Marvel Announces New Films, Including Two 'Avengers' Sequels
At a special presentation at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood Tuesday, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige gave press and several hundred fans some insight into the studio’s plans for their huge superhero movie slate.
It was a dizzying parade of news, announcing new titles like Black Panther and Inhumans, plus two more Avengers films. The studio released complete plans for phase 3.
Marvel revealed the title for the next Captain America film, it’s Captain America: Civil War, and the next Thor film: Thor 3: Ragnarok, slated for July 28, 2017.
Marvel also pushed the release of Doctor Strange to November 4, 2016.
Black Panther will hit theaters on November 3, 2017, starring 42 and Get on Up star Chadwick Boseman.
Feige announced that the studio will make a Captain Marvel film, set for July 6, 2018. Carol Danvers is Captain Marvel, making it the studio’s first female-centered film.
Marvel will also make an Inhumans film, set for Nov. 2, 2018.
Two more ensemble Avengers films were also dated: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 for May 4, 2018 and Part 2 for May 2019.
Marvel has already announced dates for several phase 3 films: Ant-Man starring Paul Rudd is slated for July 17, 2015, and Captain America 3, which will include Robert Downey Jr. along with Chris Evans, is slated for May 6, 2016.
Doctor Strange has been originally dated forJuly 8, 2016, but director Scott Derrickson and Marvel have been going back and forth with finding a leading man. After negotiations with Joaquin Phoenix fell apart in early October, Benedict Cumberbatch came into talks to take on the titular role.
Related: Is Benedict Cumberbatch Too Obvious a Choice for ‘Doctor Strange’?
Guardians of the Galaxy 2, which will see James Gunn return to direct, will hit theaters on July 28, 2017.
The Marvel movies are currently in Phase 2 of their universe-building film slate, which will culminate with next year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron (hitting U.S. theaters on May 1, 2015).
But the whole notion of phases began when Marvel found itself over-performing with its initial movies, with the first wave now consisting of Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: First Avenger. Phase 1 climaxed with 2012’s Avengers, which grossed more than a billion dollars and set the stage for Marvel to secretly plan out years and years worth of possible movies.
Phase 2 includes Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Phase 1 has grossed more than $3.8 billion worldwide while Phase 2 has made $3.3 billion, with the Avengers sequel still to come.
