Update: There's a damn good reason why we suggest to our readers that they consume rumors with a grain of salt, and that's because most of the time the information proves to be partially if not entirely untrue. After doing a bit of digging online yesterday's report that Marvel insider Roger Wardell had spoken with Independent has been proven entirely false. Truth be told I thought that something about it smelled funny from the get-go and that's why I'd urged you all to approach with caution. As it turns out Wardell never even spoke with Independent. When combing through the outlet's claims once more we find that the link provided by clicking on Wardell's name leads to a GameFAQS forum post where all of the "leaked" info can be found. Obviously this is an unreliable source as anyone subscribed to the site can post whatever they please.
When digging into the GameFAQS post we find that much of the info listed stems from a Reddit thread discussing Phase 4 rumors and things of the like. While the Reddit post is just fans having fun Independent made it sound like the info came directly from Wardell himself as if a one-on-one interview with the site had transpired. This is also false.
As word began to spread about Independent's bogus reporting people started digging into the "source" material only to find that the Reddit trail eventually leads you to 4chan which as many of you know is the sewer of the internet and is swamped with false information. The 4chan post no longer exists of course which is probably for the best.
Suffice it to say it really sucks when one of these fun and speculative articles turns out to be nothing but garbage. That being said it also reminds us that as the people who bring you the news we should always investigate the source of our sources – especially if the story revolves around rumors.
I'll tell you what though I'm 100% okay with the "leaked" lineup being trash. Much of what was "reported" ranged from flimsy to "well duh" anyway and I was kind of hoping that Marvel would take more risks with their Phase 4 plans. Here's hoping for some big surprises and reveals later this summer.
Original Article:
Not long ago, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige teased that fans would have a better idea as to the MCU's Phase 4 plans following the July release of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME. However, a recent interview with Marvel insider Roger Wardell courtesy of Independent (via Comicbook.com) might have already given us a glimpse into the studio's cinematic future on the big screen.
Before we get into the weeds, I'd like to remind you all to take the following information with a grain of salt, as Marvel has yet to confirm any of Wardell's claims. That being said, I'll also mention that, in the past, Wardell has proven himself to be a reliable source for MCU insider info. For example, he'd leaked some details related to AVENGERS: ENDGAME before its release, and as it eventually turned out, his predictions were quite accurate.
The first film that Wardell touched upon is director Cate Shortland's BLACK WIDOW solo feature. Obviously, a mention of this title will come as no surprise, seeing as the film has already entered its pre-production stage. For BLACK WIDOW, we already know that Scarlett Johansson will be reprising her role as Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow. In Wardell's interview, he suggests that Florence Pugh will play Yelena Belova in the film, a character who eventually takes the Black Widow mantle in the comics. Much like Jeremy Renner's planned HAWKEYE television series for Disney+ – in which he'll be handing his name over to Kate Bishop – Shortland's BLACK WIDOW film will in-part serve as a passing of the torch for the Russian superspy's title. Rachel Weisz, David Harbour, and O-T Fagbenle are also expected to star in the film which has yet to announce a release date.
Next is Marvel's THE ETERNALS. Casting for the relatively unknown Marvel property has already begun, with names like Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, and Dong-seok Ma already attached to star as key players. Moreover, reports have recently suggested that Marvel is courting JOHN WICK actor Keanu Reeves for a role in the superhero blockbuster as well. Chloé Zhao will direct from a script penned by Matthew K. Firpo and Ryan Firpo.
The next film to fall wihtin Marvel's Phase 4 is a sequel to Ryan Coogler's BLACK PANTHER. As one of the most successful films of the MCU, there was never any doubt that the studio would be returning to Wakanda for more adventures featuring T'challah, Shuri, the Dora Milaje, and the rest of the royal African family. The way Wardell puts it, BLACK PANTHER 2 will be steeped in political upheaval following the arrival of the Queen Divine Justice. According to the Marvel Wiki, Ce'Athauna Asira Davin (Queen Justice) was born in Wakanda, and is a princess of the White Gorilla-worshiping Jabari Tribe. After her parents were killed in a tribal dispute with the reigning Black Panther cult, she was taken to America and raised in secret by one of King T'Challa's warriors, posing as her grandmother. Christened Chante Giovanni Brown, she grew up ignorant of her true heritage, and as a teenager, Chante became an amateur activist in her Chicago neighborhood, calling herself Queen Divine Justice.[1] When an opening occurred in the order of the Dora Milaje, ceremonial "wives-in-training," the Black Panther came to Chicago and informed Queen of her Wakandan heritage.
Ryan Coogler will once again direct in addition to co-writing the screenplay.
During his time with Independent, Wardell also spoke about Marvel's planned SHANG-CHI feature. Little is known about the title thus far, other than that David Callaham is writing the script with Destin Daniel Cretton arranged to direct. Casting is currently underway with production to start as soon as all the pieces are in place.
Moving on down the line, Wardell also mentioned Scott Derrickson's plans to direct a sequel to 2016's DOCTOR STRANGE starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the Sorcerer Supreme. Wardell also says that Derrickson will co-write the follow-up with C. Robert Cargill.
While this next title has been loitering in the Rumor Mill parking lot for quite a while, Wardell suggests that Marvel is entertaining the the thought of producing a NOVA film. Obviously, the Nova Corps has already been featured in the MCU, as a part of James Gunn's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY series. Here's the thing though, the Nova Corps has already been decimated, so where does that leave us? Well, as it turns out, Nova is billed as the last living member of the Corps in the comics, so it stands to reason that we could see him avenging his fallen family in a standalone film.
As we move on down the line, we come to James Gunn's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 3, which Marvel has already confirmed is a thing that's happening. After being fired from the project, Disney welcomed Gunn back into the Guardians fold to write and direct the sequel. The film is expected to go into production after Gunn wraps THE SUICIDE SQUAD for DC, with a loose release window of 2021 or 2022. While no plot details have been given, many MCU fans are hoping that Chris Hemsworth's Thor will join the fray, resulting in the film being called ASGARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.
Moving away from projects that are already in production or have been rumored, Wardell also touched on projects that could be coming from other characters, such as Thor, Ant-Man, and Captain Marvel. Personally, I'd say that a sequel to CAPTAIN MARVEL is a sure thing, especially when you consider that the Brie Larson-starrer went nova at the box office with a $1.12 billion dollar worldwide take.
Last but not least, Wardell says that the studio is looking at other versions of the Avengers teams, such as New Avengers, Dark Avengers, and Young Avengers. While it's very early days to be speculating about this idea, I would imagine that Marvel's Disney+ television shows will come in handy when setting something like this up. For example, I could easily see Kate Bishop leading a Young Avengers team, with heroes the likes of Wiccan, Hulking, Prodigy, Noh-Varr, and America Chavez being a part of the mix. Moreover, a Young Avengers feature would give Marvel a prime opportunity to introduce more LGBTQA+ heroes into their lineup, as Wiccan, Hulkling, and America Chavez all identify as such.
What are you thoughts on Wardell's claims? Do you think that this is a good lineup for Marvel's Phase 4 plans? Let us know in the comments section below.