Marvel Studios is getting ready to begin shooting their first big mutant project since landing the X-Men rights after the big merger between Disney and 21st Century Fox. With Deadpool 3 finally moving forward after early development back during the Fox era, we’ll get to see might be the end of the Singerverse and the third installment becoming the big swan-song with Hugh Jackman reprising the Wolverine one last time (before the main X-Men reboot at Marvel) with rumblings of other Singerverse actors possibly making their return too.
Back in October, The Ronin first learned that filming on Deadpool 3 would be taking place in the United Kingdom (a big pivot as the last two installments shot in Reynolds’ hometown of Vancouver) and this has now been confirmed via The Hollywood Reporter in an article about another upcoming project, Boy Band, as part of their breakdown of the actor’s upcoming filming schedule. Where they name London as the main location for Deadpool 3 as cameras are said to be gearing up to roll sometime in the spring.
#Deadpool3 production is expected to spend time filming in the United Kingdom. Ryan co-owns a Welsh football team, so, filming over there isn't a huge stretch. pic.twitter.com/1HhjrIfYgn
Of course, there have been all sorts of theories of how Marvel Studios will ultimately bring Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson into the hardline MCU (616 Universe), but we’ll have to wait a bit for real confirmation about the film’s story. One of the more mysterious elements of the film is the casting of Emma Corrin (Nosferatu, The Crown) as the film’s unnamed villain.
Deadpool 3, which if you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last five years has been confirmed to be getting an R-rating multiple times by everyone involved with the superhero pic and has a release date set for November 8, 2024. However, given how theatrical releases change all the time, it’s possible the project could be bumped into early 2025.
While we’re excited to see what Marvel’s X-Men reboot will end up looking like, fans will have to wait a bit longer for that. Meanwhile, we’ll be exploring the Singerverse/Fox era one more time with Deadpool 3 (title subject to change) set to bring back not only Ryan Reynolds‘ Wade Wilson but the funny man was able to finally able coax Hugh Jackman out of Wolverine retirement to dawn the claws one more time. It’ll technically become the first official mutant film to release in theaters.
We finally have our first big new casting addition thanks to a report from Deadline. They have revealed that British actress Emma Corrin (The Crown) has been selected to play the sequel’s villain. There is an expectation that filming on the pic that will be helmed by Shawn Leavy (The Adam Project, Stranger Things) will take place in the United Kingdom.
However, there aren’t any character details being mentioned making hard to know for sure if Corrin is playing someone established in X-Men mythology or someone new. There are plenty of female villains that Corrin could be playing such as Spiral, Death, Raven/Mystique, Emma Frost, and Mister Sinister’s cohort Madelyne Prior aka The Goblin Queen. Then again, they could be attempting a new villain or a combination of them from the comics.
Deadpool 3 is officially set to be released on November 8, 2025 and has long been confirmed by Disney/Marvel it’ll indeed keep it’s R-rating, like the previous installments with have a heap of extreme violence and cussing. It’ll be the first of the Marvel Cinematic Universe projects to skew for more mature audiences.
Reynolds, a producer and creative force on the franchise, has officially welcomed Corrin to the Deadpool family with an public post on his Twitter account that you can see below.
New addition to the family! The Deadpool family, for clarity. Which is just like a real family except with less swearing… Welcome, Emma Corrin! ⚔️❤️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/LSobi4AqO9
The Russo Brothers have been behind directing four major Marvel Studios releases Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. Giving the studio a combined global box office total of $6.7 billion and some of the biggest hits the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had, so far.
Having the Russos return is certainly in the cards given their success.
You might remember back when the drama between Disney brass and actress Scarlett Johansson over money in the wake of Black Widow being released last year when the Russo Brothers were revealed to have been in talks with the studio to return for a mystery project. Despite talking up the idea of getting their hands on the new Wolverine or adapting a huge crossover event like Secret Wars, we still don’t know for sure what exactly they would direct if they’d come back to the MCU.
