Marvel News & Notes

Taika Waititi answered some questions about Thor 4 and the biggest takeaways were:

• 1) No Silver Surfer
• 2) Wants to do Beta Ray Bill, but can't confirm if he'll appear
• 3) Will use Starsharks
• 4) Can't say if Loki will appear

Two of these (#2 and #4) are no surprise. We all expect Loki to appear (why else keep an iteration of him alive?), and Taika tried to have BRB in Ragnarok, but had to cut him. What's interesting is the inclusion of Starsharks (which debuted in the X-Men as a Claremont creation, but are heavily associated with the Jason Aaron run on Thor that Taika likes so much). The Silver Surfer debunking specifically addresses a Sutton rumour from January (Sutton has put him in a few places, but at that time had him in Thor 4). As fun as this was it doesn't carry our understanding of the film forward very far (I never bought into the Surfer idea).

We have casting news from Discussing Film, who scoops that Ronny Chieng will be in Shang-Chi, but not in what role. Going back to the cast breakdown via Daniel, I'd guess he's either 'Henry' or the the bus scene character.

An article from The Direct (which I've never heard of) came out discussing The Eternals and includes one interesting item:

According to The Direct's contributing insider Daniel Richtman, The Eternals pre-production was rushed in order to meet the movie’s filming schedule, meaning costumes were not finished, sets were not completely constructed, and even parts of the script were incomplete at the start of filming. Specifically, Kit Harington's Black Knight costume was unfinished when scenes with him in the suit were being shot

I see this as a sign of a couple of things. It reflects how abrupt the decision was to pull the IP from Marvel Entertainment (cf); how much the firing of James Gunn interrupted the planned schedule; and how The Eternals was not originally part of Phase Four and I doubt will get a sequel (barring immense financial success, of course). All of this, I think, can be inferred by this scenario. It also means the new delay is more helpful for it than any other film.

4chan on The Eternals:

• I working vfx from home for Marvel's new Eternals movie. I don't know shit about comics so I'm not sure what a lot of what I saw was. I only worked on specific scenes in the movie so I can't tell you a lot about the plot.
• There's big ass robots in the movie. Like bigger than planets. Three of them are having some kind of meeting in space and Richard Madden's character [Ikaris] is floating in front of them.
• Kit Harrington has a laser sword/lightsaber thing and he was dressed like Judge Dredd. From googling I guess he's this Black Knight guy. The look is clearly inspired by the picture I linked.
• Kumail [Kingo] can shoot beams out of his hands. Looked a lot like Captain Marvel's beam shit.
• Salma Hayek like...dies? I don't know. She shot at bunch of energy stuff out of her whole body and exploded. [cf her death]
• That's all I got. No idea where any of it fits into the movie at all. Just thought I'd share.

I'm dubious of this. There's nothing new here, either insight or specific elements. I think the poster is mimicking the FX guy who has been posting on Reddit and including a few rumours that have been floating around.

More 4chan on Doctor Strange 2:

• The infinite stones [Infinity Stones] will return for phase four for a short frame.
• Doctor Strange encounters the Time Stone when he gets back to the New York Sanctum and remembers that he sent it to himself after seen all the alternative futures in Avengers Infinity War.
• Traveling to the future will be explained differently from traveling back in time by Doctor Strange as he continues his research on the Time Stone.
• Doctor Strange goes to the Garden and uses the Time Stone to restore Thanos gauntlet with all the infinity stones.
• The Time Stone that was sent to the future by Doctor Strange in Titan had a timer, similar to the loop he used on Dormammu, and the time stone returns to Doctor Strange's hands in the past when the Infinity gauntlet is restored.
• Doctor Strange keeps the Infinity Gauntlet in the New York Sanctum and the Time Stone.
• The rest of the Infinity stones are thrown into different parts of the universe by different sorcerers of the mystic arts with sling ring to keep them safe.
• Space Stone is sent into a black hole. Power Stone is sent to a planet made of lava. Mind Stone is sent to a water planet with no land. Reality stone is sent to an acid pocket realm. Soul Stone is sent to the Keeper but he is no longer there.

