it’s all white. We’d happily take either one.

Magneto‘s Purple and Red Costume Needs to Make an On-Screen Appearance

Magneto has one of the best costumes in comics. When Jack Kirby nailed a design, he really nailed it. That’s why Mags had so few costume changes over the decades. But the movies always shied away from going for the full comics look when it came to the Master of Magnetism’s costume. The closest we ever got in terms of Marvel Comics’ accuracy was the costume at the very end of X-Men: First Class, where Michael Fassbender’s Magneto sported the classic comics helmet and his purple and maroon color scheme. But that was all done away with in the next film, X-Men: Days of Future Past. If Ian McKellen or Michael Fassbender do return in Deadpool & Wolverine, then let’s go full Kirby. Okay, maybe without the trunks. But the rest of it? Let’s go. It’s time to give Magneto the costume he deserves in the MCU.

Rogue’s Classic Marvel Comics Yellow and Green Suit Would Make a Splash

Anna Paquin’s Rogue was quite different from her comic book counterpart. She was very shy and unsure of her powers, a far cry from the version of Rogue most fans knew from the ‘90s X-Men cartoon series. We’ve heard that version described as “Dolly Parton, with the powers of Superman.” And that’s accurate. Rogue has had many costumes in Marvel Comics, most of them green and white. But If Paquin returns, now all grown up, we’d love to see her in the Jim Lee-designed costume from X-Men #1, later made famous by the animated show. It’s really Rogue’s best costume, the bomber jacket just works so well with the suit. This comics-accurate costume is easily translatable to the screen with very few tweaks, and we’d love to see it add a splash of color to the MCU’s X-Men lineup. We’re ready to see this Rogue costume in live-action, sugah.

Colossus’s Bodysuit Is the X-Men Costume the MCU Deserves

Piotr Rasputin, the X-Men’s Russian metal man Colossus, has been a key figure in the Deadpool movies, and is confirmed to return for the third film. As much as we love Stefan Kapičić in the role, that black and red costume is just not very Colossus to us. In Marvel’s X-Men comics and others, Colossus wore a red and yellow costume for much of the ‘70s and ‘80s, with big shoulder flares and thigh-high boots. Jim Lee later streamlined the design in the ‘90s. Maybe the best version of the Colossus costume was from the Astonishing X-Men series of the 2000s. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine costume seems inspired by Astonishing, so why not Colossus’ suit? We just know it’s time for Piotr to wear the red and yellow. We’d probably give the big lug some pants, though.

Phoenix‘s Firebird Emblem Should Rise On-Screen

Jean Grey has been a part of the X-Men since the very first issue in 1963, and has had dozens of costumes since then. Some are iconic, others are fashion nightmares. But while we’ve lobbied hard for the Jim Lee ‘90s costume designs for any possible X-Men returning in the MCU, Jean Grey’s outfit from this era is not a favorite. The shoulder pad armor, the headpiece, the padding on the legs? It’s all too busy. Maybe the MCU could pull off a version of this X-Men costume that works. But we’d prefer something that evokes Jean as Phoenix.

Of course, that means the classic firebird emblem, in yellow and green. We realize the classic Phoenix costume might be hard to pull off in live-action. It would be hard to justify those opera gloves, thigh-high boots, and gold sash. But in the mid-2000s, Jean wore a more practical version of the Phoenix red and green, which could work on screen. With two movies dedicated to Jean Grey not being able to control the Phoenix Force, it would be fun to see Famke Janssen totally in control of her powers in the MCU, and wearing something resembling her New X-Men-era costume.

Mystique’s Comics-Accurate White Dress Is Long Overdue for Its Debut

Mystique has been an iconic part of the X-Men film franchise since the very first film in 2000. She’s been played by Rebecca Romijn, and later, Jennifer Lawrence. But we think if Magneto returns, then Mystique should be right by his side. And if it’s Ian McKellen’s Magneto, then the original Mystique, Rebecca Romijn, should join him. Rebecca Romijn is currently killing it as Number One on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. And while we think at this point in her career, she probably doesn’t want to spend hours in the makeup chair being painted head-to-toe blue, she doesn’t need to. Because Marvel Comics’ Mystique wore clothes. We’d love to see Mystique’s iconic white costume from the comics appear in the MCU, complete with the tiny gold skulls. We got a tease of this comics-accurate costume in X-Men: Apocalypse, but the later movies never delivered. This one’s long overdue.

Originally published on July 10, 2023.

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For a long time it wasn’t exactly clear how, if at all, the Netflix era of TV shows fit within the MCU. Then Disney_went ahead and added all of them to the franchise’s official timeline. Does that mean each series actually took place on Earth-616 or a parallel world? We still aren’t sure! But fans of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher won’t care which reality he existed in. They’ll only care he’s reprising the role (in some form) on Disney+’s upcoming Daredevil: Born Again. New set photos confirm he’s back, and Jon Bernthal himself has now officially shared a look at his return. Don’t worry, though. the move to the more family-friendly House of Mouse won’t mean a kinder, less bloody Frank Castle. Let’s take a look.

Taking to Instagram, Bernthal confirmed the news we already knew. He revealed a behind-the-scenes photo of himself alongside Charlie Cox and Deborah Ann Woll from the set of Daredevil: Born Again. Woll, of course, plays Karen Page in the Marvel Daredevil universe. The image of the two together had long-time fans rallying to the cry of “Kastle.” We hope so!

Variety additionally shared behind-the-scenes photos from the filming of Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: Born Again. They show Bernthal back in costume as Frank Castle. In them a bloodied and wearied Castle takes to the street to fight alongside Charlie Cox’s superhero.

A video of the scene also shows the two preparing for an explosion. So things are going exactly as you’d expect for the two.

Daredevil: Born Again will mark the first time Bernthal has played the role since 2019 when his spinoff series was cancelled after two seasons. Short of a surprise appearance beforehand, the Disney+ show will also serve as the character’s formal, unquestioned entry into the MCU proper.

He’s the latest performer from the Netflix era of MCU shows to join the franchise. He follows Cox’s Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin. Other Netflix stars—including Deborah Ann Woll, as mentioned above, Elden Henson, and Wilson Bethel—are also expected to return to their old roles on the new series.

Will this version of the Punisher be the exact same version of the character we saw on Netflix? Or will we learn he’s a Variant? As long Jon Bernthal is playing both Punisher fans won’t care.

Originally published April 3, 2024.

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X-Men ’97 has been a sensation since premiering on Disney+ last month, transcending just a quick nostalgia fix and proving itself to be top-tier Marvel storytelling. The animation is great, the voice-acting is spot-on, and so is the show’s musical score. We don’t just mean the immaculately re-created classic theme song either. This is all thanks to composers the Newton Brothers, known for their music in projects like Doctor Sleep and The Haunting of Hill House. We chatted with the musical duo’s Taylor Newton Stewart (who despite his name, is not siblings with his creative partner John Andrew Grush) about working on X-Men ’97.

Nerdist: Your credits before coming on to this project don’t suggest scoring an animated Marvel show. How did X-Men ’97 come about for you and your The Newton Brothers musical collaborator, John Andrew Grush?

Taylor Newton Stewart: So we’re big, big fans of the original X-Men: The Animated Series, and we had heard that they were redoing it. We submitted a demo, and the showrunner at the time was a fan of ours from Doctor Sleep and other projects we’ve done. Even though the genre was very different, they gave us a chance to put together a demo, and that’s how we got it.

The original X-Men theme is one of the most iconic animated TV themes ever. You’ve largely kept it intact for the new show, but if you listen closely, you can hear little differences, like it has a more dramatic lead-up. Were you nervous about making even the slightest changes to such a well-known theme song?

Stewart: Of course, I mean as you just said, you know, we wanted to pay tribute to it. And when you get something wrong, the fans will let you know. So we really wanted to do right by that. Also, speaking with the creatives at Marvel and the team, there was a very sort of specific direction they wanted to go on that.

Is there a character in season one you particularly liked writing music for?

Stewart: You know, it’s an interesting thing. I think Andy and I would go back [and forth] on this because there would be characters we would want to write for, and then it would change based on the episode and what was happening. I think overall for me, Magneto was probably at the top. But it did fluctuate a lot with other characters too. Like even writing for Nightcrawler, that was so much fun. So I think it does shift and does change. But I’m a little biased towards Magneto.

Speaking of Magneto, I feel the most dramatic musical moment came when he had his big scene at the United Nations in episode two’s climax, lifting the tribunal into the sky. What was your inspiration when coming up with the score for this scene?

Stewart: What we do for a lot of our shows or movies is, we write a suite of themes, ideas, and concepts before we get a locked picture. Sometimes it’s off a script, sometimes it’s animatics. And then from that point, we go into our studio and come up with different sorts of themes and ideas for the characters. In the case of Magneto, we had sort of an “angry Magneto suite,” and then we had more of an emotional one. And that the sequence when we put it into the show just fit so perfectly that it required very little adjusting. It all just worked.

Is there anything from all your horror film scoring experiences you brought to something that will be watched by at least some kids who aren’t the horror demographic? Because the third episode has the Goblin Queen doing some pretty supernatural and horror-esque things in it.

Stewart: When we went out beginning early in our careers, we weren’t seeking out horror, it just kind of happened. Although we’re big fans of certain horror projects, we’re more just fans of cinema. But I think, over years of working on stuff, you acquire knowledge in certain areas. And of course that’s gonna spill out into a horror show, you’re gonna have that kind of come in. But we drew actually a lot from more ’80s horror for that particular episode—Hellraiser, The Thing, even like Michael Jackson’s Thriller. There are certain vibes and tonalities that you grew up with. When you become an adult, you can’t help but have it sort of spill in.

Like I said, your resume has a lot of horror on it, especially a lot of Mike Flanagan horror. But X-Men ’97 is your first step into the superhero genre. Are you fans of comic-related material overall, or was X-Men ’97 just a chance for you to stretch your wings?

We were, yeah. Andy actually got into the comics, which led him to the show. I actually was a fan of the show first, and then I got into comics when I was a kid or early teen.

My understanding is that season two of X-Men ’97 is mostly done from a production standpoint. Have you started scoring the second season?

Stewart: No, we haven’t started in the second season. We’ve just more had open conversations with general direction and stuff. But we’re still in the early days of season two.

Eventually, there’s going to be a live-action X-Men reboot in the MCU. Is this a challenge you would be willing to take should the opportunity come up?

Stewart: I mean, we would obviously love that opportunity. Whether it’s animation or films, we sort of approach it very much the same way. By sticking to themes and trying to lock down the characters. And I think just in general in that world, I don’t know if they’re wanting to connect themes or they’re gonna wanna start fresh, I don’t know, but obviously that would be very exciting to have that, especially if they’re taking tones and stuff from the animated series in terms of sticking to the comic books.

I think everyone at Marvel Studios, they’re all such fans. I’ll be on Zoom calls and I’ll see action figures [in the background] and they just love the properties, they love it. So I think when you have people who are doing the projects that are that fans, it’s always in good hands. And I think it’s when it’s not in those hands, that’s when you have trouble. Luckily we’ve been fortunate enough to work with people who really, really care about it.

X-Men ’97 drops new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.

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While X-Men ’97 on Disney+ is bringing back many well-known and beloved characters from back in the day, it is also incorporating one X-Men character from the ’90s many have forgotten about. This character has not appeared in a significant capacity in a Marvel comic in years. He did not even show up on the ’90s cartoon. That character is the mysterious villain the X-Cutioner, whom Marvel Animation has confirmed will play a big role in the Disney+ series, and already has an action figure in the new Hasbro X-Men ’97 line. Here’s the lowdown on this often-forgotten villain.

The 1993 First Appearance of the X-Cutioner

Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Jason Pearson, the X-Cutioner first appeared in Uncanny X-Men Annual #17 in 1993. In the story “The Gift Goodbye,” the mysterious figure in the executioner’s hood first appeared. He’s a human slaying mutants, but only “mutants who have killed first.” He gets on the X-Men’s radar in a bad way, and they discover he’s using a collection of advanced weapons from various villains they’ve faced. Some included Sentinel tech, but most others include alien races like the Shi’ar and the Z’noxx. After that first encounter, X-Cutioner fakes his death, but Storm suspects he teleported away instead. She was correct.

The X-Cutioner Fights Cyclops, Cable, Rogue, and X-Man

The X-Cutioner next appeared later that same year in Uncanny X-Men #301, also written by Scott Lobdell. He attacks the X-Mansion and tries to murder the comatose Emma Frost. Supposedly this was a judgement for her crimes as White Queen of the Hellfire Club. Cyclops and Cable find a way to stop him. However, the mystery of who he really is under that mask remains. It’s not until 1995’s X-Man #11 that we learn the truth about this hooded figure, and why he targets mutants. It’s a secret that ties into the X-Men’s earliest days under Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

The X-Cutioner’s Origin Revealed in X-Man

In the early X-Men comics, Professor Xavier had a contact in the FBI named Fred Duncan. He was sympathetic to the mutant cause, and he helped Xavier on many occasions. He faded into obscurity over time. Decades later, when Marvel revealed the X-Cutioner’s origin, we learned that a mutant murdered Duncan, and his FBI partner Carl Denti vowed revenge. Duncan confiscated alien materials from the X-Men’s adventures which Denti now had access to. He donned the guise of the X-Cutioner and used the alien gadgets to kill mutants he saw as dangerous. Denti believed himself to not be a bigot, saying he didn’t hate mutants, only those that caused harm to others. He attacked Rogue, Nate Grey, and Gambit. After assisting the Punisher on a case, he disappeared for years. The X-Cutioner returned after nearly two decades, in the X-Men’s Krakoan era, when he attacked the Marauders.

The Powers and Weapons of the X-Cutioner

The X-Cutioner has highly advanced technological weaponry, mostly of an extraterrestrial origin. These weapons came from the government storehouses of his old FBI partner Fred Duncan, who once worked with Charles Xavier. The armor he wears is possibly the same armor used by Shi’ar operative Eric the Red, who once fought the X-Men. The armor gives Denti enhanced strength and durability. It can also analyze DNA, distinguishing mutant from human, possibly extracted from Sentinel tech. The X-Cutioner wields a staff that has some sort of powerful plasma discharge. He also has a teleportation device, almost certainly also of alien origin.

