Throughout the ten years the Marvel Cinematic Universe has existed, countless rumors have come out predicting the company's future moves. Everything from toys to disgruntled employees can release information to cause endless speculation among fans. Some rumors end up being completely and ridiculously false, but a few of them hit the nail right on the head. Even this year's Thor: Ragnarok had a few plot points spoiled due to online rumors.
Marvel has a more than a few films in the pipeline, but Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, has been playing coy about the future of the MCU. Even in Feige won't spill the beans, rumors have been circulating the internet about the cinematic universe's future.
The comic book company is just as secretive as it tries to keep enough surprises in store for its fans to keep them constantly coming back. If the wrong bit of information finds its way out, the comics and films could be spoiled for millions of people before they even see/read the story. The company knows what to reveal and when and it should be up to them to determine when fans find out key story points.
Read on to discover 15 Current Rumors Marvel Doesn't Want Their Fans To Know!
Bucky's Taking Over
At the moment, Steve Rogers may be a fighting force in the MCU, but he's not calling himself Captain America. The mantle is wide open for the taking, and Bucky Barnes seems like the most likely choice. The Winter Soldier may have a bumpy reputation, but he seems to be on a path towards redemption that might see him pick up the shield for himself. He already shared the shield with Steve in Civil War as the two veterans put the smack down on Iron Man.
Chris Evans current contract with Marvel expires with Avengers 4. Originally Infinity War was going to be his last on-screen appearance, but he extended his contract because the next two Avengers movies are filming back-to-back. Sebastian Stan, on the other hand, will still have four films on his contract after Avengers 4 comes out.
It's unlikely Marvel will promote the murderous Winter Soldier, but turning him into Captain America seems like a no-brainer.
Blade Returns
Now that Doctor Strange has confirmed the existence of mysticism in the MCU, the next obvious step is bringing Blade back into the swing of things. Kevin Feige has said the team is thinking about the character, but he has remained coy about how to reintegrate him into the Marvel Universe.
In 2015, Marvel announced a new, female Blade who was the daughter of the original. The book was going to be written by Tim Seely, but he ultimately quit the project and nothing turned up. Even back then the rumor mill started churning that Fallon Grey, the Marvel Universe's new 16-year old vampire hunter, was going to head to the big or small screen. That is certainly still a possibility, but Grey still hasn't made her comic book debut. Perhaps Marvel wants to introduce her through film/TV first and have her father return as a mentor figure, since legacy has become increasingly important both on the comic and movie sides of the House of Ideas.
Captain Marvel Starts as Miss Marvel
Marvel is preparing to produce their first female-led superhero project with Captain Marvel. Brie Larson has been cast to play Carol Danvers, an ex-air force pilot who receives her powers after an alien device called the Psyche-Magnetron blows up. One of The Avengers strongest members, she has super strength and even has the ability to project energy blasts and absorb incoming energy attacks.
While the title of the movie implies Danvers will be Captain Marvel, rumors are circulating that she will start with the Ms.Marvel mantle in the movie. Apparently, Mar-Vell, a Kree warrior who was the original Captain Marvel- and even one of Carol's love interests in the comics- is also rumored to appear in the movie. In the comics, Mar-Vell develops cancer and ultimately dies, inspiring many people, including Carol, to take on the Captain Marvel name in the following years. Perhaps a similar scene will take place in this movie as Carol transitions from the Ms.Marvel role to Captain Marvel.
Namor on the Way
Ever since Atlantis was teased in Iron Man 2, Marvel fans have been waiting for Namor the Submariner to make his big-screen debut. Namor's film rights had been tied up due to old contracts with companies like Legendary Pictures and Universal, but in 2014 they finally reverted back to Marvel.
In February, Reel News Hawaii tweeted about the possibility of both Aquaman and a Namor movie filming in the area. Before that tweet, there had been no official reveal from Disney if they were even producing a Namor film yet. Aquaman has already wrapped filming, but Namor hasn't even started if it's actually happening.
While that rumor may not have been legit, it put more fuel in the fire that Marvel is working hard to bring him to the big screen. Before Inhumans even started, rumors swirled that Namor would appear in the show. Joe Quesada, Marvel CCO, was only able to say "I cannot confirm or deny" when asked if Namor would appear in Infinity War.