This is a very odd post and I have no idea what the point of bringing the Stones back is. The MCU just spent ten years dealing with them, so why bring them back so quickly?

Disney+ France put out a press release that had Hawkeye, She-Hulk, and Moon Knight listed as 2022 releases. A lot of people are taking this as gospel and, while it's certainly possible, I will point out it wouldn't be the first (nor the last) time a press release has put out incorrect information (this happened repeatedly with the release date of Cyberpunk 2077, for instance, and that's not an isolated example). Keep your grains of salt handy.

GWW's Vicky Depledge says the Young Avengers IP that the MCU is planning will feature its original lineup and not include Kamala Khan or America Chavez (who were part of the second iteration). It's funny to note that this matches WGTC's idea from January of last year (not that they were the only ones to make that speculation). Having no attachment to the IP I have no reaction to the information, other than (if true) it means the two other characters are being included for other reasons. It's worth keeping in mind that a spec script for the IP was written a couple of years ago and leaks we hear might be based on that (which would have little to no relevance to whatever the MCU is doing now, cf all the early Black Widow scoops based on the Hayter script from 2004).

Sutton says a War Machine Disney+ series is coming, which repeats an old 4chan rumour from January of 2019 (which LotLB repeated in August). Attached to this was a long term spec list which has no relation to the aforementioned scoop (that references the supporting cast for War Machine):
Dirge - alien villain who served Kang
The Winter Guard - a Russian villain group (Steel Guardian, Vanguard, Sibercat, Darkstar, Vostok, Fantasma, Powersurge)
Magma (Jonathan Darque) - villain with ties to Roxxon
Thunderball - villain part of the Wrecking Crew*
The Living Laser - villain
Force Works - hero team [inheriting a lot of West Coast Avengers members: Iron Man, Cybermancer, Century, Moonraker, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter), U.S. Agent, War Machine, and Wonder Man]
Riri Williams (Ironheart)
*The Wrecking Crew has come up before in October, beginning with Reddit (claiming they would appear in Loki) and then by LotLB themselves who had them on a long term spec list

When this idea came up originally my problems were: 1) Don Cheadle's age (56 in November), 2) the obscurity and relative lack of popularity of the character, 3) his unknown subset of supporting characters and villains. However, these are not impossible obstacles to overcome. If there was another significant character either sharing the spotlight (ala Falcon and the Winter Soldier) or being introduced (like Black Knight in The Eternals), it's doable--the inclusion of Force Works suggests the beginnings of a team. I do not think that Riri Williams would be enough to boost the IP, although introducing her here is a much better origin for the character than her comicbook beginnings. So, is this scoop plausible? I believe Marvel discussed a show (that 4chan scoop seemed reliable), but this isn't enough for me to believe it's coming (yet).

This one is a long one from 4chan that debunks itself, but I'm including it to keep track of rumours [I've fixed some of his errors, but the misspelling of 'shield' is so persistent I've left it in]:

