There are currently 11 projects that we know about due to arrive in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At least another 5 films and 3 Disney+ series have been officially announced to be in development. But recently there has been a lot of rumours about potential projects that are supposedly in development. Here’s a rundown:
Helstrom
This one isn’t a rumour as it has been confirmed. Filming on the TV series wrapped on March 14, 2020. The ten-episode run is due to air in 2020 on Hulu which Disney owns a 67% majority share in.
It is on this list because it is set in the MCU but doesn’t get as much attention as the upcoming Disney+ series so it easily slips under the radar. Despite being part of the MCU, it will be a standalone story.
There are currently no plans to crossover with the films or other TV series (much like the later seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
Helstrom is a supernatural series about Daimon (Tom Austin) and Ana Helstrom (Sydney Lemon), the children of a serial killer, who hunt the worst of humanity.
In the comics, they are the son and daughter of a demon who posed as Satan. But so far, very few details about the series have been released, so it’s hard to tell how much it will reflect the source material.
It will star the previously mentioned Tom Austin and Sydney Lemon with Elizabeth Marvel as their mother, Victoria Helstrom, Robert Wisdom as Caretaker (a character previously portrayed by Sam Elliott in 2007’s Ghost Rider), June Carryl as Louise Hastings, Ariana Guerra as Gabriella Rossetti and Alain Uy as Chris Yen.
Daredevil Season 4
Speaking of Hulu, rumours have been circulating for a while that Daredevil could be revived for a fourth season on the streaming platform. Whether there is any truth to this rumour or if it’s just wishful thinking from the fans, is a completely different question altogether.
The highly popular Daredevil was cancelled on October 19, 2018, after 3 seasons followed shortly by the rest of Netflix’s The Defenders shows.
Fans have been clamouring for Charlie Cox to return as Daredevil the MCU in some capacity ever since the cancellation. There have even been rumours of him appearing in the Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel due next year. Comicbook.com later reported that Cox denied claims that he would appear in Spider-Man 3.
Regardless, fans still remain hopeful but only time will tell if Daredevil is saved either through a fourth season on Hulu or by appearing in a future film.
Ghost Rider
Hulu had another TV series in the works, Ghost Rider, featuring Gabriel Luna reprising his role as Robbie Reyes, the titular character of the show, from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, Deadline reported in September, that Hulu were no longer moving forward with the proposed TV series.
It was assumed that the show was cancelled due to the acquisition of Marvel Television properties by Marvel Studios and there may be some truth to that. But The Direct reported at the beginning of May that Marvel Studios was working on a Ghost Rider project themselves.
It is currently unclear if it will be developed into a movie or Disney+ series. But it has been said that it won’t be Robbie Reyes as the titular Rider, so it will most likely be Johnny Blaze.
Blaze was portrayed by Nicolas Cage in 2004’s Ghost Rider and its sequel. Other notable Riders are Daniel Ketch and Alejandra Jones, both of which could also be the main Ghost Rider of the project. Who knows, it could even include multiple Riders.
The MCU is set to head in a supernatural direction with Blade and Moon Knight on the horizon and Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is also said to be more in the realm of a horror movie than anything we’ve seen so far in the MCU. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for Marvel to introduce Ghost Rider in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Secret Warriors
TheGWW reported that a Secret Warrior project was in the early stages of development at Marvel Studios. Again, it is unknown if it is being developed as a feature film or for Disney+ but the latter seems more likely as an introduction to the team.
In the comics, the original team consisted of Nick Fury, Quake (Daisy Johnson), Yo-Yo Rodriguez, Hellfire (J.T. James), Stonewall (Jerry Sledge), Phobos (Alexander Aaron) and Sebastian Druid.
Four of these characters have already appeared in the MCU – Quake, Yo-Yo and Hellfire portrayed by Chloe Bennet, Natalia Cordova-Buckley and Axle Whitehead in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and of course Nick Fury is portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in the movies. In the TV show, Quake and Yo Yo were already a part of the Secret Warriors but it was disbanded.
Another incarnation of the team appeared in animated form with a completely different roster. In Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, the team consisted of Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), Patriot (Rayshaun Lucas), Inferno (Dante Pertuz), America Chavez and Squirrel Girl (Doreen Green).
Captain Marvel is portrayed by Brie Larson in the MCU and Ms. Marvel has her own Disney+ series in the works. America Chavez has been rumoured to be coming to the MCU and the Jeffrey Mace version of Patriot appeared in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. portrayed by Jason O’Mara.
There isn’t any information so far about which incarnation of the team will be seen but there is clearly groundwork for both to appear. Another rumour suggested that Quake was getting her own movie or series. Perhaps Chloe Bennet’s Daisy Johnson will have life after Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in her own spin-off or as part of the Secret Warriors.
Nova
Fans have wanted to see Nova appear in the MCU for quite some time, especially after the Nova Corps played a role in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy. As reported by the Illuminerdi, a Nova solo project is in the early stages of development at Marvel Studios.
There’s currently no word on whether it will be a solo movie or a Disney+ series as it is in such early stages. If the project is a movie, it seems likely that he will make his presence known in another project before making the jump into his own.
It will be interesting to see how they introduce Nova following the destruction of the Nova Corps’ homeworld Xandar at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.
The writers even said that in an early draft of the script it was Nova who crashed to Earth instead of the Hulk. So, Nova is clearly a character Marvel Studios is interested in showcasing and it appears that they might finally take the leap!
Ironheart
A rumour started doing the rounds last November that Marvel Studios was developing an Ironheart Disney+ series. This year, that rumour has gained some traction courtesy of The Cinema Spot who claim to have learned that the Disney+ series is in not only in active development, but is scheduled to start shooting in 2021.
Riri Williams aka Ironheart is a new character in terms of comics, making her debut in 2015. She is an engineering genius and at only 15 years old she crafts her own take on the Iron Man suit dubbing herself Ironheart.
The MCU seems to be looking to replace their fallen and retired heroes as well as potentially setting up the Young Avengers.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will deal with who will take up the mantle of Captain America, Black Widow will introduce audiences to Yelena Belova aka Black Widow, Thor: Love and Thunder has Jane Foster becoming the Mighty Thor and She-Hulk is in development at Disney+.
There’s also the potential that Cassie Lang who could become Stature, not to mention the fact that Ms. Marvel is getting her own Disney+ series that’s rumoured to introduce Miss America.
It would certainly make a lot of sense for Ironheart to be introduced to take over as a replacement for Iron Man. They could even go a similar route to what they’re doing with Captain America by having War Machine (James Rhodes), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Harley Keener, Rescue (Pepper Potts), Morgan Stark and Riri Williams as all potentials to fill the hole left by Iron Man.
This final rumour comes from the MCU’s Incredible Hulk himself, Mark Ruffalo. The Direct reports that Ruffalo has a pitch for a “Bulk” (Bruce Banner/Hulk) movie. The premise of the movie being the story of how Bruce Banner became the Smart Hulk we see in Avengers: Endgame. Ruffalo had this to say:
“That should have been its own movie, that’s what I’m pitching actually, that section of time, like how did Banner become the Bulk? You know?“
Ruffalo to Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show
Whether this was all just talk or if it’s something Ruffalo will actually pitch to Marvel Studios is another matter. It can’t be denied that Ruffalo is passionate about the character and eager to return to the MCU. There is a lot of speculation that he will make his return in the She-Hulk Disney+ series but this is currently unconfirmed.
Which of these projects, if any, would you like to see get made? Do you think there’s any truth to these rumours? Are there characters you think deserve the spotlight more than the ones above?
