In all honesty, I don’t really care that much about comic book movies. (Stage whisper: I never even watched Iron Man 3.) So it’s kind of funny that I get to write about some of this stuff. So, Marvel gave every geek a nerdgasm yesterday when they announced a huge slate of projects for the next four years or so. This is, I believe, all of Marvel’s Phase 2 and Phase 3 stuff. Or… something. Here’s what I learned:
*There will finally be a major black hero when Marvel introduces Black Panther, also known as T’Challa, “the head of the fictional African nation of Wakanda.” Black Panther will be played by one of my favorite newish actors, Chadwick Boseman. I’ve been hoping that Boseman gets some major projects and stepping into the Marvel world is BIG. Good job, Boseman! Black Panther will be out November 2017.
*Doctor Strange is still scheduled for a November 2016 release, but Benedict Cumberbatch’s casting was not confirmed.
*Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 will be out May 2018, and Part 2 will be out May 2019. Captain Marvel – the first major female superhero – will get a stand-alone film out July 2018.
*But the biggest news for the Dragonflies is about their king, Dragonfly Lord Tom Hiddleston. Marvel announced that Thor: Ragnarok will have a release date of July 28, 2017. Kevin Fiege confirmed that Hiddles would definitely return as Loki for the film. Fiege also confirmed that Thor: Ragnarok would be set immediately after The Avengers: Age of Ultron. This is what the film might entail, courtesy of Cinema Blend:
The Ragnarok storyline is one Thor fans have been begging to see on screen in this particular universe. For those unfamiliar with their Norse mythology, Ragnarok is the prophesized apocalyptic battle that is foretold to result in the complete destruction of Asgard, Thor’s home. It is written that it is Loki who is destined to bring about these end times, and Thor – being both a hero and the God of Mischief’s brother – is responsible for stopping these events from occurring.
When we last left Loki in Thor: The Dark World, he was certainly in a position to do quite a bit of damage. Taking the form of Odin (Anthony Hopkins), he sat on the throne he wanted ever since he was a child and was able to get Thor to leave Asgard behind to be with his beloved Jane Foster on Earth. Presumably the end of The Avengers: Age of Ultron will feature Thor realizing exactly what his brother has done and return to an Asgard that has spent a great deal of time under Loki’s boot.
The title Thor: Ragnarok is definitely a significant one, and Kevin Feige promised that it will have an effect on the Marvel Cinematic Universe as big as what Captain America: The Winter Soldier was able to pull off.
Praise our Dragonfly Lord and Savior. MOAR DANCING!!! I’m actually thrilled beyond belief that we have more Hiddleston/Marvel stuff to look forward to in the years to come. YAY!!!!
Photos courtesy of WENN.
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