As we learn more and more news about the upcoming Marvel shows on Disney+, Fangirlish wants to make it easier for fans of the franchise to get up to date on all the things they need to know. This biweekly round-up includes some of the biggest and most fun news from the last week or so about all of our upcoming favorite Marvel shows, like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Solider, and Loki.
Kevin Feige calls the Disney+ series “the priority” in a recent article by The Hollywood Reporter discussing Black Panther 2’s production. The excitement for and dedication to these shows has been clear since Feige announced them at SDCC last year. It’s a bold mission to make sure the Disney+ shows succeed in telling stories with depth and longevity on a scale either similar to or identical to the MCU. It looks like Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, and the creative teams are off to an amazing start!
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier merchandise has arrived! Well, it’s just starting to roll out, but this bodes well for the series eventual release. I shared a first look at some TFATWS from Loungefly’s VP Creative Liz Desilva at the end of October. Good news, those backpacks and wallets are now available to order!
Wait! There’s more! The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Funko Pops are available to pre-order now! There are only three pops available right now, one of Sam Wilson as Falcon, Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier, and none other than Baron Zemo. I am still holding my breath for a Sharon Carter Funko Pop because she deserves one.
There has been no further confirmation from Marvel regarding the merchandise. If Marvel’s trying to establish a pattern with the Disney+ shows, then we should know some news about TFATWS soon. It wasn’t too far after the WandaVision merch that we got a definitive premiere date.
This feels like even more of a possibility because of PJ Stock’s recent Instagram live with Emily Van Camp. She couldn’t say too much about TFATWS, but she did offer up a few vague details. One of the most telling is that she hopes The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will premiere at the “beginning of next year.” Obviously this doesn’t mean it’s confirmed that TFATWS will release early 2021. The hope that it’s even a slight possibility is enough for me right now.
WandaVision
The biggest WandaVision news to come out of the last two weeks is the Empire Magazine covers and story promoting the series. They went on sale on November 26th and you can buy them here. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany don the cover in the most WandaVision way possible – a trippy, retro kinda way. It shows how Wanda and Vision are moving through the decades.
The incredible art by Max Löffler on the subscriber-exclusive cover pays homage to Scarlet Witch. It’s also a romantic depiction of the duo, because Wanda is at the center of Vision’s mind just below the stone that keeps him alive.
It the latest addition to WandaVision’s promotional campaign. The story itself, written by Empire’s Ben Travis, contains more inside looks at the series and an exclusive photo or two. One quote from Feige really sets expectations for WandaVision:
“If you look at the Infinity Saga, I don’t think any single person has gone through more pain and trauma than Wanda Maximoff. And no character seems to be as powerful as Wanda Maximoff. And no character has a power-set that is as ill-defined and unexplored as Wanda Maximoff.”
I’m the first one to tell anyone that Wanda Maximoff is the strongest and most powerful Avenger, so I can’t disagree with Feige on that. It’s also the reassurance we need to know this show will do Wanda justice. It will pick up where the movies sorely missed the mark the majority of the time.
Andy Park, Marvel Studios Director of Visual Development, has been showing his appreciation for Wanda in anticipation of WandaVision through his art on Instagram. He’s been posting a series of concept art aptly titled “Wanda Through the Years.” Trust me, it is worth your attention.
Meanwhile, Paul Bettany joined the ReelBlend Podcast to promote his new film Uncle Frank and tease WandaVision with the very few talking points Marvel allows. We keep learning more and more about WandaVision’s secretive production, including the use of a live studio audience. Bettany speaks to the power of having such an audience when paying homage to sitcoms that did the same. This fortifies that WandaVision will be on heck of an experience. Is it January 15th yet?
Hawkeye
Buckle up for all this Hawkeye news! Rumors started to spread that Hawkeye had started production from a video that Jeremy Renner shared on Twitter. There are no overt signs that point to anything Marvel in the video, but the speculation is correct. Chris Welch, Editor at Verge, posted a photo of a sign alerting residents that a show named Anchor Point (Hawkeye’s working title) would be filming in downtown Brooklyn. Just this week Renner shared some Hawkeye-specific treats and a photo of his chair on set on Twitter.
There’s been speculation for over a year that Marvel wants Hailee Steinfeld for the job. Steinfeld has denied her involvement in the series up until an Instagram post on November 30th. Everything about this post screams Kate Bishop on Hawkeye! The directors of Hawkeye Bert and Bertie even commented on the post! It’s fitting that Renner’s posts this week come after Steinfeld’s post and leaked videos surfacing of filming.
According to The Direct, Florence Pugh will reprise her role as Yelena Belova on the series after her introduction to the MCU in Black Widow. They exclusively report that “Yelena will don a Ronin-inspired costume – similar to the suit that Clint Barton wore in Avengers: Endgame – at one point in the series.”
This news essentially confirms that Yelena survives Black Widow. Yelena and Kate crossing paths leans into the theory that the MCU has intentions of setting up the Young Avengers. Even if it doesn’t, give us all the Yelena and Kate interactions!
The casting news doesn’t stop there! Variety exclusively announced 6 new cast members for Hawkeye. They must’ve heard all the rumbles and rumors. Variety reports that Vera Farmiga, Florence Pugh, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton, Alaqua Cox, and Zahn McClarnon will all appear on the series alongside Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld.
Farmiga (Bates Motel) will play Kate Bishop’s mother Eleanor Bishop. Fra Fee (Les Misérables) is set to play Kazi who is also known as the villain Clown. Tony Dalton (Better Call Saul) will be Jack Duquesne or Swordsman. Cox joins the cast as Maya Lopez, “a deaf Native American who is capable of perfectly copying another person’s movements.” McClarnon (Westworld) will play William Lopez who’s likely Maya’s father.
That is a lot for any Marvel fan to process. Luckily for us, we still have some time to take it all in. Hawkeye doesn’t have a premiere date yet, but Marvel Studios’ original presentation for Phase 4 has it set for Fall 2021. Only time will tell if we get to see Hailee Steinfeld suit up as Kate Bishop by then.
What are you most excited to see from the Marvel series on Disney+? Let us know in the comments below!
