Months ago, two Disney/Marvel fanatics and I speculated about Marvel's future. Marvel's much-touted Marvel Cinematic Universe is truly firing on all cylinders, as it took off like a rocket with Iron Man over five years ago. With The Avengers behind them, the second phase is already bursting: More films, a television series, more one-shots and other media that's making this franchise grow rapidly. More and more people are getting enthralled with all of this.
Our Marvelite contributors in question, PJ Campbell (Twitter / Blog) and Tyler Kelson (Twitter / Blog), provided theories on the future of this shared universe. We talked about Sony's Amazing Spider-Man franchise possibly finding itself embedded in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Fox's Marvel properties (mainly X-Men and Fantastic Four) lie and why Kevin Feige won't mention much about post-Age of Ultron films until next year...
Now, we'll focus on what'll make up Phase 3, how long it'll be, what could be happening with Fox's troubled Fantastic Four reboot, and several other things...
Fantastic Fumbles
Fox announced a reboot of the Fantastic Four series a while back, with Chronicle director Josh Trank at the helm and a spring 2015 release. It's still slated for March 6, 2015 at this very moment... But...
It's gone through multiple writers - a new one has taken over yesterday. No cast and crew have been announced yet, which PJ did point out. Right now, Fox seems focused on X-Men alone, as we have no idea what X-Men film will hit theaters in 2015. All we know is details about next summer's X-Men film, X-Men: Days of Future Past. We also heard rumblings about X-Force and Deadpool movies, but that's pretty much it. If anything, this is not going to make the early 2015 release date. Where will it go? If Fox is dead-set on keeping Fantastic Four, what could happen?
PJ says...
He's most likely right, because Fox can't get this off the ground at all and it's better off that they just focus on milking X-Men till it gets stale. Unfortunately though, that doesn't like it'll be the case anymore now that actors are auditioning for the film. It's possible that Fantastic Four doesn't go back to Disney at this rate. But production has not begun, so chances are a little slim right now - it could revert.
If Fox ended up giving all of Fantastic Four back to Disney, what could happen?
PJ has a good idea of what will become of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the first Marvel family involved...
"The first thing I can almost guarantee, if the rights revert back to Marvel, is that Galactus and the Silver Surfer will be fully utilized as soon as Marvel can. Remember last year, before Daredevil reverted back, Marvel tried to convince Fox to let go of those two characters in exchange for getting another year to try and get the Daredevil film off the ground. Clearly, this wasn't something Fox was interested in, so they said no. But Marvel wouldn't be asking for the characters for no reason, and I think they're hoping to get them back, for their Phase 4...
If Fox ended up giving all of Fantastic Four back to Disney, what could happen?
PJ has a good idea of what will become of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the first Marvel family involved...
"The first thing I can almost guarantee, if the rights revert back to Marvel, is that Galactus and the Silver Surfer will be fully utilized as soon as Marvel can. Remember last year, before Daredevil reverted back, Marvel tried to convince Fox to let go of those two characters in exchange for getting another year to try and get the Daredevil film off the ground. Clearly, this wasn't something Fox was interested in, so they said no. But Marvel wouldn't be asking for the characters for no reason, and I think they're hoping to get them back, for their Phase 4...
Definitely a possibility. He adds...
"With Thanos all but confirmed to be the big bad in Avengers 3, Marvel needs to make sure the next team up film is even bigger. Well, they've said they've outlined to 2021, and I can't think of a more epic story than one that could possibly bring the entire MCU together to fight off the Destroyer of Worlds, Galactus, can you? It would be the magnum opus for them as a studio, and for their entire MCU. It would actually be a great way to end that side of the series, and maybe use it as a time to lapse and relax, creating a transition into wherever the studio decides to go next...
"As for Marvel's first family, I would like to think they'd be used in Phase 3, but I would be more inclined to believe that they'd be used in Phase 4 instead. That way Marvel has time to develop the characters, and figure out their place in this growing universe. But having them does make sense, considering the Fantastic Four are very cosmic-side beings, something that Marvel Studios really, really wants to explore. With Guardians [of the Galaxy] barreling down towards us, Inhumans seemingly being planned, and the obvious inclusion of Thanos, Marvel sees this as a chance to really dig into a side of the comic universe we don't normally see, especially on film."
