This article originally appeared on Complex.com
Not content with the full slate of movies and Disney+ series they announced back in 2019, Marvel Studios took the (virtual) stage during Disney’s Investors Day to detail a lot more about the MCU’s future. While 2020 didn’t offer a single bit of new MCU content (thanks, COVID), Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige was quick to remind the public that there’s more coming very soon. And if that wasn’t enough, he brought a ton of shocking new information with him as well.
With added details to existing projects and shocking, brand new projects unveiled, the MCU’s future only looks to be bigger and bolder than what’s come before. To help you make sense of it all, we’ve dived deep into the news while also providing some comic book-based context about what fans can expect from these projects. Here’s everything you need to know about the future of Marvel.
'WandaVision'
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Teyonah Parris, Kat Dennings, Randall Park, Kathryn Hahn
Release date: Jan. 15, 2021
Fresh out of the gate was a brand new trailer for WandaVision, which featured the most direct confirmation that the reality of the world Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) are inhabiting appear to exist entirely in space Wanda has created herself. The show will switch between different sitcom tropes as it progresses, while the outside world—including Randall Park’s Jimmy Woo and Kat Dennings’ Darcy Lewis—work to try and get through to Wanda.
'Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness'
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Elizabeth Olsen, Xochitl Gomez
Release date: March 25, 2022
As was confirmed at Comic-Con in 2019, Wanda will appear in the Sam Raimi-directed Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. The horror-action film will bring back original stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Xochitl Gomez will star as America Chavez, better known as Miss America, Marvel’s premiere Latin-America and LGBTQ character. In addition to flight and super-strength, America can travel through dimensions, which will come in handy for a multiverse-based movie. Feige also confirmed Multiverse would tie-in to the next Spider-Man movie, which is maybe why we’re going to see so many old faces return for that upcoming flick.
'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Daniel Brühl, Emily VanCamp, Wyatt Russell
Release date: March 19, 2021
Arriving after the end of WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Solider will debut on Disney+ March 19. The first trailer for the action-packed, buddy cop-esque show focuses squarely on the relationship between Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) in the wake of Cap’s decision to give up the shield. The trailer for the six-episode series ends with a thrilling aerial sequence that looks like it belonged in a Marvel movie, so those fretting about losing something in the move from film-to-tv shouldn’t have their fears eased.
'Black Widow' / 'The Eternals' / 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'
Starring: Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), and Angelina Jolie (The Eternals)
Release date: May 7, 2021 (Black Widow), July 9, 2021 (Shang-Chi), and Nov. 5, 2021 (The Eternals)
Those hoping for some sort of Disney+ debut for Black Widow were sadly disappointed as Feige confirmed Marvel’s commitment to a theatrical release for the long-awaited solo flick. The Scarlett Johansson-led project will hit theaters only on May 7, 2021.
The kung-fu-inspired Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings just wrapped filming and will debut theatrically on July 9, 2021. Meanwhile, Chloé Zhao’s The Eternals will release on November 5, 2021.
'Loki'
Starring: Tom Hiddleston
Release date: May 2021
Set immediately after the god of mischief’s disappearance with the Space Infinity Stone during Avengers: Endgame, Loki will be a sort of crime thriller set in the MCU. The trailer shows Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in the custody of Owen Wilson’s unnamed character at the Time Variance Authority or TVA, where he’s presumably held for crimes against the timeline.
Eagle-eyed viewers will notice a few easter eggs, including a reference to the Roxxon Energy Corporation, which just showed up in the Spider-Man: Miles Morales video game. There’s a direct reference to 2016’s Vote Loki satirical mini-series (written by Christopher Hastings with art by Langdon Foss) with the trailer’s final shot. Oh, and the fact that Loki appears to be DB Cooper?
However, the updated cast list has me intrigued as it tips toward some speculation about the show’s events. Loki has changed appearance and gender over the years; rumor has it the Loki show will incorporate this by having actress Sophia Di Martino play the female version of Loki, while beloved actor Richard E. Grant offers an older, more comics-traditional take. We won’t have to wait too long to find out, as Loki will hit Disney+ in May 2021.
'What If...?'
