2021 proved the Marvel Cinematic Universe is just getting started. Avengers: Endgame bow-tied the decade-long Infinity Saga in 2019, but planted plenty of less-than-subtle seeds for where the franchise's fan-favorites would venture come Phase 4. The first year of Marvel Studios' fourth phase picked up where Endgame immediately left off, spotlighting previously supporting characters like Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff and Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson in their own solo shows on Disney+. On the big screen, the MCU debuted a duo of rookie IPs with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Chloe Zhao's Eternals.
As the new year commences, Marvel Studios is flipping that strategy. Characters like Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight and Tatiana Maslany's She-Hulk will make their MCU debuts in their own self-titled streaming shows. Meanwhile, the feature film side is dominated by sequels with the likes of Thor: Love and Thunder and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Beyond 2022, plans get fuzzy. Fans know MCU reboots for Blade and Fantastic Four are on the way, but their release dates remain to be determined. The legacy of Tony Stark continues on the streaming screen in Ironheart and Armor Wars, but those premiere windows are still unknown. And those are just the projects that are officially confirmed.
This past December, it was reported that Marvel Studios has over 20 unannounced movies, shows, and specials currently in development. Some have been indirectly addressed, some are quietly rumored, and some are borderline wishful thinking. Without further ado, here is every project Marvel Studios is keeping in the shadows (for now).
Borderline Officials
Marvel
Captain America 4
The legacy of that shield is set to continue on the big screen. Immediately following the success of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, series showrunner Malcolm Spellman was reported to be scribing a fourth Captain America film with Anthony Mackie in the lead role. Mackie officially signed on to the film this past August, while The Falcon and the Winter Soldier co-star Sebastian Stan remains unconfirmed.
Specifics remain close to the vest, but the overarching "underdog" theme will be prevalent as the MCU's new Cap battles those who bring out the best in him.
Status: Book It
Werewolf by Night
The spooky side of the MCU is reportedly stepping into the spotlight this October in a big way. The Michael Giacchino-directed Marvel Studios Halloween Special is expected to hit Disney+ this fall, with the beastly Werewolf by Night as the focal character. Coco star Gael Garcia Bernal will lead the cast, while A-Listers like Mahershala Ali are rumored to be among the ensemble.
Nova
The cosmic branch of the MCU is rumored to be getting a major addition. Since introducing the Nova Corps in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, fans have impatiently awaited the live-action debut of Richard Rider.
Nova has been rumored since May 2020, and was initially expected to be a feature film that begins production in 2023. Recent reports confirmed a Nova project is in the works, but it will "likely" be a streaming series. Moon Knight writer Sabir Pirzada is set to develop the script.
The Ten Rings
After Destin Daniel Cretton's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings gave Hollywood the confidence to run theatrically-exclusive movies again, Marvel Studios backed up the Brinks trunks for the young director. Within his multi-year contract is a Shang-Chi sequel, as well as a Disney+ spin-off series focused on Meng'er Zhang's Xialing and the Ten Rings.
This series was unofficially teased in Shang-Chi's second post-credits scene, as Xialing assumed her late father's throne and began to transform the ancient organization into her vibrant vision. Plot details remain unknown, but the series will reportedly have a comedic focus.
Wakanda
The MCU's most advanced nation will get a big spotlight this November, but the Black Panther sequel is only the beginning. Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has been tapped to develop a Disney+ series centered around the Kingdom of Wakanda. T'Challa's home country was previously showcased on the streaming screen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, as the Dora Milaje inserted themselves into the conflict once Daniel Bruhl's Baron Zemo resurfaced.
No specific cast members from the Black Panther franchise have been announced, but stars like Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, and Danai Gurira have all been speculated to be among the ensemble. Speaking of Gurira...
Okoye
The general of the Dora Milaje is also getting some solo shine. Danai Gurira has been reported to be featured in an unspecified "origin spinoff series" on Disney+. While this was initially reported as its own project, it's not clear whether this is actually what the Wakanda series will end up being.
Status: Likely
The Mutants
Rumors surfaced in March 2021 that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was developing a feature film reboot for the X-Men set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, operating under the working title The Mutants. Characters, locations, and storylines remain unknown, but fans could get their first taste of what's in store when Patrick Stewart returns as Professor X this May.