"As for Marvel's first family, I would like to think they'd be used in Phase 3, but I would be more inclined to believe that they'd be used in Phase 4 instead. That way Marvel has time to develop the characters, and figure out their place in this growing universe. But having them does make sense, considering the Fantastic Four are very cosmic-side beings, something that Marvel Studios really, really wants to explore. With Guardians [of the Galaxy] barreling down towards us, Inhumans seemingly being planned, and the obvious inclusion of Thanos, Marvel sees this as a chance to really dig into a side of the comic universe we don't normally see, especially on film."
If anything, Fox ought to give Fantastic Four back to Disney/Marvel. Perhaps Josh Trank could go through with the reboot there, and perhaps get Kevin Feige and other writers to help him move it forward.
Tyler says...
"I believe that Fox should have to give Fantastic Four back to Disney/Marvel since Kevin Feige will want to utilize not only the team, but also the Silver Surfer and Galactus. I could see them putting Fantastic Four in Phase 3 as one of the later movies in that group. Using Silver Surfer in the first would be a good thing because then you could have a post-credits stinger in Avengers 3 having him warn Earth of Galactus' arrival and the impending doomsday."
PJ also mentioned a post-credits scene of Silver Surfer warning Earth of Galactus' impending arrival on his Twitter, he also put...
"Thanos would look like a teddy bear in Avengers 3 if we could get Galactus in Avengers 4."
Having this villain be a part of the MCU would only make things even bigger, and if anything, Disney really does need those two characters. As far I'm concerned, Fox is not going to do the comic book movie world any favors by making their Fantastic Four and possibly tying it to their X-Men film series, and perhaps trying to build their own little MCU. I really don't want Fox to do this because there really isn't much of a point, because Disney/Marvel's MCU is only going to top it over the decade. Audiences might even catch up with Fox, knowing that they are attempting to create their own shared universe just to cash in on the MCU.
Fox, of course, will hold onto X-Men. The franchise isn't stopping any time soon, it's only going to get bigger with X-Men: Days of Future Past. It is possible that the film may even outgross the last string of X-Men films at the domestic box office. PJ likens the upcoming film to Fast and Furious, and how that film opened big and outgrossed its three predecessors, and also propelled the series to an even more successful future. Who would've thought back in 2006 - when The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift hit theaters and bombed - that the fourth film would be the series' biggest at the box office, with the fifth and six outgrossing that? X-Men: Days of Future Past may be the series' box office comeback, it could really shock us in that department as well as being a good quality film.
But if anything, Fox should just stick with that and just let the Fantastic Four go. A post-credits scene with Silver Surfer warning Earth would be a brilliant idea, and one that would get audiences really geared up for the fourth round of The Avengers. Marvel knows this, because fatigue can very well kick in, especially if quality is low. Just keep giving audiences a reason to come back! It's astonishing to see that none of their seven films were critical duds, and have all done well enough. A third Iron Man could've very well lost money because people could've gotten worn out, but it did extremely well. Thor: The Dark World looks to continue that success, though of course it won't score Iron Man 3's massive box office gross.
Fox, of course, will hold onto X-Men. The franchise isn't stopping any time soon, it's only going to get bigger with X-Men: Days of Future Past. It is possible that the film may even outgross the last string of X-Men films at the domestic box office. PJ likens the upcoming film to Fast and Furious, and how that film opened big and outgrossed its three predecessors, and also propelled the series to an even more successful future. Who would've thought back in 2006 - when The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift hit theaters and bombed - that the fourth film would be the series' biggest at the box office, with the fifth and six outgrossing that? X-Men: Days of Future Past may be the series' box office comeback, it could really shock us in that department as well as being a good quality film.
