Fantastic Four
After Marvel’s deal with Sony allowed them to save the Spider-Man franchise and Sony to save face in the same stroke, fans have become increasingly interested as to whether Marvel will pull off another similar feat with Fantastic Four and Fox.
Fox currently seem focused on their X-Verse, with Deadpool proving to be a huge money-maker for the company and, with no concrete plans for Fantastic Four, the franchise could just disappear into obscurity as it stands.
A Marvel-produced Fantastic Four movie could finally give Marvel’s First Family the movie they deserve, and with Marvel hoping to go for something different in Phase Four, a Fantastic Four movie to kick things off would certainly get things started in the right way.
Black Panther 2
Black Panther was only introduced into the MCU in Civil War, so it’s safe to assume that his character will be sticking around for Phase Four.
T’Challa will make his solo big screen debut in 2018, and while no footage has been shown to the public as of yet, it’s difficult to imagine this being anything but a hit, what with Marvel’s track record of both critical and commercial success. The talent attached to the product is also incredible – Fruitvale Station and Creed director Ryan Coogler will be the man in charge, with Creed star Michael B. Jordan also joining the mix. Also confirmed for the movie are Lupita Nyong’o and Forest Whitaker – there’s no way this thing is failing.
Expect this to be one of the first movies announced for the next slate of MCU movies, with Marvel likely selling Black Panther as one of their marquee stars going forward.
Namor
With DC venturing into new waters with Aquaman in 2018, Marvel may want to expand their own universe into the deep blue sea in Phase Four.
While, like Aquaman, Namor has been ridiculed in popular culture, the character has a rich history in the comic books and fans would love to see that adapted for the MCU. He played a big part in the original Civil War comic, has worked with The New Avengers, and also has an ongoing feud with the people of Wakanda – a narrative thread that could lead perfectly to his big screen debut.
Adam Warlock and the Infinity Watch
Adam Warlock’s arrival in the MCU was hinted at in one of the post-credit scenes for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and James Gunn has made little attempt at hiding his desire to see him in the MCU.
Whether Warlock is introduced to us at the end of Phase Three or not, his character will likely play a big role in the future of the MCU. Introducing him with the Infinity Watch would be a great way to give him his own movie – after all, someone will have to keep an eye on the Infinity Stones once Thanos is finally defeated.
Thunderbolts
With the success, financially at least, of DC’s Suicide Squad, and with a sequel to that movie in the works – Marvel might want to turn their own hand at giving us a group of villains/anti-heroes in Phase Four.
One of the most famous takes on The Thunderbolts consists of a gang of villains that are led by Baron Zemo, who realises that the earth needs some new heroes after the Avengers are defeated at the hands of Onslaught. This could work well in MCU Phase Four, especially if Thanos wipes out a few of the existing Avengers.
Daniel Bruhl’s take on Zemo was also one of the highlights of Captain America: Civil War and his fate left the door open for the character to return somewhere further down the line, this could be the perfect way of bringing him back to the fold.
Nova
The Nova Corps have already been introduced in the MCU, and while they were very different from their comic book counterparts – their presence still gives Nova a way into the universe.
Nova is one of the most popular Marvel characters yet to be seen on the big screen and his arrival could continue to build on the cosmic side of the MCU. Like they did with Ant-Man, Marvel could introduce us to the newer version of Nova, Sam Alexander, and have the original Nova, Richard Rider act as his mentor.
The New Avengers
While a lot will change in the MCU post Phase Three, one thing that is pretty certain is that Phase Four will bow out in the same way as the previous Phases – with an Avengers movie.
It seems safe to assume that The Avengers line-up we see at the end of Phase Four will be very different from the one that closes out Phase Three. So what will it look like? Your guess is as good as mine, but a combination of some of the characters above would be the logical suggestion.
Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Captain America and Doctor Strange could be the main focus of the team, with Spider-Man and Mr. Fantastic also playing huge roles, depending on how the rights work out between now and then. The movie will also likely introduce a new villain for the MCU going forward (Galactus?) – one that is perhaps even more deadly than Thanos.
What movies would you like to see in Marvel Phase 4? Let us know in the comments below, and let Liam know on Twitter, here- @liamhoofe