Scarlett Johansson's MCU Return
After a murky summer, Scarlett Johansson restored her relationship with Disney in dramatic fashion. Kevin Feige confirmed the MCU veteran has a "top-secret Marvel Studios project" in the works, one which Johansson will work on solely as a producer. There's no telling what character this film, show, or special will be focused on, although something involving Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova seems likely.
Avengers 5
In less than two months, fans will have gone the longest without seeing a new Avengers movie since the franchise began in 2012. While an Avengers 5 is a guaranteed ten-figure return at this point, Marvel Studios is not in the business of making cash grabs. When storylines warrant a reassembly of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Avengers 5 will come to theaters.
That said, Avengers 5 is a matter of when, not if. Kevin Feige has cheekily teased that a fifth installment is coming "at some point," while Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore has alluded to an Avengers 5 vision that tops Avengers: Endgame.
Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo have emphasized their interest in returning to Marvel Studios for an adaptation of the legendary comic Secret Wars, but there's no telling if that storyline will be for an Avengers 5 or a sequel much further down the line. Either way, fans can rest easy knowing Avengers 5 is coming eventually.
Rumored Movies
World War Hulk
Rumors surfaced of a solo Hulk sequel this past fall, with signs pointing to this Bruce Banner film focusing on the popular World War Hulk Marvel Comics storyline. World War Hulk is speculated to begin production at the tail end of this year, after She-Hulk concludes.
Considering the confusing legal situation surrounding Hulk's film rights, Marvel Studios' World War Hulk should be taken with a grain of salt. That said, the rumored She-Hulk season finale would tee up this film nicely.
Status: Keep a Look Out
Thunderbolts
Earth's Dirtiest Anti-Heroes could be assembled sooner than later. Seeds for an Avengers-like roster of antagonists have already been planted in both The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Black Widow, as Julia Louis-Dryfus's Val has dished out business cards to the likes of Wyatt Russell's John Walker and Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova. This is supposedly leading to a Thunderbolts film, which has a rumored production start date of sometime in 2023.
The Illuminati
The MCU's wisest and wealthiest, known on the page as the Illuminati, will first join forces in May's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. From there, the Professor X-led council is rumored to get some solo spotlight in a self-titled Marvel's Illuminati film, with Kevin Feige captaining producer duties.
Namor the Sub-Mariner
Just as Doctor Strange 2 is for the Illuminati, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a prove-it game for Namor. Tenoch Huerta is set to bring the sub-mariner to life in November's Black Panther 2, but the ambitions for Namor go far beyond the Wakandan border. Marvel Studios is looking at Namor's Wakanda Forever debut as "akin to Black Panther's appearance in [Captain America:] Civil War," in that they hope it launches "an upcoming franchise."
That said, the guarantees with Namor are not as concrete as they were with Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa. Black Panther was announced on the same day as Captain America: Civil War, indicating Marvel Studios was fully confident in launching a Wakandan franchise. Here, Marvel is awaiting Namor's reception before greenlighting a solo project.
If the timetables of Captain America 4 and Loki Season 2's announcements continue here, expect reports of Namor production shortly after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Status: Wait and See
Silver Surfer
The journey to the first family and mutants has been slow, but plans for Marvel's newly-acquired 20th Century Fox assets remain massive.
Beyond the confirmed Fantastic Four and the aforementioned The Mutants, Marvel Studios is also rumored to have a film focused on the Silver Surfer in development. Unlike many of the unannounced projects, Silver Surfer has not seen much traction since the rumor first surfaced in late 2019. Even without much steam at the moment, one of Hollywood's hottest directors has emphasized his interest in bringing a Silver Surfer movie to the big screen one day.
Status: Grain of Salt
Rumored Shows
Daredevil Season 4
He may have had a minute of total screentime in 2021, but Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock closed out the year as a hot topic of conversation.
Marvel Studios must've heard the noise, because a notably named limited liability company was formed not long after. "Blind Faith Productions LLC," a reference to Murdock's blindness and Catholicism, is rumored to be the production company behind an MCU Daredevil project. Further rumors point to Daredevil bringing back the original Netflix cast, with an estimated filming window of late 2022 or early 2023.
Nomad
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier may not be getting a Season 2, but the Captain America franchise might still continue on the streaming screen. Around Disney Investor Day 2020, Marvel Studios filed a trademark for "Marvel Studios Nomad" for merchandising goods, indicating a project centered on the character could be on the way.