But if anything, Fox should just stick with that and just let the Fantastic Four go. A post-credits scene with Silver Surfer warning Earth would be a brilliant idea, and one that would get audiences really geared up for the fourth round of The Avengers. Marvel knows this, because fatigue can very well kick in, especially if quality is low. Just keep giving audiences a reason to come back! It's astonishing to see that none of their seven films were critical duds, and have all done well enough. A third Iron Man could've very well lost money because people could've gotten worn out, but it did extremely well. Thor: The Dark World looks to continue that success, though of course it won't score Iron Man 3's massive box office gross.
What's In The Phase?
What will make up Phase 3? (Other than Ant-Man of course, which has been confirmed.) Well, I've been thinking...
Inhumans
Doctor Strange
Black Panther
Thor 3
Captain America 3
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (big maybe)
Here are PJ's theories...
"Many are expecting - as rumors have begun to leak - that Phase 3 will tie all the titles up to that point together in whatever the cap of Phase 3 is. I'm a big believer that it'll be an Avengers/Guardians of the Galaxy crossover, seeing an epic battle between them and Thanos. It'll tie into all the characters we have in the MCU as well, and be something truly cool and fun. I've heard quite a few rumors that encapsulate what I'm talking about, and honestly, it makes the most sense...
Definitely a very ambitious move, and that would make for a great third Avengers film. That's something that would give audiences an incentive to be back the third time around, since the titular Guardians won't be part of the team in The Avengers: Age of Ultron. It'll only raise the stakes and bring even more excitement, which is probably what Marvel Studios would want for the third film. With their streak of films, they don't strike me as a lazy studio that just wants to cash in on their own success... And their films are huge!
Phase 2 is shaping up to be better than Phase 1, with Iron Man 3 kicking things off with a bang. It's definitely the most different of the trilogy and the MCU as a whole that even went as far as taking some pretty daring risks. Risks that yielded mixed reactions, very very mixed reactions. It's even arguable that it's not only the best Iron Man film, but also the best Marvel film. Thor: The Dark World looks to continue this with its bigger story and bigger scope; Alan Taylor's film looks like it's dead-set on besting Kenneth Branagh's Thor in the action and size departments on top of upping the stakes, going a bit darker and expanding the story like a good sequel should, plus - exploration of the other Nine Realms!
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is said to be Avengers-sized, based on reactions to the Comic-Con footage and like the other films, it's going to up the stakes and explore new things. (i.e. Cap living in the modern world, political conspiracies.) Guardians of the Galaxy needs no explanation, the whole entire film is a massive risk... One that I think no one would've touched with a 39 1/2-foot pole a decade ago.
If anything, by the time Phase 3 arrives, risk-taking will be the name of the game. An Avengers threequel featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy is definitely something that can happen...
"So what do I expect to see in Phase 3 then? I want to believe that we'll see Guardians 2, but we'll have to wait and see. I'm sure that'll depend on the success of the first film. I think it's safe to assume we'll see a third Captain America and Thor as well, bringing the characters to the cap of their respective trilogies...
"I want to believe we'll see a Doctor Strange film as well, but I'm honestly not sure where, or how, it would fit into what Marvel is doing right now. I know Feige wants to do it, but his character doesn't necessarily fit the grand scheme of things right now, at least from the outside looking in. I won't be surprised if, or when, they announce the film though, because it's been on the studio's mind for quite some time...
Definitely in Phase 3:
- Ant-Man: We know he is in and he kicks it off.
- Avengers 3
"So what do I expect to see in Phase 3 then? I want to believe that we'll see Guardians 2, but we'll have to wait and see. I'm sure that'll depend on the success of the first film. I think it's safe to assume we'll see a third Captain America and Thor as well, bringing the characters to the cap of their respective trilogies...
As I've been saying in my predictions charts, Thor 3 and Captain America 3 are definitely happening. Without a fourth Iron Man film coming anytime soon, Thor 3 and Captain America 3 are what Marvel should turn to because a string of all-original films would be a little strange, plus like PJ said, their stories need to be expanded and completed in some ways. Both of these sequels will be easy moneymakers to keep things going strong. Guardians 2 is currently up in the air, and an Incredible Hulk sequel does not seem to be in the cards. I firmly believe that we will see a sequel to that 2008 film sometime in the future, maybe for Phase 4...