The X-Cutioner in X-Men ’97

It remains a mystery just what kind of role the X-Cutioner will play in X-Men ’97. The fact that he has an action figure suggests he will be much more than a cameo. It’s quite possible this X-Cutioner is not Carl Denti at all, but someone already hinted at in the original X-Men: The Animated Series. He’s a relatively obscure and minor villain, so the man behind the mask might be someone else entirely on the show. Fred Duncan was never in the classic show, so it makes little sense for him to get a reference in the new series. We’ll find out what role the X-Cutioner plays in X-Men ’97 when the show rolls out this spring.

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We’re a mere month away from X-Men ’97 dropping on Disney+. But before Xavier’s students return to protect a world that fears and hates them, Marvel Comics is releasing a new X-Men ’97 comic that will cover the gap between the end of X-Men: The Animated Series and the new show. This new four-issue limited series, also titled X-Men ’97, will hit within days of X-Men ’97’s Disney+ premiere. It’s written by Dark X-Men writer Steve Foxe, with art by Salva Espín, and a cover by Todd Nauck. Marvel.com has released several pages of the first issue, which you can check out in our gallery below:

Click To View Gallery

Although the pages are textless, we can see a lot of the classic X-Men tropes we all love at play. We’ve got Magneto attacking a city, throwing cars around like pillows. (Is this the Danger Room?) Also, Cyclops and Wolverine yelling at each other, and getting in each other’s faces. Not to mention the team beating up a bunch of bigoted thugs. We also see Bishop with the team. Hopefully, we’ll get an explanation in the comic about how the time-traveling future mutant permanently found a home with the X-Men in the past. On, and last but not least, we see Storm debuting her mohawk look. It seems Jubilee is far more excited about Ororo’s new ‘do than Kitty Pryde was in the comics (she ran and cried).

Salva Espín’s art style recalls the cartoony style of the old series, but with a modern twist. Marvel Studios hasn’t been clear just how much time will pass between the end of X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men ’97, but in the trailer, Jean Grey looks pretty far along in her pregnancy. So we’d say at least several months. We’ll find out for sure when X-Men ’97 #1 arrives on March 27.

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The future Avengers movies are in a state of flux. Avengers 5 was originally titled The Kang Dynasty. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it seems Marvel Studios is moving away from Kang as the primary antagonist in the upcoming Avengers films. This has led to much speculation that Kevin Feige is pivoting toward Marvel Comics’ all-time greatest villain for Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars—Doctor Doom. Although in no way confirmed, it would not be shocking if Doom was our new Thanos for these next two Avengers films. Especially if you consider his important role in the original Secret Wars comics, where he was the primary antagonist.

Right now, there is a vocal group of MCU fans saying that Dr. Doom “needs more build-up” before a big Avengers two-part saga. He hasn’t “earned it” yet. After all, Thanos had all that build-up, right? Only, he didn’t really. Truthfully, Thanos only appeared in two very brief, post-credits scenes in Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Both of those scenes lasted mere seconds. The only film where he had a sizable speaking role before Infinity War was the first Guardians of the Galaxy.

Based on that template, Doom would only need a post-credits appearance in one movie, perhaps two. Then, he’d need a major villain role in another film. So, how could this happen? Well, a post-credits scene with Doctor Doom could take place in Fantastic Four. Then, we think the most obvious movie to showcase Doom in full villainy is a third Black Panther film. Of course, there’s comic book precedent as to why this makes sense.

Who Is Doctor Doom and What Is His Marvel Comics History?

Before we get into why Doctor Doom should be the “Big Bad” of a third Black Panther, here’s a brief history of Marvel’s most infamous villain. First appearing in 1962’s Fantastic Four #5, Victor Von Doom was presented as the ruler of the fictional Eastern European nation of Latveria. A genius in both utilizing science and sorcery, Doom was an egomaniac who blamed the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards, his old college friend, for the accident that disfigured his face, forcing him to wear a menacing metal mask. In truth, the accident was his own fault. Yet he blamed Reed just the same. He also couldn’t stand that Reed represented the only man alive who was smarter than he was. Doom believed that only by living under his dictatorship could Earth truly know order.

Why Doctor Doom Is One of Black Panther’s Greatest Enemies

The Latverian monarch not only clashed with the Fantastic Four regularly, but also Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the X-Men. Actually, just about every Marvel hero counts Doom as an adversary. But aside from Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, one other hero sees him as their greatest foe. It is none other than the Black Panther. In the comics, Doom coveted the vibranium of Wakanda, hoping to use the unique metal to conquer the world. In the 2010 Doomwar event, he even invaded Latveria in an effort to obtain it. This event solidified Doom as a major antagonist for T’Challa. It placed him in the same Black Panther villain rankings as Killmonger, M’Baku, Klaw, and Namor. And Doomwar should be at least the loose basis for a third Black Panther film.

Black Panther 3 Should Adapt Doom War

We know almost nothing about a third Black Panther film, aside from Ryan Coogler still being attached to direct it. But with the massive success of the second film, there is no doubt there will be a third. Will the third Black Panther take place shortly after Wakanda Forever, continuing the adventures of Shuri as Black Panther? Maybe. However, we have a feeling that we might get a big time jump, as much as a decade. We suspect that Black Panther III might involve an 18-year-old T’Challa II, returning to Wakanda to take his place on the throne and claim the mantle of Black Panther from his aunt Shuri.

Doctor Doom vs. Wakanda’s New Black Panther

A younger T’Challa would allow them to incorporate aspects of his father’s comic book backstory we didn’t see in the MCU the first time around. In the comics, a young T’Challa lived abroad when he was growing up, and he even had an alias while in University, Luke Charles. It was during these years that he met and fell in love with future X-Man Ororo Munroe, a.k.a. Storm. None of these aspects were part of the version played by the late Chadwick Boseman. Yet they could all be a part of T’Challa II’s history. Especially as the MCU can now use mutant characters like Storm, something the studio couldn’t do in the first Black Panther.

Imagine a Black Panther story where young T’Challa II, living years away from home as Toussaint, returns to his homeland at age 18. He’s ready to assume the mantle of both King and Black Panther. But just as Namor warned in Wakanda Forever, the outside world will eventually attack Wakanda and try to take the vibranium for themselves, straight from the source. It would be problematic to have a real-world country as the invading force. But what if it was Latveria? Doom attacking Wakanda would truly introduce the villain as a force to be reckoned with. It would not only provide a young T’Challa II with a major adversary to prove himself against, but setting up Doom as someone worthy of fighting the Avengers.

Fighting Black Panther Sets Up Doom as an Avengers-Worthy Enemy

Black Panther is Marvel Studios’ biggest solo character franchise, with only Iron Man coming close. With that series now wrapped up, it makes sense for Doctor Doom to appear first in a Black Panther story. Taking on an advanced nation like Wakanda would truly showcase what a threat he really is. Certainly, more than Thanos sitting in a floating chair in Guardians of the Galaxy, issuing evil orders to his lackeys. Doom attacking Wakanda would more than set him up for bigger things in Avengers 5 & 6, proving he is worthy of taking on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

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After years of speculation, Marvel Studios finally revealed the MCU Fantastic Four. Playing the part of the “ever lovin’ blue-eyed Thing,” as Stan Lee often called him, is The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach. While on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the actor revealed a few tidbits about the highly anticipated Marvel film, which also stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Susan Storm, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm. You even get to hear him utter the Thing’s signature catchphrase “It’s clobberin’ time!” for the first time. You can watch the clip right here:

During the interview, Moss-Bachrach mentions his version of Benjamin J. Grimm will be motion capture, and not a practical suit. We’ve seen both practical and CGI versions of the iconic hero over the past 20 years. The Michael Chiklis Thing wore a practical suit for the 2005 version of Fantastic Four and its sequel. The 2015 version of the character, played by Jamie Bell, was all CGI. Neither version was entirely successful. But given how great Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk was in the Avengers films, we expect similar results for the Thing.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach also name drops Yancy Street, confirming this part of Ben Grimm’s backstory will remain in the new film. In the comics, Yancy Street is the rough and tumble, fictional Lower East Side of New York neighborhood the Thing hails from. Essentially, it’s a fictionalized version of Delancey Street. When self-proclaimed Marvel nerd Jimmy Kimmel pressed the actor about the announcement image, which indicates the movie might be set in the ’60s, Moss-Bachrach played coy. He said, “Yes it does seem to be ’60s themed.” Based on just these little hints, we think Matt Shakman’s Fantastic Four might be the most comic book-accurate adaptation about the family yet.

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The trailer for X-Men ’97 was brief, but it gave us a glimpse of some important plot developments. Magneto inheriting the X-Mansion? A pregnant Jean Grey? Many of these things were actually set up in the original ’90s series. Here are some episodes of the classic X-Men: The Animated Series you may want to watch again before X-Men ’97 releases in March on Disney+.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2, “Night of the Sentinels”

In the trailer for X-Men ’97, we see the unmistakable hand of a Sentinel robot. The giant mutant-hunting machines are the embodiment of humanity’s hatred of homo superior. In many ways, they are the X-Men’s biggest enemy. We were first introduced to these Sentinels in the two-part opening episode of X-Men: The Animated Series, “Night of the Sentinels,” way back in 1992. They are responsible for killing the shapeshifting X-Man named Morph (he gets better), who will be a key player in the new series. Besides, what’s a better place to start getting ready for X-Men ’97 than with X-Men: The Animated Series very first episodes?

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 1, Episode 3, “Enter Magneto”

The trailer for X-Men ’97 also shows Magneto inheriting the X-Mansion, and, presumably, the fortune of Charles Xavier via his last will and testament. It shows that Charles Xavier believed in the good within his former friend turned enemy. The backstory of their complicated relationship is explored in Magneto’s first appearance in X-Men: The Animated Series, “Enter Magneto.” Given Magneto has such a big role in the new show, there’s no better time than now to go back and see how the friendship between Xavier and Magneto fractured. This X-Men: The Animated Series episode will surely come into play in X-Men ’97.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 1, Episodes 11 & 12, “Days of Future Past”

“Days of Future Past” is one of the most iconic X-Men stories of all time. It tells of a future where Sentinel robots have all but made the mutant race extinct. So, one of the future X-Men must go back in time to change history, preventing this apocalyptic future. The original ’80s comics had Kitty Pryde as the time-traveling X-Man, while the film adaptation used Wolverine. But in the two-part adaptation of the story for the cartoon, Lucas Bishop was the character to go back in time. Since Bishop is now a member of the “prime timeline” X-Men in X-Men ’97, the version of the story found in these episodes of The Animated Series may be one you wish to revisit.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 4, Episode 8, “Nightcrawler”

Although not seen in the trailer for X-Men ’97, Marvel Studios has confirmed that the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler will be a series regular. For the show, he’ll be voiced by Adrian Hough. Although a main member of the team since 1975 in the comics, X-Men: The Animated Series only used him twice. Still, the episode “Nightcrawler” was a great chapter in the series. It really summed up why the demonic-looking (yet devoutly religious) mutant is so amazing. This is one episode of X-Men: The Animated Series you might want to revisit to get to know Kurt Wagner better before his X-Men ’97 return.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 4, Episode 18, “Beyond Good and Evil Part 1”

Jean Grey and Scott Summers are the premiere X-Men couple. Although they attempted to get married in season two, their actual nuptials actually took place at the end of season four. Why does this matter? Because in the X-Men ’97 trailer, we see a very pregnant Jean Grey. But what if that’s not Jean, and Scott married someone else? Toy releases tied to X-Men ’97 show that Madelyne Pryor, Jean’s clone and Scott’s first wife in the comics, will play a big part in the show. These toys also show Maddy with a baby. That baby grows up to be the cyborg warrior Cable in the comics. Our theory is that they replaced the real Jean shortly before their wedding in Beyond Good and Evil. Therefore, Scott actually married her clone Maddy. Considering that, it might be a great time to revisit this famous wedding episode of X-Men: The Animated Series.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 5, Episode 75, “Descent”

Marvel has already confirmed that Mister Sinister will be the main villain of X-Men ’97. The white and pasty-skinned mad scientist has a fixation with mutant bloodlines, and he experiments to create even more powerful mutants. But who is he really? In the final season, the episode “Descent” tells us the origin story of Nathaniel Essex, who used his gifts to give himself powers back in Victorian England. It also ties Sinister into the real-life legend of Jack the Ripper. Given his importance to the upcoming X-Men ’97 series, this episode of X-Men: The Animated Series feels like essential viewing.

Spider-Man: The Animated Series Season 2, Episodes 17 & 18, “The Mutant Agenda” and “Mutants’ Revenge”

You might be confused about these episodes being included, as they are part of the ‘90s Spider-Man animated series, not X-Men. But in the X-Men ’97 trailer, we see a copy of the Daily Bugle, with the headline “Is Spider-Man a Mutant?” This lets us know that Spidey is part of the X-Men: The Animated Series world. But we knew this already because the versions of the X-Men from the ‘90s cartoon appeared in a two-part episode of Spider-Man. It is possible that we might see that version of Peter Parker appear in X-Men ’97. How cool would it be to see these Marvel ‘90s icons meet once again? The ‘90s Spider-Man series is also on Disney+. So it’s worth rewatching the X-Men’s two-episode appearance, as it might actually matter to upcoming events in X-Men ’97.

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The Fantastic Four are known as “Marvel’s First Family” for a reason. Their success helped launch the Marvel Comics universe, leading to the current Marvel-dominated pop culture world we live in now. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, their concept centered on flawed, bickering “normal” people, telling stories about what would happen if they got fantastic powers. This concept changed comics forever. With their upcoming entrance into the MCU, here’s a handy guide to the Fantastic Four and their Marvel Comics history.

Who Are the Fantastic Four?

Although the Fantastic Four has had various members over the years, the principals since 1961 have been Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Susan Storm (the Invisible Woman), her brother Johnny Storm (the Human Torch), and Benjamin J. Grimm (the Thing). Eventually, Reed and Sue marry, making Sue’s brother Johnny Reed’s brother-in-law. When Reed and Sue’s son Franklin is born, Ben becomes his godfather, therefore making the team a true nuclear family.

How Did the Fantastic Four Get Their Powers and What Are They?

In their first origin story from Fantastic Four #1 1961, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby, the Fantastic Four received their amazing gifts when scientific genius Reed Richards convinced his friends to steal an experimental rocket to head into space. This was all in an effort to beat the Soviets to the moon. He took his best friend from college, pilot Ben Grimm, along with his girlfriend, Susan Storm. Her teenage brother, a hot rod racer named Johnny, tagged along.

