Disney Announces Two New Marvel Movies For 2016 And 2017, Wild Speculation Begins

Disney, Marvel Studios’ parent company, announced two new Marvel movies for 2016 and 2017. With “The Avengers 2” and “Ant-Man” slated for 2015, the speculation begins as to what the new films will be.

In the press release, Disney announced release dates for several upcoming films. The “Into the Woods” musical adaptation, starring Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep, will hit theaters on Dec. 24, 2014, while the “Muppets” sequel got a new title, “Muppets Most Wanted,” notes Variety.

Disney announced two new Marvel movies for May 2016 and May 2017. “The Avengers” and “Iron Man 3,” both billion-dollar successes, were released during the first week of May and it appears that Disney is planning something big for the lucrative weekend. As for what the two movies will be, it will not be “The Avengers 2” or “Ant-Man.”

The sequel to “The Avengers” currently has a release date of May 1, 2015, while Edgar Wright’s (“Shaun of the Dead” and the upcoming “The End of the World”) “Ant-Man” has a release date of Nov. 6, 2015. With Marvel focused on the upcoming “Thor: The Dark World” in 2013, “Captain America: The Winter Solider” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” in 2014, it’s unclear what new Marvel movies announced, but the answers could come quickly at San Diego’s Comic Con, which begins in July.

Marvel has discussed possible plans for a movie involving Doctor Strange as part of Phase 3 while the Black Panther movie has been speculated upon but never confirmed. Entertainment Weekly spoke to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and he described his love for the Doctor Strange character and plans for a Phase Three debut.

Collider points out potential sequels to “Captain America” or “Thor,” a new “Hulk” movie and even “Iron Man 4” as prospects for one of the big May release dates. The site also notes that there may be more than one Marvel in 2016 and 2017 with additional titles, with fall release dates, being announced later.

Another possibility could be a new superhero team movie introducing new characters to a large audience, similar to the galactic “Guardians of the Universe.” “The Inhumans” include Black Bolt, Medusa, Crystal, Gorgon and Triton and involves the concept of Terrigen Mist, a substance which instantly causes mutation.

The superhero lineup is similar to that of “Guardian of the Galaxy” in that they are not mainstream characters but are compelling nonetheless. Black Bolt, the team’s leader, cannot speak due to his voice having the ability to cause complete destruction and the team also features Lockjaw, an Inhuman turned into a dog by Terrigen Mists, who has the ability to teleport.