Everything You Need To Know About Marvel’s Phase Three Slate

Last month, Warner Brothers unveiled a massive ten-film slate of DC properties, which included two Justice League films and solo pics for JLA staples like Wonder Woman, the Flash and Aquaman. Never one to be upstaged by the competition, Marvel took DC's big news in stride, and unveiled a slate of their own. In an unprecedented move, the studio revealed its entire Phase Three slate (in front of a room full of eager guests and fans, no less), which will consist of a whopping nine films. That means that we'll soon be getting three Marvel films a year instead of two, and a cinematic universe that will soon expand beyond our wildest dreams. Who could have guessed in early 2008 that that little Iron Man movie would launch all of this?! The oncoming avalanche of superhero films can be intimidating, but don't worry. Here at We Got This Covered, we've put together a comprehensive breakdown of the entire Phase Three slate. Just as we did with DC's films, we'll be tackling each Marvel picture individually. Unfamiliar with diverse newcomers Black Panther and Captain Marvel? Unsure of how Doctor Strange fits into things, or who the hell The Inhumans are? Fret not, because we've broken down and outlined all of that for you. So, without further ado, here's our comprehensive guide to Marvel's massive (but exciting!) Phase Three slate. Captain America: Civil War Release Date: May 6th, 2016 Character Synopsis: Physically unsuitable to enlist in the regular army, Steve Rogers is selected to participate in the U.S. Army program to create super-soldiers. As Captain America, Rogers led his squad against HYDRA, the rogue Nazi science division, and defeated its leader, the Red Skull. Rogers’ heroism led him to be frozen in suspended animation in the Arctic, until he was discovered and revived in the modern era. After leading his fellow Avengers in beating Loki’s alien army in the Battle of New York, he discovered that HYDRA had infiltrated the highest levels of S.H.I.E.L.D., and exposed the conspiracy with the assistance of his allies. Origin: In the comics, Civil War was born out of series of events that made the people in the Marvel Universe regard super-humans with increasing distrust, but it began when a group of reality show heroes called The New Warriors start a fight that ends with an explosion that kills over 600 people, including several school children. In response, the U.S. government makes it mandatory that all people with super-powers register with the government, and reveal their secret identities. Captain America takes this as a violation of civil liberties and fights against registration with a group called the Secret Avengers, while Iron Man leads the pro-Registration forces, seeing it as the natural evolution of super-heroism. It’s already been discussed that the movie version will focus less on secret identities and more on who superheroes are accountable to. Powers: As a super-soldier, Captain America has advanced strength, speed, and stamina. He’s also armed with a vibranium shield that’s practically unbreakable, and is renowned for his leadership and heroism in the Second World War, and as co-leader of The Avengers. Greatest Enemies: When it comes to Civil War, the greatest enemy for our heroes is themselves. Captain America and Iron Man become so entrenched in their respected points of view that they end up nearly levelling New York City in their final battle. But it’s worth noting that the comic book Civil War ended with the assassination of Captain America after his surrender to the pro-registration side. The ones behind the death of Captain America are Crossbones (Frank Grillo’s character in The Winter Soldier), who’s the trigger man, with none other than the Red Skull (played by Hugo Weaving in The First Avenger) pulling the strings. Casting: Of course, Chris Evans will return as Captain America. In addition to him, Civil War will mark the first appearance of Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, The Black Panther, and Robert Downey Jr. will also appear as Tony Stark/Iron Man. There’s been a rumor that Jeremy Renner will appear as Hawkeye as well, and it would seem likely that Anthony Mackie will return as Sam Wilson/The Falcon to support his partner as he does in the comic book Civil War. But that hasn't been confirmed just yet. Given the grandness of the storyline and the fact that it comes from a crossover event that encompassed almost every single one of the Marvel heroes, the possibility of appearances from any of the characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe is quite high. History and Future: The comic book ending of Civil War isn’t the only thing that adds a tone of finality for Steve Rogers going into his third solo adventure; Chris Evans has made remarks that it’s his intention to retire from acting once his Marvel contract is fulfilled. Good thing there’s a back stop written in to the Civil War story: Bucky. Cap’s life-long friend (played by Sebastian Stan) was last seen as the titular antagonist in The Winter Soldier, but in the comics he succeeds Steve