2022 has started off slow for superheroes, and while we've had fun with Peacemaker, it feels like the year won't have really begun until The Batman and Moon Knight arrive. From there, it looks set to be a busy time for both the DCEU and MCU, but it's the latter we're focusing on here today.
Rumors are par for the course if you're a comic book movie fan, and while we always cover the biggest, most reliable claims here on CBM, there are many that do slip through the cracks, either because we can't verify them ourselves, they're just that little bit too unbelievable, or get lost in the shuffle.
Now, though, we've scoured the web for the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 4 rumors to bring you a definitive guide to what might be on the way over the next few years! There are some bold, shocking potential reveals here, and we hope at least some are true.
If it isn't already clear, you should brace yourselves for potential spoilers from this point on...
8. The Mighty Thor Gets Her Own Film
Natalie Portman will return as Jane Foster in Thor: Love and Thunder, wielding a reformed Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. It's an exciting development for the character, albeit one that's either going to be temporary or permanent depending on how long the Oscar-winner plans to stick around for.
One rumor suggests it will be a status quo change that's here to stay, as there are supposedly plans in place for this female Thor to get her own film.
That could be part of a larger female-led project or a solo outing that follows this new God of Thunder's story after Chris Hemsworth hangs Stormbreaker up for a while (perhaps for good if he's looking to move on from the role). There is room for two Thors in the MCU, however, and we wouldn't say no to both versions taking center stage in their own respective franchises.
7. Some Marvel Television Actors Will Be Recast For MCU
With Daredevil and The Kingpin officially part of the MCU after Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye, fans are anxious to see how many other Marvel Television actors and characters will be brought into this world. The reintroduction of the Darkhold in WandaVision suggests Marvel Studios won't be beholden to past creative decisions, but what exactly does that mean?
It's too soon to say, but despite what Vincent D'Onofrio has said, the Wilson Fisk he played in Hawkeye was vastly different to the version he brought to life in Daredevil!
This could explain a rumor which claims that not every actor from the Marvel Television era will be asked to return. In other words, while Charlie Cox is getting the chance to take another shot at Matt Murdock, Marvel Studios could decide there are better fits out there for Quake and Luke Cage, for example.
6. Loki Isn't The Only Disney+ Show Getting A Season 2
WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier were both considered one-off "limited series," and there's currently no word on more episodes of Hawkeye even after that stellar first season.
Moving forward, however, it appears Marvel Studios has big plans for some of the shows set to hit Disney+ throughout 2022. Moon Knight, She-Hulk, and Ms. Marvel will all reportedly receive multiple seasons - a decision that adds up when you take into account that there's not room for everyone on the big screen!
From a storytelling perspective, multiple seasons for characters like these is a smart move. While the two shows mentioned at the start of this slide set up a new status quo for their leads, why not continue to follow She-Hulk's legal adventures and Marc Spector's emergence on television rather than greenlighting features or shoehorning them into other films?
5. Spider-Man 4 Will Introduce Miles Morales
Tom Holland has talked a great deal about his hopes to pass the Spider-Man mantle to Miles Morales or Spider-Woman. Introducing the former is said to be the plan for Spider-Man 4, a creative decision that promises to be a game-changer for the wall-crawler in the MCU.
After finding a legion of fans in the comic books, video games, and the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, it's appropriate for Miles to finally enter a live-action setting. There are still plenty of stories left to tell with Peter Parker, but why not have him mentor this young hero (especially now he's finally out of high school) and give the MCU not one, but two Spider-Men?
We're not anxious to see Peter's story end, but Miles showing up opens the door to countless new stories and gives the wall-crawler an ally at a time when he's quite literally alone in the world.
4. Wakanda vs. Atlantis
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrives in theaters later this year, and Marvel Studios has done an undeniably tremendous job of revealing little to nothing about the sequel. Sure, we've seen the odd set photo and heard a little online scuttlebutt about Letitia Wright, but what is the film actually about?
Previous rumors have suggested we'll see Latveria (and thereby Doctor Doom) orchestrate a war between Wakanda and Atlantis, with Tenoch Huerta said to be the MCU's Namor the Submariner.
If true, it could be amazing. One recent report claimed Lake Bell is playing a character called Dr. Graham in the Black Panther follow-up who uses a device created by Riri Williams to find Vibranium in the ocean. It's that, not the events of Avengers: Endgame or Eternals, that supposedly brings Namor to the surface for a battle against whoever takes over the Panther mantle.
3. Captain Marvel ❤️ Valkyrie?
Ever since that big tease at the end of Avengers: Endgame, fans have speculated wildly about who Valkyrie's "queen" will be in Thor: Love and Thunder. As the first major MCU character who is openly LGBTQ, it's vital Marvel Studios doesn't drop the ball here, so why not pair her up with a big name?
This is the basis of a rumor claiming that Captain Marvel will be Valkyrie's MCU love interest. There was speculation after her solo film that Carol Danvers might have been romantically involved with Maria Rambeau, and you'll find plenty of fan art online supporting a Carol/Valkyrie partnership.
Taking two major female superheroes and having them embark on a romantic relationship would be a major step forward for the MCU. A Captain Marvel cameo in the next Thor film could also lead to Valkyrie showing up in The Marvels for what would be one heckuva female-led team-up in that sequel!
2. John Krasinski Cast As Mister Fantastic
By far one of the biggest rumors in recent memory, it's been said that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will introduce John Krasinski as Mister Fantastic. The Jack Ryan star is supposedly playing a Variant of Reed Richards, which has actually disappointed many MCU fans.
While seeing Krasinski suit up as the Fantastic Four leader is a dream come true, a one-and-done appearance - with a totally different actor playing Reed in John Watts' reboot - would be a major screw up on Marvel's part. For starters, how could they ever live up to that fantasy casting?
Hopefully, we're jumping to conclusions here and Krasinski's Reed will debut as a Variant before playing the MCU's Mister Fantastic down the line. Either way, this is perfect casting.
1. Spider-Men Return
Since Spider-Man: No Way Home was released, we've seen a lot of reports online suggesting Sony Pictures has future plans for Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker Variants.
Some claim the plan is to reunite them with Tom Holland's Spidey for another film, while others have suggested Garfield will get the chance to shine either in those spinoff projects or The Amazing Spider-Man 3. It's all pretty exciting, but there's one rumor, in particular, that's caught our attention recently.
Marvel Studios is said to want the two actors back for Secret Wars, which would be a strong indication that this film will be more akin to Jonathan Hickman's Multiversal adventure than the classic tale set on Battleworld. If true, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is clearly just the start of bigger things to come...