Summary
There were several upcomingMarvel Cinematic Universemovies and TV shows that Marvel Studios neglected to address at this year’sSan Diego Comic-ConandD23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Kevin Feige’s presentations at SDCC and D23 have become some of the most anticipated events in an MCU fan’s calendar. This year, however, the Marvel Studios boss didn’t reveal a full upcoming slate, as has become the norm, but instead focused on only a few upcoming projects from Marvel Studios, Marvel Television and Marvel Animation.
Marvel Studios gave audiences a lot of great new reveals at SDCC and D23, including anofficial new trailer forAgatha All Along, and new footage fromCaptain America: Brave New World, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Thunderbolts*, Daredevil: Born AgainandIronheart. Feige also used SDCC to confirm the Russo brothers' return forAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars, andRobert Downey Jr.’s casting as Doctor Doom. However,there were a number of confirmed MCU projects that weren’t addressed at either SDCC or D23, leaving their futures uncertain.
2024
2025
10Blade Didn’t Get Any Updates
Blade Is Still Scheduled To Release On June 07, 2025
Mahershala Ali became one of the biggest focuses of Marvel Studios' presentation at SDCC 2019 after being confirmed to be bringing Eric Brooks' Blade into the MCU. However, since then, themuch anticipatedBladereboothas been through the most tumultuous production period in the franchise’s history.Numerous writers and two directors have joined and departed the project, leaving its future in jeopardy, and its November 2025 release date unlikely. SDCC 2024 might have been a good place for an update onBlade, but Kevin Feige neglected to address it.
Blade’sSDCC snubwas even worse as Feige discussed each of the other MCU movies set to release in 2025, and seemed to suggest thatCaptain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*andThe Fantastic Four: First Stepswould be the only three movies premiering next year.Recent updates have pointed atBladetaking so long because Marvel Studios simply wants to get it right. Feige most recently commented onBladein July, so he may not have felt the need to reaffirm his comments toBlackTreeTVandBlavityat SDCC or D23.
For the last few years, as we’ve been trying to crack that movie, the most important thing for us is not rushing it, and making sure we are making the right Blade movie. Because there were some great Blade movies years ago. They were all rated R. So I think that’s inherent – like Deadpool – that’s inherently the character of Blade.
We are committed to the movie, and we’re so committed to it that we’re not going to make it until it’s right. [It] has been frustrating for us and for some fans that it’s taken a while, but we have a writer working on it now. I’ve read half of his new draft, and it’s feeling good so far.
9Scarlett Johansson’s Secret MCU Project Is Still A Mystery
Scarlett Johansson Recently Confirmed Her Project Is Still In The Works
Shortly after the conclusion of her lawsuit against Disney followingBlack Widow’spremiere in theaters and on Disney+, Scarlett Johansson was confirmed to once again be working with Marvel, but not as an actor.Kevin Feige revealed at a 2021 American Cinemateque tribute that Johansson was working on"another non-Black Widow-related top-secret Marvel Studios project with her as a producer"(viaThe Hollywood Reporter). In June 2023, Johansson toldComicbook.comthat"it is still happening,“but nothing was revealed at SDCC or D23.
It is still happening. Yes. It is still happening, [but] not currently, because nothing is happening right now. We’re all sort of in this holding pattern as we wait out the writers' strike and potentially our own guild strike, and so on and so forth… Right before the strike, we were in the middle of developing it, and now everything is at a simmer.
Scarlett Johansson previously portrayedNatasha Romanoff’s Black Widow in the MCU, departing the franchise following her demise inAvengers: Endgameand retrospective solo movie, 2021’sBlack Widow.Nothing is known about her secret project with Marvel Studios, and SDCC and D23 may have been the perfect place to at least confirm which character would be the focus. Perhaps production isn’t as far along as Feige’s 2021 announcement and Johansson’s 2023 update would suggest.
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8Vision’s Series Is Set For Release In 2026
Vision’s Upcoming Series Recently Hired Its Showrunner
The omission ofMarvel Television’s upcomingVisionseriesfrom SDCC and D23 was even more peculiar, as the series has recently been the subject of some very positive updates. Originally being developed byWandaVision’sJac Schaeffer, focusing on the white version of Vision introduced in the Phase 4 series,theVisionseries lost Schaeffer in May, but hiredStar Trek: Picard’sTerry Matalas as showrunner in her place. With filming set to begin soon, and a 2026 release window confirmed by Kevin Feige, it’s curious why theVisionseries was ignored at SDCC and D23.
One could surmise that Kevin Feige was only discussing projects scheduled for release in 2024 and 2025at this year’s SDCC and D23 presentations. Marvel has recently confirmed a slowdown for its production periods and content output, so Feige may have restricted his announcements to only the closest upcoming releases, except forAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars. Since theVisionseries has been given a 2026 release window, it was perhaps ineligible to be addressed during Marvel Studios' presentations, despite its positive updates.
