Updated Slate of Rumoured MCU Projects

I haven't done a comprehensive overview of rumoured MCU content since last June, but recently a Redditor made his own attempt (it cites sources, but without links), so that's prompted me to update it. In this post I'm only covering films/shows that are unconfirmed--tracking those rumours through time as best I can (I've ignored Marvel Entertainment/Jeph Loeb scoops unless they seem relevant; I've also ignored WGTC's content because it's discredited). Just as a reminder, Loeb officially lost his power in October, but the writing was on the wall long before that (corporate moves like this take time). You will see the tag "TBK" for the Lords of the Long Box--that's to clarify that the information comes from their original source rather than Mikey Sutton. Here is our cast of characters:

• Roger Wardell - a true insider (no one knows who he is)
• Daniel Richtman - long time scooper, most of whose information seems to come from various casting grids/calls put out by the studios
• Charles Murphy - formerly of MCU Exchange and That Hashtag Show; cantankerous scooper with a good track record (his sources are the information referenced for Daniel along with some conversations with agents)
• Rich Johnston (Bleeding Cool) - rarely a scooper in my experience, but with decent credibility
• Jeremy Conrad - made his hay from The Eternals scoop; doesn't seem to have the same access that Daniel does (from what I can tell he doesn't have access to casting grids)
• Discussing Film (Jacob Fisher) - mix of the usual casting information and personal connections
• GWW (Geeks Worldwide) - access to the same material as Daniel (much of their information seems to come directly from him)
• The Illuminerdi - former contributors to That Hashtag Show; not included below, because none of their scoops apply, but again, the same basic info that Daniel has
• Mikey Sutton - long time scooper; part of a group of insider comic speculators, although it's difficult to parse what kind of information he receives
• Lords of the Long Box ("the Black Knight") - their original source is also part of the speculator group, but his information seems more consistent in terms of where it comes from--it seems like he's aware of what the MCU is researching (comics/characters)
• Cosmic Book News (Matt McGloin) - I'm not familiar with him, but he comes across as a little unhinged and in the sampling I've seen does not source his info
• HN Entertainment (Christopher Marc) - I'm not really familiar with him or his site
• Reddit/4chan - they know a guy who knows a guy--occasionally that's actually true
• Fake Roger Wardell - an account that pretends to be the real deal (included for tracking purposes)

Quite a few of these illustrious people have had their content banned on the Marvel's Spoiler Reddit, as they've been deemed too unreliable (or for persistent self-advertisement). Below I've listed projects in approximate chronological order of rumours. Official sources or information are highlighted in blue; those bits of information that have already been debunked or are not moving forward are in red.

MCU Films

Captain Britain

(July, 2017) Kevin Feige said: "We have discussed it [Captain Britain in the MCU]. There are a lot of actors that come in and ask about that part, so we’ll have to see."
(April, 2019) "Braddock" is named in Endgame during the 1970 flashback
(August, 2019) It was revealed that there were early plans to include the character in Far From Home, but they were scrapped early
(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) said he's coming--in the clip they said they predicted this two months earlier, but if so I either missed it or it pre-dates when I started paying attention (so in May)
(November, 2019) Sutton says Captain Britain will be a member of Excalibur for a planned trilogy
(April, 2020) Fake Roger Wardell says the Darkhold will be fundamental for a Captain Britain project

The name drop in Endgame is a clear signal that the MCU wants to do something with the character, but it's not at all clear what that is at this stage. A solo venture for the British hero seems less likely, unless it's a show, so being part of a team makes the most sense (and Excalibur is quite distinct as an IP, but I can't imagine it predating the X-Men). I wonder if Feige will embrace Betsy Braddock in the role, allowing for Revanche/Kwannon to have a separate role in the MCU (thus having a truely Asian character rather than the bizarre mishmash Claremont saddled comics with for decades).

Namor

(November, 2018) When asked about the character Kevin Feige says they are figuring out "if and when"
(March, 2019) Scott Derrickson Tweets out an image that includes Namor that he promptly deletes (at this stage no script was written and we learned later his version of the film was never written)
(April, 2019) Murphy reported an uncertain rumour that Marvel had worked out the details of a solo film and had been scouting locations for months (he later learned this scouting was for Shang-Chi)
(April, 2019) Endgame has a potential easter egg (the earthquake near Africa)
(May, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says Dwayne Johnson is negotiating to be Namor and appear in Black Panther 2, an idea they repeated in June (Given everything going on with DC this cannot be true at this point)
(June, 2019) Reddit says Avi Arad owns the rights to Namor and that Marvel wants the character in Black Panther 2
(July, 2019) Daniel (Patreon) reports a rumour that Namor will be in Black Panther 2
(August, 2019) GWW casting scoop they think is for Namor (this comes via Daniel)
(September, 2019) 4chan says Namor is the antagonist for Black Panther 2
(November, 2019) 4chan says Namor will be introduced in Black Panther 2
(December, 2019) Murphy teased Namor on social media without context
(January, 2020) Murphy believes a quote from Feige about introducing a character they've always wanted to use, but you wouldn't expect in Doctor Strange 2, is in reference to Namor
(January, 2020) Sutton (same link) says Namor will appear as part of the Illuminati in Doctor Strange 2
(January, 2020) Conrad says the MCU has regained the full rights to the Hulk and Namor
(January, 2020) Murphy says he's heard no concrete rumours about Namor or a change in the rights situation
(March, 2020) Mark Ruffalo says the rights to the Hulk are unchanged (this refutes part of Conrad's rumour above)

The usually reliable Murphy has stumbled a couple of times with Namor scoops due to his exuberance for the character. I don't believe Conrad's claim that the rights are back at Marvel--or, rather, his word isn't enough for me to believe it (I go through all the things we know about those rights via his link above). I think the character is coming and will initially be an antagonist, but I believe we'll see a younger actor in the role (40 at the oldest). Black Panther 2 is a much more likely place for him to be introduced, rather than Doctor Strange 2 (the latter is busy enough as it is, and there's no sign of Namor in the casting grids for that film yet either). It is worth noting that by not using Namor, Marvel makes Universal hanging onto his rights less and less worthwhile, although Comcast might be willing to simply spite Disney and never relinquish them anyway (if they have that option).

