Marvel News & Notes

I wanted to take a snapshot of interest in upcoming Marvel IP to gauge how effective marketing has been thus far (keeping in mind Google Trends is just an indicator, not a smoking gun; the graphs are huge so the writing is clearer). I've split the films and the Disney+ shows (I want to thank Marvel for picking some horrendous titles for tracking --it's impossible to simply use terms like 'Falcon,' 'Loki,' or 'Thor' since those can apply to other things). The expectation is that the films/shows furthest along should have generated the most interest and this is broadly true, so rather than focus on the expected, let's address what's outside that pattern:

• Black Widow: My impression that the trailer/teaser were simply average are born out by the declining interest; however, as an established character with a star actor, I don't think this matters as much as it would for other IP (but a good trailer would help)
• The Eternals: Outside of spikes for casting announcements, it has faded into the background--not off the charts like Shang-Chi, but it requires a good trailer to achieve engagement (this isn't a surprise to me, but a lot of MCU-wonks seem to think their excitement is more generally shared than it is)
• Shang-Chi: Has made virtually no impression at all--he's admittedly an obscure character and there's been no footage and few casting announcements, but it means there's a big hill to climb for the IP (despite a lot of scooper enthusiasm, even from people who loath each other like Murphy and LotLB)
• Doctor Strange 2: Outside the announcement in the summer there's just background noise (even the departure of Derrickson and arrival of Raimi made little impact)
• Thor 4: Virtually impossible to track, due to both its clunky title and the fact people can simply use 'Thor' to find it; after all the good will from Ragnarok and the Infinity Saga films, however, it's in a strong position

I think for Eternals and Shang-Chi there's a much larger need for marketing to create hype, with the latter two risking Ant-Man-like numbers should that fail.

As for the shows:

• Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Thus far has leaned hard into Falcon for the marketing and I'm not sure why given how popular Bucky is (it comes across as a Falcon show--which, perhaps, it is)
• WandaVision: Has done very well and its incredibly brief teaser is the best received of all the Phase Four marketing material thus far; I read a number of finger-wagging articles in the past about how Wanda hadn't been given her due in the MCU, but the interest shown here reject that idea
• Loki: This is incredibly difficult to track, but the character is so popular I think it's safe even from bad marketing (something which has barely started)
• Ms. Marvel: I've mentioned previously that she's a niche character the public isn't familiar with, but when I used 'Kamala Khan' as a search term (the third chart) I finally got spikes from the various bits of marketing we've seen for her and she does (with that term) stretch beyond She-Hulk below (without reaching the heights of Kate Bishop); casting and teasers for the show are still going to need to be strong to draw people in
• Hawkeye: using 'Kate Bishop' as the work-around for the noise associated with the title, outside the official announcement the only other news was the potential casting, but that spike was lower than similar events for the first two shows above (albeit, that was potential casting as opposed to an announcement); anchored by an original Avenger I think the show is safer than others from the impact of marketing
• She-Hulk: Outside the announcement there's been no effort to promote the show; despite that it's managed to stay in the background noise as well (or a little better) than Shang-Chi; there's more familiarity with the character, but promotion (and casting) will be vital here; adding the Hulk (which I expect) will help considerably
• Moon Knight: The spike for this announcement dwarfs all the other shows by a considerable margin (even the WandaVision teaser doesn't reach those levels), and despite no marketing and very little news, it lingers in the cycle as much (usually more) than the shows currently in production--this speaks to the general popularity of the IP (making it a safer product, but also adds more expectations from fans)

The biggest surprise to me was the resonance of Kate Bishop (particularly in comparison to Kamala Khan, who appears in the press much more frequently); it's also apparent that Wanda is more popular than Falcon, and that of undeveloped IP Moon Knight is a significant addition (making me wonder why Feige sat on him for so long). On the surface the biggest hills to climb will be for Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk, who will likely require strong supporting casts in a way that the other shows do not.

From Reddit:

• I've seen some footage of The Eternals, to protect my job I can not reveal my identity: Here's what I learned:
• Thousands of years ago, The Eternals form to stop The Deviants, led by Kro. Kro (David Oyelowo) wins and splits the team of Eternals to Titan and Earth, which leads them to both of them leading new lives on the planets. [I see no holes in Oyelowo's schedule to participate in the film]
• Present day, The main Eternals of Titan, A’Lars (Keanu Reeves), Eros (Dan Stevens), and Pixie (Millie Bobby Brown) get a distress call From Earth. They come across a ruined forest, and battle Druig (Barry Keoghan). Druig kills all three of them, and The Eternals of Earth soon find out about their deaths. [Neither Brown nor Stevens have apparent availability in their schedules for this; Reeves theoretically does for a cameo]
• Thena, Ikaris, Sprite, Gilgamesh, Sersi, Kingo, Phastos, Makkari, and Ajak come out of the shadows by avenging the deaths of the three Titans.
• Film is like a Space version of “Lord of the Rings”. [This reminds me of the Endgame rumour that Thor's journey would echo Aragorn's from Return of the King]
• Several flashbacks including the birth of all Eternals, Eternals at several points of history, Thanos has a cameo.
• The Eternals realize how important family and Earth is.
• Thena (Angelina Jolie) is revealed to have an affair with Kro, as their child was secretly killed by Ajak, who forbids love.
• Dane Whitman (Kit Harrington) is Sersi’s (Gemma Chan) boyfriend who is cursed with something similar to a deviant trait.
• Ajak (Salma Hayek) is killed by Druig, and Ikaris (Richard Madden) becomes the new leader.

It's hard to credit something that proposes Marvel would immediately kill Millie Bobby Brown--what would be the point of signing her? And if she is appearing, why hide her from the marketing? This isn't like Brad Pitt's cameo in Deadpool 2 or Matt Damon's in Ragnarok, as both are older, more famous actors who aren't interested in signing long term deals for superhero IP. I don't buy it.