PJ then discussed Doctor Strange and how he'll fit into the third phase...
"I want to believe we'll see a Doctor Strange film as well, but I'm honestly not sure where, or how, it would fit into what Marvel is doing right now. I know Feige wants to do it, but his character doesn't necessarily fit the grand scheme of things right now, at least from the outside looking in. I won't be surprised if, or when, they announce the film though, because it's been on the studio's mind for quite some time...
The whole Doctor Strange situation is... Well... Strange. They've been talking about it, but at the same time they've been kind of hush-hush about it. It should be a Phase 3 release as far as I'm concerned, but PJ is right... Where will that character and setting fit into the bigger scheme of things? Feige wants the character to appear in some form during Phase 3, but how? Maybe in Thor's threequel, given the more magical and mystical side of that character and his world. Does this mean that a Doctor Strange film won't happen until Phase 4?
PJ went on to discuss the mystery character that Vin Diesel will be portraying, in addition to Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy...
"One thing we do know, one of these films will have Vin Diesel in a leading role. That leads me to believe that Inhumans could be the next in the pipeline, and that Diesel could be playing Blackbolt. But if not that, then he could become Vision for Marvel, which I could also see happening. Though, many fans are speculating that the role of Vision will actually be filled by Agent Coulson further down the road, with many believing the character's return in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is as a LMD, or Life Model Decoy, which would eventually evolve into the robotic man. Clark Gregg even hinted as much by retweeting someone who suggested it during the second episode of S.H.I.E.L.D. this past weekend...
"This leads me to my last theory about Diesel's role in the MCU as none other than the Mad Titan himself, Thanos. He has the voice and gravitas for the character, and with the character clearly being CGI, and Diesel already doing mo-cap work for Guardians of the Galaxy as Groot, it wouldn't be too surprising to find out he's really been tapped to be Thanos. Diesel has said that whatever he is involved in is 'A merging of the brands,' and that, 'Marvel wants to show a different sort of love story.' Certainly, the idea of having Thanos in Phase 3 throughout constitutes the idea of merging the brands, and Thanos is in a very different love story with his insatiable love for Death, which he sees as a woman, not as a thing. This really seems like the most solid theory, at least for now, but I wouldn't be too upset or surprised if it turned out to be wrong either."
All very valid theories, especially the Thanos one... It's very likely that he could be Blackbolt, though personally, I think Vision seems a little out of the question given the theories surrounding Coulson. Which of PJ's three theories do you think will be the correct one? Do you have a different theory on the Vin Diesel mystery Marvel character?
Now onto Tyler's theories...
Definitely in Phase 3:
- Ant-Man: We know he is in and he kicks it off.
- Avengers 3
High probability:
- Doctor Strange: Kevin Feige has been hinting at him for a LONG time, I won't be surprised at all if he is in Phase 3.
- Black Panther: This is another character that has been hinted at for a very long time.
Again, I think Doctor Strange and Black Panther will end up making it into Phase 3... Doctor Strange especially...
Strong potential:
- Ms. Marvel: There have been many whispers and rumors about her getting a film and I could see it happening, but if DC gets Wonder Woman off the ground first and it tanks it could kill the possibility of Ms. Marvel.
- Captain America 3: will possibly depend on performance of Winter Soldier and if they want to give him a 3rd solo movie, and Disney may force it in to the roster.
- Thor 3, will depend on performance of The Dark World, whether or not Disney forces it in to the slate, and if they have a 3rd story for him.
- Guardians of the Galaxy 2: will largely depend on how the first movie performs next summer. Guardians is the first MCU film based on characters that are largely unknown to the general populace. That said, the books are wonderful and the test footage from SDCC looks amazing.
Strong potential:
- Ms. Marvel: There have been many whispers and rumors about her getting a film and I could see it happening, but if DC gets Wonder Woman off the ground first and it tanks it could kill the possibility of Ms. Marvel.
- Captain America 3: will possibly depend on performance of Winter Soldier and if they want to give him a 3rd solo movie, and Disney may force it in to the roster.
- Thor 3, will depend on performance of The Dark World, whether or not Disney forces it in to the slate, and if they have a 3rd story for him.