While Chris Evans' Steve Rogers was never outright referred to as Nomad in Avengers: Infinity War, many assumed that version of Captain America had adopted qualities of his vigilantic alter ego from the comics. This Nomad series could utilize Chris Evans in the lead role and follow Cap's adventures between Captain America: Civil War and Infinity War, or place the mantle on another popular Nomad from the page, like Jack Monroe.
Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider has been speculated for nearly two years, with Kevin Feige leading development duties. All that is known is that this Ghost Rider would not be the version portrayed by Gabriel Luna in Agents of SHIELD.
Updates on the project's status have been scarce, but Ghost Rider-related chatter has been blazing all winter. Shortly after Marvel Studios was rumored to be "talking with someone" about the role, former Ghost Riders like Luna and Nicolas Cage shared their thoughts, as well as Johnny Blaze hopeful Norman Reedus.
Secret Warriors
Where there's a Secret Invasion, there's a group of Secret Warriors not far behind. At least that's how it goes on the page. A Secret Warriors series has been rumored since mid-2020, long before Marvel Studios' Secret Invasion began filming. Nothing has materialized since, other than the fact that the project was in search of a writer.
Miss America
Xochitil Gomez makes her long-awaited MCU debut in May, but plans for her America Chavez stretch far beyond Doctor Strange 2.
Miss America was first rumored in summer 2019, over a year before Gomez was cast in the role. Similar to the rumored Namor, this series is likely conducive to Gomez's reception following Multiverse of Madness. If things go well in May, expect updates not long after.
Young Avengers
Earth's Mightiest Adolescents are quickly becoming a matter of when.
In 2021 alone, fans were introduced to Billy and Tommy Maximoff, Eli Bradley, and Kate Bishop. The strategic set-up of these various Young Avengers points to the faction forming in the near future, which has been rumored since April 2020. Both Elijah Richardson and Hailee Steinfeld, who play Bradley and Bishop in the MCU, have teased Young Avengers possibilities at various points in 2021, but everything remains unconfirmed at this time.
Annihilators
If it wasn't obvious by The Illuminati and Thunderbolts, the Avengers are far from the only super group in the world. This past December, rumors sparked of an Annihilators project being developed at Marvel Studios. In the comics, the Annihilators are a space-based ensemble comprised of the likes of Silver Surfer and Beta Ray Bill.
Midnight Sons
The scary side of the MCU has barely scratched the surface, but 2022's Moon Knight and Doctor Strange 2 will lay the groundwork for what kind of potential lies in Marvel horror. Mix in Kit Harington's Black Knight, Mahershala Ali's Blade, and the rumored debut of Ghost Rider, and there's enough to submit a squad of spook.
Collectively known as the Midnight Sons on the page, a project of the same name has been quietly rumored since the start of 2022.
Scarlet Witch
WandaVision was a limited series, but that doesn't mean the Scarlet Witch can't return to the streaming screen. Potentially titled Scarlet Witch, another solo series focused on Elizabeth Olsen's chaotic alter ego has been rumored in recent weeks. Similar to the Namor situation, expect clearer updates on this project in the immediate aftermath of May's Doctor Strange 2.
Children's Crusade
Billy and Tommy Maximoff are currently trapped somewhere in the Multiverse, but the twins have big things in their Marvel futures. If this rumor is to be believed, plans for Billy Maximoff have him captain his own project centered on the Avengers: The Children's Crusade comic run. This storyline follows Billy Maximoff, better known as Wiccan, as his reality-changing powers spiral out of control.
Rumored Specials
Man-Thing
Marvel's answer to DC's Swamp Thing could see his live-action debut in the not-too-distant future. Similar to Werewolf by Night, a Man-Thing project is rumored to be a Halloween Special, indicating Marvel Studios is approaching these one-offs with an anthology mindset. All that is known about Man-Thing is that it will "emphasize the horror" and is eyeing a "big name" for the titular role.
Status: Keep an Eye Out
Potentially Shelved
Numerous team-up projects such as Power Pack, Agents of Atlas, Squadron Supreme, and Alpha Flight have all been rumored in the past three years, but none have gained any sensible traction since. Some, like Power Pack, have been classified as "not super active" at the moment, while others, like Squadron Supreme, had their rumored launching pad disproven.
The next confirmed Marvel Studios project, Moon Knight, begins streaming on March 30.
MCU Writer, Editor, Podcaster
