So much from SDCC
I can't keep up with all this.
Variety: Marvel Phase 4 Plan Revealed, But Comic-Con’s Big Winner is Disney Plus
Phase 4 for the movies and shows on Disney+ is:
May 1, 2020 - Black Widow
Fall 2020 - The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+)
November 6, 2020 - The Eternals
February 12, 2021 - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Spring 2021 - WandaVision (Disney+)
Spring 2021 - Loki (Disney+)
May 7, 2021 - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Summer 2021 - What If…? (Disney+)
Fall 2021 - Hawkeye (Disney+)
November 5, 2021 -Thor: Love and Thunder
So five movies and five series in two years, and from what I'm reading, they're going to put more emphasis on the shows being part of the MCU, introducing stuff in a series to tackle in a movie. While that's easier now that Disney owns everything (pretty much literally), I'm sure the cast of Agents of SHIELD are giving some serious side-eye to this news, though perhaps some can transition to the MCU proper once the show ends?
Black Widow is a flashback to Budapest, but knowing what we do now, will it also have an effect on current events?
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier... they really want me to pay for Disney+, don't they?
The Eternals is meh for me. Don't know much about the characters, but looks like the lead actress is Angelina Jolie, and I've never really cared for her. Does sound like they're going for a "trippy" story, so it has possibilities.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings could be interesting. The Ten Rings were mentioned in the original Iron Man movie, and the fake!Mandarin in Iron Man 3 was supposed to be a part of it. This is going to be about the real deals. Also going to be the first Marvel movie with an Asian superhero lead.
WandaVision didn't have a lot talked about, other than we will find out how Vision is back. Monica Rambeau will be in it. Also supposed to somehow tie-in to the next Doctor Strange movie.
Loki... yeah, they really want my money for Disney+. Supposed to take place after the original Avengers movie, but unclear if it's the alt-Loki from the 2012 Endgame timeline. Most think it will be.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is supposed to be the first MCU movie to delve into horror. Will co-star Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch, which could be an interesting team-up. It's unclear if we'll see Vision, Wong, Mordo, or any other MCU characters.
What If…? is going to be an animated non-canon show, giving us a glimpse of what could have happened if things went differently. One rumor is the first episode will be what if Peggy Carter got the supersolder serum instead of Steve Rogers? How about what if TPTB hadn't totally fucked up both their character arcs with Endgame?
Hawkeye is going to feature Clint mentoring Kate Bishop, so that's two Young Avengers (including Cassie Lang) floating around the MCU. They're using the font from the Fraction comics, so people have hopes they're going to at least use some of that storyline, but that doesn't blend very well into the MCU version of Clint having a family. And being a serial killer for five years. Again, thanks Endgame! Maybe they'll set it up as a penance thing crossed with passing on the bow?
Thor: Love and Thunder has shocked me the most. It's the first character movie to get a fourth entry, and the Thor movies haven't been the most popular. It's sort of like it got a reboot with Taika Waititi's Ragnarok, which I liked, but was kind of bummed to see some characters killed off instead of getting a second chance.
Not terribly surprised they're bringing Waititi back to direct, and also pleased Tessa Thompson will be back as Valkyrie, now queen of New Asgard, and looking for a queen to rule beside her. Yes, finally, after all the hints, we'll get a canon LGBT+ character that's not just a tease.
The real shocker for me is they're bringing back Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. I know she wasn't necessarily everyone's fave, but it really bothered me that both Jane and Betty Ross were essentially written out with a couple of lines. I think Portman's very picky about what work she takes on (doesn't mean it ends up good), and it felt like she was disappointed in how Jane was treated. So how did they get her back? Apparently they're going to use the storyline from a couple of years ago in the comics in which Jane is Thor. Not Lady Thor. Thor. I've read the comic, and it's good, but will need some reworking to fit into the MCU. What will that mean for Thor Odinson? And will Thor and Jane get back together?
Phase 5 will (so far) include Black Panther 2, Captain Marvel 2, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and a reboot of Blade, starring Mahershala Ali, which I think is a good casting choice.
io9: The Orville Will Move to Hulu for Its Third Season
I'm really disappointed in this. I have Amazon Prime, so I get their shows for free, and I'm considering Disney+ against my better judgement, but I don't want to have to pay for Hulu. Really liked having The Orville on regular TV for a weekly dose of pretty good sci-fi. Worst case scenario is I watch it when it comes out on DVD.
io9: The Flash Season 6 Trailer Introduces Sendhil Ramamurthy's Villainous Bloodwork
You had me at Sendhil Ramamurthy.
Click to viewWynonna Earp Season 4 Comic-Con Trailer (and some bloopers)
Star Trek: Picard
And last, but definitely not least...
The Expanse
Bonus clip