While in space, cosmic rays bombarded their rocket ship. This triggered a cellular transformation, granting each of them incredible powers. When they crash landed back on Earth, they discovered they had become something more than human. They became adventurers and public heroes, operating out of the Baxter Building in New York. Soon, the media dubbed them the Fantastic Four. A wave of heroes would follow in their wake.

Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic)

Mister Fantastic has the ability to stretch his limbs and contort his body into almost any shape. His stretching ability allows his skin to become malleable, and almost invulnerable. He’s mastered this ability to allow himself to change his appearance, and bulk up and become super strong. But Reed’s true power is his intellect. Mister Fantastic is easily the smartest person in the Marvel Universe, and that’s his greatest asset.

Susan Storm (Invisible Woman)

Susan Storm (later Susan Richards), has the power to make herself and those around her invisible to the naked eye. At first, she thought she could only turn herself invisible. She can also create incredible invisible force fields, which can even protect from psychic attacks. She is likely the most powerful member of the group.

Johnny Storm (The Human Torch)

Johnny Storm has the ability to ignite fire onto his body, without harming himself. He can also project intense heat. He can use the power of this heat to “flame on,” and propel himself through the air and fly. His heat levels can vaporize bullets or projectiles coming at him, and he can even absorb ambient heat around and “go nova.” He can precisely control his flame, even making it as tiny as a scalpel if need be.

Ben Grimm (The Thing)

Unlike his teammates, Benjamin J. Grimm cannot go back and forth between his human form and his superpowered self. He’s forever trapped in the form of a bulked-up orange rock creature. As the Thing, Grimm has incredible super strength, enough to go toe-to-toe with the Hulk on a regular basis. But he’d trade it all to be a regular human being again.

Other Marvel Members of the Fantastic Four

Other famous temporary members have included the robot H.E.R.B.I.E., She-Hulk, and Crystal and Medusa of the Inhumans. Black and Panther and Storm have been members, as has Ant-Man (Scott Lang) and Luke Cage. A “new” Fantastic Four was once formed in the ’90s, which featured Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, the Hulk, and Wolverine. For a time, the second Ms. Marvel, Sharon Ventura, was a member. Eventually, she became the She-Thing. Johnny Storm’s Skrull wife Lyja was also on the roster. Reed and Susan Richards’ own children, Franklin and Valeria, have also been part of the team despite their young age.

The Fantastic Four’s Major Marvel Comics Villains

The Fantastic Four has one of the finest rogues’ galleries in all of comics. Among their villains are the subterranean Mole Man, Annihilus, Lord of the Negative Zone, the Super Skrull, an alien shapeshifter with all their powers, the Puppet Master, and the alien despot Blastaar. Other major villains include Ronan the Accuser, Diablo, Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Frightful Four, Molecule Man, and the Dragon Man. But two Fantastic Four villains stand out above the rest.

Doctor Doom

Victor Von Doom first appeared in Fantastic Four #5, and quickly became the team’s foremost nemesis. The ruler of the Eastern European country of Latveria, Doom was an old college frenemy of Reed Richards, and one of the only people alive who can match his intellect. But he forever blames Reed for a lab accident that scarred his face, forcing him to wear a metal mask. Doom has intense jealousy towards Reed, believing no one should rival his own genius. Doom masters not only science, but also sorcery. He’s since become not only the Fantastic Four’s most lethal nemesis, but also fought the Avengers, the X-Men, Spider-Man, and just about everyone in the Marvel Universe. Doom is perhaps the Fantastic Four’s greatest single contribution to the Marvel universe.

Galactus

The Fantastic Four’s other most iconic villain is Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. Not so much a person as a force of nature, Galactus first appeared in 1967’s Fantastic Four #48. He has existed since before this universe was born, and needs to consume the energy of planets to survive. He sends his herald, the Silver Surfer, to scout living planets to absorb. The Fantastic Four was able to stop him, but they’ve had to confront him time and time again. A version of Galactus that was a living cloud was in Rise of the Silver Surfer, but rumor has it that a proper version of the character will appear in Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four.

A History of Fantastic Four Movies and TV

Marvel’s First Family has had a long and tangled history in Hollywood. They had TV cartoons in the ’60s, ’70s, ’90s, and ”00s, to varying degrees of success. Because of their popularity, their movie rights were optioned to different studios in different eras. An extremely low-budget film was made for a mere $1 million in 1994, as a way of producers maintaining the rights to the franchise. It was never released officially, although bootlegs of it have circulated for years. It would be another decade before a proper Fantastic Four film hit theaters.

20th Century Studios ended up with the rights to the characters, and in the wake of the tremendous success of their X-Men films, they released a Fantastic Four film in 2005. Directed by Tim Story, it starred Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards, Jessica Alba as Sue Storm, Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm, and Chris Evans as Johnny Storm. The film did decently at the box office and garnered a sequel two years later, Rise of the Silver Surfer. The second film did not do as well, killing prospects for a third. Eight years later, a reboot with a new cast came out, with Miles Teller as Reed, Kate Mara as Sue, Michael B. Jordan as Johnny, and Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm. The Josh Trank-directed film completely tanked at the box office, and critics hated it. But with Disney’s purchase of Fox, an MCU Fantastic Four was announced in 2020.

The MCU’s The Fantastic Four Movie

Director and Cast

The recently announced cast for The Fantastic Four includes Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Susan Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the Thing. WandaVision director Matt Shakman is helming the film, set for release in the summer of 2025.

What to Expect from the MCU Fantastic Four Movie

We don’t know what the actual plot of The Fantastic Four is just yet, but clues point to a period piece set in the team’s comic book heyday of the 1960s. Speculation runs rampant that the main villain will be Galactus, hoping to course correct after The Rise of the Silver Surfer depicted him into a giant cloud. We’ll find out for sure when The Fantastic Four hits theaters on July 25, 2025.

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In the official casting announcement from Marvel Studios for the long-awaited Fantastic Four, we saw all of the members of Marvel’s First Family. That includes a cute little robot handing the Thing a cup of coffee. That would be our first official confirmation of H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot, a character from Marvel’s Fantastic Four comics. He’s been both loved and hated by the Marvel Comics fanbase because he once replaced a prominent member of the team. Here’s everything you need to know about the Fantastic Four’s robot sidekick H.E.R.B.I.E. and his Marvel history.

Who Is the Fantastic Four’s Robot, H.E.R.B.I.E.?

Similar to iconic characters like Harley Quinn and Jimmy Olsen, Marvel created H.E.R.B.I.E. for outside media before incorporating him into the comics. H.E.R.B.I.E., which stands for “Humanoid Experimental Robot B-Type Integrated Electronics,” first appeared in the 1978 New Fantastic Four Saturday morning cartoon. He effectively replaced Johnny Storm/the Human Torch on the team. Despite rumors for years that H.E.R.B.I.E. was created so impressionable young kids would not light themselves on fire emulating the hero, that was not the true reason. The rights to a Human Torch film were at another studio, so the producers of Fantastic Four simply couldn’t use him. This was why they created Firestar for Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends two years later.

The animation studio behind New Fantastic Four, DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, knew they needed a replacement for Johnny Storm. After all, this wasn’t the Fantastic Three. Although never specifically stated, a cute little robot sidekick debuting a year after Star Wars‘ R2-D2 captured everyone’s hearts is likely not a coincidence. Stan Lee created H.E.R.B.I.E. specifically for the cartoon, and Jack Kirby, who was designing characters for the new show, came up with the design. H.E.R.B.I.E. was Lee and Kirby’s last collaboration on a Marvel character together. Voice acting legend Frank Welker, the man behind Scooby-Doo, Megatron in Transformers, Garfield, and dozens more, was the voice of H.E.R.B.I.E. The series only lasted one season, consisting of 13 episodes.

How Did H.E.R.B.I.E. Join the Fantastic Four? 

In 1979, a year after his TV debut, writer Marv Wolfman and artist John Byrne introduced H.E.R.B.I.E. into the comics. His first canonical appearance was in Fantastic Four #209, in August 1979. His comic book origin is that Mister Fantastic and Master Xar of the planet Xandar created him. They intended that this little robot could help them find Galactus. They were hoping for help from the Devourer of Worlds to stop the villain called the Sphinx. In a fun bit of meta-commentary, Wolfman said that Reed designed H.E.R.B.I.E. to look like the robot used as part of the in-universe Fantastic Four cartoon show. Supposedly, Johnny did not sign his likeness rights to the animation studio, as he was out of town, so they had to create a replacement for him. Reed Richards then designed the real H.E.R.B.I.E. to look like his animated counterpart.

The Death and Rebirth of the Fantastic Four’s H.E.R.B.I.E.

This is where things get complicated and even more meta. The villain Doctor Sun, an enemy of Master Xar, had his consciousness trapped within Xandarian computers. He transferred his mind from those computers into H.E.R.B.I.E.’s system. The new robot mascot was effectively Doctor Sun’s sleeper agent to take out the team. Eventually, he was exposed, and Dr. Sun abandoned H.E.R.B.I.E.’s body, entering one of the computers in the Baxter Building, the Fantastic Four’s headquarters. Now himself again, H.E.R.B.I.E. sacrificed himself to stop Dr. Sun.

The entire storyline was writer Marv Wolfman playing with the fans’ dislike of H.E.R.B.I.E. by making him an engine of destruction for the team. When the true H.E.R.B.I.E. sacrifices himself to save them, he knew readers would end up liking the character they once hated. Reed rebuilt H.E.R.B.I.E., but after a year or so, he disappeared from the comics. In more recent years, H.E.R.B.I.E. only made sporadic appearances. He usually appeared as a high-tech babysitter for Reed and Sue’s children, Franklin and Valeria Richards. Eventually, Reed Richards invented a more advanced version of H.E.R.B.I.E. This robot was H.U.B.E.R.T., short for Hyper-Ultronic Brain Employing Randomized Tracings. A H.E.R.B.I.E. Easter egg appears in the extended cut of the 2005 Fantastic Four. He’s also popped up in some modern animated shows.

H.E.R.B.I.E. in the MCU Fantastic Four

Since we know so little about the MCU Fantastic Four, it’s hard to say what role H.E.R.B.I.E. will play. The image Marvel released has a version of H.E.R.B.I.E. that seems to roll around on the ground, and not fly. Having said that, we didn’t know R2-D2 could fly until one day he just did. It could be that Marvel Studios and Disney want their own cute little robot, a version of BB-8 who talks. Even if H.E.R.B.I.E. plays a minor role in the film, we imagine Marvel will get a well-known actor to voice him. Possibly Frank Welker will come back? After all, he’s still working. That would be the ultimate Easter egg. We imagine that with movie exposure, H.E.R.B.I.E. will make a comic book comeback as well. Maybe this time, the fans will be nicer.

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Almost eight years ago, Marvel Television announced 12 Years a Slave screenwriter and prolific author John Ridley was taking on a new series for the company. However, the show’s premise was a mystery. Later, Marvel quietly shelved it. MCU fans have wondered for years what that series might be. Well, thanks to an appearance on the Comic Book Club podcast (via Deadline), Ridley revealed the Marvel property he was developing for television was actually Eternals. The Oscar winner said “It was a television version of the Eternals… But good.” Ouch. (For the record, we liked it fine). Here’s what he had to say about his version of Jack Kirby’s space gods:

“My version was the good version. It was so f***ing weird. There was my version, a good version, which is good to me, which — that doesn’t mean anything. There was the version that [Marvel] ended up doing, which I don’t think… that version was particularly good. I’ll be honest.

My version started with, the first thing you see is a young man, probably about 18 years old. And he’s sitting there. He’s sitting there for a moment. And then he lifts his hands. He has a drill in it. And he turns the drill on. And he puts the drill to his ear. And he starts pushing it in. And then it goes from there. That’s the start, right? That’s how it starts. And then I think you see… another kid… He sleeps in the bathtub, covers himself with foil. It’s just a really weird story about these people who are, I mean, it’s just weird.”

Marvel ultimately passed on Ridley’s version of Eternals, and the writer didn’t really give a reason why, except that he didn’t think his version was “very entertaining.” We’re going to put our speculative caps on, and give another possible reason. Marvel TV took Inhumans, originally announced as a film, and turned it into a TV series in 2017. The results were a disaster, and Inhumans was a critical and ratings disappointment. After that, we could see Marvel thinking an epic Jack Kirby sci-fi saga might be better suited for the big screen instead. Yes, many fans did not care for Eternals, but in the words of Marty McFly in Back to the Future, “I guess you guys weren’t ready for that. But your kids are gonna love it.”

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The recent trailer for Marvel Studios’ Echo blew everyone away with its return to the gritty realism of the former Netflix shows like Daredevil. But beyond that, we recently learned another piece of fascinating information about the series. Echo will be the first in a new series of MCU projects using the label Marvel Spotlight. Marvel even unveiled a logo for this new initiative, which you can see below. If a project is released under the Marvel Spotlight banner, it will signal to fans that they don’t need to watch all, or in fact, any other MCU projects to be able to understand what’s going on in that series or movie. According to Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum, here’s what the Marvel Spotlight banner really means:

Marvel Spotlight gives us a platform to bring more grounded, character-driven stories to the screen, and in the case of Echo, focusing on street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity. Just like comics fans didn’t need to read Avengers or Fantastic Four to enjoy a Ghost Rider Spotlight comic, our audience doesn’t need to have seen other Marvel series to understand what’s happening in Maya’s story.

The massive MCU continuity, once its greatest strength, is viewed by many now as a hindrance. Casual fans feel there are too many MCU projects to catch up and watch the latest offering and understand it. Hopefully, the Marvel Spotlight arm will make it easier for fans, allowing the MCU to make projects that don’t require any previous knowledge. Even in the comics, tight continuity eventually goes from a strength to a weakness. This is why both Marvel and DC have done “fresh slate” takes on characters when it all gets too overwhelming.

Winderbaum also went on to share of the Marvel Spotlight arm, “It’s kind of like the comics, in that there are certain stories that tie into the continuity and really play into the overall narrative, and there’s other ones that are more standalone and are character-driven like Echo is. Really, what the Spotlight branding represents is an opportunity for people who are more casual fans who might not know what happened in the last Avengers movie to show up and kind of enjoy it on its own terms.”

