Marvel unviels their next four projects

[Tribal Warfare]

Marvel Unveils CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, THOR: THE DARK WORLD, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and ANT-MAN

Saturday’s Hall H panel for Marvel at Comic-Con was billed as Iron Man 3, but from previous experience we all knew to expect more goodies from Marvel Studios than just IM3. We were right, as the studio announced full, intriguing titles for Thor 2 and Captain America 2, confirmed Guardians of the Galaxy (including which characters will appear), and revealed test footage for Ant-Man with a surprise appearance by Edgar Wright.

Hit the jump for my full recap of this “update” portion of the Marvel panel. [Update: We've updated the article with concept art for the Guardians of the Galaxy movie as well as logos for all the upcoming Marvel films]

Chris-Hemsworth-Thor 2 the dark worldFeige opened the panel by saying that they’re working on four movies in active development. The first is Iron Man 3, hitting theaters on May 3rd, 2013. He then went on to reveal titles for two previously known sequels, and confirmed another property that we’d heard rumblings of in the past few weeks.

Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
Thor: The Dark World (November 8, 2013)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1, 2014)

For fans of the comics, the subtitle “The Winter Soldier” should provide a hint as to where the Captain America sequel will go. The title is a reference to a comics storyline that will find Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) taking an integral role.

guardians-of-the-galaxy-movieFeige added that Zachary Levi has been confirmed as the character of Fandrel in the Thor sequel, and revealed the team that will be unleashed for Guardians of the Galaxy:

StarLord
Drax the Destroyer
Rocket Raccoon
Groot
Gamora

In a fantastic surprise, Feige then introduced Edgar Wright to talk about Ant-Man. Wright had been tweeting about being in London for the past few days in an effort to throw fans off, but he came out to a very warm reception.

“I’m taking the Terrence Malick approach to superheroes,” said Wright referring to the long road of development on Ant-Man.
Wright and Joe Cornish wrote two more drafts of the script last year, but they’ve been done for quite a while.

ant-man-movie-logoThey then revealed test footage that Wright shot for Ant-Man, after Wright toyed for a bit with the audience saying they wouldn’t really want to see a clip of stuff with wires and blue screens in it. It’s completely unfinished since they shot it two weeks ago, but they showed the footage anyway because Marvel absolutely owns Comic-Con.

The footage opened with Ant-Man sitting on a ledge in an air conditioning vent that lead to a hallway guarded by two agents. The costume was pretty metallic looking, and he snuck through the vent hole and started running down the hallway. He morphed to normal size, shocking the guards, then morphed back down to ant size and kept running. Still in “ant size” he leapt up and punched one of the guys in the face, knocking the spit out of him, then he ran and attacked the other guard.

The footage was obviously rough, but I thought the big/small effects worked great. Wright found a way to make Ant-Man’s power work in a cool and useful way on screen, while still allowing room for the playful tone that he does so well. While I was hoping we’d see someone like Simon Pegg play the role just for fun in the test footage, the actor was wearing the Ant-Man helmet the entire time so we never saw his face. The lights then came back up.

“I’ve been doing one second of that for the last six years,” quipped Wright
Wright confirmed that the costume seen in the test footage will most likely be what makes the final film. He described it as a mix between the Silver Age and contemporary Ant-Man, adding “Ant-Man will kick your ass one inch at a time.”
Wright said there’s no casting to announce, but “revealed” that Ant-Man has been here in Hall H all day, pulling out an Ant-Man title card and putting it on the table next to him.

Wright then left the stage to make way for the Iron Man 3 panel, but these bits of news from Marvel were met with wild applause from the audience. Hit the comments to discuss the goings-on from today’s Marvel panel, and read Matt’s recap of Iron Man 3 right here. [Update: Simon Pegg tweeted that he, Nick Frost, and Wright start filming The World's End in 10 weeks, then Wright will film Ant-Man sometime next year.]

[Direckshun]

I will say, however, that the White Guy Superhero is potentially becoming an issue for Marvel.

Thor
Iron Man
Hulk
Captain America
Ant Man
Guardians of the Galaxy's protagonist
Strange

That is a whooooooooooooole lot of white guys. Shame that Marvel Cinema couldn't find a way around this problem.

