From the article:

The Batman - Part II script and filming status have received some major updates, shedding new light on the highly-anticipated DC sequel.

Following its smashing success in 2022 with The Batman movie, Matt Reeves is getting ready to continue his Elseworlds-based franchise with the story of The Batman - Part II.

That said, with focus having recently been on the upcoming spinoff The Penguin, news about the sequel hasn't been as common.

However, The Batman - Part II is getting closer to becoming a reality, as Screen Rant recently spoke with The Batman screenwriter Mattson Tomlin for his new series, Terminator Zero, where he was asked if he could finally give an update.

Tomlin, who is co-penning The Batman - Part II script with Reeves, said that filming would be taking place next year and praised the director for wanting to make sure they had proper time to develop the sequel, sharing the following:

Mattson Tomlin: It's shooting next year. We're gearing up, and I will say that the bar just couldn't be higher.

It's the sequel to the first one. But also, Matt [Reeves] is like no other. In the five years now that I've been working with him as closely as I have, I've tried to absorb as much as humanly possible from him, and I'm so grateful for the time that I get to spend with him, because he is a true artist who is operating in a world where sometimes art doesn't get to flourish, and he's trying to make something that really matters.

So to be able to just be on the ride and be part of that process, it's pretty unbelievable, pretty tremendous. I'm psyched for the movie.

Why The Batman 2 Is Taking So Long

More Than One Factor Has Caused The Delay

There are many factors to take into account when it comes to what is going on with The Batman - Part II and why it is taking as long as it has to happen. Initially, The Batman - Part II was set to start filming in November 2023, as the film had a release date set for October 2025.

However, the Hollywood strikes that took up most of last year delayed the script from being finished, while actors were also not filming in light of standing with their unions.

It's also worth taking into consideration that The Batman - Part II's development has also been happening in the midst of the rise of DC Studios, which will be setting up James Gunn's DC Universe.

Even though The Batman franchise stands on its own as an Elseworlds property, there have likely been discussions between Gunn and Reeves regarding how their properties will co-exist.

Gunn may not have a creative involvement with The Batman - Part II, but the sequel is still being produced under DC Studios, meaning he still has his co-CEO responsibilities to do for any film made under the studio.

Note

The Penguin TV show is confirmed to bridge the gap between the events of The Batman and The Batman - Part II.

While The Batman - Part II wait will be worth it, HBO's The Penguin show will also be a solid installment that can give viewers a good idea of what is going on in this universe before they catch the sequel.

Depending on what they are doing for The Batman - Part II, it will be fascinating to see what teases will be planted in The Penguin when it premieres next month. Hopefully, more news about The Batman - Part II, including some new casting announcements, will be rolling out later this fall.

Source: https://screenrant.com/the-batman-2-script-filming-update-mattson-tomlin/

From the article:

The stars of one of Marvel's many major projects to release in 2025 just dropped a major tease as to what fans can expect to see in the film.

While speaking on an episode of The Official Marvel Podcast, Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena Belova in Thunderbolts*, talked about her character's role in the upcoming film, as well as why she's excited to bring Yelena to life for the third time in the MCU.

Pugh previously played the character twice, once in Black Widow opposite Scarlett Johansson, and once more in the Disney+ series Hawkeye starring Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld.

While Yelena has previously worked primarily with heroes, Thunderbolts* will see her work with a band of ragtag villains, a different situation which Pugh is excited about:

"To be able to come back again, but show another side of what it is to be a human going through life in the way that she does, that may not necessarily be the way we would live, is beautiful."

One of the biggest qualms with the MCU in the post-Endgame chapter of storytelling has been the lack of team-up stories, and Thunderbolts* promises to deliver on exactly that, bringing together characters from film and television ripped straight from different projects and different corners of the universe.

Yelena is one member of the Thunderbolts that has significant experience working with one of the original six Avengers (Black Widow), which leaves her as one of the most qualified people to be team leader, along with Bucky (Sebastian Stan), who has worked with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) for years.

Other members of the Thunderbolts include Red Guardian (David Harbour), U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

Marvel Studios Has Four Movies Releasing in 2025

After releasing only one movie in 2024, Marvel Studios is ramping things up big time in 2024 with four theatrical releases currently on the schedule. The first is Captain America: Brave New World, which is scheduled to premiere on February 14.