- Guardians of the Galaxy 2: will largely depend on how the first movie performs next summer. Guardians is the first MCU film based on characters that are largely unknown to the general populace. That said, the books are wonderful and the test footage from SDCC looks amazing.
Talk of a Ms. Marvel film has happened, but I personally believe that it'll be part of Phase 4 since Phase 3 is kind of packed, but you never know... More on this later.
A Ms. Marvel film is definitely happening sometime though, because of Marvel Studios' willingness to take some major risks, and it's odd that no one has really made a big comic book film with a female lead (let's forget about Catwoman and Elektra, shall we?) yet. Warner Bros. can't seem to get Wonder Woman a suitable film, let alone form their DC cinematic universe, so maybe Marvel can make a real feat here and show that you can make a film like this. Joss Whedon would really love to see a female superhero film, and he's vocally unhappy about the scarcity of such films, so it may as well happen sometime soon. I also don't think that DC's Wonder Woman film coming out first would hurt the planned Ms. Marvel film. If anything, it would show the film world that you can make superhero films that have female leads.
A Ms. Marvel film is definitely happening sometime though, because of Marvel Studios' willingness to take some major risks, and it's odd that no one has really made a big comic book film with a female lead (let's forget about Catwoman and Elektra, shall we?) yet. Warner Bros. can't seem to get Wonder Woman a suitable film, let alone form their DC cinematic universe, so maybe Marvel can make a real feat here and show that you can make a film like this. Joss Whedon would really love to see a female superhero film, and he's vocally unhappy about the scarcity of such films, so it may as well happen sometime soon. I also don't think that DC's Wonder Woman film coming out first would hurt the planned Ms. Marvel film. If anything, it would show the film world that you can make superhero films that have female leads.
Since PJ mentioned both Thor 3 and Captain America 3, I think they're inevitabilities at this point. Marvel could surprise us though, and only give us one sequel during Phase 3...
A Bigger Phase 3?
 |
| Ant-Man |
Now Phase 3 is a bit confusing at the moment because of The Avengers 3... Why's that? Well, when will that film come out? Will they basically release it three years after The Avengers: Age of Ultron? Or will they release it whenever it's ready?
Scenario #1: Avengers 3 is a summer 2018 release.
What could we see in this 3-year phase? Ant-Man is the only film that's got a release date set in stone (July 31, 2015) - and there's talk of Doctor Strange, Black Panther and Inhumans being likely candidates. Also, Thor and Captain America's third installments are imminent.
But... There's a dilemma here...
For example...
Ant-Man - July 31, 2015
Doctor Strange - 2016
Black Panther - 2016
Inhumans - 2017
Thor 3 - 2017
Avengers 3 - Summer 2018
One of the aforementioned films won't make it, and I think Phase 3 is going to have to be bigger than both Phase 1 and Phase 2.
Now...
Scenario #2: Phase 3 is longer, and The Avengers 3 won't hit cinemas in the summer of 2018...
Here's PJ's idea of what will happen in a longer Phase 3...
Scenario #1: Avengers 3 is a summer 2018 release.
What could we see in this 3-year phase? Ant-Man is the only film that's got a release date set in stone (July 31, 2015) - and there's talk of Doctor Strange, Black Panther and Inhumans being likely candidates. Also, Thor and Captain America's third installments are imminent.
But... There's a dilemma here...
For example...
Ant-Man - July 31, 2015
Doctor Strange - 2016
Black Panther - 2016
Inhumans - 2017
Thor 3 - 2017
Avengers 3 - Summer 2018
One of the aforementioned films won't make it, and I think Phase 3 is going to have to be bigger than both Phase 1 and Phase 2.
Now...
Scenario #2: Phase 3 is longer, and The Avengers 3 won't hit cinemas in the summer of 2018...
Here's PJ's idea of what will happen in a longer Phase 3...
