Tag: Kevin Feige

‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Starts Filming!

by The_acz

That’s right! Even though we’re still over a year out from the end of Phase 3, Marvel has already begun filming on Avengers: Infinity War!

To celebrate, the studio has released a teaser online featuring Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland, and Chris Pratt talking about the start of filming the movie. They talk about how The Avengers will finally team up with The Guardians to face off against Thanos. Kevin Feige also talks about how Thanos won’t be like previous Marvel movie villains, as he will actually pose as a major threat. The video ends with a short clip of the infinity gauntlet being revealed. Check out the video for more below!

For those impatient, just think of it this way. We only have 3 more films until Infinity War. You can wait 3 more films right? No? Me too, but we really have no other choice. Avengers: Infinity War will release on May 4th, 2018. Are you excited for the film? What upcoming phase 3 film are you most looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

 

Kevin Feige Confirms! Michael Keaton Is The Vulture In ‘Spider-Man Homecoming’!

by The_acz

Earlier this year, it was reported that Batman himself Michael Keaton will be joining the cast of Spider-Man Homecoming as a mystery character.

Rumor had it that Keaton would be playing spidey’s arch enemy The Vulture.  While there was still some speculation and hesitation around it, MCU head honcho Kevin Feige has confirmed the news himself.

In a Doctor Strange interview with The Toronto Sun, the publication asked him what cool things fans can expect in future films, and Feige dropped the bomb that Keaton’s vulture will be a fan favorite. What do you think of Michael Keaton as the vulture? Are you still excited for the film? Tell us in the comments below!

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From Marvel With Love, Feige Committed To Making ‘Black Widow’ Movie

by Bigyanks

Marvel will finally let Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) take on her own solo film. Fans of the MCU have been wanting this for a long time especially during the public outcry for more female leading roles in Hollywood. I just hope people wont complain about the Russian character being whitewashed. Marvel had even tried to quench that thirst by previously stating that the Captain Marvel movie would be about Carol Danvers.

In an interview with Deadline, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige spoke about a solo Black Widow film, and her role in the MCU.

“We’ve announced the next nine movies, ten counting Civil War, through the end of 2019. Where we go beyond that are ongoing discussions that we’ll focus on in the next few years because we have a lot to do before then. Of the characters that you’ve just mentioned I would say certainly the one creatively and emotionally that we are most committing to doing is Black Widow.

“We think she’s an amazing character. We think Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of her is amazing. She’s a lead Avenger and has amazing stories in her own right to tell that we think would be fun to turn into a standalone franchise.”

In the mean time you can catch Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)  choosing sides in Captain America: Civil War, now in theaters.

Special Content Showcase Event For ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ In-Home Release!

by Gabriel von Grünbaum

We had the opportunity to attend the Special Content Showcase for the in-home release of Avengers: Age of Ultron (digital available now, blu-ray starting October 2nd) and the event was the perfect blend of prestige and accessibility. It served as an unveiling for the special limited editions of exclusive poster art for the film by artist Tyler Stout, which was incredibly impressive printed in metallic inks. There was also a very neat Hulkbuster t-shirt that, honestly, I’m not seeing anywhere online in the sea of available Hulkbuster t-shirts (didn’t even realize that was a thing). It wasn’t exactly made clear how you could get this exclusive, limited quantities, shirt. There’s a slip that came with mine saying that you can get one for $20 (plus s/h) when you buy the movie—so maybe there’s a slip in the blu-ray case or a digital certificate if you buy a digital copy?

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Special Print of Tyler Stout’s Poster on Metal

Hosted in the Hero Complex Gallery in Los Angeles, they put out a nice spread in a very welcoming, cozy and creative environment. The gallery hosts a lot of rotating art events, many tied to entertainment. I recommend you check them out at hcgart.com and plan to visit for your favorite exhibits when you’re in the area.

We enjoyed the presentation that screened several of the extras included with “home release” of Avengers: Age of Ultron, and I must admit I found them quite good for providing and fleshing out a high level overview of the Marvel movie universe—presenting and tying together events from the various films to map out everything Marvel has been setting up leading to the Infinity Wars. They provide a nice review/recap and get you excited for everything that is to come.