'Ms. Marvel' / 'Captain Marvel 2'
Starring: Iman Vellani
Release date: 2021
One of the most adored, new comic book creations is Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel. Created by editors Sana Amanat and Stephen Wacker, writer G. Willow Wilson, and artists Adrian Alphona and Jamie McKelvie, Khan immediately resonated with fans as the first Muslin character to headline a comic book title. Ms. Marvel’s teen drama is similar to that of great Spider-Man tales but filtered through a character who absolutely loves superheroes—specifically Captain Marvel—only to find herself developing superpowers of her own.
The show will be helmed by Four Weddings and a Funeral series writer Bisha K. Ali. It will feature episodes directed by Bad Boys For Life helmers Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi, Farah Goes Bang’s Meera Menon, and documentarian Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Actress Iman Vellani will bring Kamala to life on Disney+ before appearing alongside Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris in the Nia DaCosta-directed Captain Marvel 2.
(This is your reminder that I’m still bummed we haven’t seen DaCosta’s Candyman—but watch Tessa Thompson act her ass off in DaCosta’s debut, Little Woods!)
'Hawkeye'
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld
Release date: 2021
Inspired by Matt Fraction and David Aja’s truly incredible storyline, the Hawkeye Disney+ series will focus on Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton teaming up with another skilled archer: Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld).
Fraction and Aja’s run set out to explore what Hawkeye did on his days off and was set in Brooklyn as Clint became the de-facto protector of an apartment building under siege from local gangsters. Oh, it featured a pizza-loving dog who has already shown up in set photos for the show.
Rounding out the cast is Fra Free, Vera Farmiga, and newcomer Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, aka Echo. In particular, the Echo news marks a good step forward for better inclusion in the MCU. The character is a deaf Native American—and so is Cox. She’ll also join Enternals actor Lauren Ridloff as the second deaf actor in the MCU. Hawkeye will be directed by John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch’s Rhys Thomas and Troop Zero duo Bert and Bertie, which means the Fraction’s comedic stylings will hopefully translate well to the final product.
'She-Hulk'
Starring: Tatiana Maslany
Release date: 2022
Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk, is getting a Disney+ series and will be portrayed by Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany. Despite having Hulk abilities of her own, Walters is typically more zen than her raging cousin, Bruce Banner, who is set to appear in the show as well. In addition to Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth’s Abomination will return after his The Incredible Hulk appearance back in 2008.
The show will be a legal procedural with some superheroes tossed in for good measure. Interestingly, Feige teased that you may never know which characters could show up in a courtroom. Could this be a way in for Daredevil to enter the MCU once more?
'Moon Knight'
Starring: TBA
Release date: TBA
Moon Knight details the story of Marc Spector, a Batman-like vigilante who has dissociative identity disorder and superpowers granted to him by an Egyptian god. While Feige didn’t say how the show will handle that specific character element, the Marvel head mentioned adventure movies like Indiana Jones would inspire the series. Feige also didn’t confirm casting for the show, but it’s heavily-speculated actor Oscar Isaac will lead.
'Secret Invasion'
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn
Release date: TBA
When it was announced that the Skrulls would be a part of the first Captain Marvel, many comic book fans [Ed note: Present company included] anticipated the movie would include some elements of the popular Secret Invasion storyline. While we didn’t quite get this angle, we will now. The Secret Invasion series for Disney+ features Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos will hunt down shape-shifting Skrulls who have infiltrated all parts of Earth. The 2008 event series mentioned above — written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Leinil Francis Yu — was a little hit or miss but featured one of my single favorite comic book panels ever. I would anticipate this show to be a buddy cop meets spy thriller instead of the epic crossover event seen in the original series.
'Ironheart'
Starring: Dominque Thorne
Release date: TBA
Feige revealed the development of a Disney+ series for the Ironheart character. Much like the creation of Miles Morales, writer Brian Michael Bendis introduced Riri Williams in 2015 as a successor to Iron Man. A 15-year-old wunderkind, Riri is a Black engineering student who attends MIT, where she ends up making an Iron Man-like suit. She eventually draws the attention of Tony Stark, who gives her his blessing to become a superhero under the name Ironheart.
Riri hasn’t had an ongoing series of her own since Eve Ewing’s 2018 to 2019 run on the title, but expect that to change in the wake of this news. Newcomer Dominque Thorne has been cast in the role.
