Latest Marvel News: ‘Deadpool 3’ comes to the rescue after ‘Echo’ underwhelms as ‘Fantastic Four’ could introduce Johnny Storm’s surprising replacement

Let’s make something clear up-front: Echo is one of the most meaningful entries in Marvel‘s Multiverse Saga and I’m so glad it got made.

Unfortunately, it’s also true that it’s failed to make much of an impression on audiences, going down as the second lowest-rated Marvel Studios series on Rotten Tomatoes (after Secret Invasion, natch). Thankfully, this week has delivered a bunch of shiny new reports and rumors to distract MCU fans from the current state of the franchise by teasing two of the universe’s most-anticipated upcoming projects, Deadpool 3 and Fantastic Four. First up…

The countdown starts now: we might just know when the first Deadpool 3 trailer will drop

Hulk-like strength isn’t actually one of Wade Wilson’s powers, but he’s going to need it this year as Deadpool 3 is set to carry Marvel’s entire 2024 on its back. The Ryan Reynolds threequel is the only MCU movie release until 2025, don’t forget. So Marvel really needs to get that hype train out of the station pronto. Thankfully, word has it that our first-look trailer at the movie is coming in just a few shorts weeks, debuting on Super Bowl night in February. What will such a trailer contain? Our first glimpse at Hugh Jackman in action in that classic Wolverine suit? Surely. A taste of Taylor Swift’s not-so-secret cameo? Well, probably not, but we can dream.

Does Kingpin’s Echo immortality hint at an unexpected X-Men connection?

Despite, or maybe because, it was only five episodes long, Echo left us with a ton of questions we need answering. One of the most burning is how the heck did Kingpin survive being shot in the face in Hawkeye. Miraculously, he was A-OK, aside from some minor facial scarring around one eye, just five months later (according to Echo‘s canon time-frame). That’s got us to thinking, then, maybe there’s more that connects Echo and Deadpool 3 than we might think. Could Wilson Fisk secretly… be a mutant? Bear with me, the theory isn’t as wild as it sounds as it adds up with evidence from the comics and where the MCU is right now. I’m just saying, what if Fisk’s super-healing isn’t a plot hole, but the whole plot?

Marvel could be casting the fifth Fantastic Four member, and here’s who should play them

Put down those pitchforks, Human Torch lovers, nobody’s saying Johnny Storm won’t flame on in the MCU’s Fantastic Four. However, Matt Shakman’s film is reportedly introducing a character who is traditionally Johnny’s replacement on the team — robot sidekick H.E.R.B.I.E. Marvel’s currently on the hunt for a male actor to voice the CGI character, and while there’s no word on who is in the running for the part, if Kevin Feige is smart then he’ll have Bill Hader right at the top of his list. If you can’t imagine Hader voicing a slightly irritating cybernetic sidekick then may I direct you to his performance as Alpha in 2017’s Power Rangers. Go, go Fantastic Four!

Tom Cruise may be going maverick and ignoring the chance to join the superhero game at last, but Marvel will always be top gun to us, so watch out for more MCU updates soon.