What is that sound? If you listen closely, it is the sound of millions of Marvel fans slowly losing hia or her minds with anticipation. It has been a roller coaster the last few months for Marvel Entertainment and fans are eager to see what is next for the Marvel cinematic universe.

Most of the buzz started in July when the Marvel panel at San Diego Comic Con announced movie dates, but no movie titles, for Phase Three, Marvel’s expansion plan for its character universe. Fans and critics have been debating the titles ever since but the only definite answers we have so far are the long-awaited Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Captain America 3, and Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Nothing is likely to be announced until after the highly anticipated Avengers: Age of Ultron is released in May.

Also over the summer, filming for Ant-Man finally began with Paul Rudd in the lead role. The film has been in talks since 2003 and there were many ups and downs, including the head writer leaving the project in May. The film is set to be released July 17, 2015. Marvel also signed off on a second Guardians of the Galaxy film almost immediately after the first was released on Aug. 1.

Then, there were the rumors that Academy Award nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix was in talks to play Doctor Strange in the 2016 movie adaption of the famous comics. However, it was announced a few days later that deals had fallen through and he was no longer attached to the project. No names had been mentioned until Oct. 27 when Marvel announced Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch would star as the lead.

However, bigger news hit at the beginning of this month when it was announced Robert Downey Jr. had been signed on for Captain America 3, due in theaters 2016. Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man will play a major role in starting the Civil War comic storyline which will then kick off a whole new phase of movies.

The plot will most likely focus on the Superhero Registration Act, a bill that forces any superhero to reveal his or her identities to the government. Tony Stark is for the bill while Captain America’s alter ego Steve Rogers, played by Chris Evans, is against it. This will turn the two against each other and force Rogers, and other superheroes, to go on the run. Seeing as Stark and Rogers are teammates on the Avengers, this turns Stark into a villain of sorts and could set up storylines for future movies, including a fourth Avengers.

Marvel announced the same week that they were rebooting the Civil War comic series in 2015, fueling the rumors that Captain America 3’s plot would revolve around this.

And if things could not get more exciting, a poor quality teaser trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron was leaked by an unknown source. Marvel responded by releasing the full teaser trailer over a week early in all its high definition glory.

It was two minutes and sixteen seconds of incredible action and chaos, introducing the villain that has had fans buzzing since the title was announced not long after the first Avengers was released in 2012.
It even introduced the ‘Hulkbuster’, which is a suit designed by Tony Stark in the comics to combat the Hulk. Why Iron Man is fighting the Hulk the trailer did not specify, but it is alarming to see two team members fighting against each other as it also shows Thor attacking Stark.

• “Captain America: Civil War” (May 6, 2016)
• “Dr. Strange” (Nov. 4, 2016)
• “Guardians of the Galaxy 2” (May 5, 2017)
• “Thor: Ragnarok” (July 18, 2017)
• “Black Panther” (Nov. 3, 2017)
• “Avengers: Infinity War, Part 1” (May 4, 2018)
• “Captain Marvel” (July 6, 2018)
• “Inhumans” (Nov. 2, 2018)
• “Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2” (May 3, 2019)

Black Panther will be played by Chadwick Boseman who has previously stared as James Brown in Get On Up and as Jackie Robinson in 42. It was also revealed Black Panther will have a major role in Captain America 3. No other casting announcements have been made.

On the television end, Marvel finally cast someone to play Daredevil in the Netflix series that is set to start streaming in May of 2015. Agent Carter, an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoff, is set to premiere on ABC at the beginning of 2015 and is about Peggy Carter, the female lead in Captain America: the First Avenger.

It is hard to believe that Marvel Entertainment started with Iron Man in 2008 with no plans for any other film. Now, they have made billions (Avengers made 1.5 billion alone) and have movies planned well past 2020. Marvel released that Thor would now be a woman and Captain America would be taken over by Marvel character Falcon, who is African American.
Marvel is now one of the biggest companies in the world, making comic book fans happy one movie at a time.

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