While speaking with the Associated Press (See video interview below), they were asked about returning and also potentially tackling their highly-anticipated X-Men reboot. Joe Russo, of course, reminds us he has a copy of the Hulk comic where Wolverine made his first appearance and suggested once Kevin Feige was ready to pursue an X-Men film, they’d be game to be involved in shaping a new take on the mutant team.
“Wolverine being so essential to the ‘X-Men,’ of course, that would be a fun project to work on and find a new way into it. But I do think that’s probably something [Kevin Fegie] has rightfully put aside for a while to introduce some new characters to the world and bring that back when it’s ready.”
The duo isn’t hurting for project ideas, they’re about to release the massive Netflix action flick The Gray Man this month and are already set to bring their sci-fi film The Electric State, starring Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) to Netflix. Also, there are early plans to make a direct sequel to The Gray Man and a spinoff prequel featuring Chris Evans’ character, Lloyd Hansen. Not to mention other things like a live-action film based on the anime Battle of The Planets and a remake of The Thomas Crown Affair with Michael B. Jordan attached in the lead role.
On the X-Men front, it seems that Shawn Levy’s Deadpool 3 starring Ryan Reynolds is the only big mutant project the studio is ready to confirm at the moment. However, between announcements incoming at San Diego Comic-Con later this month and D23 Expo in September, we could learn about Phase 5 and X-Men plans very soon.
Brtish actor Taron Egerton had recently stated he’d be keen to play the new Wolverine incarnation after revealing he’s met with Marvel Studios for an unnamed role/project.
"We're always open to it." The Russo brothers discuss whether they'd make another Marvel movie — and the possibility of creating a new adventure for the X-Men. pic.twitter.com/yvZxukSYdv
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) July 3, 2022
Hugh Jackman’s tenure as Wolverine has had its ups and lows, thankfully, the Aussie actor got to give his beloved X-Men anti-hero a perfect send-off with James Mangold’s Logan and has since retired the role leaving the stage for the next actor to pick up the claws. Jackman once gave his support to a pre-Venom Tom Hardy to play the next Wolverine, but it looks like someone closer to him might end up landing the role.
His Eddie The Eagle co-star Taron Egerton has been a fan favorite to be recast as the Canadian X-Men member and has previously brushed off casting rumors over the last couple of years. However, during a recent interview with The New York Times, he revealed a mystery meeting with Marvel’s Kevin Feige but wasn’t clear what it was for (outlets making the leap it was about Wolverine without the actor naming role/project).
Separately, at the same time, Egerton said it would be a challenge but is game to succeed his friend as the next actor to play Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“I don’t think it would be wrong to say that,” Egerton said of taking on the Wolverine reboot. “I’d be excited, but I’d be apprehensive as well because Hugh is so associated with the role that I’d wonder if it’d be very difficult for someone else to do it.” He paused, then flashed a grin. “But hopefully, if it does come around, they’ll give me a shot.”
Wolverine is a huge crossover character and also had his own film trilogy, which means whoever ends up playing him might be signing on for multiple films and television series on Disney+ meaning their commitment might have to be similar to Ms. Marvel actress Iman Vellani, who has her own series (expected to get a Season 2 announcement soon) but also has a major role in The Marvels.
While Deadpool 3 is expected to be the first big mutant project post-merger with Shawn Levy set to direct the R-rated film with Ryan Reynolds carrying over as Wade Wilson, the plans for the X-Men reboot haven’t been fully revealed by the studio and likely won’t happen before 2025. There is some hope Marvel will reveal their X-Men plans at Comic-Con or at D23 Expo.
Director Sam Raimi returns to the world of Marvel Comics with Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, further exploring The Multiverse after things like Loki and Spider-Man: No Way Home has introduced audiences to the idea of variants alongside many different universes within the established Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The new trailer released during the Super Bowl might confirm some previous rumors about the Doctor Strange sequel.
Doctor Strange seemingly meets a variant of Professor X played by Patrick Stewart, as his voice is unmistakably used in the trailer saying “We should tell him the truth.” Is the Illuminati going to a version of the TVA in the film?
But, that might not be the only X-Men-related tease in this new footage.
We see a glimpse of a T-Rex in a quick shot that might be teasing The Savage Land, a location like Madripoor that has connections to the X-Men comic books.