We had a post from 4chan that, when mirrored on Reddit, the poster thought was just a synergy of other rumours--let's investigate. The major Shang-Chi rumours thus far are from 4chan in October, Reddit in October, and 4chan in January (there's also a reserve list from LotLB in January); I'll reference them below with 4C1, R1, and 4C2:

• Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), the Master of Kung-Fu, is the estranged son of The Mandarin (Tony Leung), leader of the terrorist organization known as "The Ten Rings". [4C1; 4C2 calls him a surrogate son, while R1 doesn't include a familial relationship]
• Shang-Chi once worked for the MI-6 - the UK’s secret intelligence service - against the Ten Rings, but has since abandoned that world, until a deadly conspiracy draws him back into a dangerous battle. [4C1 simply says he's aided by MI-6, while R1 and 4C2 don't reference it at all]
• Clive Reston is a seasoned veteran and Shang-Chi’s old partner and friend, who is now married to Leiko Wu, an elite operative who once had strong feelings for Shang-Chi. [4C1 and R1, but without reference to a relationship--R1 has them as agents of SHIELD; LotLB's list includes all three MI-6 characters, including Tarr below]
• Takeshi Matsuya is a young computer hacker who becomes Shang-Chi's associate after he leaves the MI-6. [Referencing the latest Daniel scoop]
• Reston recruits Shang-Chi to infiltrate an underground martial arts tournament organized by the Mandarin and learn what he is planning, forcing Shang-Chi to work alongside Leiko and Black Jack Tarr, an elite martial artist who enjoys the thrill of the battle. [All the other posts have involved a tournament, but emphasize the purpose is to win the Ten Rings; 4C1 had the older version of Tarr, who is the director of MI-6]
• Shang-Chi's opponents include his siblings, Cursed Lotus (Awkwafina) and Moving Shadow, and the Mandarin's enforcers Steel Claw, Midnight Sun, Razorfist and Ghostmaker. [The half-siblings 4C1; the list is directly from a casting call reported on in October with GWW's idea in July about Midnight Sun added to it]
• The Mandarin has his rings of power, and his masterplan is to awaken the legendary dragon Fin Fang Foom to help him conquer the world. [4C2; 4C1 and R1 echo the idea, albeit without the context; in all the other rumours, Mandarin is seeking the rings of power, rather than has them already]

What isn't included from the other posts:
4C1: Mention of M'Nai, Lancaster Zhang, Zhu, or Nick Fury (Mei Ling also isn't mentioned, but there's no reference to his mother at all above).
R1: Mention of an alien spaceship as the source of the Ten Rings (or the Avatars or the Ancestor), Shang-Chi's ability to duplicate himself, or reference to Foh Lo Suee, Trevor Slattery, or Chao.
4C2: Mention of the Ten Rings being an ancient alien artifact, Spiral, T-Ray, Omega Red, Batroc, Baron Mordo, Kree and Skrull fighters.
LotLB (keeping in mind this list is for a purported trilogy, not just this film): No White Tiger, Fah Lo Suee, Pete Wisdom (who they put on a Excalibur spec list three months earlier), Sir Denis Nayland Smith, Sword Master, Korain, Skullbuster, Warfist, Silver Samurai, or the Shadow Council.

The Redditor seems to be on the money here, as there aren't any unique elements. It seems to be largely based on earlier information mixed in with Daniel's recent scoop. I'd give it more credit if it included details about what Shang-Chi is doing after he leaves MI-6, or really, any detail that hadn't already been brought up by someone else.

Set photos from the show are starting to leak out and among them is one of Sophia Di Martino (the first cast member announced) dressed up as Loki, which seems to confirms the Lady Loki rumours (from Reddit this January as well as Murphy around the same time)--although there's some speculation she's Enchantress instead (I hope not--she doesn't look like Cailey Fleming or the character). Unlike the Kid Loki idea (which has rumour antecedents back to Murphy last January, as well as WGTC of all people), I actually think this is an interesting idea--the Norse-version of Loki was able to shape change (he's the mother of several mythological beings), so bring it on. That said, on the surface I'm not a fan of the kid version (I have mixed feelings about the Young Avengers in general, largely because of how poor the writing usually is for teen-based shows).

From a set video we've seen that actress Wunmi Mosaku is part of the cast as a member of the TVA--she's in a scene with Di Martino in a sequence where the latter is dressed up as Loki.

A listing on IMBD Pro has 12-year old actress Cailey Fleming as 'Young Sylvie,' whom everyone assumes means Sylvie Luston, aka Enchantress. The character has come up a few times over the last fourteen months:

• First last January when a 4chan post claimed she'd appear in a Sif show (something Discussing Film claimed was coming at the time)
• In October on Reddit (link above) it was claimed she was the villain of Loki and would appear in Doctor Strange 2
• This January 4chan claimed Jodie Comer was up for the role (link above)
• This January Reddit claimed the same as the earlier Reddit post
• Shortly after that Conrad speculated that a search for a blond stunt double pointed towards her (first link)
• The IMDB Pro listing above

If the IMDB post is correct it's hard to doubt she's playing a young version of that character. Enchantress is traditionally blond, but I have no idea how much Marvel cares about that for C-list characters (Fleming's hair could be dyed or she could wear a wig). If true this largely affirms the Kid Loki idea above, but doesn't guarantee he'll carry on into the Young Avengers (it could be flashbacks, after all)--a younger version of Enchantress has been both an antagonist and member of that group.

Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) posted on Instagram that he's getting ready for Hawkeye--this seems absurdly early for that if it's either in July (the original expected date) or September (Murphy's date); most actors are just a few weeks out of 'game shape,' so what's the point of the announcement if filming is 4-5 months away? The only immediate thing I can think of is hyping the (now pushed) announcement Marvel was going to make today (March 5th). It raises another possibility: of production being pushed forward to match the paired production we see everywhere else--in this case, paired with Loki--I'm just speculating, however.

