Our Wildest MCU Hopes For D23 2022

With D23 2022 around the corner, there are all sorts of wild possibilities on the table in regards to what will be announced for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s future. It was only a few months ago that Marvel unveiled a ton of projects for 2024 and 2025, but there’s still room for more. D23 could be the time and place for some huge movie and TV show announcements.

What happened at D23 2019 set a high bar for what’s to come on September 3. Marvel Studios’ D23 presentation that year was loaded with big reveals, including the cast for Eternals, Disney+ shows for Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, She-Hulk, and confirmation that Black Panther 2 was happening. All the aforementioned announcements piled onto the already-impressive Phase 4 slate that Marvel had just shown off at SDCC 2019. Considering that it held so much back at SDCC 2019, it’s not a stretch to suggest that Marvel did the same this summer. For all the movies and shows that have been added to the equation, several more could still be on the horizon. After all, the MCU’s Multiverse Saga still has eight open slots left.

As for what they could be filled with, some of the answers seem obvious since previous reports have shed light on what Marvel has in store for the future. With that being the case, official announcements for Destin Daniel Cretton’s Wonder Man show, Disney+’s Nova project, and the Wakanda spinoff could all happen. It’s also reasonable to suspect that key details will be revealed about the movies and shows with the closest release dates, such as Werewolf by Night and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. But, Marvel’s track record for surprises creates a chance that the studio has something even more exciting to reveal at its D23 presentation. Here are some of the wildest announcements that Marvel could drop at D23 2022.

Marvel Casts Wolverine In The MCU

Marvel has no official plans for Wolverine to join the MCU, but a Wolverine movie doesn’t necessarily have to precede a casting announcement. As the biggest character associated with the X-Men brand, the prospect of Wolverine existing in the MCU has predictably generated a great deal of hype. While no one at Marvel has confirmed his arrival is coming, his popularity makes that scenario inevitable. It’s just a question of when Marvel plans to use him. While it would be understandable if Marvel decided to hold off on him for a while longer, Wolverine’s debut could happen sooner rather than later. Marvel’s decision to tease Wolverine’s existence in She-Hulk episode 2 was a small but important first step toward bringing his character into the MCU.

For years, there have been questions about which actor will take on the role. Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of the character is thought of as the quintessential Wolverine, which is all the more reason why Marvel will need to invest confidence in the actor it picks for the hero. As for who it could be, choices include Taron Egerton, Henry Cavill, Daniel Radcliffe, and other recognizable stars, although the part could always end up going to a relatively unknown actor instead. Either way, going down this path could go a long way toward maximizing enthusiasm for the Multiverse Saga and beyond.

Fantastic Four Cast Announcement

John Krasinski as Mr Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

With Fantastic Four hitting theaters in November 2024, it may be a while before anything concrete is revealed about the first Phase 6 movie. Reportedly, WandaVision director Matt Shakman will helm the movie, and if that’s the case, it might be announced at D23 2023. Outside of that, not much else may be revealed about the movie this year, but Marvel could potentially subvert expectations with an early cast reveal. By the end of Marvel’s presentation, actors may already be known for Mr. Fantastic (who may or may not be Doctor Strange 2’s John Krasinski), the Thing, Invisible Woman, and Human Torch.

Marvel may not stop there, as it could announce an actor for Doctor Doom as well. Since Avengers: Secret Wars is based on a story where Doctor Doom was the main villain, it would make plenty of sense for Marvel to not waste any time introducing Doctor Doom. Rather than save him for a Fantastic Four sequel, Marvel may intend to use him right away in order to pave the way for comic book accurate Secret Wars role. Looking at how integral he is not only to Secret Wars but to the Marvel Universe as a whole, a Doctor Doom casting announcement would be just as huge as confirming actors for the Fantastic Four.

X-Men Movie In Phase 6

The X-Men assemble on the cover of Classic X-Men #1 comic.

When Marvel set up the X-Men in Ms. Marvel but didn’t announce anything about them at SDCC 2022, the leading theory was that Marvel would wait until Phase 7 before introducing its take on the team. But not mentioning the X-Men doesn’t prove that Marvel’s Merry Mutants have no place in the Multiverse Saga. As noted above, there are still some open slots in Marvel’s slate, specifically in Phase 6. Marvel has undisclosed movies releasing on February 25 and July 25 in 2025. They could always belong to confirmed movies like Deadpool 3 or Shang-Chi 2, but one going to an unannounced project isn’t completely unfeasible. One of those dates could be when the MCU’s first X-Men movie finally releases.

Announcing X-Men could allay some concerns about the plan for Secret Wars and position the movie to be its biggest crossover yet. Fundamentally, the Secret Wars comic was a history-making crossover for Marvel Comics in that it combined its four biggest properties, which were the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and Spider-Man. By doing Secret Wars first, Marvel would risk the fifth Avengers movie failing to equal the scale of the source material, but a Phase 6 X-Men movie would enable Secret Wars to feature representatives from all three superhero teams, not to mention the Thunderbolts.

World War Hulk Announcement

Hulk wearing gladiator armor during World War Hulk comics.

Similar to the situation with the X-Men, a World War Hulk movie was among the most talked-about possibilities for a SDCC 2022 announcement. While hopes for such a movie have dimmed a bit, especially with Marvel already having two huge crossovers coming in Phase 6, it’s too early to rule out a Hulk-focused story. And if rights issues still exist with the Hulk character, World War Hulk could always come in the form of a Disney+ miniseries instead. Plus, unleashing the original Hulk and sending him on a rampage against the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe could serve as an excellent way of justifying the decision to effectively kill the Hulk persona in Avengers: Endgame. Bruce Banner repressing him for years against his will could be what kicks off his crusade against his former friends in World War Hulk. In fact, Hulk returning and acquiring an alien army may be exactly what She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is setting up with its spaceship teases.