It's no secret that Marvel Studios has been forced to hit the pause button on productions like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Loki, but a new report doing the rounds this weekend claims that these shutdowns may be quite a bit longer than anyone actually suspected.
It's said that crew members have been informed that the initial 4-week suspension on everything from The Falcon and The Winter Soldier to WandaVision no longer seems "realistic," and productions will only resume "when the global health environment allows."
This report from Murphy's Multiverse (via CBR), also states that these same crew members "were notified that, as of April 3rd, they will no longer be employed on their particular project."
Shang-Chi is currently the only feature being shot, but that meeting its planned February 2021 release date is looking doubtful. We also don't know how much work is left to be done on Eternals, while upcoming films like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Spider-Man 3 could also be hit.
Honestly, it's not looking like a great time to be a superhero fan, and we're now left just hoping that Disney will consider releasing The New Mutants and Black Widow on Digital/Disney+.
We'll keep you guys updated.
Hit the "Next" button below to check out 10 Phase
4 heroes we think will join the ranks of The Avengers!
10. The Mighty Thor
Thor: Love and Thunder will see Jane Foster transform into the Mighty Thor, and while we expect the MCU's other God of Thunder to continue protecting the cosmos, The Avengers definitely need another prominent female member (who just so happens to be an absolute badass).
While there's been no mention of Ironheart appearing in Phase 4 up until now, there's no denying that seeing a new Marvel Trinity in the form of her, Captain America (Sam Wilson), and the Mighty Thor would be awesome.
Jane made quite the impact as a member of The Avengers in the comic books, and there's really no reason for Marvel Studios to not follow their example on the big screen. It definitely feels like Love and Thunder will be a passing of the torch, and the original Thor might work better as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy moving forward anyway!
9. Black Widow (Yelena Belova)
In the comic books, Yelena Belova has often been portrayed as a villain, but that's changed in recent years and she will soon star alongside Natasha Romanoff both in the Black Widow movie and a comic book series where she'll be portrayed as an anti-hero.
Seeing as the MCU's Black Widow sacrificed herself in Avengers: Endgame, it makes sense for Yelena to inherit the mantle and be portrayed in a heroic light moving forward. Florence Pugh is a terrific actress, and if Marvel Studios is looking for a new female superspy, the talented actress sticking around as a member of the New Avengers makes perfect sense.
Seeing as she's Natasha's "sister," the original Black Widow's sacrifice would surely inspire her to step up, and it would be fun seeing how Yelena attempts to fill the void left by Natasha.
8. Black Knight
Footage from Eternals was recently shown off to Disney's shareholders, and that confirmed Kit Harington will actually suit up as Black Knight in the movie. We don't know how Dane Whitman will stumble across the Ebony Blade, but this hero's MCU arrival is definitely a big deal.
In the comic books, Black Knight spent years fighting alongside Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Riding atop his trusted horse Aragorn, he helped defeat everyone from Ares to Kang the Conqueror, and Whitman has since fought alongside many heroes (including Heroes for Hire and The Defenders).
Marvel Studios was smart scooping Harington up after Game of Thrones, and making good use of him in The Avengers franchise after his Eternals introduction seems like the smartest possible move.
7. U.S. Agent
After Sam Wilson presumably refuses to wield the shield in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, John Walker becomes the MCU's new Captain America. Something tells us that probably won't last, but we would like to see Wyatt Russell stick around even after he gives up the mantle.
As comic book fans will know, Walker became U.S. Agent after a brief stint as Captain America, and while his methods are sometimes a little dark or questionable, he is a hero deep down.
The only issue with him joining The Avengers is that the team doesn't really need two versions of the same hero, but if we're also going to see the West Coast Avengers on the big screen (and there are some signs pointing to that being the case), perhaps he can lead his own rival group?