Mark Ruffalo recently clarified that the Hulk rights are unchanged--they are still at Universal. This directly repudiates Conrad's claim back in January that both it and Namor's IP were back at Marvel (technically only the former, in fairness). Something else Ruffalo repeated was his desire to interact with Wolverine, but the comment suggests that such a move has not been decided on yet (as expected he's implied he'll be in She-Hulk).

Murphy put out a long post about the various production dates for Disney+ and here are the points of interest:

• Hawkeye is slated for late September (refuting Conrad et al), but keep in mind Renner's post above
• She-Hulk's filming has been pushed from August to November
• Moon Knight will film in the UK in November (confirming an earlier report)
• His thesis is Marvel is learning (on the fly) the various tricks of TV-production and that that is the primary cause of all the shifting dates.

We'll have to wait and see on this information, but as presented it seems credible. What's puzzling about this is why there's no tandem filming alongside Loki (unlike everything else). Falcon and Wanda have filmed virtually at the same time, as will Ms. Marvel/Hawkeye and She-Hulk/Moon Knight, so why would Loki be left all alone? If Ms. Marvel stuck to its original schedule, it would fit that slot (as would She-Hulk with Hawkeye). There's also a big production gap with no Disney+ starting for nearly six months after Loki (although if I'm interpreting Renner's post correctly than Hawkeye is coming sooner than later). One thing we can say with certainty is that Disney+ is fully capable of filming more shows than this a year if they wish.

Conrad weighed in on the Batroc rumours that have been going around and while he doesn't organize where they come from chronologically, I will:

• In January 4chan said he'd be in Shang-Chi
• Late January Georges St-Pierre posted an image of himself on Instagram flying to a new project (Conrad's link)
• Two different 4chan posts referenced him twice in late February (my link)
• The Weekly Planet podcast discussed him this week (Conrad's link)

It's entirely possible that the original 4chan post is the source for everything here (and who knows where St-Pierre was going?). What's interesting is, if this is correct it bypassed the usual scoopers until now.

Conrad self-owned himself in the Batroc post by referencing 4chan, because four months ago he proudly told Reddit "I don't read 4Chan" (in response to him lifting material from there). That's a sentiment he's said repeatedly, but clearly, even if its second hand, he does read 4chan.

This makes me wonder: was Conrad's rumour about Crossbones based on the 4channer's contention that various villains will be seen in the film (as in, did he see the Batroc rumour and wonder if he might be joined by other Captain America villains)? Food for thought.

LotLB long term spec list for Silver Surfer (all of whom are deeply embedded in the IP):

• The Elders of the Universe - this would normally include already introduced characters like the Collector and Grandmaster, although since they seem depowered in the MCU Tim wasn't sure if they would be included with them or not
• Galactus - he's coming to the MCU one way or another
• Shalla-Bal - Surfer's love interest and the reason he becomes the Silver Surfer
• Tenebrous - a minor but very powerful character
• Khoon - there's no chance whatsoever this name is kept--he's basically a thug
• Blackbody/Blackbodies - a device for collecting souls for the Uni-Lord (who isn't included on this list, for whatever reason, but is another antagonist)
• Geatar - a minor space pirate character with a romantic connection to Nebula
• Tyrant - a robot created by Galactus who becomes his enemy; back in August Conrad claimed he would be the first Herald of Galactus
• Morg the Executioner - a Herald of Galactus who wields an axe
• Terrax - another Herald of Galactus who wields an axe (albeit a more popular one)
• Annihilus - a classic Fantastic Four villain who hits the rumour cycle periodically
• Unrelated to the list, they restated that Frankie Raye (Nova) will be part of the Fantastic Four and follow her arc of being in love with Johnny Storm before becoming the Herald of Galactus

What's interesting about this list is that it hints at a throughline for introducing Silver Surfer via The Guardians of the Galaxy. If the Nebula connections are used it allows someone from the MCU to participate in his introduction.

A Redditor posted up what he claims was the Spider-Man 3 script prior to the renewed deal with Marvel. The problem with this idea is that the writers (McKenna and Sommers) had started the script before the deal broke down in August, leaving just seven weeks for a non-MCU script to be completed--I find this highly unlikely. However, in order to keep tabs on things we might hear in the future (or those we've heard in the past), I'm included his post:

• Based on an earlier script during the SONY/Mravel breakup [Aug.20-Oct.1]. Most of this will probably be changed. I didn't read the whole thing, most of the script was being rewritten because the deal was repaired, but the parts I could read predate the new deal.
• Film is much darker than FFH/Homecoming, but is still incredibly comedic
• Any refrencss [references] to avengers [Avengers] is done by calling them "the company." Stark is referenced as "The Savior" and the blip [Blip] is referenced, but they called it "the blippening" I guess so they can get around it.
• Uncle Ben did have a role in the movie via a tombstone Peter visited while hiding from the police. He says something along the lines of "No matter how many times I try and fill the void you left, I can't because they all leave me too. It hurts." I'm paraphrasing, but it's along those same lines.
• Michelle's legal name is actually Mary Jane, she just didn't like it so she continuously asked to be called Michelle.
• Ned was forced to change his name and move to Brooklyn as his parents were afraid of Peter. He was transferred to "Brooklyn Heights"
• The villians [villains] are Kraven, who is dying of cancer is after Peter so he can claim his last score, before dying. [Despite the plural for villains, this is the only one mentioned; it references Kraven's Last Hunt which was going to be Sony's Kraven-film (announced back in 2018)--although as I pointed out in October we've heard nothing about this film since]
• There were a few planned PCS [post-credit scenes], and Sony wasn't sure which one to use. The mid-crecit [credit] scene was of Mysterio watching from the distance as Peter scrambles to his feet and tries to escape the angry crowd after his identity was revealed, and he had a smirk on his face. The PCS they were deciding on, were Ned moving in with his roommate, Miles, under a new name, "Ganke" - as Troy Barnes [the strike through is from the post] Aaron Davis helps Miles move in. We don't see Miles' face, it's only from behind, and Davis calls him out by name. He grew up during the blippening. And the other was of Joseph H. (Hammerhead) delivering the bounty to an "unknown buyer" for Spider-Man. I don't believe it was Osborn, I think it may have been Fisk because the mysterious buyer was decribed [described] as a "heavier set man with a black and white suit, holding a cane." [It'd be a little puzzling introducing a Miles Morales at hero-appropriate age when Peter Parker is still in high school]

