Marvel: everything that was announced at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 panel

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is under a lot of pressure. It’s never happened before, so they have to try even harder to get this blockbuster right. After years of unchallenged box office dominance and widespread critical acclaim, the tide has begun to turn against the once unassailable company: box office receipts have seen a significant dip, “superhero fatigue” is in the air, and actor Jonathan Meigers, who was previously set to be the main villain of the next Avengers saga, has been convicted.

After a few years of unchallenged box office dominance and widespread critical acclaim, the tide has begun to turn against the once unassailable company.

All of this and more has forced Marvel to rearrange plans, releasing fewer new movies per year and changing release dates for films and TV series. But the plans haven’t changed globally yet, and at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige gave a brief glimpse of what’s in store for MCU fans in the near (and distant) future.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feigi has been busy talking about what’s in store for fans of the MCU in the near (and distant) future.

Missing from the announcements were “X-Men,” “Blade” (previously listed as a 2025 release but not mentioned among those scheduled for 2025, suggesting another postponement) and the usual big schedule of upcoming movies. While there were few new release announcements at the Marvel panel, the company still managed to generate a lot of buzz thanks to one big casting announcement.

Marvel’s panel was a big one.

That’s what Marvel announced at SDCC 2024 about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

What Marvel announced at SDCC 2024 was the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Russo brothers are returning to film future Avengers

The closing credits of an important Marvel panel focused on the next installments of the Avengers franchise. The studio originally stated that Kang would be the main villain, but after Jonathan Magers was convicted of harassment, the company changed its mind, leaving the future of his films in the MCU in great doubt.

The panel was held at the end of the panel.

Veteran “Avengers” directors Joe and Anthony Russo showed up to clear the air. The duo, who previously directed “Avengers: Infinity War” and “The Final Destination,” will return to direct the next two Avengers movies. The first film will be called “Avengers: Judgment Day,” which will be released on May 1, 2026, and the big finale will be “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which will be released on May 7, 2027.

Avengers: Infinity War will be released on May 7, 2027.

Of course, no such announcement can be complete without announcing who will play Dr. Doom himself. But the Russo brothers have taken care of that too…

Robert Downey Jr. returns to Marvel

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…with the loudest announcement of the evening. Robert Downey Jr. is somehow back in action. The actor who previously gave us Iron Man will play Dr. Doom in Avengers: Judgment Day, marking his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The move marks a complete departure from Kang to Doom as the next Big Bad of the Avengers. The Fantastic Four will appear in each of the next two Avengers movies.

Avengers.

New mask, but the task is the same.

Robert Downey Jr.

“Captain America: A Brave New World” has acquired a villain

We’ve known for a while that Giancarlo Esposito would be starring in the upcoming Captain America movie, but it wasn’t until the Comic-Con 2024 panel at the show that we learned who he’s playing: Sidewinder. Sidewinder — the leader of the Serpent Society, a criminal organization that typically has less grandiose goals than some of Marvel’s other villains, suggesting that this movie will be a bit more low-key than some of its predecessors. As Feigi said during the presentation, this is an espionage movie, more in the vein of “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” than the various MCU movies about heroes saving the universe.

Another movie about heroes saving the universe.

Thunderbirds to be!

Not much — and we still don’t know many details about the Thunderbirds. But there was some footage shown exclusively to attendees in Hall H. David Harbour, dressed as the Red Guardian, along with Sebastian Stan and Florence Pugh introduced the movie on stage. It will be released in theaters on April 30, 2024.

The film will be released on April 30, 2024.

New details about the Fantastic Four

“Fantastic Four” — the furthest movie from the panel, but probably one of the most anticipated. The four members of the Fantastic Four “family” — Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach — appeared on stage during the presentation, and a bit of footage was shown that ended with a first look at Galactus. But for now, that footage is not available online