"I fully believe Phase 3 will end with an Avengers/Guardians crossover. Whether it'll just be Avengers 3, or titled something else remains to be seen. But expect that third film. There is no way we won't see Thanos as the big bad by the end of Phase 3. In fact, don't be surprised if Thanos has his hand in quite a few of the films in Phase 3... Sort of as the puppet behind the scenes. The idea that he has been behind many of the events in the MCU wouldn't be surprising, especially seeing as he's already recruited Loki before for his purposes. So with all that, I have a feeling the final line up for Phase 3 will be something like this:
Ant-Man
Thor 3
Captain America 3
Inhumans/Guardians 2 (Either or could be interchangeable.)
Doctor Strange
Avengers 3 (Or whatever the capper film will be.)...
Going by Marvel's two-a-year pattern, the capper film will still debut in summer 2018 in PJ's predicted slate. He's left out the Black Panther film - here's why:
Despite some signs pointing to a Black Panther film for Phase 3 (I keep thinking it's going to happen), PJ points out a legitimate problem. There would need to be room for more Guardians and expansion on the cosmic side of things, and a Black Panther film could possibly halt that and slow things down. It is possible, however, that he may get some form of introduction during Phase 3. We may see him make a Hawkeye or Black Widow-like appearance in one of the films. In my opinion, Marvel didn't throw those two characters into Thor and Iron Man 2 respectively just to get them in there - they wanted fans and audiences to know these characters from the get-go. It would've been easy to just have them be introduced in The Avengers, but Marvel did go the extra mile.
As for an Inhumans film and the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel being interchangeable, PJ added...
If they don't make a Black Panther film and/or an Inhumans film for a Phase 3 release, then I at least expect these characters to make appearances. Maybe even in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or a One Shot. Can they start putting the One Shots in theaters? The theatrical short film is something Disney should specialize in, and Honor Hunter of Blue Sky Disney did point this out recently.
Tyler hopes that the third Avengers ends up coming out in 2019 or 2020, rather than 2018 (following the one every three years pattern), allowing Marvel to make Phase 3 bigger than both Phase 1 and Phase 2.
"I love how much they are making, but I crave more with each one that comes out. Interestingly enough, I love that since Phase 1 started with Iron Man in 2008, Marvel has already made 7 movies, launched a TV series with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and they are in final post-production mode on Thor: The Dark World, in post-production on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, filming Guardians of the Galaxy, and in pre-production of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man... And in the 8 years that will have passed by the time Ant-Man kicks off Phase 3, all DC will have made is 4 movies, thats only 1/3 of what Marvel has delivered."
"I have a feeling Panther is going to continually be pushed back in favor of other things. We've seen hints that he's coming, like showing where Wakanda is in Iron Man 2, but overall, it doesn't seem like his character necessarily fits into the world building going on in the MCU right now. This isn't to say I'm right, but with Cosmic being what Marvel seems intent on exploring, going into the jungles of Wakanda may not be the way to go. Similar to Doctor Strange, but with Strange, he dabbles in cosmic, as well as the supernatural. I wouldn't be surprised to see Marvel go the supernatural way down the line, in a sub side of the universe, with the characters like Blade and Ghost Rider...
"I really do want to see a Black Panther film sooner rather than later. But it all just sort of depends on where, and how, it'll fall in the MCU. Marvel doesn't just choose random things on a whim, because they're literally building a puzzle, and they have all the pieces and know where they go. Unfortunately, we don't, because we're not standing next to them watching. All we can do is sit back as they hand us pieces one by one, and fit them together ourselves."
As for an Inhumans film and the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel being interchangeable, PJ added...
"I think one may take the other's spot. Just a gut feeling. Or, maybe we'll see both in Phase 2. But I really think that for either to happen, it'll depend on the success of Guardians. This is Marvel's biggest test since Iron Man, and now we have to see if it'll work for casual moviegoers. Everyone knows that I'm a diehard Guardians fan, I have been since the mid 2000s, but my concern is that people are going to be turned off by the sheer bizarreness of the film, which I really hope I'm wrong about. I want people to embrace Star-Lord, Groot, Rocket, Gamora, and Drax. This is a comic that is so cinematic already, I can't wait to see how it turns out as a film. The Guardians footage was some of the most buzzed about after both Comic-Con and D23. As someone who was at both those places to see the footage, it was some of the most beautifully put together footage I'd ever seen. It almost brought a tear to my eye, because James Gunn has nailed the comic so well...
