Disney recently teased major news about Star Wars and Marvel properties, all to be announced at this year's D23 Expo.
On the expo's website, Disney teased on Saturday, Sept. 10, "Filmmakers, celebrity talent, and surprise guests will join representatives from Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, among others, onstage... to showcase theatrical and Disney+ titles." The announcement went on to read, "Attendees will see exclusive footage and be among the first to learn what else is in the works." Taking play from Sept. 9-11, this year's D23 Expo will host panels, presentations and interactive events for fans in person for the first time since 2019.
While details have not yet been provided, it may be worth noting Disney has been emphasizing the new announcements since late last year.
Both franchises have a number of upcoming shows and blockbuster films currently in the works, many of which have not had solid updates since their announcements. For Marvel Studios, this may include The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, I Am Groot, Secret Invasion, Armor Wars and plenty of others likely to arrive on Disney+.
The Star Wars franchise, meanwhile, has a long list of announced projects whose current status remains a mystery, such as a film trilogy headed by Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and one to be led by director Taika Waititi. While none of these projects appear to be in active development at current time, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy previously offered audiences some idea of where the Star Wars franchise will go moving forward.
When it comes to films, Kennedy explained in a recent interview, "We're moving further beyond the existing sequels as we look to our movie space... The sequel era is what we talk a lot about in terms of where we're going with our movies, and just how far out from that we’ll go. That's very much the space we’re concentrating on."
The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has not been discussed as thoroughly, as there are a plethora of films and shows currently in the works, with no clear end to the ongoing Phase 4 in sight. Just recently, the upcoming Thunderbolts film found its director in Jake Schreier, with Eric Pearson writing the screenplay. Filming will reportedly begin some time in 2023.
Source: D23