Rogers as Captain America. It might be an elegant way to continue Captain America’s adventures with a new Captain America in future Marvel movies. - Adam Donaldson Doctor Strange Release Date: November 4th, 2016 Character Synopsis: Unlike many superheroes, Doctor Strange is not technically the character's heroic moniker, it's his actual title. Stephen Vincent Strange is a former neurosurgeon who lost the ability to conduct surgery following a tragic car accident, but eventually became the Sorcerer Supreme and a master of the mystic arts. He resides in New York, taking residence in a Greenwich Village townhouse called the Sanctum Sanctorum, and protects the Earth against various otherworldly threats. Origin: Strange is brilliant but highly egotistical, and too proud to accept that this career is finished after the accident. He refuses to take a teaching job, and instead goes on a quest to find someone who can fix his hands. He consults various doctors and specialists around the world, and even tries homeopathic treatments and exotic cures, but is unable to find the help he needs. After exhausting his wealth and becoming homeless, Strange is forced to perform seedy, back-alley medical procedures for pay, until he comes across a hermit called The Ancient One. At first, the Ancient One refuses to help Strange because of his selflessness, but after stopping the old man's former disciple, Baron Mordo, from killing him, the Ancient One teaches him about the mystic arts and makes him Sorcerer Supreme. Powers: As Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange draws his powers from various entities and artifacts. Primarily, he gets his power from three entities known as the Vishanti, which consist of the godly beings Agamotto, Hoggoth and Oshtur. He will occasionally tap into the energy of a demon, such as Dormammu, but is uncomfortable with the darker nature of those abilities. As it stands, Doctor Strange has a handful of powers, including the ability to turn nearly invisible and phase through solid objects, fire off mystic bolts of energy, banish creatures and humans to other dimensions, transmutation, telekinesis, teleportation, the ability to create protective shields, travel between dimensions, conjure various magical objects and weapons, a grabbag of magical spells, and (through extreme concentration) the power to either freeze, slow, or even travel through time. Oh, and he can conjure up money as he sees fit too, thus solving his homelessness and making it so that he can pay off whatever debt comes his way. I don't know about you, but of the powers listed here that's the one I'd like most. Greatest Enemies: Doctor Strange has faced countless demons, mystical beings and creepy creatures. Most notable of them, however, are the aforementioned Dormammu, the "Lord of Chaos" who rules over the Dark Dimension; Nightmare, the evil ruler of the Dream Dimension, and of course, Baron Mordo. Mordo is the former disciple of the Ancient One, who often works with Dormammu in hopes of defeating Doctor Strange. He's easily Strange's biggest nemesis, and while he possesses similar powers, he's not afraid to use black magic or invoke demons and is particularly skilled in astral projection and hypnosis. Casting: The casting for Doctor Strange has been an absolute nightmare for Marvel studios, and especially hard to keep track of for us mere mortals. There have been countless actor shortlists that have made the rounds, composing of names like Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Gosling, Keanu Reeves, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jared Leto, and Tom Hardy. The two biggest names that have stuck are Joaquin Phoenix and Benedict Cumberbatch. Phoenix reportedly went into negotiations for the role just before San Diego Comic-Con, and nearly finalized the deal before passing on the part. Marvel then turned to Cumberbatch, who is supposedly in final talks but has not yet signed the dotted line. History and Future: This will be Doctor Strange's big screen debut, though he did headline a rather well-received direct-to-video animated film in 2007, and was the focus of a live-action TV movie starring Peter Hooten in the late '70s that is better left unspoken of. Chances are that the character will factor heavily into Marvel's Phase Three plans, and will be part of the new Avengers roster that will shift at some point between Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers: Infinity War. We know from an Easter Egg in Captain America: The Winter Soldier that Stephen Strange is out there in the MCU, and has already caught Hydra's attention as a dangerous threat. - James Garcia Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Release Date: May 5th, 2017 Group Synopsis: The Guardians of the Galaxy were formed by the half-human, half-alien astronaut Star-Lord a.k.a. Peter Quill. With the help of Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Drax, Adam Warlock, Phyla-Vell, and Mantis, the group dedicates itself to guarding the galaxy and preventing any calamities that might befall. In the films, of course, the latter three members have