Marvel Movie Nooz: Phase Four Reveals from San Diego Comic-Con 2019
Black Widow
The solo adventure of the former Russian spy and assassin who helped save the very universe as an Avenger is currently in production so it was the only movie to debut footage at this year’s Comic-Con. What was shown was some high-intensity kinetic fighting worthy of Captain America: Winter Solider as Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) battled her “sister,” Yelena Belova, a fellow Red Room Academy spy and assassin played by Florence Pugh, and then Taskmaster, an exciting supervillain from the comics with the power of photographic reflexes and enhanced strength and endurance courtesy of a Nazi version of Captain America’s super soldier serum.
Black Widow will be the first movie in Phase 4, with an official release date of May 1, 2020.
Check out this 1st reveal of the keyframe illustration I did for the Black Widow film… & TASKMASTER!!! #blackwidow #taskmaster @MarvelStudios #scarlettjohansson pic.twitter.com/c4504e6BEu
— Andy Park (@andyparkart) July 21, 2019
The Eternals
Speculation about the cast of Marvel’s Phase Four adaptation of one of the stranger groups of superhumans to populate the far reaches of the Marvel Universe was laid to rest with the Hall H reveal that proved some, but not all, of the recent rumors were correct. Angelina Jolie does, in fact, play one of the main characters in the pantheon of virtually immortal superhumans, but not Sersi, as was rumored, but Thena, Marvel’s version of the Greek goddess Athena. Keanu Reeves is not on board, but Salma Hayek is, as Ajax, leader of the Eternals. Additional cast includes Richard Madden as Ikaris, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo Sunen, Don Lee as Gilgamesh, Bryan Tyree Henry as Phastos, Lia McHugh as Sprite and Lauren Ridloff as Makkari.
The Eternals was written by Matthew and Ryan Firpo. It starts shooting next month under the direction of Chloé Zhao (The Rider). It opens in theaters on November 5, 2020.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The full title of Shang-Chi’s first solo movie was revealed, but the bigger news was the casting of Canadian-Chinese actor Simu Li as the title character, the superheroic Master of Kung Fu. Hong Kong actor Tony Leung will play the Mandarin, the mastermind behind the Ten Rings terrorists that have plagued the MCU since Iron Man, the real power behind Ben Kingsley‘s Trevor Slattery from Iron Man 3.
Shang-Chi will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (The Glass Castle), from a script by Dave Callaham. It will be released in theaters on February 12, 2021.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Remember before Spider-Man: Far from Home came out in theaters when we were all excited about the possibility of Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) being from another part of the Marvel multiverse only to have it turn out to be a giant lie and we felt really deflated? Well, Marvel did it to us again, because the title of the sequel to Doctor Strange promises to explore the very real Marvel multiverse in a movie that director Scott Derrickson implied would have horror overtones. Marvel Zombies, anyone? Oh, and Elizabeth Olsen will guest star as Scarlet Witch.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will open in theaters on May 7, 2021.
Thor: Love and Thunder
The announcement just prior to Comic-Con that Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi would return to direct the fourth solo Thor movie — beating both the Iron Man and Captain America franchises — was eclipsed by the announcement of the title of the movie and the reveal that Natalie Portman would not only return to the franchise as Jane Foster, but that she would be wielding Mjolner as the Mighty Thor. Tessa Thompson will return as Valkyrie, King of Asgard.
Thor: Love and Thunder is slated to open in theaters on November 5, 2021.
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In addition to these Phase Four films, Marvel President Kevin Feige also confirmed that Black Panther 2, Captain Marvel 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 were in the pipeline and that The Fantastic Four was “coming.”
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In another exciting announcement, Anthony Mackie revealed at Comic-Con that he has done a fitting for a Captain America costume!
There's a new #CaptainAmerica in town, and @AnthonyMackie says he's got a new suit! The #AvengersEndgame star spilled the details about his first fitting at #ComicCon: "It looks really good" #SDCC pic.twitter.com/A8gsXsQA1o
— MTV NEWS (@MTVNEWS) July 20, 2019
