As of late, there’s been no question that the Marvel Cinematic Universe straight-up owns the game when it comes to blockbuster movies. Within the month, the studio released Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, a movie about a relatively unknown superhero, starring actors who aren’t necessarily household names, and it’s since become the biggest domestic blockbuster of the year. Among Marvel’s cinematic achievements, it has also become a huge player in streaming with the introduction of Disney+ shows in 2021 as well. So, what’s next? The answer is "a lot."
It’s no secret that there’s a lot of Marvel coming down the pipeline. Before the end of this year we’ll see Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home on the big-screen alongside the Hawkeye series over on Disney+. Phase Four will also introduce a ton of new heroes along with bringing sequels for familiar faces. But recently Marvel Studios executive Victoria Alonso has quantified how many more MCU projects are being developed. Speaking to 221radio (via CBR), and responding to a comment suggesting the studio has 35 projects in the works, Alonso said,
We are currently working on 31 projects, don’t add 4 more, please.
Thirty-one, folks. To put that into perspective, there have been 25 movies and four Disney+ shows over the course of thirteen years, starting with Iron Man. Alonso continued, saying
It is a question about how are we handling multiple plates in the air at the same time and the biggest thing is that sometimes the plates fall, and, you know, what are you going to do then? We want people to understand that the idea that we have, to tell these connected stories, it is important that the world knows that the characters we create, their stories have to do with how humans interact with each other.
As the MCU has become more popular and Disney+ has arrived, there’s going to be more projects from the studio than ever before it seems. In 2022, we can expect four major MCU films. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to arrive in March and is expected to open some whimsical and universe-shattering doors for the continuity.
In May, Thor: Love and Thunder will continue Chris Hemsworth’s run as the God of Thunder, with the return of Jane Foster and the likes of Zeus also in the cast. In July, the Black Panther sequel Wakanda Forever will find a way to move forward without the late, great Chadwick Boseman, and in November, Brie Larson will return as Carol Danvers for The Marvels. In the same year over on Disney+ we’ll see shows including Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, She-Hulk and potentially other shows like Secret Invasion.
There’s a lot more beyond what we know that Marvel creatives are thinking about at this very moment that we’ll one day geek out about. Pretty cool, huh? The next big blockbuster is Eternals, featuring a massive, talented cast, and coming to theaters exclusively on November 5.