Death of Iron Man
In addition to being the heart of the MCU, Iron Man was the first superhero to debut in this franchise. Iron Man kicked off phase one 10 years ago and now Infinity War/Avengers 4 will be bringing phase three to a close. While Feige is playing coy about what's in store for the cinematic universe's future, he has said he views these movies as the culmination of a story that took 22 movies to build up to.
To bring the Marvel Universe to the next chapter, it makes sense that the hero who started it all will be taken out. And from a financial standpoint, it makes a lot of sense for Disney to take Iron Man off the board because Robert Downey Jr. has the highest salary of all of the MCU's performers.
As of now, Tony Stark is emotionally separated from most of the Avengers, but it makes sense for the next to Avengers movies to go out of their way to frame him as the savior of the world before permanently taking him off the playing field.
Shuri is the new Iron Man
If Tony Stark does die in Infinity War, it's not likely the Iron Man mantle disappears with him. Iron Man's tech does wonders for the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. But, what if there was another character just as technologically capable in the MCU who could take over for him?
Well, Black Panther's sister Shari, set to make her big-screen debut in February, is a technical genius who fits the bill. Not only does she help with Wakanda's defensive, cloaking technology, she also builds weapons for when she needs to get her hands dirty.
What makes this rumor believable is the fact that Riri Williams, an African-American teenager, is currently defending the Marvel Universe as Ironheart. Instead of introducing a fully new character into the MCU, Marvel can use Shuri instead. Regardless of whether or not she replaces Iron Man, going the Shuri/Riri route will likely be a cheaper option that lasts longer for Marvel than picking another big name to directly replace Robert Downey Jr.
Secret Invasion is Coming
Since the shape-shifting Skrulls will be part of Captain Marvel, there is a strong possibility that Marvel can incorporate the Secret Invasion storyline into its cinematic universe.
Instead of being set in the current MCU timeline, Captain Marvel will be set in the '90s. Originally, the Chituri invaders in Avengers were going to be Skrulls, something that could have allowed them to plant spies under the heroes' noses. Obviously, that didn't work out due to old arrangements with Fox, but if the Skrulls first came into contact with Earth heroes in the '90s, there's a big chance the've already been on Earth waiting for the right time to strike.
Damion Potter, the actor who played Thanos in his original after-credit scene, even thought he was going to be playing Super-Skrull, not the Mad Titan. Since then, things have changed for Marvel and they've since received the rights to this alien species, so maybe they will make their presence felt in Avengers 4 after Thanos has been dealt with.
Peter Dinklage: Creator of the Infinity Gauntlet?
Ever since Game of Thrones became a cultural phenomenon, Peter Dinklage has been one of the most sought-after actors working. He appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past as Simon Trask and has been confirmed to appear in Infinity War. No one knows for sure who he's playing yet, but one of the biggest rumors online is that he will be playing Eitri, King of the Dwarves.
While rumors point to characters ranging from MODOK to Pip the Troll, he seems like an actor deserving of a prominent role. Despite how obscure his name is, Eitri is a King who has crafted a range of Asgardian weapons. Everything from Odin's spear to Mjolnir was forged by Eitri, but the most important artifact he ever created was the Infinity Gauntlet.
The character has already appeared in a Thor:The Dark World prequel comic, so his existence in the MCU is confirmed. With Thanos searching for the Gauntlet in his quest for power, it makes sense that its creator would make an appearance.
Quicksilver is in Infinity War
Quicksilver is one of the rare characters who exists both inside the Fox X-Men cinematic universe and the MCU. The main difference is that in the X-Men movies he's directly referred to as a mutant, while he's referred to as a miracle in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Introduced in 2015, Aaron Johnson's Quicksilver didn't make it past his debut feature as he died fighting Ultron's forces.
Death or no death, the Marvel Universe's resident speedster may be making a return in Infinity War if rumors are to be believed. Odds are Scarlet Witch will be a key player in this movie, so there's a possibility he will appear in a flashback scene. The existence of the Time and Soul Stones in the MCU mean there are also supernatural ways to bring him back.
Whether Doctor Strange plucks him out of the timestream before he dies or is resurrected, the Avengers are going to need all the help they can get to take down Thanos.
Ike Perrlmutter Hates The Fantastic Four
It's a hard time to be a fan of the Fantastic Four. In addition to their subpar movies, the team hasn't had their own comic since 2014.
As a result of failed negotiations between Fox and Marvel, Marvel Chairman Ike Perlmutter reportedly demanded that the book be canceled and the team essentially sidelined. Beyond that, the team has been missing from big events and promotional material as Marvel tries to focus on the characters in its own cinematic universe.