Thunderbolts* will follow shortly after in May, with The Fantastic Four: First Steps hitting theaters on July 25, two weeks after James Gunn's Superman flies into theaters.

Lastly, Marvel has yet to delay Blade from its November 7 release date, but given the plethora of issues and setbacks facing the project, it's highly unlikely it sticks to a 2025 release.

Thunderbolts* will release in theaters on May 2, 2025.

Sources: https://collider.com/thunderbolts-florence-pugh-yelena-belova/

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jiuV8YbF8YI0reaJ7WaSg?si=PmXTcgB_TY6KmgMpEOK27A&nd=1&utm_medium=organic&product=open&%24full_url=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fepisode%2F2jiuV8YbF8YI0reaJ7WaSg%3Fsi%3DPmXTcgB_TY6KmgMpEOK27A&feature=organic&_branch_match_id=1355000871537619088&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA72N3QqCMACFn2Zeas1QCSSMEkqioKi8kjnnXM5t7Oeit28GvUJwLg7n4%2BMM1iqzjiKjpGX9O0RKhZyJMdooLTuHbS4VEQGAq95x3jjN82FWQFwAWPrMOPzZWE5%2BIooZ2RHf4Iu5e1a3ZVYfFpqgY%2FpAVwri0jAQ7y7T84bptrnVSTXRk9qfK5gW3y%2FEeYvw%2BI8%2FABPReboMeoKs0ySXmiLB8AcYZegMGwEAAA%3D%3D

Source: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/robert-downey-jr-the-sympathizer/id1039032256?i=1000666034766

From the article:

Robert Downey Jr. sent MCU fans' tongues a-waggin' when he strode onstage at San Diego Comic Con and revealed himself as Dr. Doom. The unveiling signaled Downey's return to the cinematic universe that has held Hollywood in its thrall for over 16 years — since, in fact, the actor's debut in 2008's Iron Man.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige — with a little help from Disney CEO Bob Iger — convinced RDJ to get back in the superhero game, he explained on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast published Tuesday.

Downey was originally interested in contributing to Disney theme parks when he and wife Susan Downey sat down with Feige, with whom he has remained good friends.

“He said, ‘It just keeps occurring to me, if you were to come back …’” Downey said. “Susan was like, ‘Wait, wait. Come back as what?’”

Feige wanted to make sure that they didn't "go backwards" or "disappoint expectations" but rather "continue to beat expectations,” Downey said.

“And he brought up Victor Von Doom," he continued. "I looked into this character. Later on, he goes, ‘Let’s get Victor Von Doom right.'

Doom is one of Marvel's greatest villains and plays an integral part in the planned next phase of the Avengers films and the MCU in general.

Downey had a lot to consider, and so he asked to meet with Iger, who almost immediately gave his okay to the idea of Downey as Doom. Iger then invited both the Oscar-winning actor and Feige to Disney's Imagineering Campus, which all but sealed the deal.

“You want to talk about two guys that are not easy to have their minds blown, let alone at the same time,” Downey recalled. “What is going on there, right now, is so beyond my expectations of what was possible.”

Downey will be playing Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and then in Avengers: Secret Wars. In the comics, Secret Wars was a massive Marvel event, written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Esad Ribic, and first published in 2015.

It tells an epic story of the multiverse getting destroyed by a process of parallel universes colliding into each other, thanks to the machinations of a group of powerful supernatural beings called the Ivory Kings.

In that comic, Doom is able to save a small group of characters from across time and space and assemble them on a ragtag planet called Battleworld.

"New mask, same task," Downey said at his big Comic Con debut. "What can I say, I like playing complicated characters."

Source: https://ew.com/how-robert-downey-jr-was-convinced-to-return-to-mcu-dr-doom-8699044#:~:text=%E2%80%9CYou%20want%20to%20talk%20about,then%20in%20Avengers%3A%20Secret%20Wars.

From the article:

The early 2020s were rough for Marvel Studios, and the franchise seems determined to sweep the era’s films under the rug forever. Sure, Black Widow gave us Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and the Red Guardian (David Harbour), but other attempts to expand the MCU fell flat.

