What will the next phase in Marvel’s cinematic universe hold for fans? So far, fans have seen many superheroes rise but there are more to come. Beginning in 2008, Marvel has since produced a number of film leading up to 2019’s “Avengers” films which cap off “Phase Three.”
But what will the next phase reveal for fans? Marvel chief Kevin Feige so far has been reluctant to talk about Marvel Studios life beyond the fourth “Avengers.” However, Feige recently spoke to Uproxx about the entire studio’s focus on their more immediate films:
“The films we are working on now – which take us through to the Avengers Untitled in May of 19 – that’s really all we are focusing on. And we are focusing on bringing, by that point, an unprecedented, 22-movie, continuous shared fictional narrative to a conclusion in a satisfying way.
And where we go beyond that? Of course we will go places beyond that. And, of course, we have ideas of where we go beyond that. But, really, it is all good stories. And as the series finale of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” said, ‘All good things must come to an end.’ And part of what makes them special, there is a finite quality to the best of fictional stories through history.
And we wanted to do that at the end of our first three phases and 22 movies. How we start anew and wherever we go beyond that is a story for another time. This is really about 10 years on, bringing something to a head in a satisfying and unexpected way.”
Feige also says that the immediate next few films will offer much more in the way of variation than the previous Marvel films which have been criticized for their repeated structure and disappointing villains:
“All of the next films by design have been built to be very different, to be very unique. Ragnarok, Black Panther, certainly as we get into Infinity War and even Ant-Man and the Wasp, which is nearing the end of their production period right now. All four of those movies are distinct and special and I can’t wait for people to see.”
Thor: Ragnarok will feature the return of Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder himself, with Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, Idris Elba as Heimdall and Sir Anthony Hopkins again portraying Odin. Cate Blanchett plays the mysterious and powerful new villain Hela, Jeff Goldblum stars as the eccentric Grandmaster, Tessa Thompson will bring the classic hero Valkyrie to life on the big screen, and Karl Urban will add his might to the fray as Skurge.
Kevin Feige will produce the film, joined by executive producers Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, Thomas M. Hammel and Stan Lee. The screenplay hails from Stephany Folsom, Craig Kyle, Eric Pearson and Christopher Yost. Current plans call for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Phase Three” chapter to shoot until October, although production could feasibly continue through the end of the year. Directed by Taika Waititi.
“Thor: Ragnarok” opens in cinemas on November 3rd.
Photo Credit: Marvel