While many people hope that the current Two-In-One book will lead to a new FF series, the rumor mill is saying that's unlikely. Perlmutter apparently sees Sue, Reed, and their kids as boring, expendable characters and so the book will feature The Thing and Human Torch hanging out with different characters.
Black Widow Prequel Movie
Black Widow was one of the first heroes to be introduced in the MCU, but she still hasn't had her own solo movie. Scarlet Johansson has been saying that she is interested in the project for a long time. Apparently, she and Joss Whedon used to text and talk about the idea, but now that Whedon is over at DC working on Batgirl it seems unlikely he'll return to the project.
Johansson hasn't voiced any official desire to walk away from the Marvel Universe, but her contract is the most up in the air out of the core Avengers. Originally, she only signed on for Iron Man 2 but has been extending her contract since then. It has already been confirmed that at least one Avenger will bite the dust in Infinity War, and Black Widow is a likely choice. As a human with a gun, she can't do much against Thanos and his army. B
ut, even if she dies in the movie, Marvel can produce a prequel movie (with or without ScarJo) that delves into her backstory that was teased out in Age of Ultron.
Ta-Nehisi Coates on Captain America Book
Ta-Nehesi Coates is an amazing journalist who writes for The Atlantic and even won the National Book Award in 2015 for Between the World and Me. The winner of the MacArthur genius grant, Coates also writes comics for Marvel.
Starting in 2016, he launched a new Black Panther series that is quickly becoming one of the character's strongest depictions. Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has already said that Coates' run will influence the movies, showing just how sharp his insights into the character and the world of Wakanda is.
Since DC Rebirth started, Marvel has been losing market share. Currently, Mark Waid is on the Captain America book, but rumors are that Coates is planning on taking over. His sharp, political writing is a perfect fit for the character. Coates, whose journalism focuses on American society, has the insight and heart to craft a story that explores what Captain America means in this new, dark American era.
Moving to Burbank
Like most of the heroes inside the pages of its comics, Marvel is located in New York City. Since it was purchased by Disney, much of the television and film operations have shifted over to Disney Studios in Burbank, but the comics team still works out of the Big Apple.
In 2015, Disney stripped Marvel of its role in the film side of things when the company restructured things to have Kevin Feige report directly to Alan Horn, the Chairman of Disney Studios, instead of Ike Perlmutter, Marvel's CEO.
DC moved out of its New York offices in 2015 and onto the WB lot in Burbank. Since then, DC Comics has gone through a revitalization period that sees it beating Marvel almost every month on the sales chart. Rumors are circulating that Disney wants to replicate that success and move Marvel across the country to its Burbank lot.
Dan Slott Off Amazing Spider-Man
Now that Brian Michael Bendis has jumped ship and signed an exclusive contract with DC Comics, Dan Slott has become the second-longest continual writer in the Marvel bullpen. He may have started with She-Hulk and just wrapped up a successful run on Silver Surfer, but his pride and joy has always been Spider-Man.
He originally joined the Spider-Man team way back in 2008 as part of the four-person writing team behind the thrice-monthly Brand New Day and took over as the sole writer on Amazing Spider-Man in November of 2010. Since then he has guided the character to high-points like Superior Spider-Man and Parker Industries, but some fans are starting to ask for a fresh voice.
Apparently, Marvel wants Slott off of the core Spider-Man book, but in order to keep him from going to DC, Marvel is reportedly willing to create a new, out of continuity book akin to Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men to keep him happy.
X-Men and the Fantastic Four in the MCU
The news that Disney was considering buying Fox took the internet by storm a few weeks ago. In addition to the numerous franchises Disney would take under its belt, the company would also regain the film rights to both the X-Men and Fantastic Four.
The X-Men movies have received a mixed reception from audiences and the mutant-themed shows generally do well, but Fox has never been able to deliver a Fantastic Four movie that could please the fans. For years, no one ever thought Spider-Man would join the MCU, but Disney and Sony were able to strike a deal. The Skrulls are going to be in Captain Marvel and Runaways, a mutant-related series, is hitting Hulu from Marvel Studios.
These characters are supposed to be off-limits, but the fact that the deals took place show that the X-Men and Fantastic Four joining Captain America and Iron Man isn't as far-fetched as Kevin Feige may want you to think.
Even Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman, has said he would return to the role if the X-Men and Avengers hit the big-screen together.
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Which Marvel rumors do you hope are true? Let us know in the comments!