Once upon a time, Marvel Studios was trying to develop a Ka-Zar movie focused on a Tarzan-like superhero that lives in the Savage Land. The X-Men location is hidden from the world in Antarctica and has all sorts of creatures living there including dinosaurs.
In Marvel Studios’ “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further than ever before. Journey into the unknown with Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, with Michael Stühlbarg, and Rachel McAdams. The film is directed by Sam Raimi, and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Eric Hauserman Carroll and Jamie Christopher serve as executive producers. The screenplay was written by Michael Waldron.
Canadian actor Keanu Reeves is having a bit of a second career bump thanks to the success of his action franchise, John Wick, recently seeing the fourth installment wrap production in Paris. His newfound mainstream audience popularity eventually led to Warner Bros. reviving The Matrix films with Matrix Resurrections coming out next month.
Interestingly enough, around the time of the original Matrix, Reeves was in the mix to play Wolverine in Bryan Singer’s first X-Men film. The role ultimately went to Hugh Jackman but in recent years Keanu has been vocal about finding someone else to play in the world of Marvel Comics. He had been linked to playing the lead Kraven The Hunter in Sony’s upcoming solo film and has been trying to find something in the MCU as well, rumored to have almost played Jude Law’s Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel.
During a recent chat with Esquire to promote the Matrix sequel, Reeves reiterates his desire to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe and sounds like he’s well up-to-date with what is going on with the films/sows.
“Isn’t it bigger than a universe? It’s almost like a multiverse… It’s a Marvel-verse. It would be an honor. There’s some really amazing directors and visionaries, and they’re doing something no one’s ever really done. It’s special in that sense in terms of the scale, the ambition, the production. So it’d be cool to be a part of that,” Reeves told Esquire.
“We talk to him for almost every film we make. We talk to Keanu Reeves about it. I don’t know when, if, or ever he’ll join the MCU, but we very much want to figure out the right way to do it,” Feige told Comic Book.
He’s obviously too old to be considered for Wolverine again, but given his obsession with motorcycles for nearly 40 years and starting his own company Arch, a character like Johnny Blaze, aka, Ghost Rider feels like the perfect part for him.
There has been talk of a revival of the beloved X-Men cartoon series from Fox Kids in the 1990s, it goes back to director and producer Larry Houston stating back in 2020 he was talking with Disney about the possibility.
Well, it looks like that animated revival is indeed moving forward.
The GWW was first to mention that a new X-Men cartoon was in the works for Disney+ and there has been confirmation from The Wrap that it is indeed happening, adding more concrete details that it will be a revival titled X-Men ’97 continue the previous series and is debuting in 2023.
They also mention that Moon Knight writer Beau DeMayo is the head writer along with the voice cast.
Head writer and executive producer on the series is Beau DeMayo. Supervising director is Jake Castorena and supervising producer is Charley Feldman. Consulting on the new series are X-Men: The Animated Series writers Eric and Julia Lewald, and director Larry Houston.
Returning cast members include: Cal Dodd, Lenore Zann, George Buza, Adrian Hough, Christopher Britton, Catherine Disher, Chris Potter, Alison Sealy-Smith, Alyson Court.
X-Men ‘97 is also welcoming a number of new voices to the cast, including Jennifer Hale, Anniwaa Buachie, Ray Chase, Matthew Waterson, JP Karliak, Holly Chou, Jeff Bennett, AJ LoCascio.
It was more a matter of time when the revival was announced.
Talk of a revival of the original #XMen cartoon series isn't some new revelation by any means.
Director/producer Larry Houston already said in 2020 he was talking with Disney about it. pic.twitter.com/9jzFzcKAmV
A while back, The Ronin listed off a heap of new Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) established by the Walt Disney Company for a bunch of untitled Marvel Studios projects (film and television). We’ve been now able to confirm that one of the companies we listed off in the past, Ionic Productions LLC, is indeed at Marvel Studios.
We could theorize that Ionic Productions is alluding to characters like X-Men’s Rogue (less likely) or Avengers member Wonder Man, given the two superheroes have ionic-based powers.