Black Knight

(December, 2018) Wardell says Marvel was considering him for a solo film
(January, 2019) 4chan claims there are plans to introduce Black Knight in the MCU. The concept would be that he is trapped in the Quantum Kingdom, a subatomic city first glimpsed in Ant-Man and the Wasp. The Quantum Kingdom would feature people from across time and space who were accidentally pulled into the Quantum Realm, among them Black Knight, who in the comics is a time-displaced Arthurian Knight
(January, 2019) Conrad claims Black Knight will be set-up in Endgame
(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) say he'll be part of an Excalibur trilogy, something Sutton repeated in November

If it seems odd to include a character that's debuting in The Eternals, keep in mind we're looking at speculation for his own film. I don't expect he'll get a solo vehicle--he's not the kind of character I think can carry that burden. Instead, like in the comics, I think he'll be a member of a team (albeit, not The Eternals, which I think is one-and-done)--the Avengers is the simplest answer, but I think the MCU wants to branch out and avoid having that be a grab-all for non-mutant characters.

Thunderbolts

(December, 2018) Wardell says Marvel has 'big plans' for them, providing this roster: Zemo, Ghost, Justin Hammer, General Ross, Abomination, and the Leader
(May, 2019) LotLB (TBK) Feige isn't that interested in the Thunderbolts, so if they appear, it will be on TV (I believe meaning, at that time, Jeph Loeb's Hulu); a month later they speculated the acquisition of Fox would push Feige away from the property
(September, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says Thunderbolts is coming to Disney+
(November, 2019) Conrad says early development has begun on Thunderbolts
(January, 2020) Daniel says the group will be introduced in Falcon and the Winter Soldier
(February, 2020) LotLB (TBK) put out a reserve list for a Thunderbolts show

I was skeptical about this idea at first, but it really does seem like the team is coming (although a show seems more likely than a film)--to what purpose is not yet clear (just as I think the composition of the team remains up in the air). Will Marvel really pursue a group of anti-heroes or villains, or will it be something else entirely?

Inhumans

(December, 2018) Adam McKay pitched an idea for a film to Kevin Feige
(August, 2019) Conrad speculates the group will be re-booted given the Ms. Marvel series
(September, 2019) Daniel says Ms. Marvel is being used as a backdoor reboot of the IP (the date of the link is October, but he posted this on his Patreon earlier)

(September, 2019) LotLB (TBK) Black Bolt put on a reserve list for the MCU

(October, 2019) GWW says at least Black Bolt and Maximus are being cast for Ms. Marvel
(October, 2019) Reddit (link above) says the royal family will appear in Ms. Marvel and elsewhere in the MCU, but not receive their own film
(January, 2020) Reddit says Black Bolt, Maximus, and Karnak will appear in Ms. Marvel
(February, 2020) Sutton says there are plans for the Fantastic Four to meet the Inhumans in their sequel
(April, 2020) Fake Roger Wardell Ms. Marvel being used as a reboot for the IP

It seems unlikely we'll see a film for the IP any time soon, given how poorly the ABC show was received, but there's no doubt that Kamala Khan's arrival means their inclusion in the MCU. We can't forget that Feige worked on the IP for years before the property was given to ABC and Jeph Loeb.

Young Avengers

(July, 2018) Murphy says Marvel commissioned a script for a film
(January, 2019) 4chan claims there are plans to revamp the Avengers franchise post-Endgame with a combination of the comics' New Avengers and Young Avengers. A team that mixes up established MCU heroes with a new generation of teenage/young adult heroes inspired by the original Avengers. The idea is for the project to play up the eclectic cast and the 'culture clash' between the two age groups
(May, 2019) 4chan claims there are plans for New Avengers and Young Avengers, but neither are in active development
(September, 2019) Daniel says a Disney+ series is coming
(September, 2019) LotLB (link above) says either a film or a show
(September, 2019) Sutton (link above) says there will be a Young Avengers film
(September, 2019) LotLB (TBK, link above) says it will be a Disney+ show and put Wiccan on the reserve list
(October, 2019) Murphy reports a rumour from one source that the Young Avengers will be introduced in Ant-Man 3
(November, 2019) 4chan says they will appear in Ant-Man 3
(April, 2020) Daniel says the IP is in active development
(April, 2020) GWW (same link) said Marvel was taking pitches for the IP (neither saying for a film or show)
(April, 2020) GWW says the team will have its original lineup

I have no interest in this IP whatsoever, but all the dominoes have lined up for it to happen (with its members sprinkled across other IP). Where they appear is almost irrelevant, although I suspect it's destined to be a show not a film (it looks a great deal like CW-fare to me).

Dark Avengers

(October, 2018) Murphy reports that Marvel commissioned a script for Dark Avengers
(January, 2019) 4chan claims there are plans to introduce Norman Osborn in the MCU as essentially 'evil Tony Stark,' a wealthy entrepreneur and technological genius who uses his intellect and resources for evil, and sponsors and spearheads his own team of villains--he might not even become Green Goblin
(May, 2019) 4chan claims there are plans for Dark Avengers, but does not describe them as being in development

This idea hinges heavily on Norman Osborn and, given the rights situation with Sony, it's difficult to imagine Marvel ever committing to him. What's more likely is that elements of this idea will be transferred over to the Thunderbolts and used (if, indeed, Marvel wants to use them).