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7Armor Wars’ Development Is Still Uncertain
Don Cheadle’s James “Rhodey” Rhodes has been in the MCU for almost a decade-and-a-half now, but the development of his first solo movie is still a complete mystery to audiences.Armor Warswas first announced as a Disney+ series in December 2020, but the project’s most recent update was delivered in a September 2022 article fromThe Hollywood Reporter, revealingArmor Warswould be reworked as a feature film. There hasn’t been a scrap of news since then, and this could have been a missed opportunity at SDCC and D23.
Cheadle returned as Rhodey in 2021’sThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierand 2023’sSecret Invasion, with the latter revealing he had beenreplaced by a shape-shifting Skrullat an undetermined point in the MCU’s history. This set up some great conflict for Rhodey inArmor Wars, which has been the subject of cancelation speculation.SDCC would have been a great place for Kevin Feige to deliver even a smallArmor Warsupdate, but, again, ifArmor Warsis set to release in 2026 or beyond, it may have been ineligible for discussion.
The most popular theory suggests that Rhodey was swapped with the Skrull Raava following his accidental injury in 2016’sCaptain America: Civil War, meaning Rhodey would be unaware of the events ofInfinity War, Endgame, The Falcon and the Winter SoldierandSecret Invasion.
6Wonder Man Has Been Filmed, So Where Is The News?
Wonder Man Will Be The MCU’s Next Marvel Spotlight Series
Following 2024’sEcho,Wonder Manwas revealed to be the nextMarvel Spotlight series in the MCU, meaning its wider connection to the franchise would be smaller than other upcoming shows.Wonder Manwrapped filming in April 2024, but very little is yet known about the series, soSDCC or D23 would have been a good chance to reveal more about the project, perhaps even bringing Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Demetrius Grosse and Ed Harris out on stage. This didn’t happen, though, leavingWonder Man’sstatus still uncertain.
Developed byShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsdirector Destin Daniel Cretton,Wonder Manis expected to be a strong debut for Abdul Mateen II’s Simon Williams. However, it’s unknown when the series will premiere.Its April 2024 wrap date could have suggested a 2025 release, but this would have allowed it to be mentioned by Kevin Feige at SDCC or D23.Wonder Manwill break MCU recordsby being the first live-action series comprising ten episodes - it’s a shame D23 wasn’t used to reveal when audiences might see these.
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5Spider-Man 4 Couldn’t Be Mentioned By Marvel Studios
Spider-Man 4 Is In Development By Marvel Studios & Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures Television had a prominent presence at SDCC 2024, but announcements regarding the movie side of the studio were noticeably sparse. This includes theMCU’s upcomingSpider-Man 4, which falls under Sony’s jurisdiction, rather than Marvel Studios, despite being developed more directly by the latter superhero behemoth. Because Sony still owns the rights to Peter Parker’s Spider-Man,Marvel Studios isn’t legally allowed to mention the character’s live-action projects at conventions, meaningSpider-Man 4was left out.
Kevin Feige did reveal Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manat D23, but this series is being produced solely by Marvel Animation, focusing on a variant of the MCU’s Peter Parker, voiced by Hudson Thames.
Adirector forSpider-Man 4, which is expected to mark the return of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, hasn’t yet been confirmed. Despite this, the movie is thought to begin filming later in the year, so Marvel Studios and Sony must be on the cusp of hiring a director.SDCC could have been the perfect opportunity to announce who would be taking over from Jon Watts as the guardian of the MCU’sSpider-Manfranchise. Marvel Studios didn’t have this chance, however, so it seems audiences will need to wait longer for officialSpider-Man 4 updates.
4Nova Could Be One Of The MCU’s Most Anticipated Shows
Kevin Feige Confirmed Nova Would Release Within 3 Or 4 Years
Novahas become one of the upcoming MCU projects that has been given a much longer production period because of Marvel Studios' scaling backof its production output. Initially announced to be in development in March 2022, withMs. MarvelandMoon Knight’sSabir Pirzada writing,Novawas reported to be delayed indefinitely in February 2023 (viaThe Hollywood Reporter). This meant that any announcements at SDCC or D23 would have been delivered far too early, as it isn’t even clear whetherNovawill release in the Multiverse Saga.
Kevin Feige revealed ‘sdevelopment during a July interview withComicbook.com.The Marvel boss suggested the series is still three or four years away, so it seemed very likely that any announcement would be made during this year’s conventions.Richard Rider’s Novais one of the most powerful and exciting cosmic heroes in the Marvel Universe, so his MCU debut is highly anticipated. Nevertheless, it seems it’ll be a while longer before anything concrete is confirmed aboutNova.