I believe the writer is either trolling {the MJ element strikes me as such), believes this is what Sony would do (all of the weird elements here are certainly within the Tom Rothman/Amy Pascal wheelhouse), or this is what he would do--in spirit it's a lot like another Reddit post from November.

This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)

Marvel News & Notes

In a surprise move, Disney CEO Bob Iger resigned, installing his protege Bob Chapek as his successor. This doesn't mean Iger is gone, as he'll remain in charge creatively until his contract expires at the end of 2021. I don't think this impacts the MCU, as Chapek is unlikely to interfere with Feige.

More related to Disney+, one thing we keep hearing about are a stupendous number of characters appearing across the IP. I think, assuming this occurs, the plan might be to intro various IP in order to spin them off into the ancillary parts of Disney's empire (Hulu, FX, and ABC)--as in, intro a bunch of D-list characters who can be tried out in front of a tiny audience, but still have a direct MCU-connection.

Caleb Williams (who is apparently no longer at GWW) reports on Knight Edge Media that Daniel posted on his Patreon (and once it went public, Twitter) that Marvel is seeking an 'Alison Brie-type' (the Community/Mad Men actress) for the role of She-Hulk. The 38-year old is outside the age range Marvel put out (26-34), but this gives us a more specific idea of what kind of actress they are looking for (and wouldn't necessarily exclude Brie).

Daniel also claims Wiz Kid will appear in Shang-Chi. Takeshi Matsuya is a minor mutant character (17 appearances) who debuted in 1988. He's disabled and uses a wheelchair, although it's unclear if he'd mirror that in the film. The character would be a late add to the script, as it the original was written prior to the completion of the Fox purchase. Once again, the prospective number of characters in the Phase Four IP is reaching levels of absurdity (unless, of course, most are cameos).

GWW guesses that Cle Bennett (seen in set photos) is playing Battlestar (whose appearance Murphy scooped back in November), which makes sense.

Murphy reports a rumour that extra filming for Falcon and the Winter Soldier is happening in order to change the plot so it doesn't echo the corona virus (which particularly impacts the early episodes).

We had a two 4chan rumours and a Reddit post about the show; here's the first:

• A few things I know from the episode of the show I saw today:
• Sam isn't allowed to be Cap because of the events of Civil War, but trusts US Agent to take over the mantle.
• US Agent genuinely wants to do a good job and doesn't realize he's part of a bigger plan.
• Sam and Bucky have to work with Zemo to track down a criminal syndicate called The Alchemists. Zemo is essentially their hostage but he has vital information.
• They go to Madripoor with him and there they meet Batroc the Leaper and Omega Red. There were other characters that the camera lingered on that might have been Easter Eggs but I didn't recognize them. Felt like the cantina scene [from Star Wars] but in the MCU. [The only time we've heard Batroc's name is in a 4chan rumour for Shang-Chi in January; Omega Red is also from that rumour, as well as an LotLB rumour in the summer that he'd appear in Black Widow]
• Overall the show feels a lot like Winter Soldier and Mission Impossible movies.
• Agent 13 and Bucky seem to have a romance. Very flirty vibes. Sam judges Bucky for it and Bucky says, 'Steve dated her like 70 years ago.' Made me laugh.
• William Hurt [General Ross] is in the show. At least in one episode. Seemed to reference events of Black Widow. Not sure.
• Zemo escapes from them in a speedboat to end the episode.

Nothing springs out at me as implausible, although the only unique elements are the name of the criminal syndicate (The Alchemists, with no comicbook precedent I can find--none of the characters with that name are obvious fits either), and that for a time Zemo is working with the heroes.

The second 4chan rumour:

• Agent 13 is leading Sam and Bucky. They are doing missions for the government to repair their reputation after the events of Civil War.
• Some want Bucky to serve life in prison for his crimes. He's haunted by his past. Publicly he's charming and witty, but when he's alone he is clearly struggling. Very distrusting of authority because he never wants to be used as a weapon again.
• Agent 13 is the only one he trusts to command him, and says her and Sam 'out of all of us, you're the most like Steve.'
• US Agent fights like Cap but hits harder and is more brutal with the way he uses the shield.
• Sam and Bucky still fight and butt heads but it's with trust and love.
• They call themselves 'Blip Brothers' when talking to Batroc about where they've been.

This seems very similar to the above--it may be cribbed from it. I'm puzzled at the new persistent rumours about Batroc appearing--I'm not sure what the purpose of bringing him back would be (not that I'm opposed to it, but it strikes me as very random since Winter Soldier is a long time ago).