Fantastic Four

(April, 2019) Kevin Feige says it will be a long time before we see the IP
(May, 2019) 4chan claims they won't appear until Phase Five
(May, 2019) LotLB (TBK) Peyton Reed in discussions to direct; story will pull from Lee, Byrne, and Hickman
(June, 2019) Conrad says the film will be a 2022 release (echoed by GWW, same link), an idea specifically debunked by Roger Wardell
(June, 2019) Reddit says no FF film for five years

(July, 2019) Cosmic Book News says the FF will have existed during the active era of Hank Pym, but get trapped in the Negative Zone, speculating this origin could connect to Annihilus and the Annihilation comicbook event

(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) Feige doesn't want to use Peyton Reed's old 1960s era FF script, instead wanting them to work in modern day and be part of SWORD for their origin
(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) Reed is still in talks to write/direct FF, planning to borrow from the John Byrne and Jonathan Hickman runs
(September, 2019) 4chan the film will come out in Feburary, 2022
(September, 2019) Sutton says Spider-Man will be mentored by Reed Richards
(October, 2019) Daniel says the film is in active development and should come out 'soon'
(November, 2019) 4chan Reed pushing to direct (the post claims Travis Knight will direct Ant-Man 3, which we already know is false)
(December, 2019) 4chan film will come out in 2022 and feature Mole Man; Travis Knight in discussions to direct
(December, 2019) Sutton Frankie Raye will be Johnny Storm's love interest, following her origin of becoming Galactus' herald (Frankie's appearance echoing LotLB, TBK, back in August)
(February, 2020) Sutton says they will be introduced in Ant-Man 3, their first film will be them travelling through space, and the main villain will be Mole Man; repeats that Richards will be Spider-Man's mentor
(April, 2020) Murphy implies the FF will debut in Ant-Man 3
(April, 2020) Sutton says John Krasinski is in talks to play Reed Richards (as popularly speculated by the fandom for years), reiterating the idea that he'd mentor Spider-Man

With the shifted Marvel slate I think any hope for a 2022 film died (assuming there was any reason to hope to begin with). The following year is definitely an option. I don't know that the FF need an introduction in another film, although it would certainly help Ant-Man 3 if they did (I don't buy that theory yet). I don't think Peyton Reed will direct the film--he's piloted the two least successful films in Phase Two and Three (with the second worse than the first) and, however much Feige may like him, he's not getting the keys to an A-grade IP after that. The above includes a lot of different ideas, but I don't think we know enough to lean one way or another.

X-Men

(April, 2019) Kevin Feige says it will be a long time before we see the IP
(May, 2019) 4chan claims they won't appear until Phase Five
(June, 2019) LotLB (TBK) the second film will focus on the Savage Land; they also said two associated X-characters will appear in Black Widow
(June, 2019) Reddit (link above) said no X-film for five years
(July, 2020) LotLB (in a video now deleted, along with the rest of their first channel) says the film will be called House of X and follow Jonathan Hickman's current X-plans
(September, 2019) Sutton says Marvel is discussing a Hulk vs Wolverine film, the story being Hulk gets sent to retrieve Wolverine from Canada, who is also being sought by Alpha Flight (LotLB's other source, TBK, echoed the rumour); Sutton clarified this weeks later, saying it was being discussed, with the title perhaps being Weapon X
(September, 2019) Sutton says the film is a few years away, but that characters will appear beforehand and saying in Doctor Strange 2 first; he said Joss Whedon is being considered to direct
(September, 2019) FCC put out some clickbait that received verbal support for the idea, but no other backing (which tells you everything about the substance)--I think the source of this was a speculative Tweet from First Class writer Zach Stentz
(September, 2019) Sutton (second link above) said Arcade was being considered as the initial antagonist
(January, 2020) Reddit Wolverine will have a cameo in Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Just like the FF this is a long way off--2023 or 2024. I do think we'll see the characters peppered in beforehand, albeit where isn't clear. I like the gradual approach in theory, which suits the version of the team I want better than the original Lee/Kirby group.

Nova

(May, 2019) 4chan claims a film is in active development
(June, 2019) LotLB (TBK) Richard Ryder Nova film is coming
(June, 2019) Reddit (same link) Nova is in development and the character will appear in Guardians 3
(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says Nick Fury will train the Richard Ryder Nova
(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) an actor auditioned for the role (someone in their 20s who had been in a Christopher Nolan film)
(September, 2019) Sutton says Marvel wants Jon Watts to direct the Nova film
(September, 2019) Sutton says he'll be introduced in Captain Marvel 2 and be trained by her and Nick Fury
(October, 2019) Daniel says Nova is in active development, something he repeats in November
(October, 2019) Conrad says it's a Phase Five film
(October, 2019) 4chan planned for Phase Five in 2023, as a prequel called The Fall of Xandar (depicting the events before Infinity War); Richard Ryder and a genderbent Sam Alexander are the stars
(January, 2020) Murphy says its in active development
(February, 2020) 4chan says an invented Richard Ryder daughter (Beth) will be introduced in Captain Marvel 2 as an antagonist, but become Carol Danvers' love interest
(February, 2020) Sutton says it will be Richard Ryder and he'll be introduced in Captain Marvel 2 as an agent of SWORD and have a friendship with Spider-Man
(March, 2020) 4chan says he'll debut in Captain Marvel 2

Keep in mind that the character was initially planned for Guardians of the Galaxy and elsewhere, so there's no question he's coming eventually. The first film where he would make sense to appear would be Thor 4, but I think that's highly unlikely because so much is already going on in that movie, so Captain Marvel 2 is more likely. How he's received will impact whether he gets his own film, I believe.

