Following the news that
Spider-Man is set to remain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, 2021 is going to be the first year that Marvel Studios releases four movies. One of them is
Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings and a new report claims that production on the movie is currently expected to begin on November 1st.
It's previously been revealed that shooting will take place in Sydney, Australia, but this listing claims that some of the action will also be filmed in Los Angeles (exteriors, more than likely).
Now, this next part should definitely be taken with a pinch of salt because it's supposedly a "synopsis" for
Shang-Chi. However, we know from past experience that these tend to be made up by production companies.
"In the comics, Shang-Chi is the son of China-based globalist who raised and educated his progeny in his reclusive China compound, closed off to the outside world. The son trained in the martial arts and developed unsurpassed skills."
If this is accurate, then we can expect those rumours about Shang-Chi being The Mandarin's son to be proved correct. Either way, with a release date set for February 12, 2021, we'll find out soon!
Are you guys looking forward to watching Shang-Chi and The Legends of The Ten Rings?
Hit the "View List" button to check out our ranking of
Marvel's Phase 4 slate from least to most anticipated!
14. Ms. Marvel
I have nothing against Ms. Marvel as a character, but, honestly, I'm not sure how interesting it will be following her over the course of half a dozen hour-long episodes. Time will tell whether Marvel Studios delves into her Inhuman origin story, but if this series also serves as a reboot for those characters, then this will become an absolute must-watch.
That seems unlikely, but Marvel Studios definitely deserves praise for introducing a hero the vast majority of fans are desperate to see in a live-action setting and Kamala Khan will ensure that the MCU feels every bit as realistic and diverse as our own world. Now, we just have to hope that hers is a story that deserves a slot on Disney+!
13. Black Widow
There's a lot to be excited about in
Black Widow, including the fact that Taskmaster will be making his big screen debut alongside Red Guardian. Throw in the promise that it will explore what the mantle of Black Widow means, and there's definitely a good reason for this movie to exist (even if Taskmaster's costume is a little disappointing based on what we've seen in concept art thus far).
During Comic-Con, it was confirmed that Black Widow will take place in 2017 between the events of
Captain America: Civil War and
Avengers: Infinity War, and seeing as we already know how Natasha's story ends, it's hard to get overly invested in whatever story this movie is going to tell - especially when we're so used to the future being teased. There's still potential for this to be fun, though.
12. What If?
What If? is an animated series set to delve into alternate realities and timelines just like the comic books. With an all-star cast and the promise of some crazy takes on familiar stories, this should be a lot of fun, so why isn't it ranked higher?
Honestly, it's because an animated series simply can't compete with some of the other movies and TV shows that were revealed during Comic-Con, and while this should be a fun ride, it won't necessarily be essential viewing... at least not in the same way as some of these other upcoming releases. However, those leaked screenshots most definitely point to the show having potential.
11. Eternals
It's fair to say that the vast majority of comic book fans probably aren't overly familiar with the Eternals, but like the Guardians of the Galaxy before them, that will soon change.
The all-star cast of the movie was revealed during both Comic-Con and D23 and with names like Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, and Kit Harington all set to appear, this one should be worth checking out for that alone. With the focus set to be put on the Celestials and a good 30,000 years of the MCU's history, this could be the movie that sets the stage for mutants to be added to this world.
10. Hawkeye
This Disney+ series had been rumoured before the official announcement came, but that confirmation was definitely welcomed and watching Clint Barton train his replacement (Kate Bishop) promises to be an absolute blast. The official logo is clearly inspired by Matt Fraction and David Aja's acclaimed comic book run, and that alone points to this one being well worth your time.
It's obviously early days, but common sense says that
Hawkeye is going to serve as both a passing of the torch for the character and one which deals with the fallout from
Avengers: Endgame - and Clint's time as Ronin - in a major way.
9. Loki
In
Avengers: Endgame, the 2012 version of the God of Mischief escaped from S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and it was hard not to wonder how differently things must have played out in that timeline.
Well, the answers to that are coming in this Disney+ series, and we'll get to see what would have happened to Loki had he not found redemption in
Thor: The Dark World. Concept art has pointed to time-travel being involved, and while we can probably assume this takes place in an alternate timeline, don't be surprised if it has ramifications for the present day MCU as well.
After all, there are already rumours pointing to Loki making his return in
Thor: Love and Thunder!
8. Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
Shang-Chi is a great character, but not one I'd count among my own personal favourites. Despite that, it's going to awesome to finally see him in a live-action setting, and a martial arts superhero movie sounds awesome.