The movie takes place immediately after the events of Civil War, and the government is almost finished completely dismantling SHEILD following the events of The Winter Solider. However, after the events of Civil War the complete dismantling of the Avengers Initiative is taking priority.
As such, SHEILD is being allowed to run for the time being as a very small, and strictly government enforced/over-sighted agency until the Avengers are all accounted for aka "captured"...this is why Black Widow flees back to her home county of Russia - so that see can potentially seek political asylum.
As for Taskmaster: He isn't a woman. He doesn't die at the end. He's played by O.T. Fabenle. Taskmaster is indeed Tony Masters, but his fake SHEILD alias is Rick Mason. Its an amalgam of both his Ultimate version (Black Person) & Recent 616 Rewrite (Former SHEILD Sleeper Agent). The Tony Master character as played by OT Fabenle appears throughout the movie as Natasha's SHEILD Contact. The Rick Mason alias poses as a SHEILD sleeper cell acting on behalf of Nick Fury (which is actually true, he fools Fury as well), during SHEILD's current dismantling process.
There is a reference in the film made by the Mason alias (that Rumlow aka Crossbones) was his former partner.
Later on Taskmaster remarks that he trained Rumlow to become Crossbones, and thats how he got his gear & henchman - it is also why he chose to wear a Skull on his suit as homage.
The Rick Mason character is given a "heroic death" during the third act, as the result of an apparent Taskmaster attack. Taskmaster never unmasks until a Mid-Credit scene in which he reveals himself to indeed by OT Fabele - having fakes [faked] his own death previously in the film.
Rachel Weiz's character end's up being Iron Maiden, and is behind the "Red Room" program -  Taskmaster is being used to train the new Widows for malicious means.
Taskmaster is actually using Iron Maiden and the "Red Room" gathering data to add to his fighting repertoire.
Iron Maiden ends up coming to Natasha's aid towards the middle of the film, but is killed by Taskmaster.
Taskmaster also kills Red Guardian (David Harbor), and the rest of the Widows (young girls in training)
Taskmaster has been using SHIELD Technology, under the guidance of a computerized Armin Zola (which Taskmaster carries around inside a USB device), to build The Super Adaptoid.
Taskmaster can actually upload Zola into his suit to act as an "Evil Jarvis" like AI.
This actually is the purpose of Taskmaster's Goggles, as they act like Iron Man's helmet interface.
In fact, Taskmaster has taught himself how to quickly build/mass manufacture super adaptoids by studying pirated spy footage from SHEILD of Tony building his Iron Man Armors (also Ultron)
Actually his copying of Tony's style is depicted through his ability to multi-task large fights while also interacting/strategizing w/ his AI.
Taskmaster actually takes the time to study/copy styles that he can't physically imitate, like Vision's Phasing or Ant-Man's shrinking...the reason as to why is left a mystery for a while but eventually it is revealed that...
Taskmaster has been studying and fighting various heroes within the MCU in order to steal their fighting styles and then (w/ the help of Zola) computerize that data.
Which is then uploaded into the Super Adaptoid.
Being able to run this Adaptoid program in secrecy despite SHEILD's spying of the world is  hilariously explained as being untraceable by SHEILD because Taskmaster hides the program through a public Blockchain & a "dime a dozen" Cryptocurrency program...which is also how he funds his operation.
Taskmaster wishes to make an army of Super Adaptoids and use them to take over the main SHEILD Helicarrier (the only one still semi-operational as SHIELD is still in the process of being dismantled).
Taskmaster is going to use the Helicarrier as his base of operations, and then use SHEILD's system's against them to program his army of Super Adaptoids w/ orders to hunt down and kill all current and former agents.
Taskmaster is using SHEILD's dismantling process as an opportunity to basically takeover SHEILD and "remake it in his own image" - his plan/strategy does pays homage to his comic "henchman for hire" (Supervillain Training School) origins.
Taskmaster hates SHEILD because he blames them for his current predicament.
Taskmaster is suffering from a form of Alheizmers Disease, in which every time he learns a new skill he forgets and old memory, and no longer knows who is true identity is.
Taskmaster believes himself to be the result of a SHEILD's failed attempt to recreate the Super Solider serum that spawned Captain America.
Taskmaster believes that SHEILD knew of the memory loss side-affects, and purposely kept him undercover as an active sleeper cell agent, so that they could slowly wipe his personality and "re-make him in their image" as a loyal drone...kind of like what the Russian's did to Bucky w/ their Winter Solider program!
Speaking of which Taskmaster recalls being undercover within that program, as well as AIM, Hydra, The 10 Rings, and The Hand - which has all helped contribute to his loss of his identity, and also worked to corrupt his morality. [The Hand?]
