D23 Expo 2022 is right around the corner, and fans of every Disney-owned property are gearing up for a slew of announcements, trailers, and other surprise reveals during this weekend's fan convention.
The three-day event, which begins on Friday, September 9, will see multiple panels held in Anaheim, California – including a presentation from Marvel Studios.
The Disney subsidiary is expected to unveil tons of new content regarding the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). We expect there'll be plenty of news concerning MCU Phase 4, Marvel Phase 5, and Phase 6 projects at D23 Expo 2022, so you'll want to strap yourself in for the two-hour spectacle later this week
So, what can we expect to see from Marvel Studios when MCU head honcho Kevin Feige takes to the stage on Saturday, September 10? Below, we've listed six things we're keen to see during Marvel's Hall H panel. That includes MCU movies – check out our Marvel movies in order hub while you're here – and Disney Plus shows we already know about, some we know little about, and a few surprises that might just set tongues wagging worldwide.
1. Trailers, trailer, trailers
In the next 15 months alone, Marvel plans to release five movies, two Disney Plus specials, and potentially six TV shows, so fans are going to be eating well until the end of 2023.
What better time, then, to show off the first public footage for some of those productions than at D23 Expo 2022? Those who attended Marvel's Comic-Con 2022 panel were exclusively shown teasers for Secret Invasion, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Wouldn't it be great, then, if those trailers were released online, so that non-attendees can enjoy some new content and start to get hyped for those projects?
MCU insiders have suggested that Marvel's global fanbase will get its first look at Secret Invasion, while we're confident that an official trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be revealed at the event and online, too. The final Phase 4 film is just two months from launching in theaters, so it's high time Marvel gave us a fresh look at the much-anticipated sequel.
There are bound to be other sizzle reels and teasers shown at D23 Expo, but we suspect those won't be made available publicly. If we had to guess, we'd say attendees will get exclusive looks at The Marvels, Echo, Ironheart, and Loki season 2, which are all currently filming or undergoing reshoots. Just don't hold your breath that possible teasers for those projects will be released online.
2. Disney Plus special launch date reveals
It's less than six weeks until Halloween and only three months until Christmas, but Marvel still hasn't announced release dates for its forthcoming Disney Plus Holiday specials.
Werewolf by Night, an upcoming spooky TV special directed by film score composer Michael Giacchino (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Lightyear) is still expected to be with us in time for Halloween. Hopefully, Marvel will finally announce when it'll be available to stream on Disney Plus at D23 Expo.
Meanwhile, James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special should be with us in time for the festive period. Again, Marvel hasn't confirmed when it'll land on Disney's streaming service, and D23 Expo marks the last opportunity for Marvel to announce it at a public event. Fingers crossed that we learn more about this special's launch date, too.
3. Phase 5 cast announcements
Blade, Captain America: New World Order, and Thunderbolts make up half of Marvel's Phase 5 slate of movies, but we're yet to learn more about who has been cast in each superhero flick.
D23 Expo represents the perfect opportunity for the studio to officially confirm each film's cast. Marvel leakers have already teased who might join Mahershala Ali's Blade in the vampiric anti-hero's movie reboot, while we previously reported on who could be part of the Thunderbolts, aka Marvel's anti-hero/villain team that might take the place of the Avengers for a Phase or two.
This trio of movies are currently set to release in theaters between November 2023 and July 2024, so the time is ripe for Marvel to confirm each film's cast. All three projects are sure to begin filming shortly, given their respective release dates, so let's hear more about which actors will be the latest to join the MCU's expanding roster of main and supporting characters.
And speaking of cast announcements...
4. A Fantastic time to introduce Marvel's iconic quartet
The internet has been awash with casting rumors concerning Marvel's Fantastic Four film reboot since the start of 2022. More recently, numerous MCU insiders have claimed they know who's been hired to portray Mister Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing.
With this MCU Phase 6 movie pencilled in to arrive in November 2024, now seems like the best time for Marvel to announce who will star in this highly anticipated production. Not only that, but the studio should reveal who the movie's new director is, with previous helmer Jon Watts having departed the project earlier this year.
The rumor mill won't stop churning out speculation over who'll appear in Marvel's Fantastic Four movie until the Disney-owned company unveils them. So it should just bite the bullet and confirm who'll play the iconic quartet in the MCU at D23 Expo. It won't have a better opportunity to do so for a few months – so, please Marvel, put us out of our misery.
5. Fleshing out Phase 6
Speaking of Marvel's Phase 6 slate, we only know about three projects – Fantastic Four, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and Avengers: Secret Wars – that'll be part of this phase's lineup.
As revealed by the studio at Comic-Con 2022, there are eight movie slots still to be filmed in its Phase 6 schedule. Four are currently expected to arrive in cinemas between mid- and late 2024, two in spring (March-May) 2025, and two in summer (June-August) 2025.
While we don't expect Marvel to announce every one of those films, we'd be surprised if it didn't provide details on the first four. A couple of obvious choices would be sequels to Doctor Strange 2, Shang-Chi, and Eternals – the latter of which has been rumored to get a follow-up despite being viewed as one of the worst MCU movies ever made.
There are other possibilities, however. Marvel leakers have hinted that Deadpool 3, a solo movie starring fan-favorite superhero Nova, or a World War Hulk flick could be part of proceedings. Other options could include a long overdue X-Men/Mutants MCU movie, a fifth Thor solo film, or a third Black Panther flick. Honestly, we'll take any number of those projects, as long as they're announced this weekend.
Then there's the prospect of more MCU Disney Plus series being part of Phase 6. A spin-off centered on Shang-Chi's 10 Rings organization, a show based on obscure hero Wonder Man, and possible sequel seasons to Moon Knight, She-Hulk, and Ms Marvel could all be greenlit. Again, we don't expect all of these to be announced, but a couple of reveals here and there would be fantastic.
6. Give us an update on Armor Wars
Poor Armor Wars. The forthcoming Disney Plus show, which will star Don Cheadle's James Rhodes/War Machine, must feel like the black sheep of the family at this point, what with the lack of updates surrounding it.
The spin-off series, which will see Rhodey face what happens when Tony Stark's technology falls into the wrong hands, was conspicuous by its absence at Comic-Con 2022. Marvel hasn't provided an update on it for a long time either, and, such was the concern that it had been canceled, showrunner Yassir Lester had to take to social media to confirm that it was still in development.
Given that it was announced back in December 2020, it's about time we learned more about Armor Wars – more specifically, whether it's still being developed and, if so, whether it'll be part of Phase 5 or 6. Give us something, Marvel, for Rhodey's sake.
Looking for more MCU content to read before D23 Expo 2022? Read our spoiler-free Thor: Love and Thunder review, which recently landed on Disney Plus. Alternatively, find out how we've ranked every Marvel film to date.