A-Force

(June, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says a film is coming (this would be after ABC passed on making a show)

I've always found this idea puzzling--are the men all on vacation? In a comic you can have some fun with the idea and not worry about the logic of it, but on screen I don't know how far an all-female team takes you in this context. That doesn't mean it can't or won't happen, just that the idea seems dated.

Deadpool 3

(August, 2019) Ryan Reynolds teases the character for Phase Five; how seriously we can really take this is an open question, but given that it would be his first MCU appearance, I've included it
(November, 2019) HN Entertainment believes the LLC 'Finger Guns Productions' is for the film

It's still not clear to me how Feige will deal with Deadpool--will he actually be integrated into the MCU, or will he live a Netflix-like existence of adjacent, but ignored? I suspect the latter, but time will tell.

Excalibur

(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) say Captain Britain and Black Knight will be part of an Excalibur trilogy (other members being Kitty Pryde, Psylocke, and Nightcrawler)
(November, 2019) Sutton says Captain Britain will be a member of Excalibur for a planned trilogy (the team is similar, but not identical to the above: Captain Britain, Black Knight, Deaths Head, Kitty Pryde, Cerise, Longshot, Pete Wisdom, Widget, and Daytripper)

As I mentioned above, it makes sense for Captain Britain and his associated characters to be part of a team (at least if it's a film), but it seems unlikely a team that features prominent mutant characters would appear before the X-Men. It's possible for the team to not have mutants in it and come sooner, but as it stands we're off in speculation land--given the MCU slate, it can come no sooner than 2023.

Silver Surfer

(December, 2018) Adam McKay wants to do a Silver Surfer movie
(September, 2019) Daniel says a film is being developed
(September, 2019) GWW says a film is being developed

(March, 2020) LotLB (TBK) put out a reserve list for the film

I'd be surprised if we get a solo film for him, although if it's pitched as a Galactus vehicle that could work. My issue with the focus being on the Surfer himself is he's an obscure, weird character who requires a big budget (doesn't mean it can't work, just that it's a bigger risk). I assume he won't appear until until after FF, so I don't think we'll see this any time soon (if it's indeed coming).

Disney+/TV

Marvel 1602

(Unknown, 2018) Neil Gaiman pitched a series to Feige for Disney+, but they passed on it

I wonder if Feige's decision was made because of the impute Gaiman likes to have on his stories, or if he simply did not like the pitch.

Howard the Duck

(September, 2018) Lea Thompson pitched a reboot of the franchise, but Marvel turned her down

Down the line this IP might see some life (clearly Hulu was going to try to do something with it); an animated version, perhaps, although I don't know how much appeal it would have.

Nick Fury

(October, 2018) Conrad reports a rumour about a Nick Fury show on Disney+ and this was immediately shot down by Peter Sciretta from Slash Film
(January, 2019) Daniel (Patreon) says a show is in early development
(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says a Disney+ show is being considered

I have no idea what you'd do with this kind of show. There's been no shortage of Fury on screen and with an actor in his 70s, where is this story supposed to take you? There's no obvious passing of the torch to make or character journey to go on, which is why he works so well in other people's stories. I'm not saying its impossible, but I can't see an overriding reason for him to have his own show.

Rocket & Groot

(November, 2018) Murphy reports a rumour that this will be a show on Disney+
(January, 2019) 4chan echoes the idea
(February, 2019) Daniel (via his Patreon) says a show is in development

(February, 2020) Sutton says the series is coming

Plenty of people would want to watch this, but I wonder if its prohibitively expensive to produce for TV (animation would, of course, make this much simpler).

Power Pack

(December, 2018) Wardell says discussions about a Disney+ show are occurring
(May, 2019) Conrad says development has commenced (without being sure if it's a film or show)
(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says it's coming to Disney+
(September, 2019) Daniel says it's coming to Disney+; Murphy claimed to be the source of this info because of something he wrote in 2017, but that was specifically for a film, so it's not that definitive
(December, 2019) Conrad thinks it will be an animated series

I have no interest in this whatsoever, but an animated version makes a lot of sense (if it happens).

Lady Sif

(January, 2019) Discussing Film claims a Disney+ show is coming
(January, 2019) 4chan claims it has been pitched as a “sidequel” about Lady Sif’s journey across the Nine Realms after being betrayed and exiled by Loki masquerading as Odin. Beta Ray Bill would be featured as one of Lady Sif’s companions in her journey, and the Enchantress would be the main antagonist. Jamie Alexander is willing to return, but they are still figuring out a schedule that doesn’t conflict with her (now cancelled) TV show Blindspot
(February, 2019) Daniel (via his Patreon) says a show is in development
(June, 2019) Victoria Alonso saying she loves the character and the actress

Jaimie Alexander is still young enough to pull this off, but you can't hang the show on her character (which has barely made a blip in people's radar and hasn't been since since 2014)--she would need to be part of a team or paired up with someone to draw people's interest.