A big theme of Taskmaster's motivation is that he believes himself to have at one point been a superhero himself.
As such he is jealous/envious of The Avengers, and their hero shenanigans - especially being supported through SHEILD, while still being allowed to act and behave as individuals.
On that subject, Taskmaster claims he used Crossbones to start the chain of events that led to Civil War, which effectively dismantles the Avengers - an accomplishment he his really proud of.
Still, he ultimately blames SHEILD for his loss of identity, and eventual corruption by proxy from his various sleeper cell missions - particularly Hydra.
In fact it is revealed that Taskmaster became self-aware of SHEILD's intentions to remake him into a "mindless drone of their own image" while undercover as a Hydra Agent.
It was Taskmaster that decided to become a "double agent" and orchestrate Hydra's (Robert Redford) eventual takeover of SHEILD during the events of The Winter Soldier.
Natasha & Yelena work together as a tangent tag-team to defeat Taskmaster in battle.
The catch is that Natasha & Yelena use to train together as young children, and together had developed a unique fighting style unique to only the two of them...to only be used in conjunction with each other (like a tag team)
The two had been separated for so long, that there was no footage of this style for Taskmaster to memorize. Especially, since each one possesses their own unique individual style that Taskmaster had been preparing for.
Taskmaster eventually does catch on to the tangent style, but then both Natasha & Yelena switch each other's style. Meaning Natasha now fights w/ Yelena's style, and Yelena now fight's with Natasha's.
They continue to constantly switch between the three different styles (Natasha's, Yelena's, Tag-Team) confusing Taskmaster and causing him to retreat.
Taskmaster eventually unleashes his Super Adaptoid prototype on the Widows, but w/ the help of Nick Fury, Natasha reveals to Taskmaster his real name of Tony Masters...bringing forth a rush of old memories. They mention his wife, and kids.
This causes Taskmaster to self destruct the Super Adaptoid (and his army, still in production), causing a huge explosion that also seemingly results in Taskmaster killing himself. But he does eventually return for the unmasking scene during the mid-credits.
The themes of this movie are: Family, Sisterhood, Never forgetting ones roots (where you come from), The importance of ones family, and upbringing in the formation of ones core values, personality, and identity (which conflicts with the next theme), The ultimate realization that it is "free will" that creates who one is as an individual, in spite of where they've come from, or any previous upbringings, Government Spying & Privacy Infringement (NOT Subtle at all)
Taskmaster possesses the powers of all the Avenger's from Civil War (and then some) including: Natasha (Active), Captain America (Active), Iron Man (Active), Black Panther (Active), Hawkeye (Active), Winter Soldier (Active), Whiplash (Active), Crossbones (Active), Thor (Passive), Hulk (Passive), Spider-Man (Passive), Vision (Passive), Scarlet Witch (Passive), Quick Silver (Passive), War Machine (Passive), Falcon (Passive), Ant-Man Lang (Passive), Ant-Man Pym (Passive), Wasp Janet (Passive), Loki (Passive), Ultron (Passive), ...as well as a few other characters whom, have not even debuted in the MCU yet...
Most Notably:
Moon Knight (Moon Shaped Shuriken's, Bo Staff, and a reference to hating the style because it means he has to take a punch in order to give one)
Blade (Heart Thrusting Stakes, that Silver Boomerang thing, and a reference to having perfected the style because he isn't distracted by spilt blood)
Deadpool (Duel Katana's and a reference to a foe whom never shuts his mouth)
Wolverine (Pantera Claws, and a reference to needing to be nearly invincible in order to use them effectively)
Ghost Rider (While evading/attacking on a Motorcycle he mentions that he can't figure out how to make it climb up walls, but he's perfected how to use it as a weapon)
Daredevil (Grappling Hook Baton, and a reference that he may not be able to hear where its going to land but at least he can see it)
Luke Cage (When busting through a door, and then football plowing through a group of agents Taskmaster references that he can't use that technique often because he isn't "Bullet Proof")
Iron Fist (After hitting an agent through a wall he mentions that the punch would work better if he could figure out how to make his fist glow)
Jessica Jones (After leaping from a balcony and landing on the ground, Taskmaster mentions that that style is meant to be used while intoxicated, but if he wasn't sober he'd blow out his knees)
The Punisher (Taskmaster mentions that gunplay is cheating, but it can be used as a tool to set up his hand-to hand combat styles, and that it works so much better when their isn't a visible target on his chest.)
Taskmaster also apparently talks like an Anime character while in the midst of combat. His voice is muffled, sounds like a bit like Ghostface from Scream.

