With Avengers: Endgame signifying the end of a cinematic era for the Marvel franchise as we know it, there are plenty of new cinematic worlds ready to compete for the attention of audiences. Whether or not they can live up to the standard set by the globally successful superhero series will only be known in time, as they do indeed have a hard time ahead attempting to generate the same audience interest and sustained box office numbers as the Avengers franchise has succeeded in doing. Nevertheless, here are some of the upcoming franchise films to fill the Avengers shaped hole in your heart.
The X-Men cinematic universe has had a long and rocky past, with hits in the form of stylish Logan in 2017 and big misses such as The Last Stand, which has been pretty much ignored by every subsequent director within the franchise. However, Dark Phoenix (starring Sansa Stark herself, Sophie Turner) could be the refresher the series needs to rejuvenate audience interest in these long-standing characters. Focussing in on character Jean Grey (aka Phoenix) and her struggle to control her own power, this new solo film is one of many to come. The film will be writer and producer Simon Kinberg’s directorial debut, and with a list of production credits including The Martian, Logan, Deadpool and Elysium, there is a lot of promise that Dark Phoenix could deliver what has been missing from the last few iterations of the X-Men universe: characters audiences care about.
From one female lead to another (although we still have a while to wait for it) Bird of Prey (or more casually known as The Harley Quinn film) promises to showcase Harley Quinn as we wish we’d seen her in Suicide Squad. Relatively new filmmaker Cathy Yan is taking the reins, and from what we’ve seen of the film so far there is a lot to be excited about. DC in general seem to be making some exciting moves away from the doom and gloom of Justice League and Man of Steel, and into the more thematically diverse and creative films, as showcased with Aquaman and Shazam! most recently. Let’s hope this winning streak continues!
And finally, if you really can’t let Marvel go just yet, you don’t have to. With Spiderman: Far From Home on the horizon, Phase Four of the Marvel cinematic universe will only just be getting started. We can also expect a Black Widow solo film, alongside sequels for Black Panther and Doctor Strange. Furthermore, new heroes, including martial artist Shang-Chi, are rumoured to be joining this next generation of Marvel heroes. With the big name characters such as Iron Man, Thor and Captain America presumed to be no longer with us after Endgame, room will be left for new, diverse characters to establish a place in the universe, as well as allow Marvel more creative freedom. If the animated masterpiece Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse signifies what is to come from Marvel, we shouldn’t expect them to keep quiet for long.