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Kevin Feige (President of Marvel Studios)

That was followed by Kevin Feige (President of Marvel Studios) and Jeremy Latcham (Executive Producer of Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron) making an appearance to wax philosophical with attendees about the meanings behind various events in the movie and the Marvel films overall. There wasn’t anything particularly revealing or surprising but it was very nice to get that reassurance that every event, no matter how small, was being consciously woven into the tapestry of the larger arcs that guide the various Marvel films. This also extends to the shows—and, the same way actors in the films have been able to cross into the shows, the street goes both ways. So that, if the actors in the shows are willing, when there’s an opportunity for a particular character to appear in the films, Marvel is very interested in keeping the same performer in the role. That’s a level of consistency and loyalty I can really get behind.

Feige and Latcham also took some time to discuss the integration of Spider-Man going forward. The most interesting part is how fluid and planned out their story architecture is so that they’re ready for any combination of possibilities that might develop—will a given character be available to weave in?—is there room in the narrative of a specific film for a particular character?—will the same actor being playing the part?—and if that actor is replaced, will there need to be an explanation of some kind? They’re keeping all of these things in mind and have plans within plans ready for the different possible combination of scenarios that will still keep with the overall vision. That’s some impressive planning that will not only play out with the integration of Spider-Man but also Captain Marvel.

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Jeremy Latcham (Executive Producer)

The heartbreaking part of the evening for me was when we finally got to ask about plans for Howard the Duck (after the tease in Guardians of the Galaxy) and were just met with laughter. Another attendee got even more specific asking when and how Howard the Duck would be making his way to Earth. “Well, it didn’t work out so well the first time,” was their brief response; referencing the 1986 film, Howard the Duck (featuring Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones and Tim Robbins) that disappointed at the box office and with fans—except this one right here. . . although, to be fair, it has been a couple decades since I’ve seen it. Regardless, I’m personally looking forward to more Howard—I’ve still got my fingers crossed that he’ll be making some more cameos soon.

The evening definitely gave me some more love for Avengers: Age of Ultron, understanding better about all the plates they’re trying to keep spinning. And it really is saying something about an entertainment company when the worst thing that can be said about their weaker entries is, “it was pretty good.”

Joss Whedon, you moved mountains! We love you! Please don’t stay away too long!

MCU Spider-Man Confirmed As Peter Parker, Won’t Be An Origin Story!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Okay, so we were totally lying on April 1st when we said that Chandler Riggs was playing Spider-Man.

But, today Kevin Feige did drop some new info about the role.

Feige revealed to Collider today that the new Spider-Man will indeed be Peter Parker, and that he’ll be Ultimate style 15-16 years old:

“In terms of the age of an actor we’ll eventually to cast, I don’t know. In terms of the age of what we believe Peter Parker is, I’d say 15-16 is right.”

He continues, explaining just why they chose to go with a younger Spidey this time around (aside from the fact that an immediately older one didn’t work):

“We want to play with Spider-Man in the high school years because frankly there’ve been five Spider-Man films and the amazing thing about it is, even though there’ve been five Spider-Man films, there are so many things from the comics that haven’t been done yet. Not just characters or villains or supporting characters, but sides to his character. The most obvious being the ‘young, doesn’t quite fit in’ kid before his powers, and then the fella that puts on a mask and swings around and fights bad guys and doesn’t shut up, which is something we want to play with and we’re excited about.”

Feige also culled some of our fears in a conversation with CraveOnline, revealing that the next Spider-Man film that we see won’t be an origin story:

“In Spider-Man’s very specific case, where there have been two retellings of that origin in the last whatever it’s been – [thirteen] years – for us we are going to take it for granted that people know that, and the specifics. It will not be an origin story. But, with great power comes great responsibility. It is inherent to who his character is. But we want to reveal it in different ways and spend much more time focusing on this young high school kid in the MCU dealing with his powers. There is a young kid [already] running around New York City in a homemade version of the Spider-Man costume in the MCU, you just don’t know it yet,“

Phew, I really didn’t want to spend the first half of his solo film with him learning how to wall crawl and stand up for himself. So, who would you like to see suit up as Spidey now that Donald Glover is definitely out?

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‘The Walking Dead’s Chandler Riggs Cast As Our New Spider-Man

by Derek Kraneveldt

Breaking: Last month, Marvel and Sony announced a groundbreaking new partnership that would (again) see a reboot of the Spider-Man film franchise, but more importantly, would officially allow the character to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It was quickly revealed that Andrew Garfield would not be reprising his Peter Parker role in the new series, and the internet has run rampant with speculation of who we’d next see don the blue and red suit ever since.

