Mapping out your movie calendar for 2023? Allow us to step in and do the job for you. As we build towards the new year, here's your essential round-up of next year's comic book releases.
1. Madame Web (released February 16th, 2024)
Fifty Shades of Grey star Dakota Johnson portrays superhero Madame Web in the latest instalment of the Sony Spider-Man Universe (let's call it the SSMU for short). This is the collective of Marvel superheroes that run in tangent with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), meaning that Madame Web is about to join the likes of Venom and Morbius.
In the original Marvel comics, Madame Web (aka Cassandra Webb) was introduced as a blind, clairvoyant mutant who made her first appearance as an ally of Spider-Man. Does this mean – finally – that Tom Holland's Spidey might make a long-overdue SSMU appearance? We don't know for sure at this stage. What we do know is Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney will be making her SSMU debut as Spider-Woman/Julia Carpenter.
2. Deadpool 3 (released July 26th, 2024)
The third Deadpool movie, and the first to fall within the parameters of the MCU, is finally back on track following the culmination of the 2023 actor's strike. The release date may have shifted back by a couple of months but fingers crossed that Ryan Reynolds' enjoyably snarky and anarchic anti-hero hasn't had his edges sanded down by his MCU debut.
And if you've enjoyed Reynolds' ongoing social media banter with rival superhero actor Hugh Jackman, then good news. Jackman's signature character Wolverine/Logan has (somehow) been resurrected for the big screen following his apparent death in 2017's Logan, and will stand proud (and no doubt a bit grizzled) alongside Mr. Pool. Plus, Reynolds has already teased the arrival of Dogpool (see below). What's not to like?
Did Dogpool save the day? Not a chance in gremlin hell. But she IS currently causing the Disney plushy merch department nightmares. Coming with the movie, Summer 2024 🐶💩L pic.twitter.com/mMtUb4wSsk
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) November 9, 2023
3. Kraven the Hunter (released August 30th, 2024)
Delayed from its original 2023 release date, Kraven the Hunter will introduce another SSMU anti-hero. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, a superhero veteran from the likes of Kick-Ass, will play the titular Kraven, a Russian big game hunter turned nemesis of Spider-Man whose tactical awareness and super-human strength make him an important member of the Sinister Six villain's collective.
You'll be aware that a Sinister Six movie has been on the cards for a long time now. The pieces are now apparently falling into place: Kraven's big-screen debut comes hot on the heels of Sinister Six member Venom's two standalone movies (a third is on its way – see below). And actor Alessandro Nivola is appearing in the Kraven movie as Sinister Six team member Rhino. Might we see a Kraven/Rhino/Venom team-up in this particular movie?
4. Joker: Folie a Deux (released October 4th, 2024)
Back in 2019, the controversial Joker movie stormed the box office as it reimagined the Clown Prince of Crime's origins by way of Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver. The film won an Oscar for Joaquin Phoenix's intense and mercurial portrayal of damaged clown turned super-villain Arthur Fleck and it culminated in his incarceration at Arkham Asylum.
That's where we pick up with Joker: Folie a Deux (a madness shared by two), directed, as before, by Todd Phillips. The Joker sequel sows the seeds of Joker's twisted, symbiotic relationship with psychotherapist-turned-lover Harley Quinn, played here by Lady Gaga. The latter's presence is set to transfigure the new Joker movie into a singular and memorable musical, the likes of which we likely haven't seen before. As Gene Kelly and Judy Garland opined: 'Be a Clown.'
5. Venom 3 (released November 8th, 2024)
As mentioned, we'll be getting a sequel to 2021's Venom sequel Let There Be Carnage. The previous film's director Andy Serkis is out, replaced by Saving Mr Banks screenwriter Kelly Marcel who both helms and takes on scripting duties. Tom Hardy's bifurcated Eddie Brock will no doubt still struggle to balance his paltry journalistic career with the invasive, growling and mischievous Venom symbiote that has now permanently taken root in his body.
The strong supporting cast includes Michelle Williams, returning from the previous movies and now established as She-Venom, Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Tom Hardy shares the first set image from ‘VENOM 3’. pic.twitter.com/09us5Q61V2
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 29, 2023
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