We don’t know which Marvel Studios project will be next to get the Marvel Spotlight treatment. But since they mentioned Ghost Rider, we might interpret that as a hint. Certainly, Ghost Rider is a character that can exist without mentioning other MCU heroes or having any prior knowledge. Also, when Blade finally hits theaters, it seems like the perfect choice to arrive under the Marvel Spotlight banner. The first Marvel Spotlight series Echo, starring Alaqua Cox in the title role, hits Disney+ and Hulu on January 10, 2024.

Originally published on November 6, 2023.

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In Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, the crowd went wild, and the internet blew up when Kevin Feige announced a Marvel Studios Blade film starring two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as the titular vampire hunter. Well, after one delay after another, Blade still hasn’t hit theaters. And its production is rumored to be fraught with issues. We’re not going to comment on the validity of any rumors, but clearly, something is up behind the scenes. It seems to be a script they just can’t crack. In this instance, we believe the filmmakers should just go back to the original comics for inspiration. And by “the original comics,” we mean Marvel’s ’70s horror masterpiece, Tomb of Dracula, where Blade first originated.

Marvel Studios has gone through multiple scripts and more than one director for Blade, and it seems that no one can decide which direction to go in. Is it PG-13 and family-friendly? Is it going to be a hard-R horror/action hybrid like the original Wesley Snipes films? It’s all unclear. And while the Snipes movies are the very reason why the character of Blade is an international icon today, the best thing a Blade MCU reboot should not be is too much like that version. Simply put, we’ve seen that. In fact, we think they should go back to the original Marvel Comics source material for inspiration.

One of Marvel Comics’ biggest villains in the 1970s was none other than the Lord of the Vampires himself. He starred in his own ongoing series Tomb of Dracula, which lasted 70 issues, from 1972 to 1979. Most of these issues were crafted by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan. The stories were heavily inspired by the old Universal horror films, as well as the Hammer horror from the U.K., told with a Marvel flair. Despite the series having the name Dracula in it, the Transylvanian Count was not the protagonist. He was a straight-up villain, without any of the internal conflict we’d see later in more modern vampires.

The true lead characters of Tomb of Dracula were a group of vampire hunters with a personal vendetta against the undead Transylvanian Count. They were Frank Drake, Dracula’s human descendent; Rachel Van Helsing, granddaughter of Dracula’s sworn enemy; Quincy Harker, son of the protagonists in Bram Stoker’s novel; and a brand new, non-legacy character—Blade, the Vampire Slayer. Blade was a Black hero in the tradition of action stars of the time. Like Shaft star Richard Roundtree, only with wooden stakes and crosses instead of guns. Debuting in Tomb of Dracula #10 in 1973, Blade had another secret weapon—a vampire’s bite would not affect him due to the circumstances surrounding his birth..

In the comics, Blade isn’t American like he is in the Wesley Snipes films, he’s British. Like his Hollywood counterpart, Eric Brooks became a hybrid being when his pregnant mother was bitten by a vampire during labor. That vampire was Deacon Frost. This allowed Blade to grow up immune to vampire bites, and gave him a prolonged lifespan (but not immortality). But the other vampire abilities were not his. In the comics, those wouldn’t arrive until after the 1998 film, once Morbius, the Living Vampire bit him. He then acquired the thirst for blood, but took the blood via injection. Aside from the part about Deacon Frost and his mother, the comic book Blade and the movie Blade differ significantly.

In the comics, Blade was born in London in 1922, and grew up in the brothel his mother worked at. In 1929, he came upon a man being attacked by vampires in the street. That older gentleman, jazz musician Jamal Afari, was actually a vampire hunter himself from the United States. He took Eric Brooks in, and as his mentor, taught him everything he knew about the undead. After Dracula turns Afari into a vampire, it forces Blade to kill the only father figure he ever knew. Now dedicated to a life of vampire hunting, he met Frank Drake, Rachel Van Helsing, and Quincy Harker (the son of Jonathan and Mina Harker from Bram Stoker’s novel) and the group of vampire hunters would have many adventures together.

The Blade who debuted in comics was a very different character than the one we met in the 1998 film starring Wesley Snipes. The first film kept the broad strokes of his origin story, but lost a lot of the classic horror flavor of the comics. This made sense for the time. Comic book movies were practically dead after a series of campy efforts like Batman & Robin. Some of the more fantastical elements of the comics might not have hit with audiences back then. But this is a post-MCU world. So Blade in the 21st century needs to adjust. We think it should still be gritty and harder-edged, yes. But as Werewolf by Night showed us, something closer to classic horror, with a gothic atmosphere and lots of monsters, absolutely can work in the MCU.

In 1991, Blade would get a revamp to fit the new decade, and appear in a solo series and in Nightstalkers. He’d get his black leather jacket, lose the goggles, and cut his hair short. A very “edited for children” appearance on Spider-Man: The Animated Series would introduce his mentor Whistler, who would later appear in the film. All of these things would inform the Wesley Snipes iteration of Blade in some form. However, we still think Blade’s best stories came from those old Tomb of Dracula comics, and the issues of Vampire Tales starring Blade that spun off from them.

We also think making the film a period piece would give it extra flavor. If they set the film in the era the comics were published, we could get some of that ‘70s flair in the character. We’d love to see Blade wearing that green or even orange trenchcoat, those wild goggles, and the bandolier with wooden stakes. No one would confuse MCU Blade with Snipes’ version after that. This is a Blade that lives in a world of Asgardian gods and Moon Knights after all. Don’t be afraid to go big Kevin Feige, and go weird. Otherwise, the MCU Blade film will just be a pale imitation of the Wesley Snipes version from years ago. And no one wants that.

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Disney/Marvel Studios has confirmed they have fired actor Jonathan Majors after his recent guilty verdict. Deadline shares that “a studio rep confirmed the news about the decision not to move forward with Majors in the MCU.” The news comes on the heels of Majors being found guilty in a domestic violence trial.

Jonathan Majors had previously played the role of Kang the Conqueror in a couple of Marvel Studios properties. He appeared in both seasons of the MCU’s Loki series and the movie Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania. However, Marvel had lined up Kang the Conqueror as the next big villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kang would have taken on a Thanos-like role. An upcoming Avengers movie meant to release on May 1, 2026 holds the title of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The movie was already undergoing recent changes and will now likely have to see more with the firing of Majors from the MCU and the Marvel role of Kang. The Hollywood Reporter reports that the film is now being referred to as Avengers 5. However, official sources have not yet solidified this title change.

Marvel Studios has confirmed only that Majors will not continue in his previous role. The studio has not shared further insight about whether it will recast the role of Kang. We don’t even know whether the MCU will veer away from the character altogether. So far, Marvel has not announced any changes to the MCU’s calendar.

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Over the last 15 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has flourished on both the big and small screens. Not to mention the X-Men movie universe at Fox, and the Spider-Man universe at Sony. From all indications, it seems as if almost no Marvel Comics hero is too small or obscure for the live-action treatment. Between the MCU, the former Fox X-Men films, and the Sony Spider-verse, just about everyone of importance has had their big screen debut.

In just the last couple of years alone, they have introduced Marvel Comics fans in quick succession to the likes of She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Namor, Ironheart, and in cameo form, Hercules and Starfox, to name but a few. Wonder Man is even getting a series soon. And yet, there still are a handful of important Marvel Comics characters long overdue for the live-action treatment. So without further ado, here are our picks for the top 10 Marvel superheroes that still need to make it to MCU live-action film and television.

10. Beta Ray Bill

In the MCU, we’ve only seen two other heroes worthy of lifting Thor’s hammer Mjölnir, — the Vision, and Steve Rogers. However, in the comics there was another who was worthy, a horse-faced alien from the planet Korbin. Beta Ray Bill was the champion of the Korbinites, given powers by his near-extinct alien race. Thanks to some classic comic book misunderstanding, Beta Ray Bill met Thor in battle when approaching Earth, and he actually defeated the God of Thunder. Not only defeat him, but he was able to wield Mjölnir, one of the few who could.

Impressed with Beta Ray Bill’s fortitude, Thor’s dad, Odin All-Father gifted the Krobinite with his very own enchanted hammer, Stormbreaker, which he now used as a hero and ally to Thor. Beta Ray Bill has almost made it to the MCU before. We’ve seen his statue on the planet Sakaar in Thor: Ragnarok, and his hammer Stormbreaker has also appeared in Infinity War and Endgame. We think Bill is long overdue for an MCU appearance. It just might be time for Thor to hand over Stormbreaker to its rightful owner.

9. Tigra (Greer Nelson)

Greer Nelson, originally known as “The Cat,” was one of the first female heroes to receive her own Marvel comic. A runway model, Greer fought crime with cat-themed gadgets and a skin-tight cat costume. The Claws of the Cat only lasted four issues, and truthfully, seemed like a knockoff of DC Comics’ Catwoman—only with a neon yellow costume instead. Years later, the heroine Hellcat would use that costume with far more success.

But Marvel tried again with Greer a couple of years later. They gave her the powers of a magical lost race of Cat People, and suddenly Greer was a ferocious cat/human hybrid named Tigra. This version was far more popular, and served with the Avengers for years. A cat-person in a bikini might be hard to pull off in live-action, but we trust Marvel Studios to make the right changes. They mentioned someone named Greer in Hawkeye. Could it be? We hope to see her, tail and all, in the MCU one day.

8. Ka-Zar of the Savage Land (Kevin Plunder)

On the surface, Ka-Zar just seems like a Tarzan rip-off. He’s the son of a British Lord who finds himself stranded in an exotic jungle location as a child. After his father dies, locals take him in. He no longer goes by the name Lord Kevin Plunder, but becomes Ka-Zar. Sound familiar? So how is this more than a dime-store Tarzan? Well, instead of a real-world location like Africa, Ka-Zar lives in the Savage Land, a secret primordial world in the Antarctic.

The Savage Land is filled with dinosaurs, humanoid mutates, and Ka-Zar’s trusty sabretooth tiger Zabu. In the comics, it became the prime location for many Uncanny X-Men stories. It even became the home base of Magneto for a time. Anyone who grew up with X-Men: The Animated Series will remember several episodes set in this location. To be fair, the location of the Savage Land world is much cooler than Ka-Zar himself, but he could be used to anchor a very cool Savage Land series or movie.

7. Captain Britain (Brian Braddock)

Captain Britain has been a part of the Marvel Universe since the mid-’70s. But he first appeared only in the Marvel UK line of comics. Captain Britain Weekly #1 featured his canonical first appearance. In the comics, Brian Braddock was the nerdy heir of an old aristocratic British family. He received a bad injury in a lab accident and nearly died. Soon after, the wizard Merlyn appeared to him, and offered Brian the chance to become the United Kingdom’s mystically strong champion. And thus, Captain Britain is born.

In the UK, Captain Britain had his own comic for years, and teamed up with Spidey and Captain America in North American Comics. He eventually led the British X-Men spinoff team, Excalibur. His sister is Betsy Braddock, who fans know best as the prominent ’90s X-Man named Psylocke. All of these aspects of his character could prove interesting story material, as Marvel Studios seeds mutants into the MCU. Fans have been clamoring for Superman Henry Cavill to play Captain Britain. And we can’t say that we don’t approve of that choice.

6. Darkhawk (Christopher Powell/Connor Young)

Darkhawk is one of the lesser-known Marvel heroes on this list, but in the ’90s, he was fairly popular. He even carried his own series for some 50 issues. Christopher Powell was a teenager from Queens, New York, just like Peter Parker. He came upon an amulet that allowed him to switch places with a powerful alien android body possessing huge metal wings, one that his mind could control. (And he had a Wolverine-like claw. As we said, quite popular in the ’90s.

Darkhawk joined the New Warriors, and briefly, the Avengers. Recently, Marvel Comics launched a new Darkhawk series, with a new teenage hero at its center. Connor Young was a star athlete, recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. As he struggles with his new medical reality, he also has to become a superhero when he discovers the amulet. The original comic series wasn’t all that memorable, but the ingredients for this new Darkhawk — the origin, the costume, the powers — are perfect for a live-action adaptation.

5. Moondragon (Heather Douglas)

Moondragon is one of those oddball Marvel heroes. But this martial artist with psychic powers has ties to several prominent MCU characters. Namely, Drax the Destroyer and Thanos. In the comics, young Heather Douglas was driving through the desert with her family when they caught Thanos landing on Earth, totally by chance. The Mad Titan promptly killed her entire family, but Heather escaped.

Her father’s soul bonded to Drax, essentially making Drax her dad. And Mentor, Thanos’ own father, instructed her in the use of her powers. She joined the Avengers, and later, teams like the Defenders and the Guardians of the Galaxy. For the MCU, Moondragon’s origins could be simplified. She could be the literal daughter of Drax now. Perhaps the daughter he thought he lost to Thanos? And if Thanos’ father trained her, that would create a lot of conflict for this family. She’s also a bisexual character, and we know the MCU could use some more canonically LGBTQ heroes.

4. Quasar (Wendell Vaughn)

They have introduced many of the most prominent Avengers into the MCU at this point. But one fairly major Avenger from the ‘90s has yet to show up, and that’s Wendell Vaughn, also known as Quasar. An Avenger during the early ‘90s, at which time he carried his own solo title for sixty issues, Vaughn was a SHIELD scientist who came across the cosmic weapons called the Quantum Bands. They bestowed on him incredible power, as the owner of the bands was the chosen Protector of the Universe, a title given by the cosmic entity Eon.

With the Quantum Bands now introduced into the MCU thanks to The Marvels, it would be interesting to see them wind up in the hands of a new hero like Quasar. After all, neither Kamala Khan nor Carol Danvers need the bands to activate their powers. They should go to someone else who can use them to do good. In Thor: Love and Thunder, we saw a representation of the cosmic entity Eon, so maybe he’ll appear to give the Quasar the Protector of the Universe title. Everything lately feels like it’s setting it up. With the MCU needing more spacefaring heroes, Quasar seems like a perfect choice.

3. Nova (Richard Rider/Sam Alexander)

Although the Nova Corps, Marvel’s interstellar police force (and answer to DC’s Green Lantern Corps) has already been introduced in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, the Nova I’m talking about is Richard Rider. He had his own series in the late ’70s, The Man Called Nova, and then regularly appeared as a cast member of New Warriors. Rider was a working-class teen in the Peter Parker mold; he inherited the title and cosmic powers from a dying member of the Nova Corps. (We told you he was Marvel’s answer to Green Lantern).

