Phase two of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe is now well underway, with Iron Man 3 hitting theatres this Spring and Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy all in production. The studio certainly has a lot on their plate but that doesn’t mean they’re not looking ahead to Phase three. Though the only announced film for the third Phase so far is Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man, Marvel’s Kevin Feige has now confirmed that a Doctor Strange film will definitely be part of phase three.
Feige spoke with MTV News and had the following to say.
Ant-Man is definitely part of Phase Three. Like Iron Man 3, it’s certainly set in the Marvel Universe, but it’s also through the lens of Edgar Wright — which is the only reason we’re making the movie. […] It’s very much an Ant-Man origin movie from the perspective of Edgar Wright and his co-writer Joe Cornish. It will of course be firmly planted in the MCU, but a different corner than we’ve seen before.
So much of the stories we’re telling [right now] is about the core Avengers characters we’ve now met, and they’ll be evolving in big, surprising ways, in Cap’s next movie and Thor’s next movie and of course in Iron Man 3, as we get them all into the next Avengers film. Beyond that… Ant-Man is the only one officially announced, but you probably don’t have to look too far to guess at the next list of characters we’re toying with and beginning to develop.
Doctor Strange, which I’ve been talking about for years, is definitely one of them. He’s a great, original character, and he checks the box off this criteria that I have: he’s totally different from anything else we have, just like Guardians of the Galaxy. He’s totally different from anything we’ve done before, as is Ant-Man, which keeps us excited.
The Doctor Strange news isn’t exactly surprising, as rumours surrounding a film centered on the character have been around forever now. That being said, it still is nice to finally have some official confirmation. What’s interesting though is that Feige mentions they have a list of characters that they are toying with, and Doctor Strange is only one of them. Of course, that leaves the question, who else is the studio toying with? Any ideas?
What’s also interesting to note is that Feige says Ant-Man will be in the MCU, but in a “different corner.” We’re not sure what that means but it looks like Marvel is looking to expand and they are getting bigger and bolder with their ideas. Will Ant-Man even be part of The Avengers roster? Will he be off doing his own separate thing in the universe? Who knows?
All we know right now is that we are getting a Doctor Strange film and Marvel isn’t looking to slow down anytime soon.
