Looking for Marvel’s new movies coming in 2023? We’ve got you covered with all the details from San Diego Comic-Con.
Marvel Studios proved again that it rules San Diego Comic-Con. Heading into the event, many pundits suspected the studio would mostly provide updates on its previously announced slate of projects with a few trailers. That would leave plenty for Kevin Feige to unveil at September’s D23 Expo. Then came Saturday’s panel, and Marvel blew the roof off SDCC.
Can’t wait for next year to arrive? You’re not alone. To whet your appetite for the coming of the MCU’s Phase Five, here are the dates you will want to mark on your calendars.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Release date: February 17
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonathan Majors, Bill Murray
Three months after Wakanda Forever brings Phase Four to a close, Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly ready their Pym Particles for another adventure into the Quantum Realm. They will be joined by Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeifer as the quartet faces off against M.O.D.O.K., the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing. Plus, we’ll get to see Bill Murray in a Marvel movie, and that should be interesting.
Since last year, the buzz around the third Ant-Man film has been the appearance of Jonathan Majors as the time-traveling Kang. That particular news spread before Majors debuted in the Loki finale as the Kang variant, He Who Remains. It’s been over a year since Sylvie murdered HWR, and there’s not been so much as a mention of the Conqueror. Now that Marvel’s future blockbusters have been revealed, we know that Quantumania will be the first stepping stone for Kang’s introduction to the MCU.
What’s the movie about? Teaser footage debuted in SDCC’s Hall H revealed that Scott Lang has become a celebrity, and he authored a book about saving the world. Thanks to his fame and inflated ego, Scott finds himself distanced from his family. Things go awry when all those he loves are pulled into the Quantum Realm. It is in that realm that we will meet Kang, who takes Cassie Lang hostage.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Release date: May 5
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista
It will be the end of an era for the Guardians of the Galaxy, both on and off the screen. As the story goes, when James Gunn pitched a GOTG movie to Marvel Studios, there was trepidation. Even among the most faithful of Marvel Comics readers, the Guardians were relatively obscure. The team had never been overly popular, and most fans passed them over without a second thought.
Not knowing if this unknown superhero team would sell movie tickets, Kevin Feige took a chance on Gunn’s idea. While Marvel was already venturing into the action-comedy realm, GOTG was the first MCU entry that went full comedy. It helped change the landscape of what was to come, both in regards to the laughs and more obscure characters getting the spotlight.
During a tearful goodbye at SDCC, Gunn explained that the story will center on Rocket Raccoon’s origins. Since Bradley Cooper, who provides Rocket’s voice, is reportedly leaving Marvel after GOTG 3, the assumption is everyone’s favorite trash panda won’t survive. Of course, Gunn had said he is leaving the franchise along with most of the cast. Besides Cooper, the only other confirmed departure will be Dave Bautista, who has repeatedly said he is retiring from the Drax role.
There’s nothing that says we won’t get a new GOTG going forward, and GOTG Vol. 2 teased several potential replacements. However, that will be a tall order, given the MCU faithful’s love for all things GOTG.
The Marvels
Release date: July 28
Starring: Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, Teyonah Parris, Samuel L. Jackson
Much is still unknown about the Captain Marvel sequel, but WandaVision and Ms. Marvel have set the stage for a cosmic-powered team up. The word is that the plot will stem from the Secret Invasion Disney+ series, though Marvel is keeping those details mostly under wraps as well.
Brie Larson will once again suit up as Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel. Meanwhile, Vellani continues her adventures as Kamala Khan. Remember that, besides being confirmed as a mutant, the Ms. Marvel season finale had Kamala apparently swapping places with her hero, Captain Marvel. That should lead into The Marvels.
One of the more intriguing rivalries should make it to the big screen. During Teyonnah Parris’ appearances as Monica Rambeau in WandaVision, she gave hints that she had an issue with Carol Danvers. In the comics, Monica became Captain Marvel after future X-Man Rogue stole her powers. Many fans have wondered if this is where The Marvels is headed. Another clue may have been in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While on Earth-838, audiences were treated to an alternate reality Captain Marvel. Instead of Carol gaining the cosmic powers, it was Monica’s mother, Maria Rambeau. Could that be a hint at things to come for Earth-616?
Blade
Release date: November 3
Starring: Mahershala Ali, Delroy Lindo, Aaron Pierre
We have known a Blade reboot was in development since Kevin Feige made it official in 2019. At the same time, Marvel confirmed that Mahershala Ali had been cast in the lead role. Then all went mostly silent. This past weekend, Feige gave the official release date, and he said it would close out Phase Five. Other than that, it’s all still a guessing game.
Since this is Blade, we can safely assume that the story will somehow revolve around the Daywalker fighting vampires. Since it will be PG-13, don’t expect the same level of violence, language, or horror elements as the Wesley Snipes trilogy. With all the Multiversal variants skipping around the MCU, there’s gossip that Snipes will somehow be worked into the plot, but that is purely speculation at this point and should be taken as such.
Another plot clue could extend from Ali’s voiceover in the Eternals’ post-credits scene. If you recall, we heard his voice warning Kit Harrington’s Dane Whitman about touching the Ebony Blade. In the comics, the two characters are connected through MI:13, the British supernatural version of S.H.I.E.L.D. Blade could provide the groundwork for putting that team together. Then again, it could be the first piece to the Midnight Sons/Suns puzzle.