War Machine

(January, 2019) 4chan claims it's a “sci-fi thriller about Rhodes pushing the boundaries of his own humanity as he investigates the theft of Stark Industries’ technologies and uncovers a conspiracy masterminded by an elusive organization that is providing criminals and terrorists with cybernetic enhancements. Envisioned as a “deep dive” into War Machine’s lore, introducing his sister Jeanette Rhodes, girlfriend Glenda Sandoval, and friends Suzi Endo and Jake Oh, with Parnell Jacobs and Stewart Clarke as villains. Limiting factors are the budget and Don Cheadle’s schedule."
(February, 2019) Daniel (via his Patreon) says a show is in development

(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says a show is coming

(April, 2020) Sutton says a show is coming, attaching a reserve list that includes Ironheart

When this comes up I always question it due to Cheadle's age and the limited general interest. In Sutton's scoop it's implied he'll be part of a larger team (Force Works), and that's an angle that takes it from improbable to maybe (although I remain dubious).

Agent 13 (Sharon Carter), Nebula, Okoye, Hank Pym, The Ravagers, and The Sentry

(January, 2019) 4chan claims all are being discussed
(September, 2019) LotLB (TBK) had Sentry on reserve for film
(February, 2020) Sutton says Sentry is probably coming, probably to Disney+

Most of these are easily dismissed. Could we see The Sentry? I suppose, but I don't think he can carry his own show or film without others involved to draw in viewers.

Deathlok

(April) Deadline reported rumours that Deathlok was coming to the big screen (I speculated that this error was made because Marvel was researching his origin issue for other characters within it)

I think this was a speculation error by Deadline and, having appeared on Agents of SHIELD already, I think the odds of him reappearing are very small (and certainly not in his own show).

Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Punisher

(July, 2019) Conrad floated the idea that Daredevil could be Spider-Man's lawyer in Spider-Man 3, something LotLB (TBK) refuted at the time, but see below
(July, 2019) Cosmic Book News said all the characters will be rebooted, with plans for a Heroes for Hire IP (he wasn't sure if it was a show or film)
(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says when the rights return the Netflix characters, with the same cast, will be moved to FX (correct or not, this idea was almost certainly intended for the Loeb-verse)
(September, 2019) Sutton echoes the FX idea above
(September, 2019) Sutton says Charlie Cox will return as Daredevil
(October, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says Charlie Cox will return as Daredevil in Black Widow 2, which will feature Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow
(October, 2019) Daniel says Feige wants to keep some of the Netflix characters, but reboot others (naming Iron Fist in the latter category)
(October, 2019) Daniel (link above) says Feige wants to keep Jon Bernthal as the Punisher
(October, 2019) Conrad says someone at Marvel wants to keep Charlie Cox and Krysten Ritter in their roles
(November, 2019) Sutton says Iron Fist will be recast, appear in Shang-Chi 2, and have his own Disney+ show following the Fraction/Brubaker run, but with the antagonist being Sabretooth
(November, 2019) Daniel (link above) said there was a chance Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin could appear in She-Hulk
(January, 2020) Conrad says the Netflix IP is being worked on
(January, 2020) Murphy says nothing officially is going on with the Netflix IP
(February, 2020) Reddit says a new deal with Netflix is being struck to continue the shows, but with a re-cast Iron Fist and a Heroes for Hire show
(March, 2020) LotLB (TBK) repeated that Charlie Cox will return as Daredevil in the MCU

(April, 2020) Fake Roger Wardell says a Heroes for Hire show is coming to help bind the Netflix IP to the MCU

This glut of rumours covers nearly all the scoopers, but most suffer from the same problem: Feige doesn't want to acknowledge or include the Loeb-verse IP, so he won't (I don't think this is debatable at this point--all the evidence points to it). I don't buy any of the rumours that suggest continuity. Rebooting them makes perfect sense, and almost certainly Daredevil is the priority in that respect (given Disney's branding, I think it's unlikely we'll ever see the Punisher). I also want to specifically address Sutton's Iron Fist show: how could you do the Immortal Iron Fist version of the character when Shang-Chi is doing the exact same shtick ahead of you? The only way forward for Iron Fist, I believe, is his original Heroes for Hire persona and role (something that will contrast with what's being done with Shang-Chi).

X-Factor

(July, 2019) LotLB (TBK) say a series is coming to FX under Jeph Loeb (saying it will follow Peter David's run on the comic)

This is a weird one for me, as I don't see this happening under any circumstance (the decision to boot Loeb would have been made around the time the Fox rights were coming back, so transferring any of that IP to the Marvel Entertainment seems impossible). I happen to like David's X-Factor, but (again) think mutant teams are on hold until the X-Men have appeared.

Agents of SWORD

(July, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says a show is coming to Hulu (Loeb), which they reiterated in August (twice)
(November, 2019) 4chan says a show is coming that will feature Nick Fury, Maria Hill, The Exile, Supergiant, and Thane
(January, 2020) Reddit says a show is coming and will feature Quake and some other Agents of SHIELD characters

The idea in general is plausible, but AoS characters are never going to appear on it. I wonder, however, how keen Feige is on doing something that (on the surface) is so similar to the ABC show.

Western-Themed Show

(July, 2019) LotLB (TBK) said a Western-themed show would spinoff the Hulu (Loeb) iteration of Ghost Rider
(February, 2020) Sutton echoed the basic idea saying it will spin off a time-travelling epic that unites the Avengers and Fantastic Four
(February, 2020) LotLB (TBK) echoing the above idea, included a reserve list of characters

I can believe Loeb wanted to dive into a Western (cheaper and more palatable to ABC). What I don't know is if Feige would be interested in that idea--Westerns don't really make money, even if period pieces in general are popular.

