November 2, 2018
It’s not a big summer date, but we have the feeling that Marvel will want to go BIG on November 2, 2018. Why? Assuming everything else we’ve predicted is more or less right, this is the penultimate movie of Phase 3, and Marvel will want people to be amped up for their big conclusion. There are a few directions Marvel could go on this release date, but we can’t say with any certainty which way they’ll go.
If the ending is big and important enough, it’s entirely possible that Thor 3 gets released here, but like we said we don’t think that Marvel will stick it here.
We thought Hulk will maybe show up in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, but he’s not going to. That makes Hulk the only character we’ve yet to see in Phase 3. In a perfect world, it’d be great to see Planet Hulk, a movie big enough to lead into Avengers 3. There’s only one problem: it’s not going to happen. Joss Whedon, Kevin Feige, and Mark Ruffalo have all said that a solo Hulk movie isn’t currently in the works, and even if it were it wouldn’t be Planet Hulk. It’s very possible that Mark Ruffalo won’t play Bruce Banner in a non-Avengers film until Phase 4 (unless, of course, he has a role in the potential Iron Man 4, something we’d very much like to see).
Marvel will want a big property to lead in Avengers 3, but they don’t really have any big enough left.
But what if, what if, Marvel led into Avengers 3 with Avengers 3? It’s was widely assumed that the finale of Phase 3 would fall on the May 2019 release date, something we still agree with, but what if Marvel were to split Avengers 3 into two movies, releasing Avengers 3: Part 1 on this November 2018 date? Marvel has never had a two part movie, but after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, splitting the finale in a series has been all the rage, and we’re fairly confident that Marvel’s Phase 3 will be the end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it. Is the Thanos Infinity Gauntlet story too big for just one movie? We wouldn’t be surprised if it is. Of course, Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans only have contracts running through one more Avengers movie after Avengers: Age of Ultron, but if Marvel wants to work something out, we think they will. And maybe they already have.
May 3, 2019
Whether or not we’re right that Avengers 3: Part 1 will be released in November 2018 (or even exist), we still believe Avengers 3 will be (at least partially) released on this date. Yesterday the possibility opened up for it to be released a year earlier, but we think this date is the one Marvel has had circled for some time.
Avengers 3 will be a massive movie no matter what, but we think Avengers 3: Part 2 would be, without a doubt, Marvel’s biggest movie yet. Not only would it have the pull from all of the solo movies before it, but it would see the massive results of being the second part of a two-parter. It would be silly to think that Marvel has not considered making a two-part movie. It’s a guarantee for more money, and it could very well suit the story they’re telling better. Think of it as the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 effect.
To recap, here’s how we see Phase 3 playing out:
July 15, 2015: Ant-Man
May 6, 2016: Captain America 3
July 8, 2016: Doctor Strange
May 5, 2017: Guardians of the Galaxy 2
July 28, 2017: Black Widow
November 3, 2017: Thor 3
May 4, 2018: Iron Man 4
July 6, 2018: Loki
November 2, 2018: Avengers 3: Part 1
May 3, 2019: Avengers 3: Part 2
For those who want to see more characters from the Marvel comics enter into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this release schedule would undoubtedly be a disappointment. We both agree and disagree. We want to see many of the other heroes hit the big screen too, but we’re willing to wait until after Phase 3. Now is the time to focus on the characters that might not be around for very much longer. It’ll be interesting to see if Marvel agrees or not.
If last night’s announcement of another release told us anything it’s that Marvel might not have a plan. Given the business side of making movies, this makes a lot of sense. Lots of things have to go right for a movie to be made, and for huge blockbusters like these it comes down to the timing working out. Marvel may have a master plan that doesn’t come to fruition due to unforeseen circumstances. Regardless of that, Marvel has eight release dates to fill with movies, and that’s very exciting.
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