Featuring Scarlett Witch and Black Widow in supporting roles doesn't remotely compensate. The best they could do for racial diversity was giving almost every single one of these guys a Black Best Friend.

[Bowser]

Dempsey can play Strange only if Mark Strong does the voiceover work.

And never fear, D. T'Challa will make it to the big screen sooner rather than later, methinks.

[Aries Walker]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I will say, however, that the White Guy Superhero is potentially becoming an issue for Marvel.

Thor
Iron Man
Hulk
Captain America
Ant Man
Guardians of the Galaxy's protagonist
Strange

That is a whooooooooooooole lot of white guys. Shame that Marvel Cinema couldn't find a way around this problem.

Featuring Scarlett Witch and Black Widow in supporting roles doesn't remotely compensate. The best they could do for racial diversity was giving almost every single one of these guys a Black Best Friend.

In their defense, I think they're doing the best they can to add diversity without undoing a lot of their characters that have been around for fifty years. There is Fury, for one thing, plus the Agents of SHIELD has a good deal of diversity, and the upcoming Netflix series has an interracial couple as two of the central characters.

The problem of the white-guy superhero isn't a Marvel thing, it's a comics industry thing, and Marvel is taking steps to rectify it. in the comics, there's obviously the Captain America and Thor changes. In the movies, I also wouldn't be surprised if they cast Iron Fist with an Asian actor, and I could also see one working for Dr. Strange. It's a change that needs to be made gradually, and they're doing well, I think. They're certainly doing light years better than DC, who can't seem to stop faceplanting at every turn.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

In their defense, I think they're doing the best they can to add diversity without undoing a lot of their characters that have been around for fifty years. There is Fury, for one thing, plus the Agents of SHIELD has a good deal of diversity, and the upcoming Netflix series has an interracial couple as two of the central characters.

The problem of the white-guy superhero isn't a Marvel thing, it's a comics industry thing, and Marvel is taking steps to rectify it. in the comics, there's obviously the Captain America and Thor changes. In the movies, I also wouldn't be surprised if they cast Iron Fist with an Asian actor, and I could also see one working for Dr. Strange. It's a change that needs to be made gradually, and they're doing well, I think. They're certainly doing light years better than DC, who can't seem to stop faceplanting at every turn.

And the lead protagonist of Agents of SHIELD is........

wait for it..........

...........

white guy.

I love Marvel, and agree they are doing far better than DC at every turn.

But c'mon, Marvel cinema. Jesus. Eight different franchises, all white males.

[Aries Walker]

What were they supposed to do, make Coulson black once they moved him to ABC?

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

What were they supposed to do, make Coulson black once they moved him to ABC?

They could have made him anything other than a white male to begin with.

You can't deny that there isn't something of an image problem when almost everybody Marvel trots out for hero worship is a white guy.

I'm not even throwing the baby out with the bathwater, here. I'm a huge Marvel fan. But I'm stating the obvious: Marvel's heros are 95% white guys. Everybody else is a side kick or love interest.

Marvel the comics had done hella work righting this. Marvel cinema, despite actually starting in a modern, diverse era, has yet to figure out how.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I will say, however, that the White Guy Superhero is potentially becoming an issue for Marvel.

Thor
Iron Man
Hulk
Captain America
Ant Man
Guardians of the Galaxy's protagonist
Strange

That is a whooooooooooooole lot of white guys. Shame that Marvel Cinema couldn't find a way around this problem.

Featuring Scarlett Witch and Black Widow in supporting roles doesn't remotely compensate. The best they could do for racial diversity was giving almost every single one of these guys a Black Best Friend.

The movies are making billions, You want to change histories to add diversity just for the sake of it? It pisses fans off and does not endure others to buy the comics or see the movies any more.


They can work on it going in the future like they are doing in the comics with adding more diverse characters. Like Morales for spiderman. And Falcon is slated to become the next Capt. America. Capt. Marvel is a woman now.

There should be a black panther movie. He is a great character. Especially if Elba is the actor. This is the only travesty so far.


As for Black Widow, no. Tell me, is it going to be a Bond type movie? She is a role player. Marvel has horrible females outside of the xmen that could carry a movie by themselves. And fox has ruined that with strictly group movies. To which outside of the lovefest with wolverine was heavy on jean grey and mystique. You can stick the new Capt. Marvel here as stand alone female. But how are you going to get women to see the movie? Also, a shehulk would be great, but not sure how they would go about it.

