With recently announced films all the rage in the world of us nerds, speculation has run absolutely wild. We don't know for sure what films will be in Phase 3 and beyond; all we can do is make educated guesses. So, updating on a previous article now that more information is within my grasp, that is what I have done. In this article I have compiled not only what I think will happen but in my opinion what should happen.
Enjoy.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
There's not much we can say about this movie--there are currently so many rumors going around, it's hard to differ from what's reasonable and what's bullcrap. There are several things I'd like to speculate however:
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What we've seen of the "Avengers Army" isn't really an army, but a league of agents that will have been recruited in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. by the time the movie rolls around. However, an army full of super-powered individuals could give weight to the recent rumors of the Superhuman Registration Act playing a part in Captain America 3. I guess we'll see.
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Director Coulson will be revealed to be alive, if only in an emotional cameo. Additionally, actors B.J. Britt and Anthony Mackie were spotted on set, which leads me to believe Agent Triplett and the Falcon will be making an appearance.
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The Hulk vs. Hulkbuster fight in Age of Ultron will be caused by Stark keeping a deep, dark secret from Banner--which is revealed by Ultron. This theory can be found as a whole here: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/avengers/avengers_age_of_ultron/news/?a=108035
It was long assumed that Tony Stark would be the creator of Ultron in Age of Ultron, although this was put to question when Ultron was described as a "dormant peacekeeping program" to be kick-started by Stark in the official synopsis. If Ultron's creator does indeed turn out to be Hank Pym as would be faithful to the comics, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out in the films and what it means for the characters.
Whatever happens, we can be sure that the cataclysmic events of this movie will create groundwork for several movies to come.
Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)
Hank Pym--a guy whose history in the comics is long and enduring, but being very shortened in this movie as he will be portrayed an older man, with his superhero days long behind him. This decision has been long criticized but it's important to note that this was Edgar Wright's plan, who has made nothing but great movies. What should also be noted is that Pym is being played by Michael Douglas--a damn good actor.
People are upset over the number of liberties being taken with these characters, such as the aforementioned changes to Hank Pym and the identity of Ultron's creator, and also with the character Darren Cross, who will become a villain known as Yellowjacket. In the comics, Yellowjacket was simply another costume of Hank Pym's, a more aggressive persona. It was during this period that he actually wound up slapping his wife Janet. Obviously changing this up is quite a big creative liberty to take with the film, but I think this could make for great storytelling.
Characteristically, Darren Cross could represent what Hank Pym could have been, but didn't let himself become. We know that Cross is taking over Pym Technologies and sending it in the wrong direction, and that's how Scott Lang comes into play--but that's about all we know. So without being specific, what I will say that there should be something in Cross' life very similar to something that happened in Pym's life--and they both took two different roads in the outcome of those experiences. I feel this would pay a homage of sorts to the books while also creating parallels and originality.
Civil War (May 2016)
This film is currently still being paraded as Captain America 3, and it's a bit of a wild card at this point. We're still not entirely should what will come of it, even with Robert Downey Jr.'s involvement. Some people think it will definitely be an adaption of the mini-series Civil War, while others think it will be a prequel of sorts to a Civil War later down the pipeline. Since I do not believe that "leaked" image that made the rounds, don't think we'll see Steve Rogers die, and am firmly convinced that Thanos will be the villain in Avengers 3, I'm leaning towards this being more of a Civil War adaption. This would also explain why Tony Stark is getting a much larger role than originally intended.
If this is the case, as I genuinely hope it will be, I want it to be bigger than what it is currently being referred as. Civil War should be so much more than a Captain America movie, a Cap vs Iron Man movie or even an Avengers movie. Even Downey called this a "huge" event, and while it is currently still being paraded as Captain America 3, I hope this soon ceases. Obviously Steve Rogers should be at the center, along with Stark, but there's no need to dumb this movie down to only that. By this point, they'll have a large amount of cinematic heroes to choose from, and I'm sure they could use characters from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Netflix series' if and when needed--not to mention the current rumor of Spider-Man's inclusion.
One thing I'd like to mention is the current fuss over the Superhuman Registration Act. The argument is that Civil War will make the law kind of redundant, since there are currently no superheroes with secret identities in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I'd argue that by the time this movie rolls around, we will have enough for it to be a reasonable law. Daredevil and Iron Fist will have been introduced (and who knows, Jessica Jones could have a secret identity as well). Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has made clear that there can be other super-humans out there, and Speedball has been rumored to join the show as well. Though not likely to appear, Spider-Man could be a large point of contention seeing as he is New York City's primary hero. It's also likely for Scott Lang's Ant-Man identity to be a secret as well.
A theory out there is that the Act will be brought up primarily by the emergence of Inhumans, which could be a tissue of sorts between Age of Ultron and an eventual Inhumans movie.
