MCU Predictions for San Diego Comic-Con 2023

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Actor Adam Driver as Mr. Fantastic in 'Fantastic Four'

Credit: Inside the Magic

Stan Lee’s Marvel Comics have definitely come a long way.

Tobey Maguire, Tom Holland, and Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021)
Credit: Marvel Studios

The Future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The superhero movie genre and film industry as a whole have been significantly impacted by The Walt Disney Company’s acquisition of Marvel Studios, led by Kevin Feige. This has led to the creation of the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which has grown tremendously in recent years. The culmination of Marvel Studios’ Phase Three, which was marked by the release of Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), directed by the Russo Brothers, brought the popular Infinity Saga to a dramatic conclusion.

Avengers Characters fight in New York
Credit: Marvel Studios

Related: What Is Marvel’s “Secret Wars”? MCU’s New Phase Five and Six Explained

What’s happening at San Diego Comic Con?

Marvel Studios is known for saving their biggest announcements for events like SDCC, with the most epic announcements last year being the fleshed out Multiverse Saga reveal, including vitally moving Phase Four projects into Phase Five and even Phase Six. This brought audiences closer to the fifth and sixth Avengers installments that will close off the next “trilogy” of Phases after Endgame. What’s in store for the MCU, 2023 and beyond? Well, we’re likely to find out inside Hall H at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), scheduled for July 19, 2023.

Marvel SDCC 2023 Predictions

Actor Jonathan Majors in role of Kang the Conqueror
Credit: Inside the Magic

Phase Six roadmap (and delays)

Now that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) officially ended Phase Four, and we’re already two Marvel movies into Phase Five, it’s about time that Phase Six gets some love.

The MCU roadmap will certainly change, since the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike has recently come into effect starting May 2 this year. This development means that all projects past November 10, 2023’s The Marvels (2023) are likely to be hit with significant delays and production issues, as writers and studios negotiate for better pay. The Walt Disney Company has insisted that showrunners and producers continue working — but that’s clearly not enough to combat the likely year or more delays that are sure to hit the MCU. Already, the much-maligned production of Mahershala Ali-led Blade has been put on hold seemingly indefinitely, while not every single upcoming project has been explicitly hit with delays for now — who knows what will happen down the line.

It’s only reasonable that among all the exciting announcements for new projects fleshing out more of Phase Six leading into Avengers: Secret Wars, Marvel Studios will be forced to revise certain timelines to better reflect the current situation.

Fantastic Four

Actor Adam Driver as New Reed Richard, Fantastic Four
Credit: Inside the Magic

According to Marvel insiders, the Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) has been cast by Marvel Studios, as has Sue Storm AKA the Invisible Woman. With rumors going around about Paul Mescal taking on the role of Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Mila Kunis as The Thing (likely a female version of Ben Grimm), we’ll likely get some sort of confirmation over the official Marvel Cinematic Universe iteration of the Fantastic Four superhero team.

New projects added to MCU slate: Shang-Chi 2, Wonder Man

Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Katy Chen (Awkwafina) in 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'
Credit: Marvel Studios

Following on from the popularity of 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, and starring Simu Liu as Shang-Chi/Shaun, a second Shang-Chi franchise film is likely inevitable.

Seeing as it was one of the better-liked films of the MCU’s Phase Four that unfortunately released during the height of the COVID-19 situation, the movie following Shang-Chi and father Wenwu/the Mandarin (Tony Leung) has a lot more potential to live up to with important MCU plot elements teased at the end of the film. Since Shang-Chi has yet to integrate with any of the other members of the Avengers substantially (apart from Benedict Wong’s Wong), it makes sense that his role and franchise’s characters (like Awkwafina’s Katy Chen) will be expanded and embedded deeper in the Marvel canon.

Wonder Man uses his ionic powers, which glow purple
Credit: Marvel Comics

Wonder Man is also another incoming Disney+ series based on a Marvel Comics superhero whose real name is Simon Williams, a successful industrialist who was framed for embezzlement and transformed into a superhuman by the villainous Baron Zemo. Wonder Man was initially sent to destroy the Avengers, but eventually sacrificed himself to save them and was resurrected as a hero, and is equipped with the ability to project ionic energy.

Currently, all that’s known about the show is that Destin Daniel Cretton is set to direct, and it features Ben Kingsley, reprising his role as Trevor Slattery from Iron Man 3 (2013). Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was cast as Wonder Man, though Nathan Fillion appeared as Simon Williams in a cut scene from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017). Lauren Glazier has been cast in a supporting role, while Demetrius Grosse was cast as Simon’s brother Grim Reaper and Ed Harris as his agent. Josh Gad has also reportedly joined the cast.

