2019's Captain Marvel starring Oscar winner Brie Larson in the titular role opened up with positive reviews and introduced a new and crucial hero to the MCU. After exploring her past and witnessing her brief appearances in other phase 3 films like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Larson's Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel will certainly play a key role moving forward into phase 4 as she is a bridge between what is occurring on earth and the far reaches of space.
Marvel dropped a trailer on May 3, 2021, revealing a sneak peek of their upcoming projects for the MCU and confirming that the Captain Marvel sequel will be titled The Marvels. With so much buzz circulating around the MCU from films like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home to the newly popular Disney+ series, there's no better time to start discussing The Marvels. Here's what we know so far.
Release Date and Production
Following the success of the first film, it was clear that Larson's Captain Marvel would get a sequel. WandaVision writer Megan McDonnell was hired to pen the script while Nia DaCosta, known for Little Woods and the Candyman remake, will be replacing duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck as director. DaCosta is looking to bring a new energy and freshness to the MCU as her previous films don't shy away from exploring weighty themes and relationships between characters. DaCosta, being the first woman of color in the director's chair for an MCU film, is sure to break records as the MCU has been striving to add diversity and new voices to their films.
The film was able to dodge any COVID-19 pandemic conflicts, with principal photography beginning on time in August 2021 at Pinewood Studios. The 31st film in the MCU will officially be released on November 11, 2022.
Cast
Judging by the title, The Marvels will also center on more heroes other than Danvers, with the "S'' in the title card hinting at the character of Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel's, a 16-year-old hero from New Jersey who will be played by newcomer Iman Vellani. Brie Larson will of course return at Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel while Teyonah Parris, who worked with DaCosta on Candyman, will reprise her role as Monica Rambeau, daughter of Danvers's close friend and fellow airman Maria Rambeau. Other additional cast members include Zawe Ashton and Park Seo-joon in undisclosed roles. Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury will return as well.
Plot
While Captain Marvel took place in the 1990s, it looks like the sequel will take place in the present day due to the presence of Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. In the comics, Danvers is Khan's ultimate role model, and it looks like the mentor/mentee relationship between the two will be explored to greater extent. Khan's character will debut in her own series on Disney+ in late 2021, with her storyline setting up the events of The Marvels. The film will also tie in with Parris's Rambeau, as she was last seen in WandaVision. The S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division) agent, who disappeared during the blip and discovered her mom passed away after returning 5 years later, was trying to help Wanda Maximoff and the people stuck in the Hex/sitcom show, but in the process, she developed unique, superhuman abilities.
Even though it's still unclear, fans could potentially witness a team-up involving Rambeau and Fury, as it was hinted in the WandaVision post-credit scene where a Skrull tells Rambeau that an old friend of her mom wants to meet her. The expansion towards deep space and alternate realities along with Skrulls scattered throughout the MCU in films in Captain Marvel, Spider-Man: Far From Home (especially knowing Nick Fury is commanding a Skrull spaceship), and even that brief appearance in WandaVision, it's a clear sign that things are literally about to get out of this world. The Marvels seems to be a big stepping point in that cosmic direction.
Footage
As of now, no footage has been released and probably won't be for quite a while since the film's release date is still over a year away. Many other upcoming films and series will receive the attention for now, but that doesn't mean fans can't expect a teaser or trailer to debut ahead of those releases.
A lot will have happened since audiences last saw Danvers. From the newly released series such as WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and What If...? to the upcoming Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel series, there are plenty of MCU stories to catch up on. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings along with the upcoming Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home will no doubt have fans anxiously anticipating what The Marvels will set out to accomplish.
The Marvels is set to release in theatres on November 11, 2022.