We know this is fake because of the Netflix inclusion (the MCU cannot, legally, use them yet). Beyond that, it's an overly busy mess that's presented as a Taskmaster film, not a Black Widow film.

Reddit on the MCU's plans:

Many of you are still in shock over hearing the news that, due to Covid-19, all Marvel movies have been pushed back a few months. However, I have been informed by exclusive inside sources that Marvel intends to make up for lost money and keep their long-term plans intact by releasing five films in 2022. Now, as we all know, we already have three films on the docket for 2022. My sources have told me that one of the other two films releasing in 2022 will be the untitled third Ant-Man film, and it will receive a release date in between the release of the Captain Marvel sequel and the October film. As for the October film, my sources have told me that Marvel is currently debating whether to release Blade or the Fantastic Four reboot on that date. At this point, it could be either, though my personal bet is that the daywalking vampire will enter theaters around Halloween.

This is plausible speculation, but the idea that Marvel would still be debating what film is being released in October of 2022 busts this as being from an insider.

Sutton (via LotLB) says New Mutants will be put on Disney+. When I asked Tim about the HBO situation with Fox (cf), he pointed out that Artemis Fowl was in the same predicament and was released on Disney+ without issue (cf)--Disney was able to do so because that film was never released theatrically. This sounds like a loophole for Disney to use if they choose to do so.

Kinda Culty's latest and here are the things that stuck out to me:

• Why was General Ross at Tony's funeral? KC thinks it's a bit of a tease and I think that's a plausible idea--hinting at his role in forming the Thunderbolts and being involved going forward
• The super soldier serum used on John Walker will also allow for mind control (matching what was done with Bucky) [Mind control first came up in a 4chan post in November, although in that it's specifically Zemo who is responsible for it; the idea was echoed on Reddit in February, but this time exactly matching KC's idea]
• We know from a deleted scene in The Incredible Hulk that Ross has been experimenting on super soldiers for sometime (in my opinion this was probably, originally, an easter egg for Wolverine, but the MCU can do whatever they want with it now)
• Thinks the Black Widow trailer reveal that Taskmaster is running the Red Room is only partially true, with Melina or Ray Winstone's character being truly in charge--the weight of the various scoops would say the former, but in general I think that's correct (if, as is rumoured, Marvel wants to keep Taskmaster around, he has to be redeemable)
• I agree with KC that Marvel is not going to do a full Dark Reign story, but rather adapt certain elements of it going forward; he believes Black Widow, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Spider-Man 3 and She-Hulk will tie into that. The Spidey inclusion is a bit surprising to me, since Marvel has kept the Sony films in a box thus far (with no real resonance elsewhere). I also agree with him that if we're getting the Thunderbolts we won't see Dark Avengers, as the two properties are far too similar
• KC is 50-50 on Ross as Red Hulk, but I think Hurt is simply too old (70) to do so reliably for more than one film (if it's just one film, and that film is soon, then sure)

If you've paid attention to my thoughts the last year or so you'll note I was originally skeptical about the Thunderbolts because of how dependent they were on either 1) Norman Osborn, or 2) older Incredible Hulk actors we haven't seen in over a decade. Neither concern is an issue now (since neither the actors nor the Sony character are involved) and I have no doubt such a project is coming. The biggest bombshell (to me) in KC's theory about is the idea of Spider-Man being involved with the IP--not that it doesn't make sense, but that Marvel has intentionally kept his films only tangentially attached to the MCU (due to Sony's ability to walk away the moment the deal ends).

This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)