At one time, Canadian actor Nathan Fillion (Slither, The Suicide Squad, Guardians of The Galaxy) was in the role of Simon Williams aka Wonder Man in James Gunn’s Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.2 (was cut from the final film) and he recently played the Avengers character in Hulu’s M.O.D.O.K. series, however, it remains to be seen if he’ll return to the part in any live-action capacity.
In August, Fillion took to Twitter during The Suicide Squad watch party to campaign to play Walter Langowski aka Sasquatch in a hypothetical Alpha Flight (Canadian mutant team) project at Marvel Studios. It’s an interesting character pick since Nathan’s longtime pal Ryan Reynolds is playing Canadian mutant Wade Wilson in Deadpool 3 and could lead to those characters interacting.
#TSSWatchParty New goal: Same walk, in front of Canadian flag. Alpha Flight, anyone? I’d kill it as Walter Langowski.
Wonder Man has connections to established MCU characters such as Baron Zemo, Captain Marvel, Vision, and Scarlet Witch.
There is still a good chance this might be simply another Disney+ spinoff either focusing on Paul Bettany’s Vision (Wonder Man teaser art was spotted in a WandaVision promo) or even Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau, but we’ll have to wait to get real confirmation on what the project actually is.
Wonder Man concept art appeared in WandaVision promo
In May, WandaVision head writer Jac Schaeffer signed an overall deal with Marvel Studios/20th Century Television, but future projects haven’t been announced. If this turns out to be Wonder Man, given the concept art in the WandaVision production office, I wouldn’t be shocked if Schaeffer is involved given her extended deal with Marvel.
It’s noteworthy to mention WandaVision’s LLC was Static Productions, so a connection to characters from the show wouldn’t be a surprise to us.
Old Guard Productions LLC is another LLC we first uncovered that is expected to be for Marvel Studios, but we’ll still trying to get that one confirmed. It’ll be interesting to see if Old Guard might be liked to X-Men, Fantastic Four, Winter Guard/Red Guardian, or the original Guardians of The Galaxy lineup (who appeared in Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.2).
Here is a rundown of the other LLCs.
GRASS-FED PRODUCTIONS (SECRET INVASION)
BAD EGG PRODUCTIONS(IRONHEART)
FREQUENT PRODUCTIONS (EHCO)
MAGLEV TRAIN PRODUCTIONS (WAKANDA DISNEY+ SERIES)
NATURAL HISTORY PRODUCTIONS (DISNEY+ PROJECT)
BLUEBERRY WAFFLESPRODUCTIONS
STANDOFFISH PRODUCTIONS
CHANGEUP PRODUCTIONS
SOLVE EVERYTHING PRODUCTIONS
ON YOUR MARK PRODUCTIONS
CANTINA PRODUCTIONS
BATTLE ANYONE PRODUCTIONS
ACID POP PRODUCTIONS
SPEYSIDE PRODUCTIONS
RICHMOND STREET PRODUCTIONS
IONIC PRODUCTIONS
OLD GUARD PRODUCTIONS(UNCONFIRMED)
There is certainly an expectation while this stuff is for new projects (sequels don’t get new LLC names), some of the LLCs are likely for known/announced things like Bassam Tariq’s Blade reboot, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool 3, Jon Watts’ Fantastic Four or stuff that hasn’t been made official like X-Men/Secret Wars/Avengers 5/Silver Surfer.
New animation projects for the Disney+ lineup are also coming from Marvel.
Other live-action projects on the horizon include Eternals, Hawkeye, Spider-Man: No Way Home (collaboration with Sony Pictures), Ms. Marvel, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love & Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, She-Hulk, Moon Knight, The Marvels, Secret Invasion, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, Ironheart, Echo, Armor Wars, Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.3, and an untitled Wakanda series from Ryan Coogler.
Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige could easily announce the new film titles at D23 Expo and then television projects at the Disney+ Day event on November 12, as an info dump by the end of the year on their upcoming slate is expected.
