Marvel Studios kicked off its panel at Comic-Con with a little help from Deadpool, Wolverine … and Madonna. Well, not literally. But a choir sporting Deadpool red and Wolverine yellow came out singing “Like a Prayer,” the hit song that was integral to Deadpool & Wolverine‘s marketing campaign, and which was featured in a key, bloody sequence in the new movie.
Comic-Con is almost always a high watermark for the year for the studio, which is the undisputed champion when it comes to tantalizing fans with a mix of universe-shaking news and exclusive footage. But this year was particularly sweet, given that director Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine is in the midst of a record-breaking weekend for an R-rated film. Studio boss Kevin Feige boasted the movie has pushed the Marvel Cinematic Universe — already the highest grossing franchise in history — past the $30 billion mark.
The Fantastic Four, Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts* are expected to be among the projects teased, as well as the future of its Avengers franchise. Marvel also has a roster of TV shows coming up, including Agatha All Along.
Marvel was last at Comic-Con two years ago, where among its announcements were Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. Several real-world events, including the dual writers and actors strikes, as well as Marvel cutting ties with Kang Dynasty star Jonathan Majors following his conviction for harassment and assault against an ex-girlfriend, necessitated the studio to rethink Kang Dynasty.
The panel is also an opportunity for Marvel to share its new path after a few changes in recent years, including a course correction to cut back on its TV show output after being directed to ramp up TV production by the prior Disney regime.
Read on for updates from the Marvel Studios Comic-Con panel, which runs from 6 p.m. PT to 7 p.m. PT as the announcements come.
Captain America: Brave New World
MCU newcomer Giancarlo Esposito joined the cast during recent additional photography, and he revealed onstage that he will be playing King of the Serpent Society, Seth Voelker, AKA Sidewinder. The panel showed off footage of Harrison Ford, who plays President Thunderbolt Ross, but who will also transform into Red Hulk.