Finally, from Reddit (in a few places I've clarified the text):

• Hey guys! I was on here a bit ago with some of what I knew from seeing some Falcon and Wandavision content while choosing what to [will] go in the Superbowl Expanding the Universe trailer. As many of you suspect, some content will be released on March 5th- although I’m not sure if they’ll be releasing it or just showing it to insiders. Because of this, I got to see a rough draft of the Falcon pilot. Given that insiders will likely be seeing it, I don’t feel too bad about releasing info here. Before I get into it, I’m gonna clarify some things from my last post: [If accurate it suggests the writer of this is editor Brenton Covington, who isn't exclusive to Marvel or Disney, although still unlikely to get himself in trouble by posting]
• The final trigger word was not deactivated in Wakanda, but the rest absolutely were. Many of you were pretty upset by the prospect of Shuri’s work being retconned, and I’m here to clarify it absolutely won’t be. The final trigger (as many of you have guessed, it is 'Sputnik') was never used--it was a worst case failsafe. For this reason, Bucky never remembered the code nor was it in the code word book. Naturally, Shuri didn’t get rid of something she didn’t know was there.
• Some rumors of a Bucky/Sharon romance have been attributed to my last post--I didn’t discuss that whatsoever in the post. There is a hint of romance between them, but it’s not fully realized due to EVC’s lack of significant screentime (unfortunately due to scheduling conflict [the Fox TV show The Resident]). They do flirt, and Sam teases Bucky for it. [Echoing the 4chan posts above]
• Alright, let’s get into the pilot.
• The series opens RIGHT after Endgame. No Evans cameo, however. The series opens with Bucky sitting on the lakeside bench, alone. Sam approaches, and asks Bucky what he’s doing there and mentions thinking that Bucky was leaving with Steve (and his family). Bucky says he thought he was too. Sam offers Bucky a ride and Bucky asks if he’s sure about that given that “the two of them don’t have a good track record with cars.” He gets in anyway. They drive for a while down a quiet country road, radio blasting. At one point Sam pulls over, and asks Bucky where they’re going. Bucky answers “The future.” Cue TFA music, which is cut off by Sam asking “Okay.. but do you have a place to stay, dude?” Bucky says he doesn’t know. Sam says he has an idea.
• Cut to them pulling up to the house seen in the trailer. It’s Sam’s family’s house, and they haven’t seen him since the Accords [cf Civil War]. They ask where he has been. Him and Bucky look at each other and answer in unison “that’s a long story.” Cue title card. [If accurate it suggests the actress seen on-set with Sam back in November is his sister Sarah Wilson]
• These are the definite first few minutes of the series, and from here I saw a few scenes that hadn’t been edited into the episode yet. Here are some of those.
• I saw more of the Sam and Ross scene--turns out Sam is given an offer to be pardoned for his Accords violations and allowed to keep the shield and mantle.. if he undergoes the serum procedure. Sam is reluctant, and says he needs time to think. Bucky, immediately wary of this agreement, encourages Sam to refuse, saying the shield isn’t worth outliving the people you love. This leads into Isaiah’s introduction--he calls Sam on a burner phone and they meet. Isaiah shows Sam photos from the serum experiments conducted following Steve’s “death”, many of which killed the test subjects. He is the only survivor. [cf]
• Bucky at one point has a flashback to his childhood and meeting Steve. It’s edited into a sequence of Bucky having nightmares--and there’s a specific moment in which the two make a pact to be best friends til the end of the line--the origin of their vow. Pretty heart wrenching stuff. [This is one way to have Steve appear without requiring Evans]
• Following Isaiah and Sam’s meeting, Sam declines the serum and turns in the shield, which is given to US Agent. As he undergoes the serum procedure, it is revealed the serum allows the recipient’s mind to be controlled.
• That’s all I saw, but I think I love this show even more than I ever anticipated, and it was the one I was most excited for. It’s insane. You all will love it.

Just like the posts above this could be speculation. The element that I'm not fond of is mind control--that feels done to death for anything involving Bucky and I hope it's not true.

Finally, we have bits of theory from Kinda Culty:

• Taskmaster is an ex-SHIELD agent, which is how he and Nat know each other [This idea goes way back to when the Rick Mason character was announced]
• Confirmation of flashbacks when all the characters were much younger [It's been long assumed we'd see Hawkeye/Budapest and some Red Room, ala Age of Ultron]
• Taskmaster might not remember his time together with Nat because he's taken the super soldier serum and it has interfered with his memory (this is something that happened to him in the comics) [I'm not sure how this would function if Nat and he are going to have some sort of connection in the film, unless the memories he loses are selective]
• Gives a solid maybe on Crossbones appearing in a flashback (here and possibly WandaVision) [reflecting on a Conrad rumour from earlier in the month]
• Thinks Ross will be running a super soldier serum program
• Thinks Sam will give up the shield before he talks to Isaiah [as opposed to afterwards, as above]

There's not much new here, although it did remind me of the Conrad rumour I'd forgotten to include a few weeks ago (which, sure, you could do, but I don't know what the point would be--that character's limited arc is complete). On the surface I don't like the memory issue attached to the serum (nor do I like the mind control idea via Reddit above). A better idea is what Jessica Jones season one did with Will Simpson, by having the drugs cause psychotic breaks (the more usage, the more common).

Bleeding Cool reports a rumour that Squadron Supreme will appear in Loki, basing it on "the production team for the show has been ordering all manner of material, with the common thread being the appearance of the Squadron Supreme." Much like Shang-Chi above, we're starting to hit a critical mass of characters appearing (again, unless it's via cameos). For those not familiar, Squadron Supreme is Marvel's version of DC's Justice League who hail from another reality--of the group, Nighthawk is the only one with resonance outside that context (as in, popularity).

Gary Collinson of Flickering Myth (I've never heard of either) claims Hawkeye's delay will push the show's production into 2021. This was followed by Conrad saying multiple sources have told him there's no change in date at all and it will begin on-time in July (to hit its expected 2021 release). While I have some issues with Conrad, this seems like pretty solid confirmation.

Speaking of delays, GWW reports that Moon Knight's filming date has moved from August to November--they offer no reason why, nor do they speculate. The past two months have seen all sorts of speculation about shifting Disney+ dates--apparently this will all be clarified by Disney on March 5th.