Electra and Catwoman have proven sex does not sell movies on its own. Movies were utter garbage. Story and acting. These two movies set back the chances, it will literally take a work of masterpiece to jumpstart it.

A proper Storm movie would be good, but Fox owns that, so it would be shit.
Wonder Woman would also be great, but DC is trying to rush introductions to compete with Marvel.

They are having Jessica Jones and Luke Cage have her own series. If it goes well, it might open for more female characters to get their own shows.



But forcing would be the stupidest thing possible. It would hurt ticket sales.

[Deberg_1990]

Marvel is launching Peggy Carter series in a few months. Will that satisfy you diversity nuts?

[Direckshun]

I'm not a creative genius, and I'm not suggesting storylines for Marvel, who are typically excellent at it. Hell, my favorite character, Sentry, is a white guy's white guy.

I'm saying the obvious: Marvel's prime timers are all white guys, and everybody else of color and or has two X chromosomes exists to prop them up.

Fury and Witch are decent exceptions. More could have been done. That's all I'm saying, and I think it's pretty indisputable.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Marvel is launching Peggy Carter series in a few months. Will that satisfy you diversity nuts?

For crying out loud.

Pointing out that the entire Marvel cinema A Listers are white guys is FACTUALLY CORRECT.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

They could have made him anything other than a white male to begin with.

You can't deny that there isn't something of an image problem when almost everybody Marvel trots out for hero worship is a white guy.

I'm not even throwing the baby out with the bathwater, here. I'm a huge Marvel fan. But I'm stating the obvious: Marvel's heros are 95% white guys. Everybody else is a side kick or love interest.

Marvel the comics had done hella work righting this. Marvel cinema, despite actually starting in a modern, diverse era, has yet to figure out how.

It is funny, my friends that go to the movies with me. Don't seem to notice anything or have a problem with Marvel movies. They are not white. They are huge Marvel fans.

It seems you are trying to feel outraged for someone else.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Valiant

It is funny, my friends that go to the movies with me. Don't seem to notice anything or have a problem with Marvel movies. They are not white. They are huge Marvel fans.

It seems you are trying to feel outraged for someone else.

Sure. Whatever.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

For crying out loud.

Pointing out that the entire Marvel cinema A Listers are white guys is FACTUALLY CORRECT.

Iron man was not an A lister until his movie.

Capt. America? 40s soldier fighting Hitler,
Thor, Norse god of Thunder
Iron Man, rich white kid whose dad helped Capt.
Hulk, ****ing Green. I guess we can change him to another color when he is not green.

The key is new characters. Or Black Panther, that would also be a billion plus movie.

But changing original characters? Many of which histories date back 50+ years just to diversify fake outrage?


This is like those white guys that wanted to change the statue of the 3 firemen hoisting up the flag at the 9/11 aftermath to more people of color. Even though the men that did it were not, history be damned.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Valiant

Iron man was not an A lister until his movie.

Capt. America? 40s soldier fighting Hitler,
Thor, Norse god of Thunder
Iron Man, rich white kid whose dad helped Capt.
Hulk, ****ing Green. I guess we can change him to another color when he is not green.

The key is new characters. Or Black Panther, that would also be a billion plus movie.

But changing original characters? Many of which histories date back 50+ years just to diversify fake outrage?

This is like those white guys that wanted to change the statue of the 3 firemen hoisting up the flag at the 9/11 aftermath to more people of color. Even though the men that did it were not, history be damned.

I'm familiar with the roster. Iron Man absolutely has been an A lister of at least the past two decades.

You can very easily change the characters in dramatic, fundamental ways. They're ****ing fictional planet busters. Marvel's doing it right now, so your entire point is being refuted by Marvel themselves.

I agree the better approach would be for Marvel comics to introduce some new characters that break from the norm -- Blue Marvel is a favorite of mine, for starters. But hey, if the writing is strong, the dramatic changes in characters' demographics isn't going to be any sort of issue.

[Deberg_1990]

Reboot Spider-Man with a a black Peter Parker