not made any obvious appearances, which leaves the big question of who will join the funky misfits in 2017. James Gunn will return to write and direct with Chris Pratt donning his maroon jacket once again as the infamous Star-Lord, and though the rest of the cast has yet to be confirmed, we can almost safely assume that Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, and Dave Bautista will be signing on as well. Gunn has also stated that the ancient being that is Quill’s father will be explored, though it will not be the canon J’Sun of Spartax. Drax will also be further fleshed out along with Nebula, who was last seen amputating her own arm to escape the shame of being defeated by her sister Gamora. Yondu will return as well after being tricked by Quill in thinking he had one of the infinity stones. Origins: The first iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy first appeared in 1969, with founding members Major Victory, Martinex T’Naga, Charlie-27, and Yondu Udonta - that’s right, the same blue-skinned Yondu. The current Earth-616 incarnation of the Guardians meet Major Victory and decide to adopt the name of the Guardians of the Galaxy themselves. Peter Quill was raised by his mother until she was killed by an alien, never knowing who his father was. As a NASA trainee astronaut and through some trickery, he was granted the title of Star-Lord from the alien entity knows as the Master of the Sun. Gamora, the last of her species, was adopted by Thanos, who raised her into becoming the “deadliest woman in the whole galaxy.” Her main mission: to assassinate Magus, the future version of one of the founding members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Adam Warlock. Rocket Raccoon is a genetically engineered animal given human intelligence in order to watch over the mentally ill inhabitants of the planet Halfworld. As random as it sounds, Rocket dates back to before the Guardians were even formed. Groot is the last remaining member of his species, the Flora Colossi from Planet X. His speech is impossible to understand due to his stiffened larynx. After joining the Guardians, he and Rocket form an inseparable bond with Rocket having the ability to understand Groot. Drax, originally Arthur Douglas, was killed along with is wife and daughter by Thanos. His spirit was championed by Kronos to ultimately defeat Thanos, the source of his anger. Interestingly enough, Drax’s daughter was not actually killed and would become Moondragon, a member of the Guardians as well. Powers: In the movies, none of the members have inherent super powers other than Groot and perhaps Drax - who arguably has super strength. Quill, Gamora, and Rocket rely on their physical prowess, reflexes, and knowledge of weapons to defend themselves. In the comics, the same is true for the most part, except Drax has notable powers before his time as a Guardian. He could fire concussive blasts, fly, and detect the presence of Thanos. His current form in the comics is much more akin to his movie incarnation. Gamora has heightened strength, speed, reflexes, and healing factory due to her time training under Thanos, which makes her an extremely deadly assassin capable of felling foes with far more strength than she has. Due to his species, Groot has the ability to regenerate from even the smallest twig. He can control trees along with his own physicality and has extreme durability, even from fire. Greatest Enemies: Other than Nebula, who Gunn has already basically stated will return, and Thanos, who won’t appear in the film unless completely necessary to the plot, there are quite a few other villains who could rise to the challenge. One such villain is the entire Badoon race, which are lizard-like humanoids, who were the original Guardians’ first enemy. The villain who probably makes the most sense in terms of the overall structure of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Magus. Magus is the future corrupt self of the one and only Adam Warlock. A being with a god complex who would fashion the entire galaxy under his pride, Magus tries to acquire the Infinity Gauntlet, but is stopped by Warlock. Magus could be an easy way to introduce Warlock into the films, which would be perfect since he has a deep connection with the Infinity Gauntlet. Casting: As stated before, Chris Pratt is pretty much confirmed to return with the others probably stated to reprise their roles as well. With his cocoon being visible - and confirmed by Gunn - in two Marvel Cinematic Universe movies now, Adam Warlock is highly speculated to finally make an introduction as the perfect being whose future self could wrap Guardians of the Galaxy 2 neatly into a finished product. Even so, Gunn isn’t the kind of director to rely on the obvious, so Warlock could perhaps be skipped over for Phyla-Vell or Mantis. Or, you know, all three could join. History and Future: As the current roster of the Guardians only dates back to 2008, there isn’t the plethora of directions that the series can take that the other Marvel heroes have. Gunn himself has mentioned that he would deviate from the comics though, which