After 2020 marked the first year since 2009 to not feature any releases from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, 2021 was a big time for the franchise. They put out four feature films and five television series on Disney+. Thankfully, 2022 is shaping up to be another banner year for the MCU with a lot on the upcoming slate.
2022 will see the debut of three new heroes on the small screen, sequels to three of the most impressive big screen films featuring top superheroes, the second season of an animated series, and what is sure to be a fun holiday special. Of course, all release dates are subject to change.
Moon Knight (March 30)
Not much has been known about the upcoming Moon Knight show since it was first announced. Fans just understood that Oscar Isaac was playing the titular character and that the supporting cast was going to be led by Ethan Hawke. However, things changed when the Moon Knight trailer dropped.
The release date was made official and audiences got a glimpse at the show's vibe. The protagonist seems to be struggling with not knowing the truth about who he is and his past before donning the Moon Knight costume. There will be six episodes and the plot involves Egyptian gods, which hasn't been explored in the MCU to date.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (May 6)
It's surprising to realize that it has been six years since Doctor Strange arrived in theaters. Since then though, the sorcerer has appeared in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now, his actions in that final movie will play a huge part in his standalone sequel.
In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the title character must deal with the consequences of the multiverse opening up. The film will include Wanda Maximoff, the returning Baron Mordo, the debuting America Chavez, and judging by the trailer, the powerful version of Dr. Strange from the What If...? series.
She-Hulk (Mid-2022)
Like Moon Knight, not a whole lot was announced about She-Hulk ahead of its premiere and even the teaser seen so far was pretty short. Still, there are plenty of reasons to be excited, especially since Jennifer Walters is one of the most prominent comic book characters to not appear in the MCU so far.
On top of that, the character is set to be portrayed by the incredible Tatiana Maslany. Joining her in the cast is Mark Ruffalo as Jennifer's cousin Bruce Banner, as well as Tim Roth returning as Emil Blonsky for the first time since 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Throw in Jameela Jamil and Renée Elise Goldsberry and the cast is loaded. Walters' career as a lawyer has potential to make this the MCU's first legal drama.
Ms. Marvel (Mid-2022)
Anyone who follows Marvel Comics knows that Kamala Khan is someone who broke out quickly as a popular character. It was even covered in an episode of Marvel's 616 series and she was in Marvel's Avengers video game. The young Muslim Pakistani-American girl idolizes superheroes, including Captain Marvel, and becomes Ms. Marvel.
The show will see young Iman Vellani take on the lead role and interestingly, doesn't have any announced connections to the rest of the MCU. However, it is set to play a major part in setting up The Marvels, where Ms. Marvel will appear again. Khan is also a character who can find herself in the Young Avengers if that eventually happens.
Thor: Love And Thunder (July 8)
After the first two Thor movies, not many MCU fans were excited about a third entry. That all changed once Taika Waititi took over as director, got creative with the character, and injected it with his genius brand of humor, which was made even better thanks to Chris Hemsworth's comedic chops.
Now, fans are more pumped than ever for the fourth film, Thor: Love and Thunder. The major players like Thor and Valkyrie are returning, while Natalie Portman will wield Mjölnir as she comes back to the franchise. Throw in Christian Bale's MCU debut and the Guardians of the Galaxy being included and this might be the most anticipated of any release in 2022.
What If...? Season 2 (2022)
Along with Loki, What If...? was the only MCU show to get greenlit for a season 2 so far. It makes sense given that these aren't self-contained stories and they can span the multiverse. Season 1 was mostly met with strong acclaim for the animation style though it had mixed reviews on some of the episodes and the voice acting.
Season 2 should be more of the same, though with the added caveat that The Watcher has gotten involved when he wasn't supposed to. This could have huge ramifications in season 2 and the show feels more important than ever given how it is connected to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (November 11)
The MCU property with the likeliest chance of getting postponed is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The film has dealt with production delays for a number of reasons but seems to be back on track. It'll be an emotional release given the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman.
Not much is known about this sequel other than that Boseman will not be recast as T'Challa. There's not even word yet on what T'Challa's fate in the MCU is. Of course, the majority of the original cast returns, as does Ryan Coogler in the director's chair, so there are high hopes here.
Secret Invasion (Late 2022)
The introduction of Skrulls in Captain Marvel had comic book fans everywhere buzzing. The alien race is most known for the massive Secret Invasion storyline where many notable Marvel characters had been replaced by them, unbeknownst to everyone.
Given that the Skrulls were shockingly not the villains of Captain Marvel, it makes Secret Invasion a bit more interesting. Will they be villainous this time around or is something else happening entirely? All that's known is that the cast is loaded with Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Ben Mendelsohn, Olivia Colman, Emilia Clarke, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and more.
The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special (Holiday 2022)
After a controversy that led to him losing his spot as director in the MCU, heading over to the DCEU, and then regaining his position in the MCU, James Gunn's first project back will be The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Apparently, Gunn has been working on the idea for years.
Although this is officially part of Phase Four, it's unclear how much this will impact the overall story in the MCU or if it will be a one-off special. Regardless, the cast from the movies are all coming back and knowing Gunn's sense of humor, this will likely be hilarious.