A Comprehensive Look At The Future of Comic Book Movies [Superhero Movie Release Dates]
Posted on Wednesday, October 15th, 2014 by Peter Sciretta
Over the next five and a half years, there are 10 DC Comics movies, 10 Marvel Studios movies, and 10 Marvel movies from Fox and Sony on the calendar. With today’s new announcements, I thought now was as good a time as any to take a look at the future of the comic book movie landscape. Hit the jump to find a comprehensive calendar of superhero movie release dates tracking the announced comic book movie adaptations up to the year 2020.
2014 and 2015 Superhero Movie Release Dates
November 7, 2014: Big Hero 6
From Walt Disney Animation Studios and directors Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh) and Chris Williams (Bolt), Big Hero 6 is inspired by the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. It is the first Marvel property to be adapted by Walt Disney Animation, and will not be connected with the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe, The characters were created by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau, the team first appeared in Alpha Flight #17 puiblished in December 1998. Here is the official plot synopsis:
With all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Big Hero 6” is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius—thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tomago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery.
May 1st 2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron
Joss Whedon and the entire superhero cast of The Avengers must assemble once again to combat the threat of Ultron and face one of their biggest villains yet. Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson join the mix as Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.
July 17th 2015: Ant-Man
Originally developed by Edgar Wright with screenwriter Joe Cornish, but the team left the project due to creative differences with Marvel Studios. Bring It On director Peyton Reed will direct with writer Adam McKay contributing to the film’s script. Paul Rudd (Scott Lang) and Michael Douglas (Hank Pym) star in the size-changing super hero’s first cinematic adventure. Evangeline Lilly will play Hope Van Dyne, the daughter of Hank Pym, while Corey Stoll will play Darren Cross, a.k.a. Yellowjacket, the antagonist of the film. Here is the official plot description released by Marvel:
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang (Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
August 7th 2015: Fantastic Four
Chronicle director Josh Trank helms a reboot of the Marvel comic book superhero team written by Simon Kinberg for 20th Century Fox. The story will once again center on four astronauts who gain superpowers after cosmic radiation exposure. Kate Mara plays Sue Storm aka The Invisible Woman, Miles Teller plays Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic, Jamie Bell plays Ben Grimm aka The Thing, Michael B. Jordan plays Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch and Toby Kebbell plays Victor von Doom aka the villianous Doctor Doom.
2016 Superhero Movie Release Dates
February 12th 2016: Deadpool
The Deadpool movie adaptation has sat in limbo for a long time despite comic book fans banging on the movie studio walls. X-Men Origins: Wolverine left Deadpool laying in the rubble, disfigured, and his mouth sewn shut. The comic book version of the character wears a costume that covers his whole body, including his head, so it is possible for the character to appear without showing the face underneath the mask.Reynolds has described the character as “a cross between Commando and Phantom of the Opera, by way of Caddyshack,” a wise-cracking mercenary with a tendency to break the fourth wall. Reynolds has said that a Deadpool movie would need to be a closer adaptation of the comic book, so that sets up the expectations.
March 25th 2016: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Zack Snyder‘s followup to Man of Steel and a prequel to the announced Justice League. The movie stars starring Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Superman, Ben Affleck as BruceWayne/Batman, Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons as Alfred, with Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane returning from Man of Steel, and Holly Hunter in a role newly created for the film. The story will follow the epic fight between Superman and Batman, and a problem or villain will likely be introduced which will bring the duo together to fight the same evil.
May 5th 2016: Captain America 3
The third installment of the Captain America film series is a couple years after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, following the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron. Cap’s relationship with Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Solider, will play a role with returning directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo bringing ”some new elements to the table that will give us a twist on Winter Soldier.”
Captain America 3 will kick off a whole new phase for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Civil War storyline centers around the Superhero Registration Act, which requires anyone with superpowers to identify themselves to the U.S. government and effectively work as a police force for the authorities. The controversial legislation pits Tony Stark against Steve Rogers, with the former supporting the program and the latter arguing it threatens civil liberties. Eventually, Rogers and other superheroes are forced to go on the run to avoid arrest. Effectively, this makes Tony Stark the villain of Captain America 3.
May 27th 2016: X-Men: Apocalypse
Bryan Singer returns to direct the eighth installment of the X-Men film series. This time around the team will have to battle Apocalypse, who we got our first glimpse of in the end-credits sequence of X-Men: Days of Future Past. Apocalypse might be the first mutant in existence and his powers include flight, invulnerability, superhuman strength, teleportation, telekinesis – every basic possible mutant power.
June 3rd 2016: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2
Not much is known about the announced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sequel.
July 8th 2016: Doctor Strange
The Doctor Strange movie adaptation will be directed by Scott Derrickson (Sinister)from a script by Jon Spaihts (Prometheus). Rumors about who might play Doctor Strange have been swirling for years now, involving everyone from Justin Theroux to Benedict Cumberbatch to Joaquin Phoenix turned down the role. The new short list of actors in talks to play the role include Ethan Hawke, Ewan McGregor, Matthew McConaughey, Jake Gyllenhaal, Oscar Isaac, and Jared Leto. In comics, Doctor Stephen Strange is the “sorcerer supreme” of the Marvel Universe. Dr. Strange will bring magic to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
August 5th 2016: Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad directed by David Ayer (Fury, Sabotage) will reportedly feature a lineup dominated by Blockbuster, Multiplex, Jaculi, Mindboggler, Harkness aka Captain Boomberang, Vixen, and Deadshot.
Deadshot will be the leader and real hero of the film, with Harkness and Vixen as the two primary support characters and the rest filling out the margins. That trio of Deadshot Harkness and Vixen was also present in the comic version of the team that began in 1987 under the guidance of writer John Ostrander, and which ran until 1992. There have been three additional primary Suicide Squad runs since then, one of which saw Ostrander returning to the team. All feature some of this character lineup, with Deadshot often a primary member.
November 11 2016: The Sinister Six
Written and directed by Drew Goddard, the Spider-man spin-off movie Sinister Six would likely star Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti and Dane DeHaan as Electro, Rhino and Green Goblin, respectively. Previous clues as to the identities of the rest of the characters are still up in the air.
