Marvel Studios Sets Dates for Five Disney+ Shows Intimately Connected to MCU Films
Christian Blauvelt
Marvel Studios didn’t just officially announce its Phase Four film lineup at San Diego Comic-Con. Kevin Feige & Co. announced the release dates of five new streaming series that will launch on the upcoming Disney+ service. The move shows unprecedented integration between Marvel Studios’ films and episodic offerings — previously, Marvel Studios films and Marvel TV shows could touch upon one another but rarely did, in part because Marvel Studios and Marvel TV have had different management.
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” will be the first to debut, in Fall 2020. Anthony Mackie plays The Falcon and now carries Captain America’s shield, with Sebastian Stan donning the metal arm of the Winter Soldier once again. Also back is Daniel Bruhl’s Baron Zemo, last seen taken into custody at the end of “Captain America: Civil War” for assassinating Black Panther’s father in a bomb blast and setting in motion the events that would lead to the conflict between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers.
Next up is “WandaVision” starring Elizabeth Olsen. Strange rumors have surrounded this show, such as that it would be set in the 1950s. But Feige confirmed it will take place after “Avengers: Endgame” and tie in directly to “Doctor Strange 2,” in which Olsen will also appear. Presumably, her magical abilities are related to the same source of magical energy from which Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sorcerer Supreme derives his power. Teyonah Parris will also star in the series as a grown up version of Monica Rambeau, who appeared as a child in the film “Captain Marvel,” which was set in the 1990s. Monica is the daughter of the fighter pilot ace Maria Rambeau, played by Lashana Lynch.
“Loki” will also stream in Spring 2021. Tom Hiddleston took the stage at Hall H to chants of “Loki! Loki!” A convention superstar, Hiddleston famously lorded over Hall H at SDCC in 2013 in character as the trickster god himself to promote “Thor: The Dark World.” Loki died in “Avengers: Infinity War” but due to the time-travel shenanigans of “Avengers: Endgame” he appears to have been resurrected, though perhaps without the experiences had seen Loki go through since 2012’s “The Avengers.”
A “What If?” animated series is set for summer 2021. Like the one-shot “What If?” comics on which it’s based, it will reimagine key moments and interactions in the Marvel Cinematic Universe from an alternate history perspective, allowing for an astonishing range of potential voice cameos. Jeffrey Wright will voice iconic cosmic Marvel entity The Watcher, who only appears in moments of great crisis to observe and record critical events for posterity.
And finally, “Hawkeye” will air in fall 2021, starring Jeremy Renner as the masterful archer. The series will follow him as he trains a protégé, Kate Bishop.