Also, while it would be quite the creative liberty, there's no reason the Civil War couldn't be fought over some other act--as SauronsBANE pointed out, it could even be fought over Bucky.
Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme (July 8, 2016)
I'm not as familiar with Doctor Strange as I'd like to be, mostly because I'm a broke bitch, but I know enough about him to make a few comments. I'm excited that Marvel Studios is bringing a magician to the table, as these "magical movies" tend to do very well at the box office and has ignited fandoms across the globe. The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and the Lord of the Rings are a few. The mysterious element of magic is going to draw fans, and especially once you add the Marvel brand name. As for speculation, I think the Eye of Agamotto will play into the movie, and could possibly even be an Infinity Stone. I also believe Mephisto will appear in the movie, probably as a minor villain ala Laufey in Thor.
While I'd prefer that Dr. Strange remain separate from the Avengers--as I've stated before, there is more to Marvel than the Avengers, and Marvel should have franchises independent of it--Kevin Feige has made it pretty clear that he will join them in Avengers 3. As such, they need to make sure they choose an actor that is talented enough to carry his own franchise while also being able to gel with the Avengers cast. I was one of the few who was happy to see Joaquin Phoenix dismissed as the running lead--I'm not very familiar with his work. Joseph Fiennes is currently my favorite choice, but the fact that Benedict Cumberpatch is also being considered is exciting.
Currently the general rumor is that the events caused by Civil War will be a focus for the next seven years--which begs the question of how Stephen Strange would react to it in this movie. I'd like to see him be dismissive at first, before eventually being called to make a stand.
Thor: Asgard Burning (May 5, 2017)
Major shout-out to Enoch16 of DeviantArt fame for designing this and the next movie's title cards by my request. Hiddleston and Hemsworth have continuously hinted at a Ragnarok storyline for Thor 3, and I feel this definitely the right way to go. With the chaos that is the Superhuman Registration Act going on down in Midgard, the crisis of Ragnarok would be an equally huge event to keep Thor busy. Since Loki is sitting at the throne of Asgard, I feel like Ragnarok could be the perfect opportunity for Loki to realize he was never fit to be king. Also, with Thor's love for Jane on one end and the fate of Asgard on the other, lines could be crossed that would make for a damn good story--and a great chance to develop Thor as a character.
As developing Thor, Loki and Surtur will take up a valuable amount of the movie's time, I would leave the beloved Enchantress out of it until the next one; I think her and her pal Executioner are best served as the main villain(s) of a movie. However, I would include the previously established Lorelei, as her relationship with Loki and the result of it would set up a Loki-less Thor 4.
While Thor 3 would technically be a solo film, I would have it set up to be much more of an Asgard film. I think showing more of how Asgard's society works would make it feel more like a 'home' to the viewers and grow their attachment to the Asgardians. Much as Captain America: The Winter Soldier had a strong hand-off to Age of Ultron, I believe Thor 3 will have some similar hand-off to Avengers 3, in some form or fashion--probably the inclusion of an Infinity Stone, or Death.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Planet Hulk (July 28, 2017)
If you don't like it you can suck my ass, okay, suck my ass. In the comics, while Civil War was going on, Hulk had been shipped off to outer space. He eventually saved the day and got the girl, of course, before returning after the particular city he was in was destroyed. It's been said by Ruffalo and Feige that Planet Hulk might not work on film, since Bruce Banner is hardly in the story and his relationship with Hulk is what will drive movies forward. But I think that's kind of a silly argument--Marvel Studios has never been afraid to take creative liberties in the past, and a Planet Hulk story would be no exception.
I've had the theory for awhile now that in Age of Ultron, the robot villain realizes he can't kill the Hulk (in tune with the "--in case you needed to kill me, but you can't, I know, I tried!" line in the first Avengers), and instead launches him off into space. Voila, he meets Peter Quill and crew. This particular rumor has been outright debunked by James Gunn, but c'mon--who gives a shit? Point is, the team-up makes sense in terms of the MCU's overall story, and I would love to see the dynamics between the Guardians of the Galaxy and Bruce Banner/Hulk.
Oh, and I was just kidding, you don't really have to suck my ass.
The Inhumans (November 3, 2017)
Not much to say about this one, either, because I'm not familiar with them very well, but it seems as though Kevin Feige is more enthusiastic about this property than any other. Additionally, both Clark Gregg and Vin Diesel have made statements including the word "inhuman," obviously hinting at the fictional race. In a recent interview, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen explained that their characters get their powers via Hydra experiments, which leads to me to question if the Nazi off-shoot has gotten hold of Terrigen mists, actually turning Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch into inhumans, as has long been rumored. If so, I'd like to see them meet up with the more traditional inhumans in this movie--it could be a journey of self-discovery for the orphans as well introducing a whole other side to the Marvel universe. If this is the November 3, 2017 release, let them be independent and do not put them in the Avengers 3--that's too many characters!
