Marvel Studios could be opening the floodgates on a variety of superhero properties, with plans extending into the next fourteen years.
It’s easy to forget that not long ago, superhero movies were largely considered untouchable in Hollywood. Sure, there were hits like Richard Donner’s Superman, Tim Burton’s Batman, and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, but we also had Fantastic Four, Superman Returns, and X-Men: Wolverine Origins. It wasn’t until Marvel Studios knocked its cinematic universe out of the park with The Avengers that Hollywood fully embraced the superhero concept, so we can certainly expect many, many more to follow. Possibly for another two decades, according to president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige. During an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, despite being tight lipped about spoilers, Feige let slip that the latest set of plans extends all the way to 2028, which could cover 4-5 phases of material.
“It’s like looking through the Hubble telescope,” Feige said, describing the maps of films printed on his office wall. “You go, ‘What’s happening back there? I can sort of see it’ … They printed out a new one recently that went to 2028.”
Of course, plans for the next 14 years are certainly subject to change, considering that we aren’t even sure that the Doctor Strange movie is underway. Even if details were set in stone, Marvel would only reveal them when ready; Feige is still keeping mum on “an imposing-looking villain” who sits in a rocket-powered throne who will appear in Guardians of the Galaxy. “That could not be a bigger spoiler,” Feige said, asking that the identity be kept secret.
Outside of films like Captain American: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avengers: Age of Ultron, Marvel Studios is also expanding into alternate media releases with Agents of SHIELD and its upcoming Netflix specials.
Source: Bloomberg Businessweek