The character has had a comeback in the last few years. Mainly because of Marvel Comics doubling down on their cosmic heroes with events like Annihilation. A new teenager named Sam Alexander recently took on the mantle of Nova, but either he or Richard Rider would make for ideal candidates for a TV series or a movie. Perhaps tying his origin to the offscreen destruction of the Nova homeworld of Xandar (referenced in Avengers: Infinity War) might be a good way to make this tie into the MCU.

2. Doctor Voodoo (Jericho Drumm)

Jericho Drumm was created way back in 1973, and for five issues was the lead character in Strange Tales, the anthology that introduced Doctor Strange. Created by a group of Marvel legends, which included Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, John Romita, and Len Wein, the character originally went by the name Brother Voodoo. A psychologist originally from Haiti, Drumm returned home to discover his voodoo practitioner brother was dying. He sought out his brother’s mentor, Papa Jambo, who taught him mastery over voodoo practices and powerful sorcery, and Drumm assumed the title of Brother Voodoo.

Although his lead series was short-lived, Brother Voodoo continued to appear in various Marvel comics over the succeeding decades as a guest star, and hero and ally to many. He eventually became the Sorcerer Supreme, replacing Stephen Strange in the role. It was during this time he officially took the name Doctor Voodoo. He’s since served on over three different iterations of the Avengers. Although he was heavily rumored for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, he never appeared. But the MCU needs some more magically powered heroes besides Strange, and we can’t think of a better one than Jericho Drumm.

1. Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)

Despite what her name might suggest, Jessica Drew is anything but a female carbon copy of Spider-Man. Created in the ‘70s, Spider-Woman headlined her own ongoing series for over 50 issues, and even had a short-lived cartoon series on Saturday morning TV. In the comics, Jessica Drew’s parents were scientists who accidentally gave her arachnid-based powers as a child. The powers were a side effect of their trying to cure a lethal childhood disease. They have tweaked her origin story a few times over the past few decades, but the character always has ties to both SHIELD and HYDRA in any version.

Marvel put her on the shelf for nearly two decades years for inexplicable reasons. It was Brian Michael Bendis who brought Jessica as Spider-Woman back in 2004 in the pages of New Avengers. She’s remained a Marvel mainstay ever since. With her ties to both SHIELD and the Avengers, she’s an obvious choice for the MCU either on film or TV. She has appeared recently in animation, in Across the Spider-Verse. But we still await her live-action debut. Sony announced a Spider-Woman movie years ago with Olivia Wilde at the helm. But nothing ever came of it. The Madame Web movie will feature various Spider-Women, but not Jessica. We hope that Sony and Marvel Studios can find a way to work together and bring Jessica into the MCU where she belongs.

Originally published on April 23, 2017.

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There have been many rumors that the original roster of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will all return in Avengers: Secret Wars. And yes, that would presumably include Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man/Tony Stark. But via Variety, we’ve learned that in a recent story on Downey for Vanity Fair, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said there are no plans to bring Tony Stark back from the grave. Iron Man’s heroic death in Avengers: Endgame, in which he saved the universe from Thanos, was just too important to undo. Here’s what Feige had to say:

“We are going to keep that moment and not touch that moment again. We all worked very hard for many years to get to that, and we would never want to magically undo it in any way.”

So it seems like the MCU creatives powers that be will never use magic or nanotech to revive Tony’s corpse for a future film. This is a choice which we all of course applaud. However, we must point out that Feige very carefully worded that response. It’s safe to say we can take Feige at his word, and the MCU won’t resurrect the Tony Stark we knew and loved in 11 films. Iron Man’s death will not change. But that does not mean we are never seeing Robert Downey, Jr. play him again.

Right now, we are in the middle of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. And we would be genuinely shocked if we did not encounter a multiversal variant of Tony in Secret Wars. And for that matter, a variant of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlet Johansson) too. With Secret Wars likely capping off twenty years of the MCU, it’s hard to imagine no Tony Stark involvement in that. Regardless of what Kevin Feige said, don’t count out seeing Iron Man again. He just won’t exactly be the one you remember. Because that guy is staying dead for sure.

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Marvel Studios is certainly at a crossroads at the moment. The once indestructible brand where every film was an out-of-the-ballpark hit had its share of disappointments in 2023. There are a myriad of reasons for this, chiefly too much content in too short a time, and not enough of them were “events.” (Spider-Man: No Way Home notwithstanding). Aside from cutting back on films and shows drastically, there is a solution for this MCU malaise. And that solution involves putting the Avengers and the X-Men on screen together at last, and probably in Secret Wars.

A big part of the solution is to truly make the next Avengers film an event that even the most jaded and burnt-out MCU fans would have to check out in theaters—a proper Avengers/X-Men crossover. Certain hints that have popped up recently suggest Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Marvel’s Mutants are headed for a collision course with multiversal ramifications. Whether or not Avengers: The Kang Dynasty actually happens as planned, we do believe that the next Avengers film will feature the two iconic Marvel teams at odds.

The X-Men Hints So Far in the MCU

Since Disney acquired Fox back in 2019, fans have been asking “So when are the X-Men coming to the MCU?” Even She-Hulk asked it in her own show. And so far, Marvel Studios has been playing the long game, not jumping into anything. We got the mutant hint in Ms. Marvel, and Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier in Multiverse of Madness. Plus, the news of Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine in Deadpool 3. Heck, we’re not convinced that Evan Peters’ Quicksilver in WandaVision isn’t more than he seems and not just a gag.

Now, The Marvels has revealed yet another connection to the X-Men universe with the return of Kelsey Grammar as Beast, working in the X-mansion from the original films. An incursion event with the X-Men universe and the 616 seems imminent, and that can only mean we’re getting an Avengers vs. X-Men project. And in fact, Avengers: Secret Wars could very likely be rebranded as Avengers/X-Men: Secret Wars. An announcement of that magnitude would blow the doors off of San Diego’s Hall H, and stop all talk of “Marvel Fatigue” dead in its tracks. Just from a mercenary business perspective, it makes sense. But frankly, it’s also a story fans have waited decades to see.

Will These MCU Mutants Be the X-Men We Know?

The big question is, which X-Men are we dealing with here? Beast was working in a lab that looked identical to the underground medical bay in the Fox X-Men films. The Charles Xavier we saw in Doctor Strange on Earth-838 seemed very reminiscent of the one from X-Men: The Animated Series. But the Scarlet Witch killed that Charles. Obviously, the Charles that the Beast refers to seems to be very much alive. So, this is another hint that Beast is in the classic X-Men movie universe, not Earth-838. Or, at least, a version of the classic Fox X-Men world. And yes, we know his appearance looks different. We remind you that the look of comic book Beast is continually evolving. No reason to think the live-action Henry McCoy would be any different.

X-Men: Days of Future Past May Hold the Answer

Fans of the Fox X-Men films know that the timeline and continuity of those films are a bit of a mess. And that’s putting it mildly. But at the end of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Logan’s adventures in the past caused him to wake up in a new present. Essentially, a “happy ending” future, where Xavier is still alive. The school was open, and former tragically dead X-Men like Cyclops and Jean Grey were alive and well. In fact, Kelsey Grammer’s Beast was there too, in a cameo moment.

Given one of music cues in The Marvels’ post-credits scene is from Days of Future Past, we think that they’re trying to tell us that we’re in that “happy ending” reality from that film. A reality that takes the best elements of the original movies and loses the things viewers hated. Mainly, the random and arbitrary deaths of the main X-Men. So, in short, it’s a new X-Men universe, made up of bits and pieces of the old one. And part of what it’s keeping is the classic actors. The rest is up to the filmmakers.

Deadpool 3 May Set the Stage for Avengers/X-Men: Secret Wars

With three confirmed X-Men characters back, there’s no telling who else might show up coming up soon. There are rumors already that Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, and James Marsden are back for Deadpool 3 as Storm, Jean Grey, and Cyclops, respectively. Patrick Stewart has all but confirmed he’s back too. What’s to stop Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Alan Cumming, and Rebecca Romijn from returning as well? If you’re going to bring back the OG X-Men, it seems only using them in small roles in Deadpool 3 is a waste. No, we think there are much bigger plans afoot.

The 2015 event comic Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman began when incursions across the Multiverse resulted in its total destruction until there were only two realities left—the classic 616, and Earth 1610, home of the Ultimate universe. Eventually, both of those realities had to do battle with each other to determine which one would get to live. Spoiler alert—neither reality gets to live, and Doctor Doom fuses what remains of them together into a new “Battleworld.”

Although it could still be Kang in the MCU, In Avengers/X-Men Secret Wars, we could get a version of that story. But it would be the MCU Earth vs the Fox X-Men Earth. And the protectors of each reality would have to fight for the existence of their world. Much like Captain America: Civil War, neither side would be wrong. Who wouldn’t fight to protect everyone they know from annihilation? In an Infinity Wars-type cliffhanger, we could see both realities fade to white, presumably destroyed. A sixth Avengers film could open on Battleworld, a hodgepodge reality made of elements of both universes. It would be an excuse to bring back anybody.

X-Men vs. Avengers: A Battle Fans Have Waited Decades to See

From a pure fan point of view, the battles would be cant-miss events. Thor vs. Storm, Wolverine vs. Hulk, Scarlet Witch vs. Phoenix, etc. And yes, an all-star lineup of Avengers vs. an all-star lineup of X-Men is a lot of characters. But let us remind you that Civil War juggled 18 principal characters. Infinity War and Endgame showcased 30, and somehow gave everyone something to do. So an Avengers/X-Men crossover could absolutely work. Although Kevin Feige might want to give Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely a call. They seem extremely adept at juggling so many superheroes cohesively, and giving emotional character stakes to these comic book battles.

The original X-Men films truly started the Marvel superhero craze in cinemas after Blade proved it could be done. It led to Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, and ultimately, the MCU. If, in fact, Avengers: Secret Wars and the Multiverse Saga are intended to bring an end to not just one era of storytelling, but going back even before the MCU, what better way to go out than with a bang?

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Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has stepped away from directing duties on Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Deadline reported this news on Wednesday afternoon. The fifth Avengers film is still set to debut on May 1, 2026, but currently has no director attached. Cretton is not leaving the MCU, however—far from it. The original report suggests he is still continuing work on the Wonder Man series starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen, of which he directed the first two episodes. The show will resume production now that the WGA and SAG strikes have ended. Cretton’s also still returning for the sequel to Shang-Chi.

Cretton is both the showrunner and EP of Wonder Man, a series he co-created with Andrew Guest. It’s resuming production after Thanksgiving under the Marvel Spotlight banner introduced for Echo. This means it will be a standalone project, not connected to the overall Multiverse Saga. This also likely means that Simon Williams in this series won’t become one of the main Avengers (which is kind of a bummer). But who knows, things could change. Rumors ran rampant that Marvel Studios was going to cancel Wonder Man, but this seems to not be the case.

Hopefully, this means that a sequel to Shang-Chi is on the fast-track now for Marvel Studios. It’s been two years since the first film hit theaters, and not a word since. It would not surprise us at all if Shang-Chi’s continuing adventures take the place of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty on the MCU calendar, and debuts on May 1, 2026 instead. It seems the Marvel Studios is rethinking a lot of what the next Avengers are going to be—especially after the financial and critical disappointments of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels. For all we know, The Kang Dynasty will transform into something else entirely.

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For Marvel Studios’ upcoming film The Marvels, they did not lean into some of the more well-known villains from the pages of Marvel Comics. In fact, the film’s “big bad” is a fairly obscure character. One that even the most die-hard Marvel fans have likely forgotten about. Here’s what we know about Marvel’s Kree leader Dar-Benn, played by Zawe Ashton in The Marvels, their comic book origins, and how they factor into the overall MCU.

Who Is Marvel Comics’ Dar-Benn?

So just who is The Marvels‘ upcoming villain Dar-Benn in Marvel’s comics? Dar-Benn is a very minor Marvel Comics villain in the grand scheme of things, making only two appearances in the early ‘90s comics. The comics introduced Dar-Benn in the cosmic Marvel crossover Operation: Galactic Storm, in 1991’s issue #53 of Silver Surfer. A general in the great Kree Empire, Dar-Benn, along with Kree general Ael-Dann, coordinated a plot to assassinate a Kree leader named Clumsy Foulup. (Yes, that was his name. The ‘90s comics were not subtle). Aliens known as Cotati put Foulup in a leadership position. The generals later assassinated Foulup using an imposter robot Silver Surfer, leaving Dar-Benn and Ael-Dann as co-rulers of Marvel’s Kree Empire. However, this was a brief reign.

A brutal tyrant, Dar-Benn considered himself superior to the previous Kree leader. He saw that ruler as weak and believed they should eliminate him. Even the infamous Kree villain Ronan the Accuser was viewed as weak by Marvel Comics’ Dar-Benn. But he met his match when the Shi’ar leader Deathbird, often a foe of the X-Men and Carol Danvers, killed his right-hand man Ael-Dann in front of him. It wasn’t long after that Deathbird killed Dar-Benn too, and she became the new leader of the Kree Empire, now calling herself Viceroy Cal’syee Neramani. The minds of Dar-Benn and Ael-Dann were ultimately absorbed into the Kree Supreme Intelligence, and that was the end of Dar-Benn in Marvel Comics, at least for now. Often MCU appearances can bring comic book resurrections.

The MCU’s Dar-Benn Is the Villain in The Marvels

In the MCU, Marvel gender-swapped Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) is now a former Accuser of the Kree Empire and the villain in The Marvels. This is much like Ronan’s title in Captain Marvel and Guardians of the Galaxy. We learn in The Marvels that Dar-Benn was part of the Kree military when Carol Danvers, in an early act as Captain Marvel, destroyed the Supreme Intelligence on Hala, which controlled life on that planet. She actually witnessed Carol doing this, and nearly lost her life.

This act plunged Hala into a decades-long civil war that devastated the planet, and caused the Kree to name Carol “The Annihilator.” In The Marvels, Dar-Benn blames Carol for the fracturing of her planet, and its plunge into environmental disaster. Dar-Been begins siphoning natural resources from worlds Carol has a connection to in order to restore Hala, and also get revenge on her in the process.