It’s happening, it’s coming together. Richard Rider, yep. A show, yeah, yeah. It’s three or four years out.
3Shang-Chi 2 Deserves To Get An Update
Shang-Chi 2 Is One Of The MCU’s Most Anticipated Projects
While Destin Daniel Cretton has been working on theWonder Manseries, there have also been talks of a directsequel toShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsbeing produced at Marvel Studios.DeadlinesuggestedShang-Chi 2was in development back in December 2021, but very little has been heard about the much-wanted sequel since then.Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringswas one of the most popular projects in the MCU’s Phase 4, so it’s a wonder Marvel Studios didn’t fast-track a sequel ready to be announced at SDCC.
IfShang-Chi 2releases in the next available slot, which is June 03, 2025, it will have been almost five years since Simu Liu debuted as the master of martial arts. This is far too long to wait to see one of the MCU’s most popular recent heroes reappear, especially sinceShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsended with a number of important cliffhangers, including theTen Rings’ mysterious beaconand Xu Xialing’s takeover of the Ten Rings organization. Liu seems to be hopeful thatShang-Chi 2is moving along, however (viaThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon).
It’s definitely happening, I should probably lead with that. People, whether it’s online or in person, ask me every single day and tell me every single day how much they enjoyed the first movie and how much of a moment it was. And I think there’s just so much goodwill, and I’m so deeply appreciative of that... So please know that if you’ve ever sent me a message, if you’ve ever asked about a sequel or just approached or any which way, I really take it to heart, and I really, really appreciate it. I think I speak for myself and Destin [Daniel Cretton], our returning director, when I say that we’re so beyond excited to jump back in.
2Giancarlo Esposito Teased A Series After Captain America 4
Giancarlo Esposito Will Debut As Seth Voelker’s Sidewinder In Captain America: Brave New World
Giancarlo Esposito had been heavily fan-cast in several MCU roles for a number of years before his official casting inCaptain America: Brave New Worldas Seth Voelker, a.k.a.Sidewinder, the King of the Serpent Society. While Esposito’s MCU debut is incredibly exciting, there are more layers to his introduction inBrave New World,as the actor revealed during May’s Phoenix Fan Fusion event (viaLegion of Sand).Esposito suggested his character would be teased inBrave New World, but would then take part in an upcoming MCU series.
Sidewinder doesn’t seem to naturally fit into any announced upcoming series, andEsposito’s comments may have implied that Voelker and the Serpent Society would be the focus of this project. This means that D23 would have been a good place to confirm the development of an upcomingMCU series starring Giancarlo Esposito, but this didn’t occur. Of course, Marvel Studios may be waiting for the character’s official debut inCaptain America: Brave New World before making any official announcements.
1MCU’s X-Men Reboot Is Slowly Moving Forward
Little Is Known About The MCU’s X-Men Reboot
Perhaps the most highly anticipated project in the MCU’s upcoming slates is theMCU’s officialX-Menreboot. Marvel Studios gained the rights to the X-Men following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, and several mutant characters have already been seen in the MCU, most notably inMs. Marvel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The MarvelsandDeadpool & Wolverine. However,the X-Men team is still missing from the MCU’s main timeline, and it’s unclear when they might appear.
Kevin Feige teased the MCU’sX-Menmovie during several previous SDCC presentations, but 2024’s ignored the mutant superhero group. In May,The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakeswriterMichael Lesslie was reported to be in talksto pen the script forX-Men(viaDeadline), but there has been no news since then.It’s thought that theX-Menreboot won’t release until after the Multiverse Saga’s conclusion, so it may be premature for any major updates, though it still would have been great to see this huge property addressed at SDCC or D23.
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There Are Other Unconfirmed Projects Thought To Be In Development For The MCU
Marvel Studios has often taken the opportunity of the avid audiences of SDCC and D23 to announce a slew of new projects, but this pattern was also broken in 2024. There are severalas-yet-unconfirmed movies and TV showsthat many expected would be announced for the MCU’s future, but didn’t receive any mention at all, so it’s still uncertain whether these projects will be developed, or if they’re simply speculation.Major sequels such asDoctor Strange 3, Thor 5andBlack Panther 3 have been rumored, but their development is still unclear.
The same goes for possiblesecond seasons of popular Disney+ shows, includingHawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms. MarvelandShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law.Marvel Studios also seems to have been setting the stage for projects such asWorld War Hulk, Young AvengersandMidnight Sons, but there has been no official confirmation of these being developed. Elizabeth Olsen’s return as Wanda Maximoff was also speculated to be announced at SDCC, perhaps in a dedicatedScarlet Witchmovie, but her absence from theMarvel Cinematic Universe is set to continue indefinitely.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
