Marvel Schedules Release Dates for Two Mystery Projects; What Could They Be?
Posted 08.08.11 by Ryan
Marvel Entertainment and Disney are getting close to announcing the next chapters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While 2012 will only see the release of The Avengers, Marvel has already planned two movies for 2013: Iron Man 3 (opening May 3) and Thor 2 (opening July 26). 2014 will also have two releases from the comic book company, though which ones is still a secret.
Box Office Mojo reports that two mystery projects will open in 2014, with "Marvel Untitled 1" will open on May 16, 2014, while "Marvel Untitled 2" will open June 27, 2014. No details on which movies they might be, though there are a few obvious possibilities.
OPTION #1: Ant-Man A script for Ant-Man has been in the works for years. Based on a character who is a founding member of the Avengers who reportedly won't be in The Avengers, writer-directors Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) and Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) are adapting the script, which got a first draft back in 2009. A second draft was delivered to Marvel in April, prompting Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige to call it the "best draft yet." At last month's Comic-Con, Wright revealed that, on top of a finished third draft of the script, that they'd also done "some concept stuff" as well. With that much already done for Ant-Man, it seems like the frontrunner for Marvel's 2014 schedule.
OPTION #2: Doctor Strange Another possible option is a Doctor Strange movie, after screenwriters Thomas Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer (Conan: The Barbarian reboot) turned in their script earlier this month. Marvel Studios is reportedly looking for a director for the adaptation. Like Ant-Man, the character isn't the most widely known outside of comic book circles, but Dr. Strange's creator, Stan Lee, said last year that a movie featuring the Sorcerer Supreme would be a chance to see a "slightly different type of hero." Should the right director be found, a Doctor Strange movie could have the same surprising success as 2008's Iron Man, also a character who wasn't exactly a household name before his cinematic debut. In the wrong hands, however, it could be as ignored as the supernatural comic book adaptation of Dylan Dog: Dead of Night, which, coincidentally, Oppenheimer and Donnelly co-wrote.
OPTION #3: Runaways Production on an adaptation of Runaways was set to start in March of this year, but was abruptly slowed down last October. A script was in place from and director Peter Sollett was attached, but just as casting had begun and everything seemingly in place, Marvel decided the best move was to "takes its time" on Runaways instead. Nothing has been heard about it since. 2014 might give Marvel just enough time to bring the teen hero comic to life.
LONGSHOT: Iron Fist or Luke Cage Last August, Marvel hired screenwriter Rich Wilkes (XXX) to write a script for Iron Fist, one of Marvel's martial arts characters, and also a current member of The New Avengers comic book. Since nothing has been reported since, an Iron Fist movie may be a bit premature.
Also a longshot is Luke Cage, which doesn't have a screenwriter, but does have several actors publicly campaigning for the role. Considering the two characters often work together in Marvel comics, a pairing of both characters could be possible as well.
There are several other remote possibilities, such as a S.H.I.E.L.D. movie, which Feige teased last August, along with adaptations of Black Panther and Guardians of the Galaxy. Last week, TwitchFilm reported that Marvel put Guardians in active development, though no screenwriter has been announced, and those projects are in nascent stages at best. A Black Widow spin-off movie has also been discussed and could gain more momentum should The Avengers prove to be as successful as Marvel hopes.
Of course, the most likely projects to fill the 2014 calendar are sequels. With Captain America: The First Avenger screenwriters Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus hired to write a sequel in February, Captain America 2 could very well be slotted into 2014. Again, should The Avengers be a hit, then Marvel will no doubt move as quickly as possible to write a sequel so they can secure the cast for another installment. The Avengers could also open the door for another Hulk movie as well.
With so many possibilities, it's no wonder Marvel is staying quiet on the issue for the time being.