Marvel Movies Hit Maximum Overdrive

When success comes, it can bring surprise announcements. And with the recent strong success of Marvel movies like Guardians of the Galaxy, the surprises began to roll out en force at the Disney-owned El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on Tuesday, October 28.

Expectations from attendees was high, given how the Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer just hit the web last week, and Benedict Cumberbatch had been pegged in the news for the lead role of Doctor Strange in a future film. How much better could things get in a short period of time?

The audience was about to find out.

Future films from the Marvel Universe were the subject discussed by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who didn't waste any time in telling the audience that Phase Three was underway, and included a third Captain America film titled Captain America: Civil War (scheduled for May 6, 2016). Making things official, he then announced Doctor Strange was on tap to hit theaters November 4, 2016.

Then came even more surprises.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 now has a green light, and will have a new release date of May 5, 2017. Additionally, Thor: Ragnarok is slated for July 28, 2017 (with Chris Hemsworth returning as Thor and Tom Hiddleston returning as Loki). And, to everyone's delight, yet more new Marvel characters will roll out on the screen for the first time with Black Panther made official for November 3, 2017 (Chadwick Boseman confirmed as playing the Black Panther), Carol Danvers debuts as Captain Marvel (set for a screen date of July 6, 2018), and Inhumans comes to theaters November 2nd, 2018.

And before anyone could catch their breath, the grand finale came in the form of Feige announcing Avengers: Infinity War will be developed with Part 1 hitting theaters May 2018, and Part 2 concluding May 2019.