Marvel Studios returns to San Diego Comic-Con 2024 this weekend for the first time since 2022. Marvel elected to skip Comic-Con in 2023 because of the Hollywood labor strikes. However, Kevin Feige and Marvel will be making their triumphant return to Hall H for a Thursday Deadpool & Wolverine panel and an MCU-focused panel on Saturday.
Marvel’s Saturday panel is one of the premiere events of Comic-Con. The cast of The Avengers assembling onstage, Tom Hiddleston crashing the event as Loki, and Natalie Portman wielding Thor’s hammer are some of Marvel’s best moments at Comic-Con. Feige will certainly announce several projects and release dates for future Marvel projects. Below are five predictions for Marvel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024.
The Russo Brothers are introduced as the directors of Avengers 5 and 6
Marvel’s most prolific directors are on the brink of coming home. Reports surfaced last week that Anthony and Joe Russo were in early discussions to direct Avengers 5 and 6. Returning to the Russo Brothers for the next two Avengers installments makes a ton of sense for Marvel. For starters, the Russo Brothers can handle the size and scope of an Avengers film, having previously directed four MCU films including Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
While the Russo Brothers’ post-Endgame projects have barely made a dent in the pop culture lexicon, the duo have proved they can deliver in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Russos’ two Avengers films are two of the six highest-grossing films of all time. There is no better way to generate excitement for Avengers 5 and 6 than by bringing the Russo Brothers out during Marvel’s Saturday panel.
Colman Domingo replaces Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror
Speaking of Avengers 5, the original title was Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, with Jonathan Majors pegged to play the villainous Kang the Conqueror. Kang was positioned as the MCU’s ultimate villain for the Multiverse Saga, especially after appearances in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Loki. However, Marvel fired Majors in December after assault and harassment convictions. Furthermore, Marvel removed The Kang Dynasty moniker from the title.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Avengers 5 is expected to receive a new title and shift focus away from Kang. However, Marvel has laid so much groundwork for Kang that I don’t see them writing off the character completely. The simple fix is to recast the part because Kang comes in many variants.
Euphoria actor Colman Domingo has been rumored to play Kang for several months. Domingo played coy when asked about the role, indicating there might be some truth to the rumors. Domingo, an Academy Award-nominated actor with a strong theater background, would be a strong replacement for Majors.
Blade moves to 2026
Blade is not in development hell; it’s far worse than that. Blade was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, with Mahershala Ali attached to star as the titular vampire hunter. Since that fateful day, Blade has suffered multiple setbacks that have delayed production. In 2022, director Bassam Tariq exited the film due to creative differences. Yann Demange signed on to direct in November 2022, with multiple writers taking a crack at the script.
Last month, Demange exited Blade. Now, Eric Pearson is the new screenwriter. Feige recently said he’s in no rush to make Blade, which is concerning because of its November 2025 release date. Without a director and no production date announced, expect Marvel to move Blade to 2026, with a targeted release date somewhere before Avengers 5.
Spider-Man 4, Shang-Chi 2 land Phase Six release dates
Marvel only has four movies dated for Phase Six: The Fantastic Four (July 25, 2025), Blade (November 7, 2025), Avengers 5 (May 1, 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027). Even with Bob Iger’s mandate to only release two to three Marvel films per year, 2026 and 2027 need more movies. If Blade moves to 2026, one more MCU film can be released in 2026, with two spots open in 2027.
Let’s assume the standalone X-Men film is coming after Secret Wars. The logical decision for Feige would be to make sequels since there’s no exposition required for the main characters. Two films that instantly come to mind are Spider-Man 4 and Shang-Chi 2. Feige recently said a script for Spider-Man 4 would be turned in “relatively soon.”
Meanwhile, Shang-Chi star Simu Liu promised fans that a sequel was coming in a Threads post from April. Assuming these predictions come to fruition, Spider-Man 4 seems like a likely candidate for fall 2026, with Shang-Chi 2 headed for February 2027.
Ironheart, Wonder Man receive Disney+ premiere dates
Speaking of Iger’s movie mandate, the other command involved reducing the number of Marvel Disney+ series to two per year, assuming he means live-action series. Agatha All Along is the only scheduled live-action series remaining in 2024. Daredevil: Born Again is slated for March 2025, with a Vision series set for 2026.
Like the film schedule, Marvel needs to start dating future TV shows for Disney+. Two shows that are in post-production are Ironheart and Wonder Man. Ironheart finished filming in 2022, with additional reshoots completed earlier this year. The series focuses on Dominique Thorne’s Ironheart, a character first introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ironheart has a rumored release in fall 2025, so expect Feige to make it official on Saturday.
The other TV show needing a release date is Wonder Man. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars as Simon Williams, an actor and stuntperson who becomes the hero Wonder Man. On The Official Marvel Podcast, Feige described Wonder Man as “extremely different” from anything Marvel has done before. With filming complete, Wonder Man is a prime candidate to arrive on Disney+ in 2026.