The Avengers 3 (May 4, 2018)
I believe it was Kevin Feige who recently stated that he wants a three-year gap in between the Avengers movies, although I think he was talking about the ones in the near future. Not only this, but Avengers films will almost assuredly release in the month of May as the beginning blockbuster of the summer. This is the date for the Avengers 3; of that I am certain.
While I personally don't want the Guardians of the Galaxy in this movie--especially not the whole team--I believe that's what Marvel are going to do. Since this will be the end of Chris Evans' contract (and he has stated he'd like to move on to other things), another thing I think they will do is have Steve Rogers killed in action, and yes have Bucky take the mantle in the next solo Captain America. Before half of you start lighting your torches, hear me out: I don't want them to do this. I think it's far too soon for Bucky to become the next Captain America. Then again, I thought it was far too soon for them to adapt The Winter Soldier, and I loved that movie. The thing is, Sebastian Stan has a contract for 9 movies, which is even more than Chris Evans. I don't know if he'll be in this film, but I think the death of Steve Rogers will make the Avengers madder than ever, losing a patriot and the overall leader of their team.
That's just what I think will happen. For what I want to happen, read a previous article I posted a few months ago:
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fan_fic/news/?a=98192
Captain Marvel (July 6, 2018)
That's right, mother[frick]ers. Not only do I think Carol Danvers should be Captain Marvel, but I also think she should be held off until Phase 4. I can already hear your keyboards typing up a complaint, so slow down, let me explain, and then voice your inevitable disagreements.
Ms. Marvel is not at all a demeaning name, in fact it shows independence, but it's not an empowering name like Captain Marvel. This shows that not only is she just as formidable a match as the rest of the male heroes, but she has leadership abilities as well, and since she is a member of the United States Air Force, I think that would play off very nicely. People act like she has to go verbatim through the same stages she did in the comics, but this just isn't true and can be restraining and even hurtful to the series of movies. To quote Joss Whedon: "This is Marvel cinema, not Marvel Comics."
Another thing here: the name Ms./Captain Marvel directly references the studio--Marvel Studios. While it's safe to say that Iron Man and to a lesser extent Captain America are the face(s) of the MCU, with this movie released she will become the face of the studio. Not necessarily the best, not necessarily the most popular, and not necessarily the leader of the Avengers, but they will play off the brand name with her. With Avengers 3 closing one door and opening another, Ms./Captain Marvel could pave the way for the franchise's future. Quite frankly--it's a way to keep the MCU fresh. If they're in this for the long run, they need to be able to keep previous franchises going while also always having the option to launch new franchises. This date, four years from now, does just that.
Further explanation can be found here:
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/avengers/news/?a=106845
Bucky Cap (November 2, 2018)
To be honest, I didn't know whether to put Captain America 3 or Captain America 4 as the title, so I just went with Bucky Cap. I think this movie should still feature Steve Rogers haunting the film, with it being left in the air if Bucky or Falcon should take over. Since a lot of the characters in the world of Captain America don't necessarily need to be in an Avengers movie, I see no reason why this movie couldn't be in the same year as Avengers 3, as most of the characters won't be in A3 anyway and thus scheduling shouldn't be an issue. I doubt Bucky will be Cap for a whole trilogy though--probably just a solo film and an Avengers film, before Rogers makes his inevitable comeback. The general audience would embrace this--Bucky has his own [frick]ing fandom, if you didn't know.
Ant-Man 2 (May 3, 2019)
If all goes according to Marvel's brilliant little plan, Ant-Man should be an A-list character with Avengers exposure, which will surely only raise the hero's popularity. Since it will have been four years since a solo outing, I think a sequel released a year after the last Avengers would be in order (all assuming, of course, that audiences respond well to Ant-Man). I'd like to see Hope Pym go on a journey in this film; as her and Lang take down whatever threat has been raised, she grows more distrustful of superheroes, just like her father is said to be in the first film. Perhaps something that happened in Avengers 3 is the root of this--she could become distrustful of that team themselves, or even Lang himself. At the end, she embraces the "Red Queen" side of herself that she was in the comics of an alternate future, from which I believe she came from. This would fit into my vision for Avengers 4--which would adapt into it the House of M and Avengers Disassembled storylines and create utter chaos.
Of course, that's not even speculation anymore--just pure fan-fic on my part. As I've said in the past, it's kind of hard to comment on a movie that is a sequel to a movie that hasn't been released--or even finished filming for that matter! I will say that I believe this date for Ant-Man 2 is a solid possibility, and I think Hawkeye could be worked in as well.
Welp, that's my time, folks. I wish you all a blessed evening, and be sure to let me know what you think in the comment section below!