NewsLuke HendersonMarvel, Movie, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Avengers, Thunderbolts

Marvel Studios offer up hope and DOOM at San Diego Comic-Con

NewsLuke HendersonMarvel, Movie, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Avengers, Thunderbolts
Marvel Studios offer up hope and DOOM at San Diego Comic-Con

There are a few things that are certain in the world, sports videogames are released annually, Christmas in Australia is hot and Marvel Studios drop bombshells inside of Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con.

This year was not exception, so lets run through all the news from the panel, which sadly like every year is never broadcast online, so only those who are willing to pay to go there and wait in long lines, get to experience it first hand. First up, lets take a look at Fantastic Four, which got a new title.

Fantastic Four: First Steps

The movie was not new, we knew it was coming, in fact we have known for months, however there is more news now. First up is that the movie is no longer called just Fantastic Four, but rather is now called Fantastic Four: First Steps. The main cast where also on stage, before they head off to London, in order to begin filming, with the movie expected to land in cinemas on July 25, 2025 in the USA.

Earlier in the week, the first cast photo was revealed by Pedro Pascal who is playing Reed Richards in the film, which strangely is tagged as being taken in London, which I guess means they flew back for Comic-Con and are going back again. One special moment for the presentation was that the Fantasticar took flight across Hall H, you can see in action below.

The movie will star the following:

  • Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards

  • Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm

  • Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing

  • Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm

  • Ralph Ineson as Galactus

  • Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer

John Malkovich is reported to be in the movie as well, but that has not been confirmed. The only other details we know is that the movie is going to be set in the 1960’s, but one with a retro-futurism vibe.

“We’re not just doing the 60s, we’re doing retro future 60s… it’s part what you know from the 60s, but part what you’ve never seen before. With the right heart and mind, you can do anything.”
— Matt Shakman, Director of Fantastic Four: First Steps

That explains the clips those in attendance got to see, namely Reed Richards hosting a science tv show and The Thing on a dating show. The last details we know is that this movie will kick off Phase 6, which will end with Avengers: Secret Wars, more on that below.

 

Captain America: Brave New World

This was the movie that kicked off the Hall H presentation and the only one we have seen a trailer of, you can check that out here. There was new footage revealed that Finally addresses the giant hand that was left sticking out of the ocean in The Eternals and the footage showed US President Thaddeus Ross revealing that they now have adamantium, which is what Wolverine had all his bones coated in.

On stage we got to see Harrison Ford, which you can see below, the footage they showed also gave us a look at Ross turning into the Red Hulk.

In addition to all that, Giancarlo Esposito’s mysterious character was finally given a name, Seth Voelker, also known as Sidewinder, the Leader of the Serpent Society.

The cast of the movie is:

  • Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America

  • Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon:

  • Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph

  • Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley

  • Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker / Sidewinder

  • Liv Tyler as Betty Ross

  • Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns / Leader

  • Harrison Ford as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross / Red Hulk

The movie is set to release here in Australia on February 13th, 2025.

 

Thunderbolts*

After being silent for so long, we also got some new details about Thunderbolts*, which yes does have an asterisk at the end of the title, though we don’t know why… yet. The full cast of heroes or anti-heroes if you prefer were on stage, with David Harbour making quite the entrance.

Along side Harbour, who is returning as Red Guardian, the movie stars:

  • Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barns / Winter Solider

  • Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova

  • Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent

  • Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost

  • Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

  • Geraldine Viswanathan as Unknown, they have not said.

The movie is rumoured to also have Harrison Ford in it, if so Thaddeus Ross will be his character and Lewis Pullman is also in the cast, but his role has not been disclosed. The movie is being directed by Jake Schreier, who before directing all six episodes of Beef for Netflix, directed a lot of music videos. You can see the cast and director in the first photo below, which for reference is Pugh, Pullman, Viswanathan, John-Kamen, Louis-Dreyfus, Schreier, Stan, Harbour and Russell.

The movie is expected to release here in Australia on May 1st, 2025.

 

Avengers: Doomsday / Avengers: Secret Wars

Finally, we get to the big movies. While Avengers: Secret Wars is the same name we got told a few years ago, Doomsday is all new, ousting The Kang Dynasty. The first of the two movies, Avengers: Doomsday is set to arrive into theatres in May 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars coming a year later in May 2027, you can see the new logos below.

Now there is almost no way you haven’t heard by now, but Robert Downey Jr is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but this time playing Dr Victor Von Doom.

As this saga, which started with Phase 4’s Black Widow, is called the Multiverse Saga, it is more than likely that this version of Dr Doom is actually from another world, but just happens to look like Tony Stark. Of course, they could also give him a fake moustache or even keep him in the iconic helmet all the time.

Of course, the other big news is that both movies now have directors again, with Anthony and Joe Russo returning once more to take charge of the Avengers. The pair began in the MCU directing Captain America: Winter Soldier, then returned to do Captain America: Civil War and then were in charge of both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Those last two combined made a staggering $7,399,504,525 AUD at the Box Office, there is no doubt that both will get a pay bump coming back.

Also, writer Stephen McFeely is back writing the scripts for both movies, though he is without his writing partner Christopher Markus, the pair had previously written all three Captain America movies with Chris Evans, as well as both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. They were also the creators of the Agent Carter TV series, and also wrote Thor: The Dark World.

Finally, Marvel has released a video with many of the actors listed above, talking about their movies.

So there we go, all the news from the Marvel Studios Hall H Presentation at San Diego Comic-con 2024. There may not be too much longer for more Marvel Studios news as D23 Expo is taking place August 9, 10 and 11, with a panel dedicated to movies at the show. Marvel have always shown up in the past, so they might do so again this year.