Plans to continue the Eternals’ storyline are dead in the water. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is stalled after Spider-Man: No Way Home capped off his trilogy. And then there’s Shang-Chi, the martial arts master played by Simu Liu, who was positioned as a major new Avenger.

Despite his potential, though, Liu’s Shang-Chi hasn’t been seen since 2021, when he debuted in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

That’s practically a lifetime in MCU years, and with no concrete updates from Marvel itself, it would be easy to assume a sequel just isn’t happening.

Liu has been the sole figure providing updates about a potential Shang-Chi 2; the project has yet to be announced, but the actor has assured fans the film is “definitely” on the table.

“A lot of it is above my pay grade, but it’s definitely happening,” Liu recently told The Press Trust of India). “[I’m] just very excited to kind of work on it and it’s going to be amazing. I really can’t say anything beyond that.”

When could Shang-Chi appear next?

Shang-Chi isn’t the only Marvel character whose development has been stalled.

Many of the heroes and villains introduced post-Endgame have been waiting in the wings for another appearance: apart from Yelena Belova, Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, and Danny Ramirez’s Falcon, few “new” characters have scored multiple appearances.

That’s partially due to the loss of the Avengers, who splintered after Avengers: Endgame and have yet to rebuild. But we may see Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) reform the superhero team in Captain America: Brave New World, and that, in turn, could bring Shang-Chi back to the MCU.

Inverse can confirm that in the original plan for Avengers 5, then called Kang Dynasty, Shang-Chi would've been one of the film's main leads. A lot’s changed since then; Avengers 5 was meant to focus on Kang the Conqueror, but Marvel has since completely retooled the film to introduce Victor Von Doom (played, bafflingly, by Robert Downey Jr.).

But if Brave New World does set the stage for a new Avengers, then Avengers: Doomsday could finally give characters like Shang-Chi the role they deserve. A new villain shouldn’t stop Marvel from focusing on the future.

Is it too late for Shang-Chi 2?

Assuming Shang-Chi does play a big role in Doomsday, the film and its follow-up, Secret Wars, could see the character have his MCU status elevated, which in turn could finally set the stage for Shang-Chi 2. That means we’d have to wait at least three more years for the martial artist to get another standalone adventure.

Marvel’s slate of films leading up to Secret Wars is mostly locked in, although there is a bit of wiggle room, including slots for four yet-announced Marvel films in between Doomsday and Secret Wars. Until Marvel actually announces Shang-Chi 2, however, fans could be waiting indefinitely.

That’s frustrating for anyone who connected with the character and his world; it’s also indicative of Marvel’s biggest issue after Endgame.

There just doesn’t seem to be any plans for this new crop of characters. Even if Marvel eventually gives characters like Shang-Chi the stories they deserve, it may be too late to capitalize on the goodwill of a movie that came out years ago.

But it remains worth a try if the MCU is to have any real future, and giving Shang-Chi his moment in Avengers 5 would be a good place to start.

Source: https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/shang-chi-2-simu-liu-update-avengers-5

Form the article:

To me, my X-Men fans! As we wait for the second season of Marvel Animation’s hit series X-Men ‘97, executive producer Brad Winderbaum gave fans a huge tease about what’s to come for our favorite mutants.

After an X-Men ‘97 screening of the first season that Collider was in attendance for, ComicBook’s Jamie Jirak moderated a Q&A with Winderbaum, supervising producer Jake Casterona, and director Emi/Emmett Yonemura.

When asked about what the team could tease about the anticipated second season, Winderbaum shared with the audience that two other X-teams will be featured in the new season. He said:

“There’s many teams, in Marvel, that have the letter “X” that are followed by a hyphen. I would put it to you like this… there’s two other X teams in Season 2.”

More X-teams to go around! Now the question is, which teams will they be? At D23 recently, the Marvel Animation panel announced that Polaris, Lady Deathstrike, and Sabretooth would appear in the upcoming season.

Based on what we know from the comics, Lorna Dane, aka Polaris, was a member of X-Factor. At one point, X-Factor included mutants such as Havok, Wolfsbane, and Quicksilver. Meanwhile, Lady Deathstrike and Sabretooth both have connections in forming the Weapon X-Men.

Weapon X-Men originally included Mystique, Domino, Warpath, and Old Man Logan. When Logan and Warpath later left, the group was renamed Weapon X-Force.