Dar-Benn’s Bangle

Another deviation from Marvel Comics is that the MCU version of Dar-Benn wears a bangle identical to the one worn by Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan. We learn in the film that the bangle she discovered buried on a moon is one-half of the Quantum Bands, powerful artifacts that helped map the galaxy eons ago. She uses the band to open jump points in places they don’t belong, hurting the fabric of spacetime. When she steals the other Quantum Band from Kamala Khan, she attempts to use it to siphon the power of Earth’s sun to save Hala’s own dying star. The effort proves too much for Dar-Benn in The Marvels and ultimately kills her.

What Are Dar-Benn’s Powers in The Marvels?

As a very skilled Kree warrior, Dar-Benn is an expert in armed and unarmed combat. Usually, they wield either a gun or a staff that dispels a very deadly energy beam. In The Marvels, it seems Dar-Benn holds the Warhammer, or “cosmi-rod,” of a Kree Accuser. Combined with the power of one of the Quantum Bands, Dar-Benn renames it “the Universal Weapon.” This makes The Marvel‘s villain nearly as powerful as Carol, even though the power is not innate to Dar-Benn, and she needs the weapon to wield it.

Who Plays Dar-Benn in The Marvels?

Actress and filmmaker Zawe Ashton plays Dar-Benn in The Marvels. She’s famous for her roles in Not Safe for Work and the Netflix horror thriller film Velvet Buzzsaw. She has one other rather big MCU connection, though. She and Tom Hiddleston, a.k.a. Loki, are a couple.

The Marvels, starring Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris, is in theaters now.

Originally published on October 16, 2023.

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Most characters in the MCU draw inspiration from those in the pages of Marvel’s comics. Sometimes, two characters are combined. But usually, it’s a character or characters with a long history, often going back decades. And then, there’s Prince Yan D’Aladna (Park Seo-joon), in The Marvels. Prince Yan has joined the MCU and is making it to the big screen after only one Marvel Comics appearance in an issue of Captain Marvel. Here is everything you should know from Marvel’s comics about alien royalty Prince Yan D’Aladna and everything we know about the version Park Seo-joon plays in The Marvels.

Prince Yan D’Aladna’s First Marvel Comics Appearance

In Marvel Comics, Prince Yan of Aladna’s first and so far only appearance happened in 2014’s Captain Marvel (Vol.8) issue #9. The issue has Carol Danvers, who had only recently become Captain Marvel, and her alien sidekick Tic journeying to the distant world Aladna to help a mutant rock star, Lila Cheney, who also happened to be a cosmic adventurer. Lila Cheney had the mutant power to teleport across the cosmos, which led her to many entanglements with the X-Men and Carol over the years. Now, Lila found herself trapped in an unwanted engagement with alien royalty, and needed her old friend Carol to bail her out. In Prince Yan’s world, everyone has to rhyme when they speak. Good times.

Prince Yan’s Connection to an X-Men Character

When she was a child, and her mutant powers first manifested, young Lila Cheney transported herself to Aladna and fell for the planet’s handsome prince. Lila was an Earth mutant of considerable power who once dated Xavier’s student Cannonball. In Prince Yan d’Aladna’s world, only women could choose their lifemates. Being from Earth, Lila didn’t realize that when she chose Prince Yan, it was a real commitment that would have to be honored. When she returned to Aladna as an adult, they forced Lila to marry Prince Yan, even though neither of them wanted that.

Prince Yan asked Captain Marvel to help him stop the ceremony by formally objecting. During the ceremony, Marlo of Sleen, who wished to rule Aladna, appeared, intending to defeat Lila in combat and marry Yan. Carol represented Lila in battle and won. Now officially betrothed to Yan, Captain Marvel offered him the right to choose whoever he wanted to marry. Hoping to avoid the possibility of Yan being denied the crown if he attempted not to marry, Tic volunteered to become Yan’s wife. Once he became king, Yan abolished this rule for Aladna.

What Are Prince Yan’s Powers?

As far as we know, Prince Yan D’Aladna doesn’t have any superpower, at least not in Marvel’s comics. However, like everyone on his home planet, Yan can always speak and carry on a full conversation totally in rhyme. Essentially, all of Aladna’s people speak musically. So, that’s kind of a power? We’ll have to see if Park Seo-joon’s MCU Prince Yan develops any other powers in The Marvels.

Is Prince Yan Captain Marvel’s Husband?

Although Carol Danvers won the right to marry Prince Yan, she decided not to. She allowed the Prince to choose his own consort. Or rather, the consort chose him. So no, Carol is not married to the Prince in the Marvel Comics and is, therefore, not secret alien royalty. However, that did not stop him from being flirty with her.

That’s the comics’ world though; in the MCU, however, Captain Marvel and Prince Yan D’Aladna end up entangled in a “marriage of convenience,” and indeed, Prince Yan is Captain Marvel’s husband.

Park Seo-joon as Prince Yan D’ Aladna in the MCU

As mentioned, the MCU’s Prince Yan is played by Park Seo-joon. In The Marvels, Prince Yan is still part of the royal family on the planet Aladna. Carol, Kamala, and Monica go to his home planet once they realize that Kree villain Dar-Benn has made the water-rich world her next target. Her plan is to steal water from Aladna, since 90% of that world is covered by oceans. When Carol and the Marvels arrive, she awkwardly reveals to Kamala and Monica that she’s actually the Princess of Aladna, since she married Prince Yan in a diplomatic ceremony.

This is when we discover that the people of Aladna only communicate through song, which leads to much hilarity with the arriving heroes. Park Seo-joon gets to show off his vocal chops in The Marvels when he sings to his lovely princess in her gown, and then shows off his warrior chops when defends Captain Marvel from attacking Kree soldiers. Unlike most of his people in The Marvels, Park Seo-joon’s Prince Yan also can communicate non-musically, as it’s revealed that he is bilingual. The MCU version of Prince Yan got to do what his comic book counterpart did not– marry the superhero. And get to be a hero himself.

The Marvels is now in theaters everywhere.

Originally published on October 23, 2023.

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The Temporal Loom is central to Loki’s second season, and we learn it’s critical in making the Time Variance Authority function. But what is Loki‘s Temporal Loom exactly? Here’s what we know about the Temporal Loom from Loki season two and what we can glean from Loki‘s various inspirations.

The MCU’s Loom: Loki Season Two’s Temporal Loom

Created by He Who Remains at some unknown point in time, Loki‘s Temporal Loom takes raw temporal energy and refines it into a physical timeline. Part of the reason the TVA prunes the extra timelines is so that the Temporal Loom doesn’t overload trying to “weave” too many timelines at once. Without the Temporal Loom, the TVA can’t function. And if it overloads, the TVA goes boom, and all of reality would soon follow. In episode two, we learn that a meltdown can’t be prevented without the temporal aura, or time signature, of He Who Remains. Who is currently quite dead.

By the third episode of Loki season two, the Temporal Loom is indeed overloading, thanks to the countless branched timelines that are returning with the death of He Who Remains. It simply wasn’t made to handle so many divergent timelines branching off at once. And without it, not only does the TVA cease to function, but chaos will reign in the multiverse. But we also learned of the origins of the Temporal Loom and how they tie into a specific Kang variant.

Victor Timely and the Origins of the MCU’s Temporal Loom

In episode three of Loki’s second season, Loki and Morbius travel back in time to the year 1893. There, they encounter a variant of He Who Remains. This variant, Victor Timely, is presenting his latest invention at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. It’s a very rudimentary version of the Temporal Loom, sold to the 19th-century audience as a way of harnessing energy. Victor Timely was able to create this Temporal Loom prototype based on his understanding of the descriptions of the TVA manual. A book that was left for him by Ravonna Renslayer and Miss Minutes when he was a child. Of course, the Temporal Loom malfunctions on stage after a mere few minutes. Yet it shows that as early as the 1890s, a Kang variant was working on the very thing that would make the TVA run.

Loki‘s Temporal Loom Isn’t Designed to Support the MCU’s Multiverse

In episode four, Loki and Mobius bring Victor Timely to the TVA to fix the overloaded Temporal Loom. They need the temporal aura of He Who Remains to open the blast doors to the Loom, which Timely matches. But Timely provided another service, what he called his “greatest invention” in the previous episode. Timley’s greatest invention is something that looks like a primitive version of Kang’s Multiversal Power Core from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He can attach this invention to the Throughput Multiplier and expand the rings of the Temporal Loom. This would allow the new branched timelines to filter through, and save the TVA, and all reality. However, it doesn’t quite work out that way.

When Victor Timely tries to head out and fix the loom, he turns into spaghetti. And the Temporal Loom, well, it overloads and explodes. This explosion destroys the TVA, which appears to doom every branch, too. Every universe and thread of reality appears to literally shred, and there is nowhere to go for anyone except Loki, who finally manages to control his time slipping. But in the finale of season two, we learn that the Temporal Loom is a failsafe; it’s not designed to support the multiverse. No matter how many times Loki tries to get expanding it right, it simply always fails because it’s impossible to scale up for an infinite number of timelines. He Who Remains explains that the Loom’s purpose isn’t to support a multiverse of endless branches, but to destroy everything but the sacred timeline. To keep existence stable for other branches, something else has to be done.

Loki Replaces the Temporal Loom with Himself

In Loki season 2’s final episode, Loki destroys the Temporal Loom and replaces it with himself, forming the great tree of Yggdrasil out of the timelines and supporting them with his magic. With Loki at the center, the universe and all its branches can exist and thrive in a way they could not when the Temporal Loom wove the universe.

That’s the MCU. But does Loki‘s Temporal Loom have a precedent in the pages of Marvel Comics? Well, yes and no. But mostly, no. However, Loki season two’s Temporal Loom found inspiration in various parts of Marvel’s comics and actual myth.

Loki‘s Temporal Loom and Its Mythological Inspirations

In Greek mythology, there is a Loom of the Fates, which also exists in the Marvel Universe. In Norse mythology, that loom is the Loom of the Norns. (Marvel Comics combines these two mythologies together into one.) Essentially, in mythology, the three Fates weave this loom to shape the life and destiny of every being in creation. Thor destroyed the Loom of the Fates in Thor Vol. 2 #85 and broke the thread that holds the destiny of Asgardians, from which Those Who Sit Above in Shadow were absorbing energy. Those Who Sit Above were the silent beings who created the Asgardian Gods. So it’s fitting that a powerful loom that determines how the universe flows originated in Thor comics since the MCU’s Temporal Loom now appears in Loki, thus tying it to Thor’s mythos.

Spider-Man’s Loomworld

In the Spider-Man lore, there’s another powerful loom of sorts, reminiscent of Loki‘s temporal loom. The loom in this instance is a whole world itself, one that accesses all existence. There’s an entire Loomworld, where beings called the Inheritors could access the Web of Life and Destiny to travel across the multiverse and hunt down Spider-Totems. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse especially drew inspiration from this. They created the Loomworld of conquered realms from countless wars fought across realities. Eventually, several spider-people formed the Web-Warriors. They operated from Loomworld and used it as a focal point to protect the multiverse, which is similar to how the MCU’s TVA works.

Temporal Limbo, Chronopolis, and the Heart of Forever

In the comics, Kang did not create the TVA. There was a “He Who Remains,” but as far as we know, he’s not a Kang variant. However, the TVA has a lot in common with the realm of Limbo, a place outside of time historically ruled by Immortus, who was, of course, a Kang variant. Temporal Limbo was a timeless realm facilitating time travel to various points in history. Much like the MCU’s TVA, it existed outside the time stream. And time did not flow there the way it does everywhere else.

Limbo is also part of Chronicles, which has something very similar to the MCU’s TVA. At its heart is the most important component of the city, the Heart of Forever. It’s a trans-chronal engine that enabled Kang’s home to exist in every branch of the timestream simultaneously. While not exactly like the Temporal Loom in Loki, it has key similarities.

In the end, Loki‘s Temporal Loom is a hodgepodge of different elements from the pages of Marvel Comics—not to mention actual mythology itself. Ultimately, though, the Temporal Loom is a unique creation designed for the MCU. However, we’d hardly be surprised to see it retconned into the comics at some point.

Originally published on October 5, 2023.

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Director Nia DaCosta has been doing promotion for her upcoming film The Marvels, and of course, questions about the film’s ties to X-Men lore have been brought up. Mainly because one promo for The Marvels lingered on the letter “X” in the word “Next,” leading fans to view it as a big X-Men tease. So naturally, someone asked DaCosta what her dream X-Men-related project would be. And it turns out it would focus on the two most famous leaders of the mutant team, Cyclops and Storm.

In an interview with Jake’s Takes, DaCosta said the following:

I really like Scott Summers [Cyclops] and Storm together and their dynamic fighting over who should lead the X-Men, like in the Chris Claremont run. I think some Cyclops and Storm team-up movie would be fun. I really like Scott Summers and Storm together.

When DaCosta says “the Claremont run,” you know she’s a big fan of the X-Men comics. The Claremont run refers to writer Chris Claremont’s epic 16-year run writing Uncanny X-Men. It was an era that defined so much of what Marvel’s mutants even are to this day. The struggle for leadership between Scott Summer and Ororo Munroe was a central plot point in many Claremont stories. Professor Xavier had Cyclops in mind for a leadership role since the X-Men’s inception, but when Storm joined later, she proved she was also a stellar candidate.

In Uncanny X-Men #201, the two finally fought each other over who would be the team’s field leader. Storm had no powers at the time, and she still managed to beat Cyclops through her ingenuity. Later, both Storm and Cyclops would lead their own squad of X-Men. Scott would lead the Blue Team, while Storm would command the Gold Team into battle. While we know it will be some time before this scenario can ever play out in the MCU since the X-Men need a proper introduction first. But we’re all for Nia Dacosta helming this X-Men story when it’s time.

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One of the most fun aspects of Loki, that they frankly have not done enough of, is when the writers use time travel aspects to explain away historical mysteries. In season one, we learned Tom Hiddleston’s Loki was actually the infamous D.B. Cooper, who robbed an airplane in the ’70s, popped out with a parachute, and vanished for all time. Now, in the second season’s penultimate episode, “Science/Fiction,” the show solved yet another historical mystery, MCU style. One involving the most infamous (and mythologized) prison in American history—Alcatraz.