Simi Liu is clearly very grateful and passionate for the role, and that alone makes it easy to root for him (and the character). However, arguably one of the most exciting things about
Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings is the fact that we're finally going to meet the real version of The Mandarin, something which promises to expand the MCU in a major way.
7. She-Hulk
I have absolutely no idea how Marvel Studios will pull off She-Hulk on the small screen, but this show will obviously need a big budget in order to do the character justice. Jennifer Walters is Bruce Banner's cousin so common sense says that he'll be making an appearance here and that his story will also continue to play out on Disney+ following the events of
Avengers: Endgame.
The arrival of a female Hulk is going to be a game-changer for the MCU, and she's presumably going to be another member of whatever form The Avengers take as we move into Phase 5.
6. WandaVision
Everyone involved with
WandaVision is talking about how different it is to anything we've seen in the MCU before now, and if that doesn't get you excited, nothing will. The Vision's return is a huge mystery right now, but it's clear that Scarlet Witch's powers are going to play a role, and that's going to have major ramifications for the MCU as a whole.
Chances are we'll finally see Wanda unleash her reality altering powers and create a world where she and "The Vision" can be happy. With Kevin Feige promising that the show leads directly into the
Doctor Strange sequel, this should be unmissable. We'll also meet the grown up Monica Rambeau, while Darcy Lewis and Agent Jimmy Woo will also make their return.
5. The Falcon And The Winter Soldier
The logo certainly seems to point to The Falcon becoming Captain America, while Anthony Mackie revealed in a recent interview that he's already tried on the costume (despite later denying it). With any luck, that will indeed be something that plays out in the series, but even if Marvel Studios holds off on Sam Wilson wielding the shield, Baron Zemo returning more than makes up for that.
Some officially released teaser images have confirmed that he will don his mask from the comics, and while the Russo Brothers aren't involved, this feels like it a natural successor to their Captain America movies. At D23, both U.S. Agent and Sharon Carter were confirmed to appear and it now seems highly likely that the series will revolve around who is worthy to wield Steve Rogers' shield.
4. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Doctor Strange was a fun, trippy adventure which teased the wider Marvel Multiverse, but this sequel is clearly going to embrace that concept and run with it to deliver what's been described as the MCU's first (PG-13) "horror" movie.
With Scarlet Witch confirmed to appear and Nightmare a very likely choice of villain,
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness promises to delve into the mystical side of the MCU in even more thrilling ways than the first movie, while hopefully setting the stage for countless new stories moving forward...both in this world and possibly others as well!
3. Moon Knight
Moon Knight is a character we've all been desperate to see in live-action for years now, and it's finally happening on Disney+. Given his complicated origin story and unique mental problems, having Marc Spector's story play out over six episodes just seems like a smart move on Marvel's part.
The Defenders may have taken us to the streets of New York City, but this will be the first time that Kevin Feige explores a street-level superhero and that alone is reason to be excited. The biggest question we have right now is how Moon Knight's story will fit into the wider MCU moving forward.
2. Thor: Love And Thunder
Taika Waititi delivered one of the best Marvel movies to date with
Thor: Ragnarok, and even if those details about the sequel hadn't been revealed at Comic-Con, we'd still be counting down the days until November 2021.
However, with Natalie Portman returning to the role of Jane Foster to suit up as the new God of Thunder and Valkyrie looking for her "Queen" of New Asgard, there are so many things to be excited about here, it's impossible to list them all in one article. This promises to be something special, and a movie that should make it clear where Phase 5 will be going.
1. Black Panther II
It doesn't have a title, but it's hard not to be excited about
Black Panther II, especially with Ryan Coogler back at the helm. The first movie earned Marvel Studios a "Best Picture" nomination and there's really no reason to expect that this follow-up won't be every bit as impactful and game-changing for the comic book movie genre.
Plot details haven't been revealed but rumour has it that T'Challa will go to war with Namor, the Sub-Mariner. That would obviously be amazing, but we'll just have to wait and see if it comes to fruition. Either way, it's safe to say that
Black Panther II will more than likely be a masterpiece.
Honourable Mention: Blade
Blade may have been announced at Comic-Con, but it won't actually factor into Marvel Studios' Phase 4 plans; instead, it's set to be released during Phase 5, hence why it hasn't earned a place here.
However, had it been an official Phase 4 movie, it more than likely would have topped this list for two very simple reasons: for starters, it will finally bring vampires into the MCU, while the fact that Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali has signed up to play the Daywalker is obviously very exciting, and something that automatically makes this movie a must-see.