Valkyries

(July, 2019) Youtuber Kinda Culty mentioned a red carpet comment from Tessa Thompson that a Valkyrie Disney+ show is coming--no one else has covered or mentioned this that I can find, nor can I find the clip of her saying it (WGTC has pushed the idea, but without referencing these comments)
(August, 2019) Daniel (Patreon) says a series is being developed
(October, 2019) Sutton says a Valkyries prequel series is being developed

This was a really weird idea that virtually no one would be interested in (why a prequel?). I think you might be able to do something with the IP, but not without including characters people are actually excited for. Even combining this with the Lady Sif idea doesn't really add much to lure in viewers (if there's a breakout character in Ragnarok it's Korg, not Valkyrie).

Strange Tales

(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) Brother Voodoo and Clea will get their own show after appearing in Doctor Strange 2

While I'm dubious of this idea, there is some potential here (there are plenty of popular supernatural-based shows)--it's more plausible than Sutton's variation of this below.

Dakota North

(August, 2019) Deadline reported that ABC is considering an obscure female character for their Marvel IP and LotLB (same link) speculated this was Dakota North (an idea they repeated again in September
(October, 2019) Sutton says it's one of the IP considered by ABC (along with Topaz and one other)
(February, 2020) We learned the character considered was actually Elsa Bloodstone, but Feige cancelled the project

This was speculation that crashed and burned--we can't absolutely say it was never considered, but if it was, it was rejected.

Elsa Bloodstone

(August, 2019) Deadline reported that ABC is considering an obscure female character for their Marvel IP
(October, 2019) Daniel says there are plans for the character on TV
(October, 2019) Reddit (same link) saying the character will be part of Midnight Sons
(February, 2020) We learned Feige cancelled the project

I'm glad Feige cancelled this, as ABC would have made something mediocre and boring with what is (potentially) an interesting character.

Gambit

(August, 2019) Sutton Feige will take the Fox plans and turn it into a Disney+ show
(February, 2020) LotLB (TBK) says a show is coming to Disney+, saying it won't have Rogue and offering a reserve list

The Sutton idea is preposterous (thus far we've yet to see Feige use any idea from creative teams outside of Marvel Studios); the latter is plausible, although I don't know what the rush to put Gambit on screen would be.

New Mutants

(August, 2019) LotLB (TBK) says a show is coming (Hulu here, but changed to Disney+ shortly afterwards)

I didn't buy this at the time since Disney was stuck with Fox's moribund New Mutants--this is an IP that requires the X-Men already established to appear, so I think it's a long way off.

Miss America/America Chavez

(August, 2019) GWW says a series is in the early stages of development (this is via Daniel, who posted it on his Patreon the day before)
(January, 2020) GWW repeated the idea (echoed by Daniel), saying it will be the first series after those already announced

I think it's more likely that America Chavez will be part of a team-based show--unlike Kamala Khan (or Kate Bishop), she's barely a blip in fan imagination.

Doctor Doom

(September, 2019) Conrad says one of the options being considered for the character is a show, which he pulled directly from Daniel's Patreon

This is easy speculation to make--we need more than that to take it seriously.

Ghost Rider

(September, 2019) LotLB (TBK) Marvel will use the character, but not give him his own show (this goes against their earlier speculation, but all of that was connected to the Loeb-verse)
(October, 2019) Reddit says it will be the Robbie Reyes version, with continuity from Agents of SHIELD and he'll get his own Disney+ series before appearing in a Midnight Sons team-up movie
(December, 2019) Reddit may get his own series after cameoing in Doctor Strange 2, but probably recast as the MCU wants the character to be young

There's a lot more speculation about the character appearing in other IP (or as part of a team), so the above purely reflects purported scoops about his own show. I absolutely think the character will be rebooted and appear in some context, but I don't think there's any rush to get him into the MCU.

Man-Thing

(October, 2019) Daniel says it's in early development for Disney+ (LotLB, TBK, said something similar in August, but it was for Hulu, so presumably dates back to the Loeb-verse)

A fascinating character to use, although I wonder if the character can really support its own show (the one-and-done Swamp Thing isn't a good omen).

Hercules

(October, 2019) Daniel says it's in early development for Disney+

This wouldn't surprise me, but we'll definitely need more information before we can really dig into it. I think LotLB's idea of him appearing in Thor 4 (or, really, any other film) is more likely than him jumping out into his own series at the start.

Secret Invasion

(October, 2019) Daniel says Secret Invasion (and Annihilation) are the next big MCU events
(January, 2020) Rich Johnston says a Secret Invasion show is coming, intended to tie into Captain Marvel 2
(February, 2020) Daniel repeats the above information

I think this is plausible and it would make sense to have a show leading into Captain Marvel 2.

Ironheart

(February, 2019) Daniel says on Patreon that a series or show is in early development
(November, 2019) Conrad says a series is in early development (LotLB said she'd appear in either Phase Five or Six back in August, but not how)

There is no scenario where Ironheart starts with her own film. A character that, despite being pushed heavily since she debuted four years ago, has no real traction in the comics. This is an IP the MCU will have to build-up to maybe get a series someday.

Brother Voodoo

(December, 2019) Sutton says it will spin off Doctor Strange 2, feature a rebooted Cloak & Dagger, and spin off a Clea show

Having other IP appearing within the show makes a lot of sense, although I can't imagine Feige is in a rush to redo Cloak & Dagger. I prefer LotLB's idea above (Strange Tales), although as I said there, supernatural shows can be very successful on TV.

Clea

(December, 2019) Sutton says it will spin off a Brother Voodoo show and feature Umar as the villain

Everything I said about Brother Voodoo applies here, although I don't think you could cannibalize Doctor Strange IP to this extent and succeed--better to pair the two (assuming, of course, that they are successfully received when they appear).