LotLB's latest long term spec list:

• Caleb Hammer
• Gunhawks (Reno Jones and Kid Cassidy)
• Black Rider
• Tex Dawson
• Rawhide Kid
• Six Guns (Tarantula, Matt Slade, Tex Dawson, Two Gun Kid, and Black Rider)
• Ghost Rider (Carter Slade)

I find Westerns goofy, but it's not impossible someone at Marvel likes the genre enough to want to take a stab at it. LotLB believe the characters will appear as part of a Kang time travel plot. What's missing for me is where the throughline of doing this is--as in, what's the point of having these characters appear? It only makes sense to me if the intention is to put them on Disney+ or Hulu and they are the kind of D-grade characters Marvel might shuffle off to the aforementioned or FX or ABC. I still consider it very unlikely

Yet another Redditor is pitching Norman Osborn-in-the-MCU:

• So, before I tell you about what Marvel's current plan for Osborn is, let me tell you what their plan WAS.
• So, before Spider-Man: Far From Home released, Marvel had a huge plan for Norman Osborn in the MCU, with him being one of the main antagonists. In fact, in the original script, there was a post-credits scene that featured him. However, in the months leading up to the film's release, talks between Marvel and Sony turned bitter and they decided to put their plans for Osborn on the back burner because they could lose his rights at any second. In order to pressure Sony, however, they ended the film with a cliffhanger so, no matter what, Sony would HAVE to keep Spider-Man at least tangentially related to the MCU.
• Now that Marvel and Sony have a new deal, however, Marvel has a new plan for Osborn. The current plan is to make him a "shadow villain" (a la Palpatine or Voldemort) in Spider-Man 3, which will set him up for a bigger role in the MCU. Osborn, like Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson, will also have some appearances in Sony's Marvel Universe, and will be part of the connective glue that unites the two film universes. However, Sony doesn't have big plans for the character, and he'll mainly be a part of the mainline MCU. Marvel has plans for the Dark Avengers, but not until at least much later in Phase 5.

I think that, in part, these rumours persist because of the Dark Avengers spec script Marvel commissioned awhile ago. Spec scripts aren't unusual, but can be the source of specific elements we keep hearing about (one Redditor, TMSM, claimed a post-credit scene of Osborn was actually shot for Far From Home). That said, I've yet to see anyone actually explain why Marvel would center their plans on a character they don't own (the only response is about what Osborn has done in the comics, but that doesn't actually answer the question). Could Feige want to use the character for Spider-Man films? Absolutely, but it seems pretty clear that other than Peter Parker that entire IP is being confined to itself.

Along the same lines as the above, LotLB Tweeted this out: "I was shown a casting grid for Thor Love and Thunder from Dec 2019 and it has Christian Bale role as Norman Osborn and a child that "Must look similar to Chris Hemsworth." Tim's inference is either that the latter is his son or him via a flashback--if this is credible, the latter makes much more sense to me. One thing I'd not considered (or seen considered) is that Jane Foster becomes Thor because Lebowski-Thor has been killed or imprisoned and needs replacing. Back to the earlier point: I have no idea what Norman Osborn would be doing in a Thor-film and think it's technically impossible anyway since Thor 4 opens after the current deal with Sony expires. We also have very solid rumours that say Bale's role (if he signs) is that of an alien, which Osborn is not.

It struck me how much more diverse Phase Four is compared to the past. Of the various shows and films only four (of thirteen) have an exclusive white, male lead (Loki, Doctor Strange 2, Spider-Man 3, Thor 4)--four others have them as co-leads (Falcon, Eternals, WandaVision, Hawkeye). There are six films with either a female lead or co-lead, and at least five with diverse leads or co-leads (there could be more depending on further casting announcements). Here's the raw list:

Black Widow - female lead
Falcon and the Winter Soldier - diverse co-lead
Eternals - diverse/female co-lead
WandaVision - female lead
Shang-Chi - diverse lead
Loki - possible diverse co-lead
Ms. Marvel - diverse/female lead
Doctor Strange 2- possible diverse co-lead
Hawkeye - diverse/female co-lead (the latter probably diverse)
Spider-Man 3 - possible diverse co-lead
She-Hulk - female lead (possibly diverse)
Moon Knight - diverse lead
Thor 4 - female co-lead (could be diverse)

Some of this change is simply part of the approach Feige wants now that Ike Perlmutter isn't around to interfere, but I wonder if we're getting so much of it in Phase Four because the Fantastic Four has four white leads (Ben Grimm is an easy race swap, but we'll have to wait and see if they go that way) and most of the iconic X-Men are white as well (barring swaps, of course)--so could this be an intentional move to balance that out? A secondary point is how little race and gender swapping we're actually seeing: nearly all the confirmed diverse characters are that way in the comics and this is a fantastic way to avoid complaints.

