Fourth time’s the charm. Marvel has just announced a new Fantastic Four film directed by Jon Watts, who previously directed Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home. It seems that, at long last, the Four are finally joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Watts seems a perfect pick for the MCU’s take on the Baxter Building’s most famous residents. Like Spider-Man, Marvel’s First Family has had a rocky history in film, with their 2005, 2007, and 2015 films all critically panned. We won’t even mention the unreleased 1994 film.
Hopefully Watts will be able to reinvigorate Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Benn Grimm in the same way he did Peter Parker. The Fantastic Four are prominent icons in Marvel’s comics, and the prospect of them finally fighting alongside their longtime allies on film is thrilling.
There were also ton of other new announcements about the rapidly expanding MCU during Disney’s investor call Thursday.
The third Ant-Man film will be called Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania, and has added both Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror and Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang. Peyton Reed will return to direct, with Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, and Michelle Pfeiffer all reprising their roles.
Thor: Love and Thunder has added Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher, and will begin shooting Jan. 2021 after pushing its release date to May 6, 2022. Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tessa Thompson star, with Taika Waititi directing.
A handful of new release dates were confirmed as well. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will now be out Mar. 25, 2022. Sam Raimi directs the film which will star Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and Benedict Wong from the previous film, plus Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez.
Meanwhile, Captain Marvel 2 will now be released Nov. 11, 22. Brie Larson stars alongside Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, with Nia DaCosta at the helm.
Significantly, Black Panther 2 won’t recast Wakanda’s beloved ruler King T’Challa after Chadwick Boseman’s recent passing. The film is still in production with Ryan Coogler returning at the helm, but release date has also been shifted, to July 8, 2022.