While San Diego Comic-Con 2022 was a massive event that brought with it tons of news for fans across countless fandoms, the next big pop culture event just finished up: Disney’s D23. The convention in Anaheim celebrated everything Disney and all of its various properties.
The biggest amongst them was undoubtedly Marvel Studios. The company’s president took the stage of Hall D23 to show off countless projects to audiences in attendance. They were even nice enough to release two of the trailers for the public, Secret Invasion and Werewolf by Night.
With everything that Marvel Studios showed off, how would all the footage compare against each other?
Well, let’s take a look by ranking them from worst to best.
Marvel Studios D23 Footage Ranked
8.) Werewolf By Night
To start the list off is Werewolf By Night, and, admittedly, this one will likely vary significantly amongst fans. Personally, the campy, black and white aesthetic simply doesn’t click—though it undoubtedly looks well handled for those who will love it.
With the special landing in just under a month, it feels like the footage should have shown more of the titular werewolf himself - not only what he looks like, but some story about him. With how close the project was unveiled before its release, it feels like Marvel Studios just wants to get it out and move on.
7.) Secret Invasion
Here’s another one that will likely vary in ranking for many, but the trailer for Secret Invasion just doesn’t have anything truly notable about it.
It’ll be nice to catch up with Don Cheadle’s Rhodey and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, but it still feels like the preview could have used more details. However, it isn’t set to air for at least six months, so it’s understandable why so much remains vague.
For those who loved Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the trailer for this Disney+ series shows the project has the potential to invoke a similar experience to that beloved MCU outing. So, while the teaser itself might not offer all that much, when the final product lands, audiences might be in for one hell of a dark and twisty ride.
6.) Ironheart
Riri William’s first solo project, Ironheart, has all the potential to be something great. Given how early in production the series is, the trailer shown to audiences in Hall D23 didn’t offer much.
Most of it was very quick shots, with little to no context—so there wasn’t much to latch on to. It’s exciting to see the Red Hood come alive and the teases of Riri’s suit (as seen in set photos). Given its concept alone, exploring magic vs. science, the show’s overall appeal has likely skyrocketed for most.
5.) Echo
It’s hard to know what exactly to think about Alaqua Cox’s upcoming show Echo. The promo seems to allude to the heroine having some sort of powers, which would be a twist as it’s not normally something she has access to in the comics—besides the Pheonix Force, which this almost certainly isn’t. That alone was enough to increase interest in the upcoming series for most.
The footage also puts the spotlight on Maya’s ancestral history, which is something that could end up being a very unique element of her outing. The teaser only hints at how all of that might be utilized, but it seems like audiences could be in for a special treat as the story tackles indigenous culture and beliefs in a way unseen in the MCU thus far—and really in most of pop culture.
One of the stand-out moments, while sadly not Maya herself, was Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin. It’s always great to see that character come to life, so seeing him on the screen once again brought joy to the hearts of many. His involvement in the show will certainly build more anticipation and hype.
4.) Black Panther Wakanda Forever
Angela Basset as Queen Ramonda is simply phenomenal, and her screen presence in the newly revealed footage is enough to boost its teaser to third place. The scene in question saw her butting heads with the UN as she defends Wakanda’s decision to withhold their resources, especially those relating to Vibranium.
The whole sizzle reel was all put together superbly, and there’s a confidence in the footage that is undeniable—even despite the project’s troubled production.
If the movie can live up to its promises, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could end up being one of Phase 4’s strongest outings.
3.) The Marvels
Some were surprised that there was no The Marvels footage at San Diego Comic-Con, but thankfully, Marvel Studios remedied this during D23. The first look at Brie Larson's next outing, alongside the likes of Teyonah Paris and Iman Vellani, was extremely impressive.
First and foremost, the dynamic between the three leads will clearly be a key driving force of The Marvels' success. Simply put, it looks like it'll be a blast to watch the trio navigate the problem they'll be facing.
Obviously, Iman Vellani's fantastic performance as Kamala Khan hasn't gone anywhere, and she'll certainly be the heart of the project.
The group's costumes also look fantastic and seeing them in action in a fun tag-team-esque sequence—with them swapping spots throughout due to their powers being entangled—was thrilling. Next July is going to be a fun one.
2.) Loki Season 2
One of the bigger surprises that Marvel Studios had in store was some new footage for the upcoming second season of their most successful Disney+ show—and it did not disappoint.
What immediately stood out about the Loki footage was the overall tone and feel of it; creepy and unsettling. If the entire season can keep that same vibe going throughout the whole season, then fans might be in for something truly special.
Not only that but the overall threat of Kang is still felt loud and clear. One of the best shots near the end of the teaser sees Tom Hiddleston unveil three giant Kang head statues as if breaking an illusion
For those worried that the comedic touch of the first season will be lost, there’s no need to worry. If the final exchange between Mobius and Loki in the trailer is any indication, those elements will still be present, despite the impending doom of it all.
1.) Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
At the top of the list stands Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania. While lots of the footage shown was seen during San Diego Comic-Con earlier this summer, there were still plenty of new tidbits that showcased how insane this movie might get.
For one, seeing the status quo for Scott Lang after Avengers: Endgame does not disappoint. Then there’s Kathryn Newton, who plays Cassie—in just the brief footage she appears in, it’s clear she’ll be fantastic in the movie. While there are only a couple of fleeting glimpses of her in action, seeing that purple Sature suit is thrilling, to say the least.
The best part, and a good chunk of the reason why it's so high on this list, is the scene between Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang and Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. The longer version of the previously released exchange between them was fantastic and truly spine-chilling—the world better is ready for the MCU’s next big bad.
Another big pro? Evangeline Lilly’s Wasp suit is finally yellow and black!
A Wealth of Riches
It’s crazy just how much Marvel Studios has to show off to fans at any given time. They completely blew away the competition at SDCC in July, and they didn’t hold back for D23 either.
It’s only going to get better from here—the amount of content Marvel has going forward is almost unfathomable.
When D23 returns in 2024, fans will likely be able to look forward to footage from the MCU's next mega-event movie in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, with a slim chance of teased for Avengers: Secret Wars as well. Odds are 2023 might finally be the year when Marvel Studios officially talks about stuff such as Nova, Wonder Man, or the Fantastic Four cast at San Diego Comic-Con as well.
For now, despite the fandom’s desire for a never-ending stream of news, everyone will have to appreciate the wealth of riches they’ve been given over the last two months. After all, fans will have to save up some energy in order to deal with the never-ending fan casts for Fantastic Four, which now may not end any time soon.
The next MCU project will be Werewolf By Night, which is set to air on Disney+ on October 7.