"As I said though, the buzz train seems to have already started, and I think even the most causal of filmgoers may have heard the inklings of what Marvel showed at Comic-Con. The Marvel Studios brand has given moviegoers a reason to trust them. So hopefully, that means they're trusting enough to give this ragtag band of misfits a chance. I think the fate of cosmic Marvel really hinges on this film working. It's the lynchpin, if you will. So things like 'Inhumans' won't get announced probably until we've seen how 'Guardians' fares with audiences."
If they don't make a Black Panther film and/or an Inhumans film for a Phase 3 release, then I at least expect these characters to make appearances. Maybe even in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or a One Shot. Can they start putting the One Shots in theaters? The theatrical short film is something Disney should specialize in, and Honor Hunter of Blue Sky Disney did point this out recently.
Tyler hopes that the third Avengers ends up coming out in 2019 or 2020, rather than 2018 (following the one every three years pattern), allowing Marvel to make Phase 3 bigger than both Phase 1 and Phase 2.
"I love how much they are making, but I crave more with each one that comes out. Interestingly enough, I love that since Phase 1 started with Iron Man in 2008, Marvel has already made 7 movies, launched a TV series with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and they are in final post-production mode on Thor: The Dark World, in post-production on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, filming Guardians of the Galaxy, and in pre-production of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man... And in the 8 years that will have passed by the time Ant-Man kicks off Phase 3, all DC will have made is 4 movies, thats only 1/3 of what Marvel has delivered."
Tyler also suggests that Marvel should go big and release three films in a calendar year. Now that would be great if they can maintain a high level of quality for each film, but at the same time it's incredibly risky. Perhaps a little too risky, unless this is a once in a while thing. (i.e. 3 films in 2017, 3 films in 2020.)
For instance, Marvel can put out two originals in a year like 2017 and a sequel sometime during that year as well. I just hope that audiences don't think that's too much, or that they're just cranking them out for the bucks. Would it kill the momentum? Or will it only drum up more excitement?
Maybe the 3-a-year thing can avert any problems they have with getting a Black Panther film off the ground, or the Ms. Marvel film or whatever property they are eying for a movie adaptation. You can also add more cameos or early-bird appearances, whether it's in the films themselves or the post-credits sequences.
For instance, Marvel can put out two originals in a year like 2017 and a sequel sometime during that year as well. I just hope that audiences don't think that's too much, or that they're just cranking them out for the bucks. Would it kill the momentum? Or will it only drum up more excitement?
Maybe the 3-a-year thing can avert any problems they have with getting a Black Panther film off the ground, or the Ms. Marvel film or whatever property they are eying for a movie adaptation. You can also add more cameos or early-bird appearances, whether it's in the films themselves or the post-credits sequences.
With that, they can definitely get more films in there before the third Avengers... And maybe even try things that they haven't considered before...
On a closing note, here's what PJ thinks of the MCU in its current and future state...
"It's a great time to be a Marvel fan, and there is a ton to look forward to over the next few years. I really can't wait to see how Marvel ties these first three Phases together, and it really makes me wonder if WB/DC will ever get their game together. They're already so many steps behind. Here's hoping they can fully get their act together as well, because right now, 'Batman vs. Superman' is already on shaky ground at best."
On a closing note, here's what PJ thinks of the MCU in its current and future state...
"It's a great time to be a Marvel fan, and there is a ton to look forward to over the next few years. I really can't wait to see how Marvel ties these first three Phases together, and it really makes me wonder if WB/DC will ever get their game together. They're already so many steps behind. Here's hoping they can fully get their act together as well, because right now, 'Batman vs. Superman' is already on shaky ground at best."
~
What are your theories on Marvel's future? Do you think that Fantastic Four will ultimately revert back to Disney/Marvel and that Fox won't make their planned reboot? Or do you think Fox will hold onto the series? Do you think Doctor Strange and Black Panther will part of Phase 3? Inhumans? Do you think Phase 3 will be longer than usual? Or not?
Sound off below!
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