One of the rumours to come out from LotLB, based largely on a Bleeding Cool article, is that AT&T (which owns WB, who owns DC) is considering farming out the comic side to Marvel--they would retain the IP and the films/TV would stay at the WB, but the comics themselves would be under Marvel's (and Kevin Feige's) umbrella. I find this highly unlikely. Tim said as evidence that DC is struggling outside of Batman (& related) comics and Wonder Woman #750, so I went to Comichron to see what DC books were inside the top-50:
January (3; including excluded 14; Marvel 35, Image 1)
29. Justice League #39
32. Superman #19
50. Green Lantern #3
December (6; including excluded 11; Marvel 30, IDW 1, Boom 1, Image 1)
1. Doomsday Clock #12
10. Superman #18
24. Justice League #37
28. Justice League #38
31. Suicide Squad #1
50. Wonder Woman: Dead Earth #1
November (12; including excluded 19; Marvel 29, Image 2)
17. Justice League #35
21. The Legion of Superheroes #1
26. Justice League #36
28. Superman #17
33. Green Lantern: Blackstars #1
34. Event Leviathan #6
38. Flash #82
40. Far Sector #1
46. Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Blackest Night #1
48. Action Comics #1017
49. Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Infinite Crisis #1
50. Catwoman #17
October (9; including excluded 20; Marvel 28, Image 1, Dynamite 1)
32. DCeased #5
35. Superman: Year One #3
36. DCeased #5 Card Stock Edition
42. DCeased #6 Card Stock Edition
44. Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Death of Superman #1
45. DCeased #6
46. Event Leviathan #5
48. Superman #16
49. Catwoman #16
September (10; including excluded 20; Marvel 28, Image 1, Valiant 1)
7. Doomsday Clock #11
9. DCeased: A Good Day to Die #1
22. Justice League #31
26. Legion of Superheroes #1
28. Superman #15
29. Flash Forward #1
39. Green Lantern #11
46. Justice League #32
49. Flash #78
50. Action Comics #1015
August (8; including excluded 14; Marvel 35, IDW 1)
17. DCeased #4 Card Stock Edition
18. Superman: Year One #2
19. DCeased #4
23. Justice League #29
26. Event Leviathan #3
32. Superman #14
39. Action Comics #1014
45. Justice League #30

It's only the last two months where we see a drop off, as Aug-Nov all comfortably fall into a similar range (8-12 titles), although very little is in the top-20 (4 are top-10, three of which are events; 6 are top-20; 12 are top-30; 11 are top-40; and 16 are top-50). Without comparing to DC last year it's hard to fully assess their position, but what we can say is DC is struggling compared to Marvel. Tim's point about not seeing many of their iconic characters in the sales data stands, as other than Superman and Justice League none appear regularly. This alone, however, isn't enough to convince me that the sale will happen.

This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)

Marvel News & Notes

I mentioned not long ago that Murphy had changed his projected MCU release dates without explanation. He's put some of them back up again and his 2022 film slate now looks like this:
February - Ant-Man 3

May - Black Panther 2 (the official date from Marvel)

July - Captain Marvel 2

October - Blade

The only change is the fourth film, suggesting he's quite confident about Ant-Man 3 and Captain Marvel 2. Afterwards a supposed Hasbro Tweet suggested just four Disney+ shows in 2021 (meaning She-Hulk and Moon Knight would air in 2022). I find it a bit hard to believe--why rush production of the latter two (both beginning filming before Hawkeye) if they won't air until the following year? Murphy claims we'll get a revised slate announced on March 5th, so if that's true we won't have long to wait for clarification.

We got official confirmation of Captain Marvel 2 (not that we needed it at this stage). The name of the production is "Warbird," which could be a throwaway name that references one of Carol Danvers former aliases, or it could be a reference to the 90s Kurt Busiek run where, after losing some of her powers, Carol struggles to deal with it and becomes an alcoholic. I don't think we'll see the latter affliction (it was cut from Tony Stark's storyline), but some struggle would allow the character to grow. This scenario could come about if we're getting Rogue's origin of stealing her powers, although Carol could also take on the alias of Binary, but I think Warbird is more likely since in her current form she's already at Binary's power level. For those unfamiliar with the variation, the Binary identity (with adjusted power set) is what Chris Claremont did with her in the 80s after Rogue stole her initial powers (those of Captain Marvel).

Deadline reports that 68-year old Carl Lumbly is part of the Falcon and Winter Soldier cast, with speculation giving him the role of Isaiah Bradley (cf).

There was an interesting double post on Reddit I wanted to go over. Here's the first:

• Hey guys! I don’t know tooo many specifics about the general plot, but I was partially involved with editing the Expanding The Universe teaser and got to see some of what’s already been filmed for Falcon. Few key plot points:
• Ross will reappear to restrict Sam from being the new Cap due to his accords violations [This echoes 4chan from November along with general speculation]
• Zemo will attempt to trigger Bucky, who then pretends to be in Hydra mode before emptying the gun and saying he doesn’t do that anymore. [We haven't heard this idea before, although this scene was shown in the teaser]
• We will see some footage of Sam training in the air force Falcon Program.
• During what seems like a crucial battle, it appears Zemo discovers one last trigger word--a deactivation code, knocking out Bucky instantly and presumably killing him. We then see Sam pick up the shield for the first time since being confronted by Ross. [This is also new]
• Oh, and with the news about the possible Isaiah [Bradley] casting I just want to add that I 100% believe that. It just hasn’t been filmed, so I haven’t seen it. [His speculation]

This could be made up, but it feels credible to me (it hasn't been taken off the boards last I checked). His information is limited and fits the general shape of the narrative as we understand it (although the observations don't really push beyond what we've already seen or heard). If it's not a scoop it's at least plausible speculation.

And the second post from the Reddit user mentioned above is:

• [I] got to see quite a bit of footage from both Falcon and Wandavision. I don’t have a concrete idea of Wandavision’s plot based on the footage I’ve seen outside of my own nerd-knowledge, but here’s what I have seen.
• [Wanda's] Twins.. duh. [Confirmed through the teaser]
• The Agatha Harkness rumors are 100% true. She enters Wanda’s fantasy as her “neighbor” and eventually infiltrates the delusion in unclear ways, but she appeared to be an anti-hero from what I saw. [The idea of Agatha being their neighbour comes from 4chan in November]
• There’s a shirtless Vision scene. He’s in boxers. This isn’t relevant to the plot it’s just.. a lot to process and I’m warning you all.
• Monica Rambeau! She’s kickass and will be a fan favorite for sure but I’m worried her fate won’t be as great.. a clip I saw showed her getting presumably mortally wounded in battle. [This idea matches a 4chan post from October that's largely about Doctor Strange 2]
• The sitcom concept is insane. Each episode has a different cheesy intro based on what sitcom it’s emulating and it’s insane. [This fits all rumours as well as comments from the lead actors; the three eras depicted in the teaser were the 50s, 70s, and late 80s/early 90s]
• Hints at Pietro’s return? [His return fits the more recent plot rumours, beginning in November, although speculation goes back much earlier]
• Again, can’t say I know much but what I do know is cool as hell.

