With Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe now well and truly underway, there's plenty for fans to look forward to in 2022. As well as three new Marvel movies — including the long-awaited sequel to 2016's Doctor Strange — Marvel Studios is also planning to launch four new television shows on Disney+ along with the highly-anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special.
Given the success of some of the Marvel shows to have featured on Disney+ so far, fans can likely expect the upcoming series to be more ambitious than ever. Olivia Colman, Ethan Hawke, and Oscar Isaac are just a few of the big names who have already been confirmed to be making their MCU debuts in them, with Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, and Mark Ruffalo also set to return.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 4)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the follow-up to 2016's Doctor Strange and will see Benedict Cumberbatch reprising his role as the titular character for the sixth occasion. Not all that much is really known about the plot of the movie at the time of writing, though early synopses suggest that it will have something to do with the Time Stone and a powerful new villain.
Given that Steven Strange (or, at the very least, somebody pretending to be him) will be appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it's possible that viewers will soon have a better idea of what to expect from the flick. Until then, however, all they can really do is speculate, with plenty of potential candidates for the main big bad having already been touted.
Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8)
The Thor movies have been something of a mixed bag so far, although, with the Guardians of the Galaxy set to feature prominently in the next one, all early signs point to Love and Thunder being one of the better ones. Natalie Portman returns as Jane and will be joined by Russell Crowe and former Batman actor Christian Bale, the latter of whom will be playing the movie's main antagonist, Gorr the God Butcher.
For those unfamiliar with the character, Gorr is a fairly recent addition to the Marvel universe, having first appeared in the debut issue of Thor: God of Thunder in January of 2013. As his name so brutally suggests, Gorr has a proven track record of defeating Gods, so fans can probably expect some pretty epic action scenes when the movie hits theaters in July.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (November 11)
Due to the untimely passing of T'Challa actor Chadwick Boseman, plans for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever were altered significantly in August 2020. Reports suggest that Shuri, T'Challa's sister, will now play a much larger role in the movie than originally planned, with Dora Milaje leader Okoye also expected to play a more prominent role this time around.
When it comes to villains, it's still a little unclear as to who Shuri and Okoye will be squaring off against. Some are expecting it to be Namor the Sub-Mariner — Marvel's answer to Aqua Man — though while this may well end up being the case, details about the movie's plot are being kept tightly under wraps for now. As a result, nothing has been confirmed at the time of writing.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (December)
Though fans will have to wait until 2023 for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to hit movie theaters, Star-Lord and the gang will be making several appearances beforehand. The first of these, as mentioned above, will be coming in Thor: Love and Thunder, and they'll also be following this up with a holiday special of their very own some five months later.
Little is known about the Guardians of the Galaxy special at this time other than that it will serve as a setup of sorts for the third movie. Star-Lord, Drax, Rocket, and Groot will all be appearing, as too will Nebula and Mantis. Those looking for more information will probably have to wait until December when the special starts streaming on Disney+.
Ms. Marvel (June 8)
Fans have known that a Ms. Marvel project was in development for quite some time now, with the series having first been announced all the way back in August of 2019. More than two years later, however, and there's still no concrete release date for the Disney+ show, though with it being a setup for 2023's The Marvels, it seems safe to assume that it will be arriving at some point before the end of 2022.
Iman Vellani will star as the titular shape-shifter and will also play Khan in the Marvels movie the following year. Many of the other core cast members have been confirmed too, though it isn't entirely clear who will be playing the main villain at this time, nor even who the main villain will be. The show will consist of six episodes, with British comedian Bisha K. Ali serving as the head writer; a role he also held during the production of Loki.
Moon Knight (March 30)
While many will be familiar with Ms. Marvel due to her inclusion as one of the playable characters in Marvel's Avengers, only those with an active interest in comic books will know much about Marc Spector or his alter ego, Moon Knight. With that in mind, it's perhaps surprising to see Disney pushing a background character into the spotlight in this way, but also a little refreshing too.
Star Wars actor Oscar Isaac is set to play the lead, with May Calamawy and Ethan Hawke also confirmed for unknown roles. In August of 2021, Hawke told the Hollywood Reporter that his performance was inspired by infamous cult leader David Koresh, suggesting that the four-time Oscar-nominated actor may well be playing a villain in Moon Knight.
She-Hulk (TBD)
Given that it is being billed as a comedy and was written by the woman responsible for the "Pickle Rick" episode of Rick and Morty, many are expecting She-Hulk to be a bit more light-hearted than some of the other installments in the MCU. Tatiana Maslany will play the titular character, with the show centering around her day-to-day life as a lawyer.
Mark Ruffalo will be appearing alongside his female counterpart, with veteran actor Tim Roth lining up in the opposite corner as Abomination; a role that he'll be reprising for the third time. Filming for the show didn't end up wrapping until late 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, so those expecting to see She-Hulk in the first half of 2022 may well be disappointed.
Secret Invasion (TBD)
The Skrulls storyline has already been touched upon in numerous MCU installments, but there's still plenty left to explore. Fans can look forward to doing just that with Secret Invasion, which is expected to premiere on Disney+ in late 2022. The series will consist of six episodes and be set in a world in which the Skrulls have infiltrated all aspects of life on earth.
Filming for the series began in London in September of 2021, with Samuel L Jackson, Olivia Colman, and Emilia Clarke among those involved. It's also been reported that British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir will feature as a "lead villain," although this has neither been confirmed nor denied by Marvel Studios. He has been confirmed for the series though, so there may well be some truth to the claims.