From what we know about these characters, it would be safe to predict that the teams teased by Winderbaum are X-Factor and a version of Weapon X-Men.

What Else We Know About ‘X-Men ‘97’ Season 2

New mutants and new “X-hyphened” teams aren’t the only things coming to the revival series. At the Marvel Animation panel at D23, it was also revealed that this upcoming season will feature new suits inspired by the New X-Men series, written by Grant Morrison, with art by Frank Quietly.

In addition to this, What If…? alum, Matthew Chauncey, is stepping into the mutant world as the series’ head writer. Chauncey is replacing Beau DeMayo, who parted ways with Marvel prior to the release of the first season.

X-Men ‘97 has delivered what fans of the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series had been missing since the original series went off the air in the late ‘90s. Even before X-Men ‘97 received its Emmy nomination, the revival series received a second and third season renewal.

Although details have been sparse, Collider’s Maggie Lovitt has been using Magneto-like skills to pull any nuggets from members of both the cast and the creative team.

Thanks to her interview with Brad Winderbaum, we’ve learned that editing for the follow-up season was already in progress as far back as May 2024.

Winderbaum also shared that the writers’ room was already working on storylines for the third season.

Source: https://collider.com/x-men-97-season-2-more-x-teams/

From the article:

Marvel Cinematic Universe star Charlie Cox reflects on the creative overhaul that occurred with Daredevil: Born Again. While it has become one of the most highly anticipated TV shows in the MCU timeline, the journey of the continuation of the acclaimed Netflix show hasn't been an easy one.

Daredevil: Born Again was one of the bigger MCU projects to take the headlines in 2023 when it was revealed that Marvel Studios had let go of the original creative team in order to retool the series.

This weekend, Screen Rant's Joe Deckelmeier hosted Cox's panel at FanExpo Chicago, where the British actor spoke about the past, present, and future of his MCU involvement.

A fan asked at one point about Daredevil: Born Again's creative overhaul and if Cox could go a bit deeper into the 2023 changes. When specifically asked what he thought about what was originally shot before all the changes took place with the new creative direction, Cox stated the following:

I'm actually not going to answer that just because it's more complicated. I've read online how that information has been received, and the truth of the matter is it was a lot more complicated than that.

A lot of the material that we shot pre-strike is brilliant and is still in the show and works really well. There were just some complicated factors around what we had been tasked to do and what we were discovering was and wasn't working.

I would hate to answer that and then make it sound like what people were doing before the changes were made was not good or wrong. It is just more complicated than that.

I think what I'll say is credit to Marvel that they looked at the episodes and could acknowledge that we could still do better, and that we maybe needed to go in a slightly different direction.

That's just how it is; we are so lucky to be working for a company that is willing to do that and spend more money to get there. But where we ended up felt really good.

What Daredevil: Born Again's Creative Overhaul Means For Future Marvel Studios TV Shows

As complicated as things were with Daredevil: Born Again having to essentially start from scratch, this was perhaps the best move for not just this show, but the future of Marvel Television.

One of the big problems that Marvel Studios was dealing with in several of their MCU TV shows on Disney+ was that it didn't feel like a regular TV series, but a movie chopped up into six parts.

But when Daredevil: Born Again was put into a creative overhaul, it was the first step in course-correcting, including getting a showrunner who had to conceive a traditional series bible, ideally meant to run for multiple seasons.

It's also key to remember that Marvel Studios is trying to give more freedom to the audience by making these shows not so intensely dependent on having seen every film and TV show that has come before the next project.

As an example, whenever the MCU's Nova TV show gets off the ground, it will ideally be something any casual viewer can tune into, even if they have missed a few MCU projects. The same should be applied to Daredevil: Born Again, where audience members who haven't seen Cox in Netflix's Daredevil series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, or Echo, can use the 2025 show as a starting point.

That could also be a big reason why Marvel Studios is targeting the Vision TV show for a 2026 premiere, by making sure newly-appointed showrunner Terry Matalas gets to craft the season properly before the show's launch.

It's also worth remembering that a huge reason why the original Marvel TV era did as well as it did was because they were allowed to run them as traditional TV shows and have more liberties.

Hopefully, with how things are going for Daredevil: Born Again, the next slate of MCU TV shows will be able to follow the new bar that Cox's series is setting for Marvel Studios.