We can all stop that speculation now, as Sony has just revealed who they’ve chosen for the role. No, it’s not Donald Glover, and he won’t be playing Miles Morales. The Walking Dead star Chandler Riggs (Carl, duh) will play Peter Parker / Spider-Man beginning in Captain America: Civil War.

It’s certainly an interesting choice, and certainly not one I’d ever predict. He’s young (16), which I like, and he’s awkward as hell, so he’s already got a one-up on Andrew Garfield (at least as far as Peter Parker goes). I’ll admit that I was initially baffled at the decision, but then I remembered that we shouldn’t hate on this stuff until we actually see what it looks like. Peter Parker is an awkward teenage nerd who isn’t particularly good looking, and Chandler fits right into that description.

Here’s the press release:

After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Chandler Riggs has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings into the Marvel Universe with the release of Captain America: Civil War on May 6th, 2016. Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and newly appointed chairman of Sony Pictures, Tom Rothman.

 

Today’s announcement culminates what has been one of the most eagerly anticipated casting announcements in recent memory. Bloggers, pop culture speculators, and everyday fans have pored over and analyzed every conceivable online rumor in an attempt to discover the identity of the actor to play Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Riggs will immediately begin preparing for the coveted role.

 

Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.

 

Commenting on the announcement, Tom Rothman, chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios said, “Spider-Man is a classic superhero — a young man who balances his responsibility to serve humanity and crush evil with the shyness and normalcy of someone struggling to find himself. The role demands an extraordinary actor. You need someone who can magically transform himself from Peter Parker into Spider-Man. An actor who will depict the vulnerability of youth and the strength and confidence of a legendary figure at the same moment. We have found that actor in Chandler Riggs. From the first time we saw him in The Walking Dead, to his glorious screen test which floored all of us, we knew that we had found our new Peter Parker.”

 

Producer Avi Arad added, “I’m incredibly excited about Chandler Riggs. In the Spider-Man tradition, we were looking for a smart, sensitive, and cool new Peter Parker who can inspire us and make us laugh, cry, and cheer. We believe we have found the perfect choice to take on this role and lead us into the future.”

 

Producer Laura Ziskin said, “We are thrilled to have Chandler Riggs for this new incarnation of Spider-Man. We were fortunate enough to meet with a group of fantastically talented young men, and in the end, we all agreed that in addition to being an extraordinary actor, Chandler had the right mix of humor, youth, and pathos, along with an underlying sense of strength and power necessary to bring Peter Parker and Spider-Man to life on screen.”

 

Kevin Feige added “We cannot wait to show you where Marvel and Sony plan to take this beloved character, and we’re ecstatic to show you Chandler in costume, and in motion, later this year.”

Are you down with this announcement? Is there another actor you’d have rather seen cast? And what does this mean for Carl on The Walking Dead? Sound out below!

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Marvel Pushes Phase 3 Films To Make Room For Spider-Man

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We’re still reeling over last night’s news that Spider-Man will officially appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Marvel has now clarified just how the web-head will affect its upcoming slate of films (or at least when we’ll be seeing them).

The new Spider-Man film will launch on July 28th, 2017. To make room for Marvel’s new pal, Thor: Ragnarok has been pushed to Black Panther‘s original release date on November 3rd, 2017, while Black Panther will now drop on July 6th, 2018.

The domino effect continues, and with Black Panther‘s move, Captain Marvel will now release on Inhumans’ November 2nd, 2018 date, and Inhumans will launch on July 12th, 2019.

Interestingly enough, both of the Avengers: Infinity War dates have not changed, and will still release on May 4th, 2018, and May 3rd, 2019 respectively.

Here’s the full list of Marvel’s currently slated projects:

– Avengers: Age of Ultron: May 1st, 2015
– Ant-Man: July 17th, 2015
– Captain America: Civil War: May 6th, 2016
– Doctor Strange: November 4th, 2016
– Guardians of the Galaxy 2: May 5th, 2017
– Spider-Man: July 28th, 2017
– Thor: Ragnarok: November 3rd, 2017
– Avengers: Infinity War, Part 1: May 4th, 2018
– Black Panther: July 6th, 2018
– Captain Marvel: November 2nd, 2018
– Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2: May 3rd, 2019
– Inhumans: July 12th, 2019

Are you excited to see Spider-Man make his MCU debut? Do you see another origin story coming, or will they realize that we’ve seen Uncle Ben die enough times by now? Sound out below!

