Marvel Studios at SDCC: What Surprises to Expect

Marvel Studios is heading into San Diego Comic-Con 2019 on Saturday afternoon. For many, it is the headline event of the weekend filled with presentations from movie studios and TV networks. However, Marvel’s Hall H presentation in 2019 is unlike any before it. For the first time, there are no confirmed movies on the studio’s release schedule. We’re living in the post-Avengers: Endgame and post-Spider-Man: Far From Home world, which means it is time for Phase 4 to be made official.

Speaking to ComicBook.com at a press event for Spider-Man: Far From Home, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige promised, “all will be revealed,” after the wallcrawler’s film hit theaters.

As Feige gears up for Hall H, what is he bringing with him? Take a look at the video above (for all of the big SDCC surprises we expect) or continue reading for what to expect from Marvel Studios!

How Many Years?

“As we’ve been doing for years, we aren’t going to announce anything post Avengers: Endgame or Spider-Man [Far From Home] until post Endgame and Spider-Man,” Feige told ComicBook.com at a press event for Captain Marvel. “As you know as a fan, there’s a tremendous amount of potential and a tremendous amount of additional characters and storylines and groups of characters that we’re going to keep playing with. And again, that’s a testament to Marvel and to the amount of storylines and characters and amazing, amazing runs that have been in the Marvel comics.”

Those plans which will finally be revealed later this week run as deep half-a-decade. “I don’t think we’ll be announcing five or six years, but we know sort of where we want to head in the next five or six years,” Feige said.

During the Hall H presentation, it’s a safe bet that the brand will unveil about three to four years worth of titles, at the most. 

These titles will begin with one everyone is expecting by now…

Black Widow

Black Widow is a sure thing at San Diego Comic-Con. The title has already begun production, though the studio has not acknowledged its existence. Several outlets, however, have dropped news such as casting reveals for the movie expected to arrive in May of 2020.

During the Hall H presentation, it’s a safe bet that the cast of Black Widow will trot out onto the stage and a more clear picture of when the movie takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be provided. Furthermore, an official title will also accompany the panel — which might simply turn out to be Black Widow, but a more specific subtitle might accompany it.

Of all the movies Marvel Studios might bring to Hall H on Saturday, Black Widow will be the only one which can show exclusive footage to the crowd of 7,000 fans as it is the only Marvel Studios movie in production. “You sort of look at those pictures and can guess,” Feige told Comicbook.com when asked about the set photos which have been popping up online. “But what it is, and where it is, and how it is, goes in that post-Far From Home release territory. But there are cameras everywhere, no matter where. Like, she was in the middle of nowhere. Norway. Click-click. Look! There she is. There she is.”

The Eternals

The Eternals will likely be a part of Marvel Studios’ panel on Saturday, confirming several cast members and a release date. While th film has not yet begun production, Marvel Studios probably has a sizzle reel of concept art of computerized examples of what the film might look like which will be shown in Hall H. Whether or not the fans and press inside will be allowed to share photos of these designs is unclear. In previous years, the first look at concept art for Brie Larsn as Captain Marvel was revealed, and was shared on Twitter within seconds. 

So far, The Eternals seems to be shaping up to include names like Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, and Millie Bobby Brown. There will certainly be a larger cast for the film, so San Diego Comic Con is the place for Marvel Studios to offer up confirmations and others reveals for the upcoming film, as it did when Samuel L. Jackson was announced for Captain Marvel. Could familiar faces from the MCU pop up in The Eternals?

Shang-Chi

Rumor has it, Marvel Studios is looking to cast the titular role in Shang-Chi. Whether or not this will be completed ahead of San Diego Comic-Con remains uncertain.

Variety’s Justin Kroll took to Twitter on Saturday to spill the beans on the casting process and was sure to point out Kevin Feige and team are “adamant” about the actor playing Shang-Chi having Chinese heritage. Kroll also mentions the studio is looking at actors in their mid-20s for the role, hinting that they may be playing the long-game with this particular character.

Shang-Chi is set to be directed by Destin Daniel Crettin and is expected to film in Australia. 

Black Panther 2

Marvel will likely capitalize on the phenomenon that Black Panther became when it released in February of 2018. A sequel has not been announced but Ryan Coogler is expected to return as wrier and director with the cast also back for another adventure in Wakanda. 

With the sequel being all but guaranteed at this point given the success of its predecessor, Marvel Studios will likely look to get the film into theaters by 2022 at the latest. This means pre-production, additional casting, and production might not be far off. Concept art, an official title announcement, and a release date are likely for the Black Panther sequel. 

Wakanda forever!

Other Sequels

Black Panther is not the only sequel which Marvel Studios might be announcing at San Diego Comic-Con. Other titles which might have sequels coming in the next three to four years include Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Ant-Man and The Wasp. I went ahead and listed those order of probability for announcement — with a considerable gap in likelihood between Guardians and Spider-Man. 

Worth noting: it’s not a sequel, but Feige has told me Nova is a character with “immediate potential” for an appearance or film in the MCU. Could Richard Rider and/or Sam Alexander finally get some recognition at San Diego Comic Con?

Fox Properties

Of course, the Marvel properties previously owned by Fox remain one gigantic question mark. No one has called David Leitch for another Deadpool installment, the X-Men are several probably years away, and there hasn’t been much word on what’s going to happen with these characters.

The most likely bunch to get tapped for the MCU with news coming at San Diego Comic-Con is the Fantastic Four. Marvel’s First Family has not been active on the big screen since Josh Trank’s 2015 forgettable movie. Feige and company might want to capitalize on getting rights to the likes of Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Thing, and the Human Torch and could announce a release date for the film at San Diego Comic Con. Chalk this up as th loftier and more ambitious expectation, though.

After all, they have the perfect director for this movie already in their wheelhouse, in the form of Ant-Man and Ant-Man and The Wasp’s Peyton Reed. 

Predictions?

ComicBook.com will be all over San Diego Comic-Con with coverage from panels, exclusive in-studio interviews, and in-depth looks at the props and collectibles on the sensory overload that is the convention’s show floor.

What are your predictions for Marvel’s presentation at San Diego Comic-Con? What do you want to see from San Diego Comic-Con’s panels and show floor? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter, and be sure to be following for the quickest updates all week!