Unknown A-List Series

(January, 2020) Rich Johnston says a show featuring an A-list character is being developed (someone closer to Loki than Vision in prominence)
(April, 2020) Mark Ruffalo says he's talked about a Hulk TV show with Feige

For me the only options that could fit this are Hulk, Nick Fury, and War Machine, with me leaning towards the Hulk as having the actual cache to make it work.

Midnight Sons

(January, 2020) Murphy Thinks Midnight Sons is likely, but has no info
(January, 2020) Sutton says Blade will lead into Midnight Sons, with Blade, Moon Knight, Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze), Man-Thing, and Helstrom
(February, 2020) Reddit Midnight Sons coming to the MCU (mini-series for Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, and Elsa Bloodstone to join that of Helstrom); Roster will be the aforementioned plus Blade, Moon Knight, Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch), Satana, and the Punisher; Mephisto is the villain; to come out in 2024/25

(March, 2020) Reddit Feige is interested in Midnight Sons; Moon Knight and Blade build towards it (Danny Ketch Ghost Rider)

There's a Hulu antecedent to this, as back in April Deadline reported that Loeb wanted his shows to lead up to a Spirits of Vengeance team-up. If the above speculation is correct, is seems like the unexpected addition of Blade to the MCU is making for a somewhat similar plan here. This isn't so much Feige stealing Loeb's idea, and more the logical place to take a character like Blade. While none of the above represents proof of concept, the idea seems plausible given what's coming in the future.

Agents of Atlas

(February, 2020) GWW says a show or film is being set-up by Shang-Chi

A possibility, although it requires Shang-Chi to be a hit in order to drum up interest in an otherwise unknown IP. It would help explain the gigantic cast that's supposedly appearing in the film.

Squadron Supreme

(March, 2020) Daniel says it's in development

This would be a fascinating project to see come to fruition--Marvel's faux-Justice League on screen.

Starjammers

(March, 2020) Reddit says a show or film is in development

I think this is completely made-up, although I would enjoy seeing the characters appear. Unlike the various mutant teams they could appear before the X-Men are formed without impacting their entrance into the MCU.

To summarize: what we have is a mix of speculation, rumour, and scoops of varying value. I suspect a good number of these projects have been discussed at Marvel (Studios or Entertainment)--some may have gone as far as having spec scripts produced or had talks with various creative people, but most (as is) will never see the light of day. Regardless, this is as comprehensive as I could make it. If I've missed any other prominent rumours (or made any errors), let me know and I'll add/fix them.

This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)

Marvel News & Notes

GWW's Thomas Polito had this to report:

The studio has been taking virtual meetings with various actors, writers, and directors over the past weeks, and one of those people is none other than John Krasinski. Krasinski and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige have both said they’d love to work together, and it seems that’s now closer to happening than ever before. While I’m not sure of the role he’d take in the MCU, whether it be that of a director, writer, or actor, I do know they discussed a multitude of projects during their meeting. As far as I’m aware, this is the first time they’ve formally met, but Krasinski is not currently in talks for any MCU project.

There are three key points to this: 1) Feige talked to Krasinski, 2) This is apparently the first formal talk they've had, 3) The talks are not specific to a MCU project. That makes this an exploratory talk--significant because it occurred, but Marvel talks to a lot of people, so it's far too early to jump to conclusions.

When this news came out Sutton said Krasinski will be Reed Richards (popular speculation for years), but that his wife Emily Blunt is less certain because she's hesitant about making the lengthy contract commitment (this echoes what he said back in February). Sutton says the MCU is considering Krasinski not just for Fantastic Four, but as writer/director of the rumoured Midnight Sons film (cf). Sutton repeated the idea that Richards would be the mentor for Peter Parker in Spider-Man 3 (an idea he first floated in September), which if true would add a lot of urgency to get him signed (the planned film date for that was July, see below, but even if delayed it would have to be arranged soon--I frankly don't buy the idea, which I suspect Sutton got from the purported FF easter egg in Far From Home).

Variety put out a puff piece on Mark Ruffalo and he said three things of substance, one of which we've heard before and another that's heavily rumoured:

“There’s nothing completely at a place where it’s a done deal. There’s some talk of having Banner/Hulk show up in [the Disney Plus series] She–Hulk. If we come up with something good, that would be really interesting. Right now that’s about it. That’s all there is on the table.
“There’s an idea that I think could be really interesting. We’ve never really followed him into his life. He’s always kind of off on the side. He’s like the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of the Avengers [referencing Tom Stoppard's play Rosencratz and Guildenstern are Dead]. It’d be interesting to fill in all the blanks about what happened to him in between all these movies.”
“Maybe Hulk and Wolverine could hook up.”

The final comment we heard back in the fall; the first is something we've been aware of for quite some time, but clearly either Ruffalo hasn't signed on for She-Hulk or (more likely) isn't allowed to announce it yet. What's new is his idea for a Hulk solo project (which would have to be on TV), which sounds like the 70s TV show--a concept that could work if kept to just a season. Whether Marvel has any interest in that, however, remains to be seen.

A Redditor posted screen shots from his phone that seem to show two production dates: She-Hulk for July 6th and Spider-Man 3 for July 13th (both of these are via Production List). I think it's likely that these are the original planned dates for both IP. Murphy and Daniel both had She-Hulk shooting in August, but the former made the July claim back in January (before shifting the slate to November afterwards, link above). What do I think? I believe Sony will want to start filming Spider-Man 3 the second restrictions are lifted, such that the production date won't move much. As for She-Hulk, if Murphy's date shift is correct, than nothing will change and it will begin shooting in November. If, conversely, either Daniel or this screenshot is correct, it's probable that production will shift (presumably Disney would want to finish the re-shoots for Falcon and Winter Soldier as well as continue Loki first--they have the capacity to shoot another show at the same time, but that's more likely to be Ms. Marvel (given the chronology of the slate we have).