More cast, new details: Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Daredevil: Born Again

Wanda Vision on the right and Agatha: Coven of Chaos on the left
Credit: Inside the Magic

It’s likely that we’ll hear something about these two much-anticipated Disney+ series, and also get an updated (delayed) release schedule for the two shows.

The release of Agatha: Coven of Chaos, a show centered around Agatha Harkness is an upcoming WandaVision spinoff series serving as a crucial continuation of the original show, has been delayed indefinitely due to production challenges. The ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike further complicates the show’s release and makes it even more uncertain.

Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness in 'WandaVision'; WandaVision Spin-off
Credit: Inside the Magic

Apart from Kathryn Hahn’s expected lead role as Agatha, the head of a coven of witches in the new Marvel TV show, several actors including Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, and Maria Dizzia have been cast in undisclosed roles. Additionally, Joe Locke (Heartstopper) will play Billy Maximoff, Wanda’s son and the superhero Wiccan from Marvel Comics. Additionally, Patti LuPone, a Broadway legend, will play an older witch named Lilia Calderu in the titular witches’ coven.

Daredevil Born Again Leaked Photos Matthew Murdock
Credit: Emmanuel Detres

Daredevil: Born Again on the other hand, is in the process of being filmed — albeit interrupted by the WGA strike as well. Previously, Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige announced a brand-new, 18-episode Daredevil series at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2022, bringing a new iteration of Daredevil to Disney+, titled Daredevil: Born Again. However it has not been without controversy — namely from fans who love the original Drew Goddard-directed Daredevil (2015) Netflix Marvel series. Fans have been upset that Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) seems to be featuring without his most trusted companions and partners-in-crime, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll). On top of that, it was announced that Ayelet Zurer’s Vanessa Fisk is being replaced, even though her canonical husband, Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) is slated to reappear after his MCU re-debut in Hawkeye (2021), alongside returning antihero the Punisher/Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal).

2023 would be the perfect time to confirm fan-favorite castings/characters for both these shows, and net Marvel some precious fan clout.

Trailers for: Echo and Ironheart

Wilson Fisk, Daredevil/Matt Murdock and Echo/Maya Lopez (left to right)
Credit: Marvel Studios

Now, both of these shows are very much imminent having already been filmed — and perfect for an SDCC trailer debut moment.

With Disney+’s Echo featuring Echo/Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) originally slated for release in Summer 2023 (but now postponed indefinitely), not much is known about the series apart from the fact that it will follow Maya Lopez on a journey back to Oklahoma from New York City after Hawkeye, and find her reconnecting with her Native American roots. Also set to star is Charlie Cox as Daredevil/Matt Murdock, and Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. The much-anticipated Echo stars Zahn McClarnon as William Lopez, as well as several currently undisclosed roles played by Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, and Graham Greene.

Dominque Thorne's Ironheart flying into battle.
Credit: Marvel Studios

Ironheart, on the other hand, will follow genius college-aged mechanic Riri Williams/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). It’s a spiritual successor of sorts to Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man/Tony Stark — especially since in the Marvel Comics, Tony Stark is Riri’s AI — like how JARVIS was to Tony. The series, created by Chinaka Hodge, also stars In The Heights (2021) star Anthony Ramos as Parker Robbins/The Hood, Jim Rash returns as the Dean of MIT from Captain America: Civil War (2016). Lyric Ross joins the cast as Williams’ best friend, while several other actors have been cast in undisclosed roles, including Harper Anthony, Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Shea Couleé, Zoe Terakes, Regan Aliyah, Shakira Barrera, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Sonia Denis, Paul Calderón, and Cree Summer.

Riri Williams/Ironheart working on her suit
Credit: Marvel Studios

There’s definitely a ton to look forward to within the MCU, especially for this year’s 2023 San Diego Comic Con. Marvel Studios have to definitely step their game up, seeing as the most recent project, the much-beloved Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, was directed by one James Gunn — who is now heading their biggest rival, DC Studios. Rebooting Warner Bros. Discovery’s DC Extended Universe (DCEU) to the DC Universe (DCU) will likely prove a difficult task, but the healthy competition will likely be good for both superhero media giants.

So let’s all hope that the MCU’s “stepping up” will come sooner, rather than later.

What do you think will be covered during Marvel’s San Diego Comic Con 2023? Is there anything we missed? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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