Source: https://screenrant.com/daredevil-born-again-creative-overhaul-charlie-cox-explained/

From the article:

Simu Liu recently confirmed that Shang-Chi 2 is still in the works during an interview. The sequel to the popular 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is progressing, despite Marvel Studios not having officially announced any news on the project recently.

In an interview with PTI (via Times of India), Liu shared an update on the sequel, stating, "A lot of it is above my pay grade, but it's definitely happening. I’m very excited to work on it, and it's going to be amazing. I really can’t say anything beyond that."

"I'm very excited to work on it, and it's going to be amazing."

Although Marvel has not formally confirmed the release date, there are several untitled projects scheduled on Marvel Studios' calendar over the next few years, which could potentially accommodate Shang-Chi 2.

The possible release dates for these mystery films are February 13, 2026; November 6, 2026; July 23, 2027; and November 5, 2027.

Shang-Chi 2's Release Date Remains Uncertain

The MCU's official upcoming slate includes Captain America: Brave New World which is set to kick off the year on February 14, 2025, followed by Thunderbolts* on May 2, 2025. Fans can look forward to The Fantastic Four: First Steps arriving on July 25, 2025, and Blade joining the roster on November 7, 2025. The next big ensemble film, Avengers: Doomsday, is scheduled for May 1, 2026, while Avengers: Secret Wars will end the current phase on May 7, 2027.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, premiered in Hollywood on August 16, 2021, and was released in the U.S. on September 3 as part of MCU Phase Four. It earned over $432 million globally, making it the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2021.

The film was praised for its portrayal of Asian culture, thrilling action sequences, and the performances of its cast, including Simu Liu and Tony Leung. It also received a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 94th Academy Awards.

In 2021, Kevin Feige clarified Shang-Chi's potential status in the MCU, stating, "The early reactions to the characters and to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings itself gives me great hope that people will want to see more of these characters. We certainly have many ideas of where to take them and where to put them.

What's so fun, we know the movie's working when it's not just the title character that people ask about, but it is the co-stars or the supporting players that people ask about. And in this movie in particular, that's heartening because we think they're spectacular, and we think they have great potential in the future."

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is available to stream on Disney+.

Source: https://www.cbr.com/shang-chi-2-promising-release-update/

From the article:

The critical reactions to the Spider-Man spinoff Madame Web were disappointing, with the film's totals at the box office also falling short of expectations, though even with those frustrating reactions from audiences and critics, star Isabela Merced admits she is still proud of the project.

In addition to enjoying the actual filming experience, Merced confirmed how she personally has a soft spot for movies that are more enjoyable on a campy level than on a more genuine level, so she might be biased with her reactions. Merced is jumping into another superhero franchise by starring in James Gunn's upcoming Superman.

"It's really interesting, I feel like every actor that I know, that I admire, has that one movie that I'm like, 'It's so camp,'" Merced shared with the Happy Sad Confused podcast. "I think we all -- the group chat was fun. With all the tweets that would come out and all the memes, the group chat was very fun."

She continued, "But at the same time, it does have a sad taste in my mouth, because there were people that worked on it that worked really hard and maybe this was their opportunity to have a big break and I just can't help but think about those people that put in the work. I'm lucky enough to have other opportunities right now, that's what I feel really blessed about, but I do feel bad for the other people that put their all into this and, there's so many cooks in the kitchen, so even though you might mean well, somebody else might not understand the assignment."

The actor went on to express her love of campy experiences, implying that even if Madame Web wasn't a blockbuster, audiences can still enjoy themselves.

"I love a campy movie. Honestly, I love The Room, I love Flubber, I love Catwoman," Merced expressed. "Those are my favorite, so I am a little bit proud of it, in that sense."

Not everyone involved in Madame Web had as fond memories of the experience, as producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura got a bit more candid about the response to the movie.

"I don't have any idea. I really don't know," Bonaventura revealed to ComicBook at San Diego Comic-Con when asking if Madame Web characters could return. "That was a heartbreaking experience in the theater, so I'll tell you that." When asked about the personal toll such a response took on him, Bonaventura said it felt "like an ax in your head."

Source: https://comicbook.com/movies/news/madame-web-isabela-merced-reaction-proud-campy-spider-man/