With Shang-Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings released, the next big Marvel Studios project will be Eternals from Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao (Nomandland). While we have some idea about the film there is slightly less known about The Deviants and how exactly they’ll be factoring into the film.
It’s been rumored that Legion actor Dan Stevens (The Guest, Beauty & The Beast) could be playing Kro in the film, the leader of the Deviants as the character appears in the trailer.
While speaking with Collider, Stevens seemingly confirmed the role with a cheeky response when asked if he was in Eternals.
“Kro comment…I said ‘Kro comment’ but I don’t know if that is cryptic enough.”
Dan Stevens isn’t a stranger to Marvel Comics projects as he led the X-Men series Legion that saw him play David Haller (son of Professor Charles Xavier in the comics) and would join Chris Evans as an actor previously playing a Fox era Marvel character only to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Evans you might remember played Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four movies.
In the comics, Kro started out as a villain only to switch sides and join the Eternals team thanks to his romance with Angelina Jolie’s Thena. Their relationship is somewhat teased in the trailer with their brief, yet, not hostile interactions.
It wouldn’t terribly shocking if Kro and Dan Stevens took on a heroic part by the end of the film allowing him to return for multiple installments, I guess we’ll have to wait and see what Marvel plans to do with him.
ETERNALS – The immortal heroes, the Eternals, came here 7,000 years ago, since the dawn of man, to “protect humans from the Deviants.” Sersi reveals that she hasn’t seen some of the other Eternal teammates for centuries. With the monstrous creatures, the Deviants, long thought lost to history, mysteriously return, Ikaris decides that it’s time for them to “find the others” and defend humanity once again. As the epic story unfolds, Sersi and Ikaris reunite with Kingo (played by Kumail Nanjiani), Sprite (played by Lia McHugh), Gilgamesh (played by Don Lee), Thena (played by Angelina Jolie), Makkari (played by Lauren Ridloff), Phastos (played by Brian Tyree Henry), and Druig (played by Barry Keoghan).
Yesterday, Disney announced four new release dates for untitled Marvel Studios feature films in 2024. Those spots being etched-out for February, May, July, and November.
There are now seven release dates on the schedule for unnamed projects that will likely be named at the next big Marvel Studios presentation something that is likely around the corner.
However, we have an idea what at least four of those options might be with Jon Watts’ Fantastic Four reboot, Bassam Tariq’s Blade reboot, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool 3, and Anthony Mackie’s Captain America 4 at various stages of development.
Below is a rundown of the current Marvel Studios schedule for films between 2021 to 2024.
ETERNALS – November 5, 2021
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME – December 17, 2021
DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS – March 25, 2021
THOR: LOVE & THUNDER – May 6, 2022
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER – July 8, 2022
THE MARVELS – November 11, 2022
ANT-MAN & THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA – February 17, 2023
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 – May 5, 2023
TBA – July 28, 2023
TBA – October 6, 2023
TBA – November 10, 2023
TBA – February 16, 2024
TBA – May 3, 2024
TBA – July 26, 2024
TBA – November 8, 2024
FANTASTIC FOUR (DIRECTOR JON WATTS) – TBA
BLADE (DIRECTOR BASSAM TARIQ) – TBA
DEADPOOL 3 – TBA
CAPTAIN AMERICA 4 – TBA
X-MEN – TBA
We could easily theorize that some other options might include their X-Men reboot, Shang-Chi 2, Eternals 2, Black Widow 2 (focusing on Yelena Belova), Avengers 5, Secret Wars, Spider-Man 4 (if Sony and Disney can expand their deal), Black Panther 3, Ant-Man 4, Doctor Strange 3, Thor 5, and Young Avengers.
Some other projects I’d love to see be considered for the film side such as Squadron Supreme, Captain Carter, Black Knight, The Invaders, Nova, Adam Warlock, Alpha Flight, Agents of Atlas, Namor (if they’re able to make it), Ka-Zar, Killraven, and Red Wolf.
As mentioned above, we’re likely on the cusp of a new Marvel Studios presentation that will likely give us an idea of what else is coming to both Disney+ (Disney+ Day in November) and the big screen in the future.
THE RONIN 