Production Weekly has Moon Knight's production start date listed as November 16th and to take 26 weeks. It's important to be aware that PW has been wrong before (cf), but the month matches what we've heard from Murphy (link above). If the length of the shoot is correct, that's longer than you need for a six-episode show (it's about the same length as the 13-episode Marvel Netflix shows). I have no idea how many episodes for MK are planned, but if accurate this would mean more episodes (keeping in mind, again, that PW has been wrong before).

Conrad posted a rumour that Captain Marvel 2 will lead into the next Avengers film. Conrad sites no sources for this rumour, which historically indicates that he doesn't like the person responsible for it, or (more commonly) that the source is not considered reputable. Pierre Chanliau has struggled to keep his big list of rumours up-to-date (I'm still here to help Pierre), so I went hunting on the Google machine. I found nothing as an obvious basis, so this either means the source is months old (ala his recent Eternals rumour) or it's from chatter/speculation on social media, youtube, and what have you.

One funny result I had in doing the research for this was coming across a site I'd never heard of called The Arkatech, which is floating a rumour that Captain Marvel will appear in Shang-Chi (because Skrulls will be part of the tournament that takes place in the film). The idea of Skrulls appearing in the film comes from a Reddit rumour in January, but that's been an isolated piece of speculation.

Murphy put out a Tweet wondering if an Instagram post from Tze Chun (showrunner for Gremlins) was a hint for Agents of Atlas. I think this is speculation or him hoping, but in terms of rumour antecedents there is one: back in February GWW claimed Shang-Chi would set-up an Agents of Atlas show or film. At the time I said if that was true it made a lot of sense, because Shang-Chi has limited appeal, so by putting him in a group you aren't just leaning on him to sell the film/show.

Disney's financial woes have come up a great deal, but I'm not that interested in Marvel's corporate owner except for how it impacts the MCU (I think Bob Iger's return as CEO is as much to stabilize the stock as anything else). In a way, the fortunes of Disney aren't as relevant to the MCU as they are to the other parts of the company, because Marvel is the golden goose--it generates tons of revenue. As such, no matter what happens to the House of Mouse, that part of the company is the one that will receive the most support and protection regardless of what else goes on.

This is mostly a tangent from the MCU, but it came to mind while writing this. One of the things I'm exposed to when tracking entertainment news is a small but very loud group of Youtubers--specifically, those whose channels are based on outrage. With one exception I don't typically name them, because I don't think they warrant the attention, but I wanted to briefly go over something I've noticed lately about their popularity. It's not intended to be a comprehensive list, just the biggest fish in the pond I'm aware of (all of whom are quite friendly with one another); I put a star next to the ones who bought the fake story about Amazon's The Lord of the Rings (cf):
Mr. H Reviews 241k*
Nerdrodic 234k*
Geeks + Gamers 224k*
Midnight's Edge 168k
Overlord DVD 151k

Let's acknowledge that these are modest channels--Emergency Awesome has 3.45 million subscribers, as a point of comparison. They are specialty channels run by people whose numbers are built out of angry, hardcore nerds. I'm not saying these channels are identical--Midnight's Edge actually does good reporting, but they pair that with lazy clickbait.  What's true of all of them, if you look at Social Blade, is they are declining (see above--it looks like Overlord got caught viewbotting and there are signs some have resorted to buying subscribers--for those who don't know, blocks of subs at even numbers (100, 1,000, etc) are a sign of that). Why the downward trend? There's not much to be angry about right now, as I'll get into below (some have tried to attack the MCU, eg, but there isn't resonance for that yet). I'll briefly bring up The Critical Drinker (341k), who is friends with the above and does a lot of the same content (and seen a similar drop): he's not included because I'm less familiar with him and he seems a bit more independently minded.

So what made these channels as big as they are? There are some fundamental differences in their scope, but in general two properties standout: Star Wars and Star Trek. These are the white whales for views--both have older, well-established fanbases that feel unappreciated and exploited by their corporate masters (Disney in the former case, CBS in the later). I'm in the demographic targeted by these channels, but as just a casual fan of both IPs I don't feel personally attacked in the same way (I'm not crushed like the guys at Red Letter Media--RLM isn't included above because they are a very different channel). Why have these YTers been able to make so much hay off both IP?

I think two elements are the primary reason: 1) Belief that they are getting a weak and disappointing product, 2) The combative approach by those responsible towards all criticism. What's surprising to me is just how low the bar is to please the fanbase seems to be--Member-berry The Mandalorian and the Rebels make Star Wars fans happy (many also defend the prequels, Geeks + Gamers being one, which boggles the mind). Star Trek seems to have a slightly higher standard to reach, as shows like Voyager and Enterprise (both done faithfully in the spirit of the IP) did not perform well and ended the franchise's long run on television.

This brings us to the current predicament for these channels. Disney Star Wars is shifting away from what upsets fans, so the rage is dying away (ie, MauLer (281k), abandoned his Force Awakens series due to lack of interest and refuses to produce a critique of Rogue One because his fanboys like it so much). Changes at CBS also mean the end is neigh for Kurtzman's projects (Discovery and Picard), with a push to get back to what worked in the past (and sold merchandise). The only incalcitrant left is the BBC and Doctor Who, but that's a tiny audience. The creators can't switch to a positive videos because that arena is already overcrowded with much bigger channels--they are dependent on, not just negative news, but news that impacts the IP of a large enough fanbase. This isn't to say these channels are dying--they can putter along just fine profiting from live shows--but they seem to have peaked.

This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)

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)