With “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2”, “Spiderman: Homecoming”, and “Thor: Ragnarok” on the way, it seems that Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is continuing to expand into larger stories than ever before. With several solo titles and two more Avenger movies on the way, we know one thing for certain: Phase Three is nearing its end, which means that the MCU (or at least, the first wave of the MCU) is coming to a conclusion.
We don’t know much about the future of the MCU beyond Phase Three, other than that the next cinematic universe won’t be built into phases, and that James Gunn, the writer/director behind the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise, is returning for the third installment, and possibly joining the likes of Kevin Feige as a creative overseer of Marvel moviemaking.
The strongest rumors suggest that after “Avengers: Infinity War”, the entirety of the universe will see a huge shift; we’re expecting Thanos to tear it up, and maybe an Avenger or two to pass on. Which leaves a lot of speculation as to what’s happening with the fourth (and so far, untitled) Avengers movie, slated for release in 2019. Will it be a continuation of the Thanos arc that’s been culminating for almost a decade? Or will “Avengers 4” be the first step on the path to a completely unfamiliar and new Marvel Cinematic Universe?
So far, fans are predicting the latter. With James Gunn confirmed to continue working quite prominently with Marvel Studios, many are theorizing that the MCU will no longer be the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the Marvel Cosmic Universe. Which isn’t to say that they’re not movies; rather that the franchise will be venturing into the farthest reaches of the comic book lore that Marvel Comics have established for decades. We’ve barely seen what Marvel has to offer as far as outer space is concerned, which to me —as a fan and a wannabe critic, alike— is sooo exciting.
Basically, if you like “Guardians of the Galaxy”, it should excite you that Marvel is continuing that approach to their characters. The utter enjoyment of the first movie, released in 2014, renewed audiences’ love for Marvel movies, and reminded us that these movies are at their best when they’re made so differently. While we can’t assume that “Volume 2” will be as good as the first, it’s safe to believe it will at least be one of the best Marvel movies since its predecessor. Keeping the tone for these movies in mind, this tone could be what shapes the future of the Marvel Cosmic Universe, especially if it’s crafted by James Gunn.
Unfortunately, the best things that Marvel Cosmic has to offer are still owned by Fox. I won’t get into those technicalities, but all you really need to know is that the movie rights to the Fantastic Four still belong to 20th Century Fox. I know what you’re thinking: Who cares about the Fantastic Four? And you have a point. But, with the Fantastic Four comes the Skrulls, Galactus, and of course, the Silver Surfer. You may be unfamiliar with these characters, but their roles in Marvel are a lot bigger than the Cosmic Universe will (probably) let on. The Skrulls are an alien race who are fully responsible for the Inhumans, who are getting their own live action adaptation, most likely without any Skrull-related explanation. Galactus, as you may or may not know, is a giant, purple, armored dude who isn’t Thanos. On the contrary, he’s a giant, purple, armored dude who eats planets. He’s also arguably Marvel’s most famous and most powerful antagonist, ever. He sort of appeared in 2007’s “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer”, alongside his employee, the Silver Surfer. It really is a shame that we probably won’t see these characters in the MCU; they’re actually incredible.
However, we will be given the opportunity to explore characters like the Nova Corps, Adam Warlock, and even more members of the Guardians of the Galaxy down the line. None of these people may sound familiar to you, but don’t worry; the Marvel Cosmic Universe is only a few years away.
