Marvel Studios blew fans away with its San Diego Comic-Con presentation back in July, and it was always going to be hard to top those big reveals at D23.
By the time all was said and done, it felt like they didn't really try to. Fans in attendance were treated to lots of exclusive footage, of course, and even we got a couple of great trailers it's been fun to take a closer look at. Beyond that, there was some exciting casting news and announcements, but nothing as major as say, revealing the Fantastic Four cast.
It seems rumours prior to D23 taking place set expectations a little too high, but that doesn't mean Marvel Studios disappointed us. In fact, there was a lot to be excited about following Saturday night's panel, and that's what we're taking a look at in this feature.
So, for a recap of all the biggest MCU news out of Anaheim, click on the "Next" button below!
Shira Haas is an Israeli actress best known for starring in Netflix miniseries Unorthodox, but she's now landed her biggest role to date in Captain America: New World Order.
It was announced by Marvel Studios that Haas will play Sabra, a mutant in the comic books who became a superhuman agent for the Mossad (the Israeli Secret Service). She's fought The Hulk, worked alongside the X-Men, and worked with MI5 as part of an anti-terrorism group.
It's unclear whether she'll suit up in this movie, so we don't know if she's another Super Soldier or just someone Sam Wilson crosses paths with during this adventure. Her role is a mystery for now, and we're keen to see what Sabra brings to the table.
Much to the disappointment of fans, Kevin Feige was quick to say that they had nothing to share about Fantastic Four, only going so far as to point out director Matt Shakman in the crowd.
While the trades had reported on the WandaVision helmer taking charge of the reboot, this was obviously our first official confirmation. However, many have questioned why Shakman was at the event, with the prevailing theory being that deals hadn't been signed in time and plans to announce Fantastic Four's cast fell through prior to D23.
We don't know about that, but this was definitely odd. Similarly underwhelming was the fact Deadpool 3 wasn't mentioned.
During July's San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios revealed that Daredevil: Born Again will be an 18-part TV series on Disney+ in 2024. Charlie Cox was the only confirmed cast member at the time, but D23 brought the news that he'll be joined by fellow Daredevil alum Vincent D'Onofrio.
That was to be expected, though Hawkeye obviously left The Kingpin's fate deliberately ambiguous (and D'Onofrio has only been spotted on the set of Echo shooting what appear to be flashbacks).
It makes perfect sense for these two to clash again, and Cox has confirmed this isn't season 4. Instead, it's an MCU reboot, though what that means for the other actors who starred in Daredevil obviously remains to be seen. We're guessing it will be a mixture of familiar faces and recasts.
Described as a "Special Presentation" by Marvel Studios, Werewolf by Night will premiere on Disney+ on October 7. Very little was revealed beyond the fact Gael Garcia Bernal and Laura Donnelly lead the cast, while composer Michael Giacchino was confirmed as the project's director.
The zany, and actually very creepy, sneak peek is presented in black and white and looks absolutely bonkers. It stops short of showing us what Werewolf by Night will actually look like, but we do get to see Man-Thing.
That character's presence is very exciting, and it's clear he's been torn straight out of the comic books for this Halloween Special. As for Werewolf by Night, what little we do see of him suggests that Marvel Studios is adapting the classic version of the character for the MCU.
4. The Leader Is Back!
We're excited to see Sabra in action, but by far the biggest Captain America: New World Order news to come out of D23 was the fact The Incredible Hulk star Tim Blake Nelson has officially joined the movie's cast, reprising his role as The Leader.
We have to believe this will somehow tie into She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, especially when a mysterious foe is after Jennifer Walters' blood. Chances are he's somehow tied to Power Broker as well, and pitting the new Captain America against a Hulk villain...well, it makes us think Marvel Studios is building to something huge for the Jade Giant.
For now, though, we just can't wait to see what The Leader has become in the years that have passed since we last saw him.
3. Secret Invasion First Look
A first look at Secret Invasion was shared online during D23, and it's clear this series is one we should definitely keep an eye on.
In the trailer, it's made clear that no one can be trusted, and it's clear Marvel Studios is taking this story down the route of an espionage thriller. Interestingly, the preview kicks off with Nick Fury returning to Earth and ends with what may be an imposter of the former S.H.I.E.L.D. Director arriving on the planet...well, that or he's just cleaned himself up!
Some fans will be disappointed that the story is a little smaller in scale than the comic book event it's named after. However, we still think it stands a chance of changing the MCU as we know it.
2. Loki Season 2 Makes An Intriguing Casting Addition
With Loki season 2 on the way next year, we were hoping for a little more from the Disney+ series. However, with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania set to introduce Kang the Conqueror, it's possible Marvel Studios doesn't want to reveal too much before that movie arrives in theaters.
Some footage shown to fans in attendance revealed that the God of Mischief is glitching through time, though it does appear as if he'll eventually reunite with the MCU's Mobius.
In terms of casting news, it was revealed that Ke Huy Quan (perhaps best known for playing Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom) is playing a TVA analyst. The fact he was brought to D23, however, makes us believe he may be more important to this story than that.
1. Thunderbolts Assemble
We have the MCU's Thunderbolts and...well, it's an interesting lineup.
From left to right, we have Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko).
They're all great characters, but with similar powersets and the fact three are from The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and three are from Black Widow (with a C-List baddie from Ant-Man and The Wasp), we're not sure how to feel. There's always a chance more team members will be revealed down the line, though, and we'd be shocked if Abomination doesn't join the crew.