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It’s Official: Spider-Man To Appear In The Marvel Cinematic Universe!

by Derek Kraneveldt

So, it’s been rumoured for what seems like forever (or at least since the Sony hack occurred late last year), but Marvel has just made it official: Spider-Man will appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

And that’s not all that’s happening. Marvel (and of course Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal) will co-produce Sony’s next Spider-Man film (though Sony will continue to finance, distribute, own, and have created control over the franchise).

The press release also notes that “the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film”. Hmm, ‘the new Spider-Man’? Does that mean that we’re done with Andrew Garfield? Can #DonaldforSpiderMan make a comeback? Does that mean another reboot is happening? Maybe we’re reading too far into it, but it’s certainly some interesting wording.

It’s also noted that MCU characters may appear in future Spider-Man films.

I’m excited for the prospect. After two less than stellar The Amazing Spider-Man films, having Marvel involved with the franchise can only be a good thing. I definitely agree with Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment Michael Lynton, who stated that “This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans.”

Take a look at the full press release below, and let us know if you’re happy about the news!

Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.

 

Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.

 

The new relationship follows a decade of speculation among fans about whether Spider-Man – who has always been an integral and important part of the larger Marvel Universe in the comic books – could become part of the Marvel Universe on the big screen. Spider-Man has more than 50 years of history in Marvel’s world, and with this deal, fans will be able to experience Spider-Man taking his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU.

 

Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company said: “Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s great characters, beloved around the world. We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building.”

 

“We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans.”

 

“Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios share a love for the characters in the Spider-Man universe and have a long, successful history of working together. This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker’s story into the future,” added Doug Belgrad, president, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

 

“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”

 

Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.

Source: Marvel

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Have Sony/Marvel Reached a ‘Spider-Man’ Deal?

by Eric Francisco

When the Sony hack attacks by North Korea evolved from a surreal, schadenfreude-filled incident to a watershed moment where the effects on the American psyche, speech, and capitalist practices will be measured in the years to come, my laptop gave me the middle finger and stopped working. It was like, totally the best time for me to not write.

Now that I have ol’ trusty back from Apple, I have some catching up to do. I’ll be writing about the coming hangover concerning this attack and what I personally believe may be the start of the world’s first Cyber War, but for now I can’t help but dwell on some actual movie business news coming from the Sony leaks. Thankfully this has nothing to do with insulting a celebrity.

According to Comic Book Resources, Marvel and Sony have reached or are inches away from finalizing a deal concerning New York’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Should they happen with these proposed plans, Spider-Man will be absorbed into the Marvel universe with a stand-alone movie with Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods) eyed to direct. Spider-Man will then be involved fully with Captain America: Civil War and The Avengers: Infinity War — Part 1.

This news differs from earlier reports that Sony and Marvel were merely talking about getting Spider-Man involved with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, somehow it seems more and more like a possibility.

Here’s how it will go down. If the deal is reached — and this is an if — Sony will co-finance 25% of Captain America: Civil War. Marvel will then pony up 25% for the next solo Spider-Man film, and Sony will be allowed to use two (2!) Marvel Studios characters and continue the events of Civil War. From there, Spider-Man will appear in Infnity War — Part 1 in 2018 and a second solo film (would this be the fourth solo film in total?) in 2019.

From Comic Book Resources:

Sony asked for approval over the costume, script (but only the parts specifically involving Spider-Man), and casting, with said actor required to sign a three-picture deal or more. The way this part of the document is worded makes it sound very much like a collaboration rather than one studio having more control than the other. They do however point out that Kevin Feige must serve as a producer, and if for some reason he leaves Marvel, they would be allowed to select his replacement. They also want Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach to be given executive producer credits, and state that it would be pre-agreed that Drew Goddard both writes and directs the first movie.

There are some caveats too. Namely, if any Marvel movies using Spider-Man fail to make their projected release date, Sony would be paid a whopping $100 million and the deal terminated. That’s kind of harsh.

On the business side of things, if any of the Marvel movies Spider-Man is included in misses their release date, Sony would be paid damages of $100 million, and the deal would be terminated. Sony have only three years and nine months to start pre-production before the rights revert, and Captain America: Civil War would reset the clock on this period. Sony also asked for Marvel’s help in ensuring that the “D Machine” would have to be accessible for Spider-Man’s solo movies in regards to their TV channels, radio networks, theme parks, and more. The deal would be announced at a press event by both studios on a mutually agreed upon date.