At the end of episode four of this season, the Temporal Loom exploded, and we learned the different TVA employees who were in the control room, as well as Sylvie, were sent back to their lives before the TVA took them and wiped their memories. Mobius was a single dad named Don who sold jet skis (of course). O.B. was a scientist and an aspiring sci-fi author. Hunter B-15 was a doctor. Sylvie just went back to work at McDonald’s in 1982. But the most interesting true identity of a TVA employee had to be Casey. Turns out, the mild-mannered “guy at the desk” was once a notorious criminal, Alcatraz escaped convict Frank Morris.

When Loki starts time slipping again, Casey appears in 1962, escaping from Alcatraz. We even see the crude dummies the inmates made to appear as if they were sleeping during bedcheck. It’s something that really happened. Casey even says “If they catch us, they’re going to gut us like a fish!” That was a fun callback to season one, when Loki threatened to do the same to him but he had no idea what a fish even was. As they’re trying to escape, a time-slipping Loki appears on the shores of Alcatraz island in San Francisco. He finds Casey, now called Frank, who doesn’t recognize him, along with two other men getting ready to escape in a makeshift raft.

In reality, the two other men were Clarence and John Anglin. They were portrayed by the episode’s directors, Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson. The real Frank Morris was a lifelong criminal who spent much of his life in correctional facilities. Authorities arrested Morris for armed robbery, car theft, and finally, the crime that put him in Alcatraz, bank robbery. However, he had a genius I.Q., and was likely the real mastermind behind the whole escape. Being so smart, it’s no wonder the TVA wanted him as an employee.

Later in the episode, Loki appears to Frank Morris on a beach along with the other two escaped convicts, who made it to dry land. In reality, no one really knows what happened to the three men. Official reports suggest they drowned in the waters of San Francisco Bay, or hypothermia got them. But they never discovered any bodies. Over the past 60 years, some anecdotal evidence points to at least one of the men surviving. We have since mythologized the only successful escape from Alcatraz in pop culture. It was even the subject of the 1979 film Escape from Alcatraz with Clint Eastwood playing Frank Morris.

Frank accepts Loki’s offer to help restore the TVA, even though he doesn’t understand what’s going on. Once he realizes that O.B.’s temp pad can take anyone to anywhen, he even asks if it could take him into a bank vault. Even after doing time in the world’s most infamous prison, Frank still can’t get rid of the urge to rob banks. When one of the TemPads vanishes due to reality coming undone everyone thinks Frank stole it. Hey, when you’re famous for robbery, it’s hard to shake that reputation.

While we saw Frank/Casey unravel at the end of the episode, we have a strong feeling it’s not the last we’ve seen of him. If Loki has taught us anything, it’s that there’s always another branched timeline somewhere.

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Are the original Avengers returning? Is Doctor Doom set to replace Kang as the “Big Bad” of the Multiverse Saga? And just what the heck is going on with the Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali? Variety ran a story about the troubles Marvel Studios is having post-Avengers: Endgame, and in particular, post-pandemic. While Marvel has still had tremendous box office success, the glut of series and movies has made the MCU daunting for the casual fan. We’ll break down each of the big reveals from the Variety article, and what these reveals might mean for the future of the MCU as a whole. We should note, we’re focusing on what this means for future films and series here and not any behind-the-scenes drama.

Are the Original Avengers Making an MCU Comeback?

According to the report, there have been talks to bring back the original Avengers back for a film. This would include Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, both of whom were killed off in Avengers: Endgame. While the Variety pieces used the word “revive,” we would be shocked if they literally resurrected the versions who died. It’s far more likely we’ll meet their Multiversal variants in Avengers: Secret Wars, which would mean that they’d still be played by Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson.

Putting on our Nerdstradamus cap on, we think Avengers: Secret Wars, while loosely based on the 2015 comic, will at least feature a Battleworld made of various mashed-up realities and timelines. That puts every character, dead or alive, back on the table. So yes, that means the original Avengers are reunited—in a way. And also probably teamed up with the likes of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, and maybe Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man. If they ever wanted a real “victory lap” film, likely before Secret Wars reboots everything, something like this might be the only way to come close to the success of Endgame. It’s not something even the most cynical person who grew up with Marvel films would ever miss. And we’d bet it was always the plan too.

Is the MCU Replacing Kang with Doctor Doom as the Multiverse Saga’s Main Villain?

And now, there’s the Kang problem. Between Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Loki, everything was gearing up to have Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror be the main villain of Phases 5 and 6. But then, all of Major’s personal and legal troubles began (which the Variety article details). It all leaves the MCU in a pickle. How do you make Avengers: The Kang Dynasty with possibly no Kang? The article suggests that at a recent Marvel Studios Palm Springs retreat, executives discussed backup plans, including pivoting to another comic book adversary, probably Doctor Doom.

Victor von Doom is one of Marvel’s greatest villains. Heck, he’s one of the entire comic book medium’s greatest villains. So a pivot toward the megalomaniacal ruler of Latveria makes sense. Also, as will all things MCU, the answers lie in the comics. In the 2015 Secret Wars series, Doom essentially steals the god-like power of the omnipotent Beyonder. It could be that Doom usurps Kang’s role and power in the story in a similar way. The Kang Dynasty could become The Doom Dynasty, and there’s ample Marvel Comics precedent for that. While the original report suggests the upcoming end of Loki forces Marvel to have Kang as the primary antagonist, we bet they have an out planned.

What Is Happening with the MCU Version of Blade?

So what about poor Blade? Things have certainly been contentious in the world of the Daywalker ever since SDCC 2019, when Feige announced Mahershala Ali as the iconic vampire hunter. The project has apparently gone through at least five writers, two directors, and one shutdown six weeks before production. Feige most recently hired Michael Green, screenwriter for Logan, to start from scratch. The hope is that Blade will now make it for a 2025 release date. The supposed budget may have come down to $100 million or so, way less than the standard MCU fare.

We think if that’s the case, it’s a wise move. Blade is a bloody, horror action franchise. Cleaning it up to be a PG-13 tentpole defeats the purpose. If Marvel Studios is releasing an R-rated Deadpool 3, why not do the same for Blade? Nobody wants to see a sanitized version of the character. We would not be shocked if going back to the drawing board for Blade means looking at what worked in the original Wesley Snipes films (well, at least the first two) and giving the Marvel vampire saga a modern spin. The report says Mahershala Ali almost walked away from the project, but we think Kevin Feige is too smart to let that happen.

The X-Men May Be the Focus Post Multiverse Saga in the MCU

The report also mentions Kevin Feige’s trump card is the acquisition of the X-Men library of characters from Fox. Although it is rumored that many of the original Fox-era mutant heroes are returning for Deadpool 3 and possibly Secret Wars alongside Hugh Jackman, we’re guessing this is a big swan song for those iterations of the characters. A reboot of X-Men is inevitable, and we agree Marvel Studios is likely to pivot to all things mutant post-Secret Wars. Feige knows the X-Men world has much unrealized potential. They can make government operative strike teams like X-Factor or mutants in a Doctor Who-style world like Excalibur. A mutant black ops team? There’s X-Force. While we doubt the Avengers brand is going away, we foresee a big pivot towards Marvel’s mutants.

Why We Shouldn’t Count Out the MCU Just Yet

Although the original report has a real “the sky is falling” approach, the truth is more complex. A “failure” for Marvel is a big success for anyone else. If The Flash made as much as Quantumania, they’d be popping champagne bottles over there. But for Marvel, compared to the peak of the Infinity Saga, it paled. Marvel’s biggest enemy is its own success. The first decade of the MCU, from Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame was unprecedented in terms of success. We’re talking about a franchise of 23 films, all opening at #1 at the box office. All with Fresh Rotten Tomatoes scores. And all of which collectively made a staggering $25 billion. To expect that kind of wild success indefinitely is totally unrealistic. We’d suggest not writing off the MCU just yet. And even if it dies, what stays dead in comics forever? The answer: Nothing.

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What is canon and what is not to the MCU has been a topic of fervent fan debate for years. Is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which referenced the events of Avengers, actual MCU canon? What about the former Netflix shows like Daredevil, which also made mention of Avengers like Captain America and Thor? Well, we now have an answer to that question from the guy in charge, Kevin Feige. In his introduction to the book Marvel Studios: The Marvel Cinematic Universe—An Official Timeline, he wrote the following:

On the Multiverse note, we recognize that there are stories—movies and series—that are canonical to Marvel but that were created by different storytellers during different periods of Marvel’s history. The timeline presented in this book is specific to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline through Phase 4. But, as we move forward and dive deeper into the Multiverse Saga, you never know when timelines may crash or converge (hint, hint/spoiler alert).

FYI, our own Editor-in-Chief Amy Ratcliffe cowrote that book.

So, in short, everything utilizing Marvel characters, whether produced by Marvel Studios or not, is part of a branched timeline in the overall Marvel Multiverse. Some we already knew about. The original Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, and the Marc Webb Amazing Spider-Man films? No Way Home confirmed them as Multiverse canon. Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness confirmed Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, and Deadpool 3 is set to canonize Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Even if these are variants of the Fox X-Men films, it indicates all those movies are also Multiverse canon.

Also, with clips of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s respective Peter Parkers in Across the Spider-Verse, not to mention the appearance of Donald Glover in his MCU role as the Prowler in that film, those animated films also exist in the overall MCU Multiverse tapestry. Will movies like Ang Lee’s Hulk, Sony’s Ghost Rider films, and others get included in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Secret Wars? Well, Jennifer Garner as Elektra in Deadpool 3 suggests it’s all on the table now. Heck, why not Howard the Duck? Stranger things have happened.

Right now, the MCU is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time. By a lot too, with $29 billion dollars total. By contrast, the #2 slot goes to the Star Wars franchise, which is a distant second at $10 billion. But if the MCU now includes pre-Marvel Studios films? Oh man, then does that number ever go up. The mutant franchise at Fox adds $10 billion to that sum. The non-MCU Spider-Man films? About $8 billion total. Even the Fantastic Four films have collectively made $800 million. Throw in a couple of Blade films, we’re talking about a franchise that has made some $50 billion dollars. Easily the biggest success story in Hollywood history. And a record we’re likely never going to see surpassed in our lifetimes. In the meantime, we’re just excited to see Hugh Jackman take on Tobey Maguire while Deadpool just laughs at them both.

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Nick Fury assembled an impressive Avengers squad to protect the MCU. However, that version of Earth’s mightiest heroes is just one of an infinite number of super teams spread out across the multiverse. A few others are surely better, and a lot more are likely worse, but one stands out because of how it was built. And by that, we mean it’s built from little plastic bricks. Now those heroes are getting their very own special at Disney+, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red.

The film’s new Easter egg-filled trailer puts together an incredible lineup with a special member. It will have Marvel fans wondering when they’ll get to see such an X-citing unit in live-action.

The Collector is back! The LEGO Variant of the character is looking to add Marvel’s Avengers to his vast library of intergalactic goods. That’s a big problem on its own, but one they can manage. It’s a far bigger issue that will lead to the superheroes asking for help. Here’s the synopsis for LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red from Disney:

The Avengers gather to celebrate their latest victory, but their celebration is quickly interrupted by the mysterious disappearance of Black Widow’s father, Red Guardian. As the Avengers investigate, they discover that Red Guardian isn’t the only one missing when they meet a dangerous new foe quite unlike anything they’ve ever encountered before.

That new foe is Red Phantom. He’s why LEGO Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, two Captain Americas, the Incredible Hulk, and the Black Panther will reach out to a “quirky” Marvel counterpart. And oh, is he quirky. The LEGO Avengers will turn to a grumpy, self-healing, hot dog-loving Marvel legend who has yet to appear in the MCU: Wolverine.

Sorry Hulk, we know you really don’t want to deal with “that guy,” but he does have special skills. And also knives in his hands. Indestructible hand knives are always helpful, especially against plastic. Plus, with Wolverine joining the LEGO Avengers, it might push his MCU Variant to get in on the action sooner rather than later. We really want to see that happen. Wolverine makes every team better in every universe.

LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red stars: Laura Bailey, Trevor Devall, Steve Blum, Will Friedle, James Mathis III, Liam O’Brien, Laura Post, Bumper Robinson, Roger Craig Smith, Fred Tatasciore, Travis Willingham, Mick Wingert. It debuts on Disney+ on Friday, October 27. 2023.

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The first season of Loki on Disney+ brought back Tom Hiddleston as the seemingly unkillable Asgardian God of Mischief. It was a huge success. The series introduced MCU fans to the Time Variance Authority, or TVA, who watch over the timeline of the known universe. Loki also formally introduced the concept of the Marvel Multiverse. We also got a perfect foil for Loki in the form of his variant Sylvie. Perhaps most importantly, it’s the only MCU series to get a second season (so far). But what wild adventures through the spacetime continuum will Loki’s second round include?

Here’s everything we know about Loki season two.

Loki Season Two’s Plot

The first season of Loki ended with Sylvie killing He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), thereby erupting the Sacred Timeline and unleashing the Multiverse in full. When Loki returned to the TVA, it was altered in the timeline, and no one remembered him. Not to mention, statues of He Who Remains (or one of his variants more likely) stood tall in the TVA’s halls.

The synopsis for Loki season two says:

Loki Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15 and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose.

We can see what will go down in Loki season two in this Disney+ trailer.

Behind the Scenes

Season one writers Michael Waldron and Eric Martin are coming back, with Martin now the head writer instead of Waldron, and Waldron serving as executive producer. One of the creatives from season one not returning is showrunner Kate Herron, according to a report from Deadline. Co-directing several episodes in season two, also according to Deadline, are Moon Knight’s Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Natalie Holt is also back as the series composer.

Loki Season Two’s Cast

Tom Hiddleston returns, of course, as the titular Loki. Also returning is Owen Wilson as Mobius, Sophia DiMartino as Sylvie, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer. Eugene Cordero as ever-present TVA employee Casey (he’ll play a series regular in season two), and Tara Strong as the voice of Miss Minutes will also come back. No word yet on Jonathan Majors as one of the Kang variants, although the giant statue of him at the end of season one suggests we will see him again.

Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) is in season two of Loki, but we don’t know details about his role yet. Additionally, Deadline reports that Game of Thrones‘ Kate Dickie will likely play the villain in Loki‘s second season.

Loki Season 2 Release Date

Loki season two will release on October 5, 2023 and 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET.

Originally published on August 24, 2022.

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The hallway fight has become a staple of action films ever since The Matrix knocked it out of the park in 1999. Since then, movies like The Raid and others have done their version of the hallway fight scene, taking it all up a notch. And Marvel films and television series are no different. Here are some of the all-time Marvel hallway fights. Whether or not these all count as MCU is debatable. After all, we still don’t know officially if the Marvel Netflix series are MCU canon. But we can make still an argument they are. So for the purposes of this ranking, we are counting Daredevil and the other Defenders shows as MCU.

8. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) Spider-Man vs. the Lizard

Ok, this first entry is an MCU adjacent fight, but we say it count since Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker is now officially part of the MCU multiverse thanks to Spider-Man: No Way Home. In the first Amazing Spider-Man film back in 2012, the Lizard emerges from the sewers and attacks Peter Parker in Midtown High. The two tussle in a hallway between rows of lockers. Eventually, this Peter puts on his Spidey outfit, and the two wreck the school halls in an all-CG scene. They then take the fight to an overpass, also kind of a hallway, where Gwen Stacy gets involved. Granted, some of the effects are dodgy, but the fighting acrobatics themselves are pretty cool still.

7. The Defenders (2017) Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist vs. The Hand

When the Netflix Marvel shows did their crossover, The Defenders, it wasn’t quite the Avengers-level event we hoped for. Nevertheless, it gave us a pretty cool hallway fight between Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist as they take on the Hand. This scene was good enough to make even Finn Jones’ Iron Fist look cool. Everyone fights in their traditional forms. Matt Murdock and Danny Rand use Martial arts, Luke Cage uses sheer strength, and Jessica Jones tosses dudes aside like paper. One of the best parts of the entire Defenders experience is these four emerging from a high-rise elevator and kicking ass.

6. Iron Man 2 (2010) Black Widow vs. Justin Hammer’s Guards

Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) made her MCU debut in Iron Man 2. While not a terrible movie, it is one of the least-loved entries in the Infinity Saga. Without a doubt, Natasha Romanoff had a lot more to do character-wise in future MCU films. However, we cannot deny that her big action scene in Iron Man 2 is one of the greatest Marvel fights ever. Towards the end of the film, Nat and Happy Hogan are looking for villain Ivan Vanko, who is hiding out in the Hammer Industries complex. Nat easily makes mincemeat of every guard that comes at her. She uses every trick both S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Red Room taught her. After she’s cleaned all their clocks in the cramped office corridors, she pepper sprays one last guard as if to say “This wasn’t even that hard.” Nat, you were the best.

5. Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 (2023) The Guardians vs. the High Evolutionary’s Creatures

The most recent hallway fight on this list is more of a corridor on a spaceship, but it counts. When the full OG Guardians roster busts out to free the kids on the High Evolutionary’s ship in this two-and-a-half-minute action scene in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, to the perfect James Gunn needle drop of the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” audiences wanted to stand up and cheer. Unlike many of the other entries here, particularly the ones involving the Defenders, this one is very CGI-reliant. However, the folks at Weta Digital knocked it out of the park. It may look like one take, but it’s actually 18 separate shots stitched together. We can watch this one on a loop and never tire of it. Just for Rocket’s glee at all the carnage.

4. Daredevil (2016) Punisher vs. Prisoners

In terms of sheer gore and brutality, nothing tops the Punisher’s prison fight in season two of Daredevil. After Wilson Fisk has set him up, Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) takes on a metric ton of inmates in the prison corridors. And he murders everyone who gets in his way. The Punisher is not Daredevil. He doesn’t go for the injury, he goes for the kill, and you see it in all its bloody gory. This one is brutal folks, and not for the squeamish. No single fight scene shows the difference between how Daredevil and the Punisher approach a brawl than this one.

3. Daredevil (2015) Daredevil vs. Russian Traffickers

The first season of Daredevil had everyone talking, when in the second episode, vigilante Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) takes on a group of Russian human traffickers to save one kidnapped boy from their warehouse. The whole thing remains impressive for several reasons. First, it’s a three-minute sequence all shot in one take. Daredevil takes on a good ten Russian thugs inside his little cramped hall, bathed in a sickly green light. Unlike so many fight scenes in superhero media, this one looked like it actually hurt. Not just for the bad guys, but for Matt too. You could feel every punch landed, and every punch Matt landed on the bad guys. There have been other great, more grandiose hallway fights, but this one will probably remain talked about as a game changer for a long time.

2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) Cap vs. HYDRA Agents

If we’re extending hallway fight to include any cramped indoor space, then what’s a smaller cramped indoor space than an elevator? And that’s where this entry comes in. When Steve Rogers, realizing he’s in an elevator surrounded by Hydra agents in S.H.I.E.L.D. gear looking for a fight, asks if anyone wants to get out before the beat-down begins? You just knew it was going to be a brawl for the ages. Steve proves why he’s freakin’ Captain America in this scene. He takes on all these guys who should have beat him ten to one…and he still hands their butts to them. And then jumps through the glass several stories below. This scene will never not be impressive. If it was in an actual hallway, it would be our number one pick.

1. Daredevil (2016) Daredevil vs. Bikers

After all the accolades season one of Daredevil got, especially that hallway fight, the creators clearly felt the need to top themselves. And we argue they did. This fight showed the Punisher trying to show the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen that his nonlethal ways are ineffective. This scene takes place after Daredevil escaped capture by the Punisher. Matt discovers the gun he taped to his hand doesn’t have bullets in it. Subsequently, Matt fights a plethora of bikers, starting in an apartment complex hallway, later extending into the stairwell. And all without full use of his hands! It is one amazing fight, as Daredevil mows through his attackers. This fight scene somehow topped the first hallway fight from season one. And it’s our favorite Marvel hallway fight of all time.

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The Marvels arrives this fall from Marvel Studios, and this week, Entertainment Weekly had a behind-the-scenes cover story on the film. All three leads, Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani, were interviewed. Not to mention Marvel Studios’ Man of the Hour, Samuel L. Jackson, fresh of Secret Invasion, and director Nia DaCosta. And of course, so some juicy tidbits were shared. Not to mention several newly seen photos from The Marvels, which you can check out below. Note: These interviews occurred before the current SAG-AFTRA strike.

So what are the big takeaways from Entertainment Weekly‘s piece on The Marvels? Well, for starters, this should erase any doubts that Nick Fury might not survive Secret Invasion, or retire quietly due to the events of the show. Unless The Marvels is a stealth prequel, which is possible, it looks like Fury will be back to his old self (and maybe in his old job) by the time The Marvels hits theaters.

But that doesn’t mean that he and Carol Danvers are talking much these days. According to Samuel L. Jackson, “He’s been calling her, and she’s off in galaxies far, far away. She’s like, ‘Fury, why are you calling me? I told you not to use this [number].’ He’s like, ‘You gave it to me, so I’m gonna use it. And I’m calling you because I need your help!” Carol, meanwhile, has been spending all her time post-Endgame far away from Earth. It seems she really doesn’t like visiting home often.

The Marvels will of course be a reunion between Monica Rambeau and Carol Danvers. Carol last saw Monica as a child in the ’90s, and she was her “Auntie Carol.” But Monica’s reaction to hearing Carol’s name in WandaVision suggested that there was tension in the family. According to Teyonah Parris, that still seems to be the case. She said “Carol is such a huge part of Monica’s life in Captain Marvel. When we see her [as an adult] in WandaVision, you get a sense that she has not talked to Carol in a very long time. So, we have to address the elephant in the room.”

Perhaps the most fun fact we learned, at least for Marvel Comics fans, is that the “location swapping” across space is a nod to the original Captain Marvel comics of the ’60s and ’70s. Back then, Captain Marvel, a.k.a. the Kree hero Mar-Vell, would switch places with teenager Rick Jones using Kree bracelets called Nega-Bands. Hmmm, those sound a lot like what Kamala Khan wears in Ms. Marvel. Rick Jones, who served as sidekick to the Hulk, Captain America, and others, has never popped up in the MCU. If he ever does, it will likely be in another project. Because it seems Ms. Marvel now has his function in terms of the Captain Marvel mythology.

Speaking of Ms. Marvel, the actress who portrays her, Iman Vellani, is well known as a true blue comics nerd. And now a comics writer too. She’s definitely more of a fangirl than her co-stars. But it turns out, director Nia DaCosta is also a huge Marvel Comics nerd. And in particular, she’s a fan of the character of Kamala Khan. She said “I’m a big nerd from New York City, and here was this hero who was a big nerd from Jersey City, writing fan fiction the way I used to when I was that age. It was really fun to feel close to that character in that really specific way, in a way you don’t often feel when it’s Iron Man or Thor.”

The Marvels hits theaters on November 10, 2023.

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The Disney+ series Secret Invasion, which stars Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, details the veteran agent’s attempt to uncover a conspiracy of alien Skrull infiltrators on Earth. The show’s title refers to a seismic event in the Marvel universe, which took place in the eight-part Secret Invasion event mini-series in 2008. For MCU fans who are less familiar with the comics, here’s a full breakdown of the Marvel Comics Secret Invasion event. Just what was the secret invasion? Who exactly were the aliens that did all the invading? And how did it all work out in the end? Here’s the comic book history of the Secret Invasion and how it differs from what we’re seeing in the MCU.

What Is Marvel Comics’ Secret Invasion?

Secret Invasion was the brainchild of Marvel Comics writer Brian Michael Bendis. After revitalizing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes with his New Avengers run starting in 2005, Bendis planted the seeds for what would be one of his greatest epics. He began his long run at the end of the original Avengers series, with the storyline Avengers Disassembled. This story saw the legendary team crumble from within. It was the end of an era that had lasted over 400 issues.

But soon, Captain America and Iron Man would put together a new Avengers team, realizing the world couldn’t go unprotected. For the first time, long-standing Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and Wolverine would join the ranks. Also enlisted was one hero who hadn’t been heard from in a long time: Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman. Fans hadn’t seen her in costume in decades but were nevertheless excited for her return. However, this return was not as it seemed. Before we get too far into Marvel Comics’ Secret Invasion, a brief explainer on a particular alien race is in order.

A Brief History of Marvel Comics’ Skrulls, Key Secret Invasion Players

The menacing Skrulls have been a thorn in the side of Marvel’s heroes since 1962’s Fantastic Four #2. The green, reptilian aliens were shapeshifters and could assume the form of anyone. They made life miserable for Earth’s heroes, culminating in the epic Kree-Skrull war in the pages of Avengers. Even after that, they continued to create havoc, notably kidnapping the Thing’s girlfriend Alicia Masters, and replacing her with a Skrull agent. She married the Human Torch, creating a deep rift among the team. During this time, the planet eater Galactus destroyed the Skrull homeworld, leaving them a nomadic race. But they never lost sight of their plans for Earth.

The first signs of a Skrull infiltration came in 2006 when an Avenger named Echo killed the assassin Elektra. Upon her death, Elektra transformed back to her natural Skrull state. This led to shockwaves throughout the superhero community. Who else had been replaced? This was especially shocking to the Illuminati, the secret cabal of heroes formed after the Kree-Skrull war. These included Iron Man, the Inhuman King Black Bolt, Black Panther, Professor Charles Xavier, Doctor Strange, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards. Black Bolt then revealed himself to be a Skrull and attacked the rest of the Illuminati.

Secret Invasion‘s Skrull Infiltration of the Marvel World Revealed

In Secret Invasion, suddenly, every hero in the Marvel Comics universe was a suspect—especially heroes who had died and suddenly come back to life in previous years. Captain Mar-Vell had passed away from cancer years before and had only recently returned. Turns out, he, too, was a Skrull in disguise. Others replaced by Skrulls in Marvel Comics’ Secret Invasion event were Iron Man’s faithful butler Jarvis, the X-Man Longshot, and Brother Voodoo. The biggest blow came when Spider-Woman was discovered to be not only a Skrull, but the Skrull’s ruler Veranke.

Readers learned that the alien Princess Veranke was originally exiled by the Skrull Emperor Dorrek, but after Galactus destroyed the Skrull homeworld, Veranke became the new Empress. She was behind the invasion of Earth, gaining knowledge of Earth’s superhumans while posing as the heroic Spider-Woman. The real Jessica Drew was held captive when Veranke assumed her place.

All-Out War in Secret Invasion‘s Comics

Once revealed in Secret Invasion, Marvel’s Skrulls infiltrated and disabled the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, along with their orbiting base, The Peak. Skrulls instigated a massive breakout on the Raft, a supervillain high-security prison. The Secret Invasion comics’ climax saw a huge battle between Nick Fury’s collection of Marvel heroes and the Skrull Armada. Naturally, the heroes ultimately won. But it wouldn’t be one of the good guys who dealt the Skrull their killing blow, but former Green Goblin Norman Osborn.

Those replaced by Skrulls came home, some after years away. But the failure of the Avengers and the other heroes to stop this massive infiltration did not go unnoticed by those in charge. The President of the United States dissolved S.H.I.E.L.D. and replaced it with a new organization called H.A.M.M.E.R. (Don’t ask what it stands for; that’s classified.) Norman Osborn took charge of H.A.M.M.E.R., kicking off a period in Marvel history known as the Dark Reign. For the next several years after Secret Invasion, villains ruled the day in Marvel Comics.

Who Do You Trust in Marvel Comics’ Secret Invasion?

Of course, the MCU is very different than the comic book universe. There are no X-Men or Fantastic Four… yet. The only Kree-Skrull war we know of took place in the past during the events of Captain Marvel. Also, the biggest change is that in the MCU, many of the Skrulls are good guys, like Captain Marvel’s Talos. Ben Mendelsohn reprises his Talos role for Secret Invasion.

The MCU’s Own Secret Invasion

The MCU Secret Invasion is much, much more akin to an espionage thriller than a superhero epic—one with an alien twist. The only Avenger we’ve seen so far is James Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine (Don Cheadle), who is working for the government (and might be a Skrull). Emilia Clarke plays G’iah, the daughter of Talos; we met her as a child in the climax of Captain Marvel. Now, G’iah works with other displaced Skrull refugees, many of whom are angry at how little the human race has done for them in terms of relocating her people to a new home.

But where the original Secret Invasion comics were about which Marvel superheroes were replaced with Skrull agents, this series is all about replacing (mostly) ordinary humans in positions of power across the globe. Like many previous Marvel Studios projects, the MCU is taking the comics as inspiration for the premise of Secret Invasion and running with it. Big superhero battles seem very unlikely to happen in the series. However, one thing is certain: although the MCU’s Secret Invasion is sure to be different than the comic book version, we should expect massive changes to the universe as a result.

Originally published on December 15, 2020.

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