The comments seem credible to me (he's not claiming anything radical, but also not anything beyond what's within the parameters of what's known). As with Falcon above, it could be speculation, but if it is, it's plausible.

TI's Braxter offers up details for Loki's supporting cast, with a mix of paraphrase and the actual listing (the errors are his):

• Male Lead – There is no age specified. Looking for name talent. Likely with sense of humor. This role will have options for the series and for film. The role needed for 5 or 6 episodes.
• Female 2 – Looking for a female in the 30 to late 50’s age range. This role is open to all races. Needed for 6 episode run.
• Casey – Open to any ethnicity or gender. Casey is a good natured, yet exhausted intern. Extremely likeable. Great comedy skills. Casey’s entire career has been spent indoors and always does things by the books even when things are out of their control. A supporting character needed for 4 episodes
• John – John is male. Open to all ethnicities in the 27 to 36-year old range. Contentious and combative soldier with an axe to grind. Presumptuous and ominous. A supporting role. Needed for 4 episodes

He understandably believes that Owen Wilson has the lead male role above (given the fame of the actor). 'Female 2' could fit either Sophia Di Martino (who was the first member of the cast announced back in November) or Gugu Mbatha-Raw. We don't know any other actors who've been cast, so we can't (yet) guess at who 'Casey' or 'John' is (I agree with Braxter that the former is almost certainly a TVA agent; the latter could be as well, possibly Justice Peace). There's no sign of other rumoured characters (Sera etc).

Murphy speculates that Owen Wilson is playing Kang in Loki, which is interesting because he hates this idea, but it makes sense to him. As someone with no attachment to Kang, I'm indifferent to who plays him. In the midst of his speculation he said the following:

I’ve been hearing recently that some changes to the future of the MCU took place as recently as October of 2019

This echoes Conrad back in September, who said such planning was about to take place. What's interesting is that it means Black Widow and Eternals were planned without that future fully laid out (although tweaks and reshoots can easily fill that gap).

We have competing scoops about the same thing: both GWW and Daniel claim that Red Hulk is coming to the MCU. Daniel did not know when and where, but GWW said it will be in She-Hulk and be General Ross. William Hurt will turn 70 shortly, but as a CGI role he can handle it (at least for a little while). Hurt is a massive fan of the Hulk IP, which is likely why he signed on for The Incredible Hulk and returned in Civil War. Rumours about this go back to WGTC (of all people) in August (repeated by LotLB and others, cf), although the seeds were planted by Wardell much earlier when he revealed The Thunderbolts (with Ross) were coming. After these stories dropped, Conrad presented his own rumour that we'll see Red Hulk in The Thunderbolts.

We got some clarity about those Elsa Bloodstone rumours that have been floating around (beginning with Reddit/Daniel in October and then repeated a couple of weeks ago on Reddit). She was intended to have her own show on ABC [here's a link that works] (this is what LotLB thought would be a Dakota North show, cf), although that's been cancelled since Feige took over Marvel Entertainment.

LotLB's latest video says a Gambit-series is coming (Disney+/Hulu), echoing what they said back in August; no Rogue is planned for the show; the associated spec list:

• Thieves Guild - a group Gambit was part of prior to his time with the X-Men
• Etienne Marceaux - a childhood friend who dies when Gambit is young
• Marauders - originally a villain group created by Mister Sinister with a long history vs the X-Men
• Candra - an External (a group of immortal mutants) who founds both the Thieves Guild and the Assassins Guild
• Pig - a mutant crime boss who engaged in human trafficking (just one appearance)
• Belladonna - a love interest and fellow mutant
• Scrambler - a member of the Marauders

Is this plausible? Absolutely, although I don't see a reason to rush into Gambit (depending on what kind of X-Men team the MCU is building towards--you can see my expectations from a few months ago via the link).

A very different Redditor posted this rumour:

• Hello, guys! So, I am a Marvel insider, and my source has told me some exciting info about the future of one particular villain. The villain in question is none other than the boss himself, Victor Von Doom.
• Ideas for him are mostly in the discussion phase for the moment, but there is one thing that has officially been decided: Doctor Doom will debut in the Black Panther sequel as the main antagonist. However, before that, he may debut in a Disney+ miniseries that could take multiple elements from Noah Hawley’s cancelled movie. [The Doom in BP2 idea goes back to Reddit in December and later echoed by 4chan; the Noah Hawley project was declared dead back in August]
• As for the character’s origin, he will have ties to the Fantastic Four and Reed Richards, and his origin story depends on the route Marvel decides to take with the first family. However, one element that is being discussed is him being a citizen of Sokovia who, following the events of Age of Ultron and Civil War, takes his country’s misfortune as an opportunity to rebuild it in his image, then begins to conquer smaller countries while they’re weakened during the “Blip”.
• After that, Doom will essentially take Loki’s place in the MCU. He will be a recurring antagonist in multiple movies who also helps the good guys when it serves his best interest. However, Secret Wars is being discussed as the next major MCU event and, if it happens, Doom will not only be the main villain, but he’ll be an even bigger threat than Thanos.

The poster seems to be trying to emulate the style of the one above, but I think it's just a fan speculating based on some popular rumours and comic lore (I don't find it credible).

A bit of trivia, but Murphy seems to have deleted his Reddit account--I'm not sure why (I suppose we could ask why he bothered creating one in the first place, but Conrad does it too--a lot of scoopers like getting down in the trenches and arguing).

This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)