will probably pay off seeing as how the original became a phenomenon when the ragtag group of heroes were virtually unknown. - Andy Wong Thor: Ragnarok Release Date: July 28th, 2017 Synopsis: Thor: Ragnarok is a tricky little beastie, because Ragnarok the character is actually a cyborg Thor clone created by Tony Stark following Civil War, while Ragnarok the event is far more exciting. When the film was announced, Kevin Feige explained that "Ragnarok means 'the end of all things," in Norse mythology, and that the film itself would "affect everything that comes after" it in Phase Three. Based on the title alone, we can expect Ragnarok to be a major event in the MCU, as Thor and his comrades will engage in a potentially apocalyptic battle for Asgard. Origin: As I mentioned before, the character Ragnarok was created by Tony Stark after the real Thor went missing and was presumed dead. My guess is that Marvel will stray as far away from a cyborg version of the God of Thunder as possible. In the 2004 comic book storyline written by Michael Avon Oeming and Andrea Di Vito, Asgard and more of the nine realms were attacked by the Fire Demons of Muspelheim, led by an enormous fire demon named Surtur. The storyline led right into Avengers: Disassembled, which in turn broke up the Avengers team and eventually led into Civil War, which took place in 2006. So, Marvel is mixing things up a bit on the film side of things, but Thor: Ragnarok has the power to be one of their biggest films yet and have the most lasting consequences on the MCU as a whole. Powers: Surtur is the most powerful of Asgard's enemies. He's older than Odin himself, is over 1,000 feet tall and wields a giant fiery sword called the Sword of Doom. He's one of the major elemental forces of evil that the Asgardians feared. Odin once banished him to the Earth's core but he was released by Loki, who hoped he'd wreak havoc on Earth. Surtur attacks Earth and lures Asgard's armies there, leaving the realm defenseless. He then crosses the bifrost and faces off against Odin, Thor, and Loki, eventually falling into a dimensional rift and taking Odin with him. As you might expect from a giant fire demon, Surtur possesses a wealth of powers and abilities, ranging from super strength and immortality to levitation, molecular manipulation, the ability to travel between dimensions, and wield immense magical powers. Greatest Enemies: As deadly as Surtur is, he likely won't be attacking Asgard alone. As I mentioned before, he has a whole realm of fire demons at his disposal and will likely bring them along for his Asgardian siege. There's a good chance that Loki will serve as an antagonist once more in Thor: Ragnarok as well. He is impersonating Odin, after all, and is likely responsible for leaving room for Surtur to attack Asgard. Casting: Chris Hemsworth is set to reprise his role as Thor, while Tom Hiddleston will once again be playing fan-favorite God of Mischief Loki. As with the previous Thor films, the Warriors Three (Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg, played by Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano and Ray Stevenson, respectively) and the Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander) will likely fight alongside their king, while Anthony Hopkins will presumably return as Odin. As for the Earth-bound characters, they probably won't factor into the events of Thor: Ragnarok as much as they did in both Thor and Thor: The Dark World. Ragnarok stands the chance to be the film that strays the farthest from our realm of Midgard, which is something fans (including myself) have been clamoring for for quite some time now. No casting for a character like Surtur has been announced yet, though you can bet Marvel will find someone intimidating to take on the role, which is all but guaranteed to be brought to life via motion capture or CGI. History and Future: As I said, Thor: Ragnarok can easily be one of the biggest Marvel films to date, and will likely affect the larger MCU in ways that make Captain America: The Winter Soldier look like child's play. Asgard will likely fall or get heavily destroyed by the end of the film, and many characters are likely to die. My money is on Odin kicking the bucket and falling into a dimensional rift along with Surtur, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of Thor's friends fell with him. We've heard rumors that Thor won't play a part in the first Avengers: Infinity War film, and it's possible that that's because he's forced to stay in Asgard as its king and rebuild. As far as Loki goes, we recently learned that he'll play a part in both Infinity War films, so Hiddleston is safe and sound, for now. - James Garcia Black Panther Release Date: November 3rd, 2017 Character Synopsis: T'Challa, better known by his Black Panther moniker, is the king of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, the most technologically advanced country on the planet. The title Black Panther is ceremonial and given to the chief of the Panther Tribe of Wakanda. Wakanda is one of the most heavily guarded, secretive nations on the planet, thanks in no