2019 was an unparalleled year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which became the first film franchise to release three separate billion-dollar grossing entries in a single year (five months, if you want to be technical), and the first franchise to cross the $18 billion milestone on its way to a staggering $22 billion haul by year’s end. It also brought us the highest-grossing movie of all-time with Avengers: Endgame‘s squeaking past James Cameron’s 2009 effort Avatar with a worldwide gross of $2.7978 billion.
Captain Marvel, the first of those billion-dollar releases, was ironically, if only barely, the lowest grossing film of the three. Certainly not the first to feature an eponymous female superhero, the pic was the latest in a long, inconsistent line of such movies, including Patty Jenkins’ hugely popular 2017 film Wonder Woman and Pitof Comer’s notorious 2004 Razzie “winner” Catwoman, as well as 2005’s Elektra and Æon Flux, 1996’s Barb Wire, 1995’s Tank Girl, and 1984’s Supergirl.
But while it wasn’t the first (even for a Marvel character), it was certainly the most successful, learning the lessons of its progenitors (and, no doubt, banking on its association with the most lucrative cinematic universe in history) to become the first superheroine film to break into the coveted billion-dollar club. Consequently, a sequel was all but guaranteed, particularly given the fact that its Academy Award-winning star Brie Larson reportedly signed a seven-picture deal with Marvel, leaving five projects on her contract after Endgame.
That sequel has now been greenlit, with Marvel Studios filing an LLC for “Warbird Productions II” and WandaVision writer Megan McDonnell on board to script a movie set in the “present-day” of the MCU (which, as of Spider-Man: Far From Home, is actually 2024).
It should come as no surprise, but Marvel filed the LLC “Warbird Productions II” on February 13th, which means Captain Marvel 2 is officially greenlit. pic.twitter.com/PDwczFfFi5
— Thomas Polito (@PolitoThomas) February 20, 2020
Aside from the undoubtedly furious 29,000 signatories of Spike Valentine’s petition to replace Larson with a woman of color, the fan reaction to the announcement has been decidedly enthusiastic for Danvers’ return, as you can see below:
https://twitter.com/KajsaSvensson9/status/1230644318643347456
captain marvel 2 is officially happening carol nation how are we feelinG
— jae (@twoghostark) February 21, 2020
https://twitter.com/MrLukeyGeorge/status/1231310722489110530
"Warbird Productions II" (a.k.a #CaptainMarvel2) has been filed and do you know what else that means?
More videos of Brie training (scaring weak men) and showing that she is the biggest #CaptainMarvel fan haha 💪👊💫 pic.twitter.com/sG6RdYtvDl— Marvetinho 💫 (@Cm2Corps) February 21, 2020
Can’t wait to hear what the story will be from the usual suspects when Captain Marvel 2 is announced despite their “sources” telling them that it was cancelled because Marvel lost faith in Brie Larson or whatever.#CaptainMarvel2 https://t.co/Z1sk9yWZ6h
— Tyler Freshcorn (@tyler_freshcorn) February 22, 2020
While no details about the plot have surfaced at the moment, rumor has it that Kevin Feige is keen to introduce Anna Marie LeBeau, AKA Rogue, who began her career as a member in 1981 of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in Avengers Annual #10. No release date has been announced yet either, but Captain Marvel 2 seems to be on track for a 2022 premiere among the films of the MCU’s fifth phase, which currently include the follow-up to Ryan Coogler’s Academy Award-winning Black Panther on May 6th of that year.
