What’s next for Marvel?

Marvel+phase+4+banner

The Catalyst / Marvel / Disney Plus

Marvel phase 4 banner

Through Marvel’s extremely successful year of 2021 with releasing four movies and six TV series, fans are excited to see what the company is releasing in this upcoming year. So far, Marvel has confirmed four movies, three TV shows, and a holiday special to be released in 2022. But with the amount of productions in the works, and how secretive they are, it is hard to tell if there will be more or not.

Marvel is releasing “Moon Knight” on March 30, 2022. The show centers Marc Spector, played by Oscar Isaac, whose dissociative identity disorder manifests as different distinct personas. In the comics, Marc Spector is a military veteran who dies but is reborn through the powers of the Moon-god Khonshu, who has Spector work as his first priest.

On April 1, 2022, Marvel is releasing “Morbius”, starring Jared Leto. The main character of the film, Michael Morbius, is a biochemist who tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, but accidentally infects himself with a form of vampirism, and has to control the violent outbreaks that come with it.

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”, the sequel to “Doctor Strange”, is being released in theaters on May 6, 2022. The film centers Dr. Stephen Strange as he uncovers more about the Multiverse and the effects that the spells that he performed for Peter Parker in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” have affected it. Fans see in the trailer that Doctor Strange goes to Wanda for help, and the two end up working together to solve the mysteries of the Multiverse.

On July 8, 2022, Marvel is releasing “Thor: Love and Thunder”, starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman. In the comics that this movie is being based off of, Thor loses the ability to lift and wield Mjolnir. Because of this, Jane Foster takes on his role, while simultaneously battling cancer.

Marvel plans to release “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” on November 11, 2022. Not much about the film’s plot has been announced, but it has been revealed that the main conflict of the movie points to a war between Atlantis and Wakanda. The beginning scene of the movie might be T’Challa’s funeral or something related to his death, as actor Chadwick Boseman has passed away. The role of grief and dealing with his death is going to be significant in this upcoming film.

The new series, “She-Hulk”, is being released sometime in 2022. Although the release date has not yet been revealed, it has been confirmed that the TV show will premiere in 2022. The show follows Jennifer Walters as she acquires Hulk-like abilities after a blood transfusion. Mark Ruffalo is also going to be in the series, and may end up being a mentor of sorts for Walters.

Marvel is releasing “Ms. Marvel” in the upcoming months of 2022. The series centers the first Muslim character to headline in the Marvel Comics, Kamala Khan. Kamala was exposed to Terrigen Mist from a bomb, which made her a polymorph and gave her the ability to stretch her body in almost any way imaginable.

I think the new phase is and will be amazing. The production quality is insane and the new actor’s are amazing, but I still feel that it is missing something with so many of the old character’s gone. They’ve lost the nostalgia factor and are going to have to work really hard to build the same connection that their audience had with old characters with the new characters.

— Maggie Templeton

“The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” is being released by Marvel sometime in December 2022. This film will feature all of the Guardians of the Galaxy along with Thor. Although the special is set to celebrate the holidays, it will also set up material for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”, which is being released in 2023.

When asked about the upcoming Marvel releases, Freshman Maggie Templeton said, “I think the new phase is and will be amazing. The production quality is insane and the new actor’s are amazing, but I still feel that it is missing something with so many of the old character’s gone. They’ve lost the nostalgia factor and are going to have to work really hard to build the same connection that their audience had with old characters with the new characters.”

There are a lot of upcoming Marvel TV shows and movies as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand in phase 4. While the MCU productions were slowed through 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and just got back to filming in 2021, its upcoming full-scale return in 2022 demonstrates the power that these movies and shows continue to wield in the community.