small part to the fact that vibranium, the rare and powerful metal that makes up Captain America's shield, is found there. Origin: T'Challa is the son of T'Chaka, the former Black Panther, who was murdered by an adventurer named Ulysses Klaw (more on him in a minute). T'Challa was next in line to become Black Panther and rule Wakanda, but had not yet earned the title. As such, his uncle S'yan passed the necessary trials and became Black Panther instead. While he ruled, T'Challa went on a Wakandan walkabout rite of passage and met and fell in love with Ororo Munroe, who you may recognize by her X-Men team name, Storm. After completing the walkabout, T'Challa earned the attributes of Black Panther by defeating various champions of the Wakandan tribes. Powers: T'Challa doesn't posses any superpowers, but does have heightened senses, the strength, speed, reflexes, stamina and agility of an Olympic athlete, and a genius-level intellect. He's also a skilled gymnast and acrobat, and wields an array of vibranium weapons and technology, as well as a Black Panther uniform made from the metal. Greatest Enemies: As I mentioned before, Klaw is a recurring Black Panther enemy. When he killed T'Challa's father, the young T'Challa used Klaw's sound weapon against him and his men, shattering the adventurer's right hand in the process. He later returned to Wakanda to complete his vibranium-mining mission, armed with a sonic weapon to replace his hand. Black Panther is also known for going toe-to-toe with Achebe, a poor farmer who sold his soul to the demon Mephisto and became a crazy warrior mystic; Erik Killmonger, a powerful warrior and political genius; Malice, the former bodyguard of T'Challa who possesses superhuman strength, speed and agility; Man-Ape, the ruler of the Jabari Tribe and Wakanda's second-greatest warrior after T'Challa; and White Wolf, T'Challa's adopted elder brother who led the Hatut Zeraze, an espionage police force but was banished when he began torturing and assassinating his rivals. Casting: After years of rumors and speculation, Marvel finally announced an actor for Black Panther when they announced the film itself. 42 and Get on Up star Chadwick Boseman has been cast as T'Challa, and will actually make his debut in Captain America: Civil War a year prior. As for the rest of the cast, we're unsure of what the Black Panther film will entail, but many have theorized that Andy Serkis will be playing Klaw, after a brief shot of him was seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron (which will introduce audiences to Wakanda and could very well contain a glimpse of Black Panther himself). History and Future: A Black Panther film has been on the backburner for quite some time now. In 1992, Wesley Snipes expressed interest in taking on the project, but that obviously never materialized. Kevin Feige has long stated that a Black Panther film was on Marvel's radar and reassured fans for years that T'Challa would be coming to the big screen. Now that the film has been confirmed, it marks the first time a black actor has led a superhero pic since Will Smith's Hancock in 2008, and the first time it's happened in the MCU. Boseman (currently) has a five-picture deal with Marvel, meaning that Black Panther will factor heavily into Marvel's Phase Three plans and is likely to become a member of the Avengers, just as he is in the comics. He'll also serve as a stand in for Spider-Man during Civil War, seeing as Sony still owns the rights to the web slinger, which will put the character in the tough position of choosing between allying with Captain America or Tony Stark. What he chooses and how it affects not only his native land of Wakanda, but the rest of the MCU, remains to be seen. - James Garcia Captain Marvel Release Date: July 6th, 2018 Character Synopsis: Previously known as both Carol Danvers and Ms. Marvel, the current Captain Marvel is a human/alien Kree hybrid who adopted the Captain Marvel mantle in 2012. Origin: Working as an officer in the US Army, and overseeing the security of a restricted military base, Carol Danvers encounters Dr. Walter Lawson (the alien Kree superhero, Captain Marvel). After being abducted by Kree military commander Yon-Rogg, Carol Danvers sustains serious injuries during the explosion of a Kree device – though Captain Marvel saves her life. It transpires that during that event, the genetic structure of Danvers bonded with that of Captain Marvel – leading to her possession of super powers. Powers: Danvers/Captain Marvel has enhanced stamina, superhuman strength, flight, endurance, a sixth sense, physical durability and resistance to toxins. She has, at times, lost her powers during her time as Ms. Marvel – particularly when Rogue absorbed them from her - but she always regains them. Greatest Enemies: As a character that frequently crosses over into the storylines of other major characters and teams (such as the Avengers, Guardians Of The Galaxy, X Men, and Spider-Man), Danvers/Captain Marvel shares many of her greatest enemies with other plots arcs. She has battled Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus, Magneto, Mystique, Rogue, Moonstone, Thanos