I wish I could get away with calling more directors “__ Machine.” Quentin Tarantino the Q Machine. Spike Lee the S Machine. Jonathan London the J Machine. They all sound like bad ’70s villains. (Sorry, Jonathan!)

Comic Book Resources makes it clear this stuff comes from internal documents and appears to be more of a gameplan from Sony than any actual final deal. We of Geekscape reiterate that none of this is finalized or confirmed. Considering the level of international urgency Sony have found themselves in I doubt they’re thinking much about a teenaged superhero in red and blue spandex anyway.

What if Kim Jong-Un actually doesn’t care about The Interview and hacked Sony just to pressure them so Spider-Man can join The Avengers? I would, as kids today put it, can’t even.

Publicists Name Marvel Studios Kevin Fiege “Motion Picture Showman Of The Year”

by Shawn Madden

Deadline reports that Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige has been named as “Motion Picture Showman Of The Year” by the Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild. If you’re somehow unfamiliar with that name, since joining Marvel in 2000, Feige has overseen all of the creative aspects of the company’s film productions. He became President of Marvel Studios in 2007 and most recently produced Marvel’s The Avengers, which was the biggest movie of the year.

Feige will be honored at the 50th Annual Awards Luncheon on February 22nd. Awards committee chairman Henri Bollinger stated:

“Kevin Feige’s understanding and appreciation of publicity and promotion in the role of a movie’s success has led to a string of blockbuster feature films adapted from the pages of Marvel comic books during the past ten years.”

It’s truly a well deserved award and congratulations on winning it Mr. Feige.

“I LOVED that in comics, you could read all your individual heroes and you could follow their adventures, then every few years there’d be a crossover event that would bring them all together, in one book.

Then they’d go their separate ways again, have their own adventures, and a few years later, they’d get back together again.

I want to replicate that in movies.”

Kevin Feige

 

Russo Brothers In Negotiations To Direct “Captain America 2”

by Scott Alminiana

Back in March, we posted Marvel’s “short-list” of directors they had for Captain America 2. Well today Deadline  is reporting that Marvel Studios is in negotiations with brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, who were on said list, that would see them direct Captain America 2. The Russo brothers have directed one two movies to date, the Owen Wilson comedy You, Me and Dupree, and the 2002 heist comedy Welcome to Collinwood. They have also directed episodes of TV’s Community, Up All Night, Happy Endings (which they are also executive producers on), and Arrested Development.

Yeah, they sound like perfect choices to helm Cap 2, it’s about as great of an idea as that time Fox hired Tim Story to directed the Fantastic Four movies. We all remember how great those were, right? Then again, I remember thinking Jon Favreau was an odd choice for Iron Man and look how that one turned out, so who knows.

“Kevin [Feige, Marvel Studios’ president of production] is a ‘vibe guy,’” “He likes to see if he gets along with people before he’ll decide about spending the next two years with them. And apparently, they hit it off with Kevin in the room.” [Vulture]

Could it be that Kevin Feige really hit it off with them and thinks they would make a great movie, or is he just aiming to find some cheap directors who won’t get on his nerves for two years? You tell me.

Captain America 2 is scheduled to hit theaters April 4th, 2014.

Directing Duo Anthony (left) and Joe Russo

Post-Avengers: What’s Next For The Marvel Movie Universe?

by Scott Alminiana

**WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS AVENGERS MOVIE SPOILERS**

So now that The Avengers have assembled and saved the world from an alien invasion whilst simultaneously racking up $200.3 million dollars in its first three days of release the logical question is “what’s next?” Marvel already has sequels lined up for the big three, which will begin what many have dubbed “Phase 2.” These sequels will all focus squarely on each character and will not feature the other Avengers. “Phase 2” will consist of:

Iron Man 3, which is scheduled to begin filming later this month and will be released on May 3, 2013. It is being written/directed by Shane Black and will be heavily influenced by the Warren Ellis story arc “Extremis.” The movie is being co-produced in China and leads many to believe that Iron Man will finally face off against his greatest villain The Mandarin.