'Armor Wars'
Starring: Don Cheadle
Release date: TBA
Other than the Demon in a Bottle story, which was loosely adapted for Iron Man 2, one of the most famous Iron Man stories is Armor Wars. The David Michelinie and Bob Layton story ran for seven issues in the late 80s, and detailed one of Stark’s worst fears come true: What happens when the Iron Man tech falls into the wrong hands?
While Don Cheadle will headline the series as James Rhodes, there’s a good chance we’ll see Riri Williams involved one way or another. And this could be the right place for the return of Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer or even the introduction of Ezekiel Stane, the son of Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). Oh, and maybe we’ll get Gwyneth Paltrow back too?
'Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special' / 'I Am Groot'
Starring: TBA
Release date: 2022 (Holiday Special), TBA (I Am Groot)
Feige mentioned leveraging Disney+ to distribute projects Marvel didn’t necessarily have a place for before the introduction of the service—which is why we’re now getting a Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Not much is known other than director/writer James Gunn will helm the project during the production of Guardians 3. The special will release during the 2022 holiday season, with Guardians 3 arriving in 2023.
Additionally, Baby Groot will headline his own series in I Am Groot. Marvel didn’t detail much but said the show would feature “several new and unusual characters.”
'Blade'
Starring: Mahershala Ali
Release date: TBA
Other than reiterating the casting of Mahershala Ali as the titular daywalker himself, Feige didn’t have any new information about the upcoming Blade movie. The project remains in active development.
'Thor: Love and Thunder'
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Christian Bale
Release date: May 6, 2022
We already knew Taika Waititi’s second Thor movie would feature the return of both Tessa Thompson but also Natalie Portman as she becomes a Thor herself, but we didn’t know much else. After a few months of rumors, Christian Bale was confirmed to join the cast as the villainous Gorr the God Butcher.
Love and Thunder looks to heavily draw from writer Jason Aaron’s tenure on the title. Hailed by comic fans and critics alike as a modern classic, Aaron’s run introduced the Jane Foster Thor we’ll see Portman portray as well as Gorr, who terrorized Thor across three different time periods in the God of Thunder’s life. Gorr is a genuinely frightening character, and Bale’s intensity is a perfect fit for the role. While the film won’t debut until May 6, 2022, you can read Aaron’s story right now to get a sense of the real threat Thor will be facing.
'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania'
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathryn Newton, Jonathan Majors
Release date: TBA
The Ant-Man movies have sneakily been some of my stealth favorites in the MCU, and I’m glad director Peyton Reed is fully leaning into the skid with the newly titled Quantumania. After Scott was away for so long, he’ll be reunited with a grown-up Cassie Lang played by Blockers and Big Little Lies actor Kathryn Newton. Fans of the comics will know Cassie eventually becomes a hero of her own, so we’re likely to see Scott’s family join with the Pym family.
Speaking of the Pym family, Michael Douglas, and Michelle Pfeiffer will all reprise their roles as they take on the time-traveling adversary Kang the Conqueror, who will be played by Lovecraft Country star Jonathan Majors. In comic book history, Kang is actually Nathaniel Richards—a descendant of Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic—who fights the Avengers. A time-traveler, he’ll probably have a bone to pick with Scott’s use of the Quantum Realm in Avengers: Endgame.
'Black Panther II'
Starring: TBA
Release date: July 8, 2022
Feige took time to acknowledge the tragic passing of actor Chadwick Boseman and to announce that the Ryan Coogler-written and directed sequel would not recast the T’Challa out of respect for Boseman. Instead, Black Panther II will pay tribute to the actor and leverage other characters that appeared in the initial film. Might we see Shuri take up the mantle as she did in the comics? Or someone else entirely? Regardless, we’ll find out when the film releases on July 8, 2022.
'Fantastic Four'
Starring: TBA
Release date: TBA
In a shocking bit of news, Feige closed the presentation with the reveal that the Fantastic Four will head to the MCU courtesy of Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home director Jon Watts. No release date or additional casting information was provided.
The Fantastic Four previously belonged to Fox but was reacquired by Marvel during the Disney and Fox merger in 2019. While many thought the X-Men might be the first Fox franchise to be relieved, it is instead Marvel’s first family. The Fantastic Four have so much untapped potential, and I’m legitimately hopeful that audiences will be rewarded with a version of the characters that better reflects why they’ve been such a mainstay in comics.