and Ultron, among many others, including the Kree Yon-Rogg. Casting: There is a clear fan favourite for the role of Danvers/Captain Marvel, and that is Katee Sackhoff. Apart from bearing an uncanny resemblance to the character, she also has the physical prowess (see: Battlestar Galactica), and the benefit of popular support. Marvel, however, have historically displayed a tendency toward casting people with more recognisable names in terms of film (see, any Marvel movie). So if Sackhoff doesn’t make it to final casting, who are the alternatives? Popular opinion seems to favour the award-winning Jessica Chastain – but personally, I don’t think she has the specific steely edge that is needed here (despite having spearheaded the taking down of Bin Laden in Zero Dark Thirty). For me, the only Sackhoff alternative for Captain Marvel is Emily Blunt because, well, have you seen Edge Of Tomorrow? History and Future: Danvers/Captain Marvel is a complex character with a complex history. Clearly, she is relatively new to the title of Captain Marvel, despite Danvers having been created in 1968. She became Ms. Marvel in 1977 when she first gained her superpowers, and over time has also been known as the star-power generating Binary (after an experiment in space) and Warbird - as whom she rejoins the Avengers. Assuming the title of Captain Marvel in 2012, she has continued to be seen battling both heroes and villains, and aligned herself with Tony Stark/Iron Man – against Captain America – during the events of the Civil War comic book storyline (which we now know will feature heavily in the Marvel Cinematic Universe). Looking to the future, what Danvers/Captain Marvel represents is the first female-led superhero film for Marvel and, as such, is cause for celebration. Despite growing calls for Black Widow to have her own franchise, it is Captain Marvel that will break that new ground for the comic book movie giant. - Sarah Myles The Inhumans Release Date: November 2nd, 2018 Character/group synopsis: The Inhumans are an ancient and secret sect that has long lived apart from their human cousins. The space-faring Kree Empire (who we’ve seen in Guardians of the Galaxy and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), in their ongoing war with the shape-changing Skrulls, came to Earth and experimented on the primitive humans with the Terrigen Mist, which mutates those exposed to it, giving them extraordinary powers. When the Kree became concerned that their experiment might become a threat against them, they abandoned the Inhumans, who formed their own advanced society on Earth. Eventually, their home city Attilan was transported to the “Blue Area” of the Moon, an artificial air pocket on Earth’s only natural satellite. Origin(s): The Inhumans were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for an issue of the Fantastic Four comic book in 1965. After their initial encounter with Marvel’s First Family, the Inhumans became more and more involved in the affairs of the Marvel Universe, although they remain suspicious of outsiders. But because of their place on the Moon, and their close relation to the human race, the Inhumans side with the human race and its heroes against alien threats. Powers: Various. Black Bolt, the King of the Inhumans, has a voice he can never use because a mere whisper could level a building. Black Bolt’s queen Medusa is aptly named, as she has long, red, super-strong hair that she can manipulate with her mind. Medusa’s sister Crystal can control the elements: earth, air, fire and water. Gorgon, Black Bolt’s cousin, has super-strength and can create shockwaves. Karnak is a master martial artist, and has an additional advantage in sensing his adversary’s weak points. Triton has the appearance of a man-fish (like Hellboy’s Abe Sapien). And Lockjaw, the Inhumans’, giant-sized dog, has the ability to teleport. Greatest Enemies: Many of the Inhumans’ enemies are everyone’s enemies, including their creators the Kree, as well as the Kree’s millennia-old enemy the Skrulls, which often puts the Inhumans in the middle of their conflict. The Inhumans also have a history with both Thanos and Ronan the Accuser. But perhaps the biggest threat to the Inhumans comes from within. Black Bolt’s younger brother, Maximus the Mad, has super intelligence and mind control abilities, but he’s also schizophrenic, and spends just about all his time trying to figure out how to usurp his brother’s throne. Casting: There have already been rumors that Vin Diesel will be playing the role of Black Bolt, but he might make a better Karnak. For Black Bolt, you need someone with stature, authority, and definitely a strong jaw. My choice would be Jon Hamm. With Medusa, you need a woman that can be both regal and action capable, so let’s recruit Kate Beckinsale, who’s had a lot of experience kicking butt in skin-tight outfits. For Crystal, let’s stick with British and cast Emma Watson, who already has a past using magical power on film. Luke Goss has played characters in heavy make-up before, so he might be an obvious choice for Triton. As