Source: Kevin Winter / Getty
The internet, especially #BlackTwitter is already trying to figure out what to wear to the Blade premiere now that Mahershala Ali is taking over. But that wasn’t the only news announced at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend about Marvel fans can expect in the next phase of MCU films.
When Phase 4 officially kicks off next year, fans can look forward to the most diverse and craziest one yet. The upcoming slate of Disney+ shows and films features the first Asian superhero, the first LGBTQ superhero and plenty of girl power this time around. Marvel Studio’s head Kevin Feige confirmed all the fantastic news during the 90-minute presentation on Saturday (July 20).
Kicking things off much to the chagrin of our deputy editor, Scarlett Johansson’s long-rumored Black Widow solo film will kickoff phase 4. The movie coming May 1, 2020, will serve as a prequel and will star Stranger Things‘ star David Harbour. He will face off against the former Russian spy taking on the role of The Taskmaster who is an expert at mimicking the physical movements of any of one he sees.
The Eternals will follow Black Widow arriving in theaters on November 6, 2020. The film is based on the legendary Jack Kirby’s same comics of the same name. It tells the story of a group of beings called Eternals who secretly exist and protect humans in the future. The movie boasts a stellar cast which includes Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie.
The next film Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings won’t arrive till the following year, February 12, 2021. The first movie to feature an Asian superhero. Canadian-Chinese actor Simu Liu will take on the titular role, and he will take on the ten ring wearing villain the Mandarin (Tony Leung). Marvel fans will remember that Sir Ben Kingsley played a fake version of the supervillain in Iron Man 3 much to their dismay. Awkwafina was also announced as a member of the film’s cast in a yet-to-be-revealed role.
The next film in Doctor Strange franchise will be a horror film, a first in the MCU. Doctor Strange and The Multiverse of Madness will see the wizard venture into the different dimensions — Mysterio lied about — in Spider-Man: Far From Home. It will follow the events of the Disney+ show WandaVision which will also introduce Teyonah Parris as a grown-up Monica Rambeau. The daughter of Captain Marvel’s Maria Rambeau. In the movie, Strange will team up with Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). The film arrives in theaters on May 7, 2021.
Last but certainly not least, Thor will be back in Phase 4, but there is a huge twist coming, and we are not talking about his weight. It was revealed that his love interest in previous films, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) will return. This time around, she won’t be a damsel in distress but instead, become the new God of Thunder and Lightning. Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) returns to direct Thor: Love and Thunder. The upcoming sequel also boasts the first LGBTQ superhero with Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie looking for Queen to rule by her side.
Of course, we can’t forget Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye and the animated series What If? all coming to Disney+. Plus Feige also hinted at the arrival of the recently acquired Fox properties The Fantastic Four and X-Men finally finding their way into the MCU. We are sure he still has more aces up his sleeve for the upcoming D23 Expo. Marvel Studios and the House of Mouse is gonna be raking in the dough for a long time.
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Photo: Kevin Winter / Getty
Diversity Is The Main Star of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Fourth Phase of Films was originally published on hiphopwired.com