Thor 2, scheduled for a November 15, 2013 release date. Filming begins later this summer and this time around Alan Taylor (best-known for his work on Game of Thrones) will be directing. Not much is known yet about the story but Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige recently said in an interview that Thor 2 will pick up where the first film left off in terms of Jane Foster and Thor, as well as what’s been going on in the nine realms now that the Asgardians are unable to use the Bifrost. Loki will appear in the sequel but a new villain will be introduced. Could this new villain be someone that was introduced in The Avengers? I’m getting ahead of myself, so let me come back to that one in a bit.

Captain America 2 has already set a release date of April 4, 2014 but no director or story have been announced. Most likely it will follow Steve Rogers as he tries to find his way in this new world that he finds himself in.

Marvel has also announced that they will release a movie on May 16th, 2014 but they have not yet announced what that movie will be. Some are speculating that the mystery movie could be Edgar Wright’s long  in development Ant-Man. Just yesterday in fact, Wright posted a tweet that refers to Ant-Man.  With Edgar Wright’s previous flicks Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, he has already shown that he knows what to deliver the goods that we geeks so direly love. Henry Pym, the alter-ego of Ant-Man was referenced in Thor as the friend that Dr. Selvig e-mails that had previous “experience” with S.H.I.E.L.D., though his name was cut from the scene.

Now that the cosmic universe has been introduced into the Marvel movie universe with the alien race Chitauri in The Avengers, the sky is no longer the limit. Marvel now has the option of further exploring their cosmic characters if they so choose, and it would appear that they have indeed chosen to explore them. Kevin Feige has already confirmed that movies featuring The Guardians of The Galaxy and The Inhumans are currently in development.

I think that an Inhumans movie would be the perfect place to further explore the Chitauri, who are also known as the Skrulls in the comics. The Inhumans, the result of genetic experimentation by another alien race known as the Kree during their war with the Skrulls/Chitauri, have fought the Skrulls/Chitauri on numerous occasions in the comics so it would seem like a perfect fit for the Chitauri to be the villains in The Inhumans movie.

The other movie in development is The Guardians of The Galaxy, who are basically the cosmic equivalent to The Avengers. This film could help further establish the cosmic universe in the Marvel movies and could even lay the seeds for The Avengers 2, which the groundwork has already begun to be laid out as is evident by the post-credit scene featuring ***SPOILER ALERT*** “The Mad Titan” himself Thanos!

For those of you out there (after this weekend I doubt there will be many of you) unfamiliar with Thanos, he is one of the greatest threats that the entire Marvel Universe has ever faced. Thanos is essentially a god-like presence and he has quite the knack for causing death and destruction, which he does for the love of Death, whose love he tries to prove himself worthy of (she takes the form of a female-like Grim Reaper when she appears), hence the “courting death” line during the post-credit scene. He is not just a threat to Earth but the entire universe.

The Guardians of The Galaxy flick could further explore this and lead directly into The Avengers 2 or Thanos could also be the new villain that Kevin Feige was referring to for Thor 2 but I hope not. Just think of how awesome it would be for The Guardians to figure out Thanos’s plan at the end of their own movie, and realize that they must warn “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” of his plan. Avengers 2 could start similar to AVX and show Nova crashing on Earth and warning The Avengers that “he’s coming…” just before he passes out. That would be a pretty awesome start to the sequel.

Soon to be guarding a galaxy near you!

But just what might be Thanos’s plan, you might be asking yourself? Well, the answer is simple… he wants The Infinity Gauntlet!  Previously introduced in Thor as an easter egg in Odin’s treasure room, The Infinity Gauntlet contains six gems known as the Infinity Gems (or Soul Gems) and when all six gems are brought together give it’s wielder the power over power, mind, space, reality, time, and the soul. An object containing that much power in the hands of Thanos would surely spell doom and it would make for a pretty epic battle between Thanos and The Avengers. In order for Thanos to get the Infinity Gauntlet he would have to fight his way into Odin’s treasure room on Asgard to obtain it. That in itself would make for one bad-ass action scene between Thor, the entirety of Asgard and Thanos (and actually could make conceivable content for Thor 2).

The Infinity Gauntlet as seen at Comic Con '10

Marvel has proven this weekend that anything is possible in their movies and that not just the sky is the limit. While this article has been half fact and half pure speculation, I know one thing is for sure. Whatever else Marvel releases from here on I am immensely looking forward to it! To quote the great Stan Lee himself, “Excelsior!”