6. Sersi
We mentioned Black Knight a little earlier, but if he's going to join the ranks of The Avengers, then we would like to see this member of the Eternals join him. Just like in the source material, Dane Whitman will become romantically involved with Sersi, and her love of humans makes her a natural fit to join a team dedicated to protecting the planet.
Their relationship proved to be a fascinating one, and they went on any number of adventures which could be adapted (in some way) in a future instalment of this team-up franchise.
Gemma Chan would bring some much-needed diversity to the ranks of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and is a talented actress who would be a worthy addition to any ensemble. It feels like Eternals is setting up Sersi and Black Knight for bigger things, and this may very well end up being just that.
5. She-Hulk
There are definitely more stories to tell with Bruce Banner/The Hulk, but the injury he sustained in Avengers: Endgame means that the Jade Giant is not the fighter he once was. He can still be helpful to the team thanks to his intellect, of course, but it's his cousin we believe will soon be protecting the world on the front lines of many superhero vs. supervillain battles.
The plan is for Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk to be introduced on Disney+, and with Banner set to appear there, this feels like another passing of the torch situation in the MCU.
That's not a bad thing, of course, and as much as we want to see more of Smart Hulk on the big screen, it feels like there are more exciting storytelling opportunities with She-Hulk now. After all, she has a big shadow to escape (and a legacy to live up to), and that alone makes for exciting viewing.
Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)
Are you starting to see a theme here? Phase 4 definitely seems to be all about ushering in a new era for the MCU, and that means some of the faces we've become acquainted to are going to be replaced. Hawkeye is another example because the archer is going to share top billing in his Disney+ series with Kate Bishop (who may or may not be played by Hailee Steinfeld).
Those of you who are comic book fans will know that Kate becomes the new Hawkeye and a valued member of the Young Avengers, and while it is perhaps a little more likely that we'll see her join that team, we actually think it would be pretty cool if she became a full-fledged member!
Whether it's the New Avengers or the West Coast version of the team, Kate - and characters like Wiccan and Speed - may be better used not in a "Young" spinoff, but as the fresh faces of the core franchise moving forward. That will particularly be the case if Steinfeld lands the role.
Shang-Chi
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings looks set to establish the Master of the Martial Arts as one of the MCU's greatest new heroes. While The Avengers are used to facing threats to the entire Earth (or even the universe), we see no reason why Shang-Chi wouldn't be a valued member.
This is something we've seen a lot in recent years in the comic books, and with Simu Liu revealing that he's donned a superhero suit, we feel that a future as an Avenger is inevitable for him.
Some will argue that there's not much he can do against a villain like Galactus, but just look at how the likes of Black Widow and Hawkeye battled off the Chitauri invasion of New York!
(Lady?) Loki
This may seem like a weird suggestion, but hear us out. Loki set photos have pointed to Sophia Di Martino playing Lady Loki in the upcoming Disney+ TV series, and while it's possible that she'll be the show's villain, what if this version of the God of Mischief is actually heroic in nature?
Marvel Studios has already taken a departure from the comic books by not having this be Loki in Sif's body, so there's really nothing to say that she could be a hero in her timeline/universe.
Honestly, this all-new Loki posing as a hero while manipulating the team would be a lot of fun to see, and future Avengers stories delving into the character's duplicitous nature could be a blast depending on how it's handled. Oh, and Di Martino just so happens to be a tremendous actress!
Moon Knight
Marc Spector doesn't really seem like a natural fit for The Avengers. After all, he's deluded and has multiple personalities, and while he once believed he was an entire team - Captain America, Spider-Man, and Wolverine - his history with Earth's Mightiest Heroes isn't a storied one.
However, if the future of the MCU is indeed supernatural in nature (and it's certainly feeling that way), then he could be exactly what the team needs depending on who they face next.
Right now, we don't know how Moon Knight is going to be portrayed in his Disney+ series, but his formidable nature and wealthy background could mean that he's the one who funds this team, especially if it's a group made up mostly of vigilantes rather than big name superheroes.