Marvel Studios seems to have started what it calls the Phase II with the arrival of Iron Man 3, which has already surpassed the $1 billion at the box office since opening last month. While Phase I came to an end with last year's The Avengers which became the third highest-grossing film of all time taking $1.5 billion globally, Phase II is apparently marching towards another Avenger installment. Let's take a look at the forthcoming films that will deepen Marvel's cinematic universe.
The Wolverine (July 24, 2013)
The Marvel-produced The Wolverine is set to open on July 26 and the first looks of the movie are amazing. This is the sixth instalment in the X-Man Series where Hugh Jackman once again will return as the X-Men fan favorite. The movie is directed by James Mangold on a screenplay written by Christopher McQuarrie, Scott Frank, and Mark Bomback based on the 1982 limited series Wolverine by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller. The movie looks to be graphically stunning and will come with an interesting storyline which revolves around Logan's (Wolverine) struggle with immortality after he seemingly loses his regenerative abilities.
Thor: The Dark World (November 2013):
The next version of Thor's film adaptation will have Chris Hemsworth playing the role of the hammer-wielding Norse god from the faraway planet of Asgard and Natalie Portman will be his Earth-bound paramour Jane Foster. The movie will bring back Loki right from The Avengers where he was smashed by The Hulk. Interesting, the movie will introduce a new villain in the form of Christopher Eccleston, the former Doctor Who who will enact the universe-rattling Malekith The Accursed and you will see the Warriors Three in the new instalment as well.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
The first Marvel Studio movie for 2014, the storyline of Captain America: The Winter Soldier begins from where The Avengers leaves off. Chris Evans once again plays the role of the shield-spinning Second World War soldier named Steve Rogers and has an ensemble cast that also includes Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson. The movie marks the return of Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow. As Marvel Studios' guru Kevin Feige said, the follow-up adventure of the 2011 blockbuster will be a "1970s political thriller masquerading as a big superhero movie." The movie is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo - the brothers best known for the indie comedy Welcome To Collinwood - and the screenplay is written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
The latest rumor we heard about Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is that the main villain is none other than Ronan the Accuser, who happens to be the ruler of the Alien race known as the Kree, Joblo reports. "Ronan has fought the likes of the Fantastic Four, The Inhumans, and Guardians of the Galaxy in the comics and is a mainstay of the Marvel cosmic universe, so it's well in line for him to be featured as the main villain, especially with Marvel looking to expand its cinematic adventures to the far reaches of space," the report states. The filming is scheduled to begin at Shepperton Studios near London in June. It tells the story of an eclectic group of space-adventurers, led by the half-human, half-alien Star-Lord pits them against Thanos - the purple guy from the post-credits scene of The Avengers. The movie is directed by James Gunn on a script written by Nicole Perlman, Chris McCoy, and Gunn.
The Avengers 2 (2015)
The second instalment of The Avengers will bring an end to the Marvel Studios' Phase II with superhero movies. It's not sure if the original cast would assemble again for the second part; however, it's highly rumored that Thanos would play a bigger role in Avengers 2. Speculation is high about the return of Robert Downey Jr. to the second superhero ensemble. According to various report, Robert Downey is in talks with the studio over a renewal of his contract. It's also reported that the movie will introduce Black Panther. The Avengers 2 is set to hit theatres on May 1, 2015.