for Maximus, the presumed villain of the piece, Gary Oldman has yet to be cast in Marvel movie, and no one does crazy like Gary Oldman. History and future: The nature of the Inhumans, humans mutated to have super-powers through the Terrigen Mist, make them an ideal substitute for those other people born with powers that Marvel can’t use, the X-Men. There’s long been suspicion that Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) as they appear in Age of Ultron, are Inhumans, and Kevin Feige has said that we’ll see Inhumans in future Marvel films before they get their own movie. In the recent comic, Inhumanity it was revealed that Inhumans had been intermarrying with humans for thousands of years, and as a result there were millions of people with the potential to be Inhumans and have powers. If Fury thought the world was filling up with people who couldn't be controlled before… - Adam Donaldson Avengers: Infinity War Parts 1 and 2 Release Dates: May 4th, 2018 and May 3rd, 2019. Character/group synopsis: In the first Avengers, we learn that Loki’s mysterious benefactor is Thanos, the Mad Titan, who gave Loki an army in exchange for the Tesseract, an Infinity Gem of untold power. In Thor: The Dark World, we see The Aether, another powerful Infinity Gem wielded by the Dark Eleves. Then, in Guardians of the Galaxy, Ronan the Accuser is tasked by Thanos to collect yet a third Infinity Gem, but Ronan betrays Thanos and uses the Gem to attack Xandar, homeworld of the Nova Corps. Three Infinity Gems remain unknown, but they will be brought together on the gloved hand of Thanos, creating the greatest weapon the universe has ever known Origin(s): In the comic book crossover event The Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos brings together the six gems, and in an effort to prove his worth to Death (yes, The Other’s line at the end of The Avengers about “courting Death” was literal) he eliminates half the universe’s population. Several of Earth’s heroes are affected, but a force is put together including several Avengers, X-Men, and cosmic characters to fight Thanos, who progressively gets drunker with power. Eventually, Thanos is defeated by his own hubris and the Infinity Gems are separated after the universe is restored. Powers: The Infinity Gems each represent a specific power: time, space, reality, mind, power, and soul. According to The Collector in Guardians of the Galaxy, the stones are remains of six singularities that existed before the Big Bang. The Tesseract, which has been confirmed as the space gem, is currently residing on Asgard; and the power gem, which was the one Peter Quill found at the beginning of Guardians, is now in the possession of the Nova Corps. The Aether was left in the care of The Collector, but its fate, along with the question of what Infinity Gem it is, is unknown after the events on Knowhere in Guardians. The power source for Loki’s staff in The Avengers may also be an Infinity Gem, possibly mind. Greatest Enemies: Well, you might have heard about Thanos. He’s the secret power behind the events of both The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. Also key to the Infinity saga is Nebula, Thanos’ granddaughter, who plays a very surprising, but very important role in the Mad Titan’s downfall. The other two members of Thanos' inner circle in the comic story are the Lady Death, and Mephisto, Marvel’s version of the Devil. Casting: Josh Brolin has already stepped into the boots of Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy, and one assumes he’ll pop up here and there in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Guardians 2 before Infinity Wars. And if Nebula is there, then so is Karen Gillan. As for the good guys, expect just about any combination of pre- and post-Age of Ultron characters. Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, Drax the Destroyer and the Hulk were all part of the army sent against Thanos. (Spider-Man too, so this might be a good time to talk about that crossover deal with Sony…) The most pertinent piece of new casting might be Death, but who could play the haunting and beguiling, but quite lovely, personification of the end of life? My vote goes to Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey. History and future: The Avengers films have become culminating book ends to the events of each phase of the Marvel movie plan, and as Phase 3 is the studio’s most ambitious slate yet, so to is the appropriately double-shot of Avengers part 3, which follows the trend of turning the final chapter of a film series into two parts. This will be a huge project for whatever filmmaker takes it on, as they will likely have the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe to play with, and if Age of Ultron turns out to be bigger than the first Avengers, then I don’t even want to calculate the expectations for Infinity War. Right now, only two questions remain: Can Marvel pull together all the elements they’ve been weaving for 10 years into a single, epic story? And will the superhero movie bubble still be expanding, or will it have burst, by 2019? - Adam Donaldson