13 Marvel predictions for Comic-Con 2022

Ahead of Marvel’s return to San Diego Comic-Con, here’s our biggest predictions for the MCU’s Hall H panel, including Fantastic Four casting, X-Men, and first footage for several movies.

The year was 2019. The Infinity Saga had just wrapped up with Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: From From Home, and the world was still reeling from that cliffhanger. For a brief time, Marvel was the box office king of the world, and its pop culture reign was arguably at its peak.

Then, at San Diego Comic-Con, the franchise’s architect Kevin Feige took to the stage and unveiled Phase Four, from Eternals all the way to Thor: Love and Thunder, not to mention Mahershala Ali’s surprise announcement as Blade.

This weekend, Marvel makes a grand return to Hall H. Between the company’s big-screen and Disney+ output, it’s set to be a jam-packed panel as we look towards the future.

When is the Marvel panel at Comic-Con 2022?

Marvel is kicking things off with an animation panel between 11:45am – 1:15pm PT (7:45pm – 9:15 pm BST) on Thursday, July 21, where there’ll likely be announcements and reveals regarding What If…? and Marvel Zombies.

The biggie comes on Saturday, July 23: the Marvel Studios Hall H panel is on from 5pm – 6pm PT (1am – 2am BST). Now, without further ado, these are our biggest Marvel Comic-Con predictions.

A new She-Hulk trailer with a Fantastic Four cameo

Following the Ms. Marvel finale, MCU fans can now look ahead to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, the franchise’s debut for Bruce Banner’s cousin Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), a lawyer who gets powers much like the Hulk’s after receiving a blood transfusion from him.

As She-Hulk is the next show in the Phase Four lineup, it’s almost guaranteed we’ll see some new footage. However, a rumor recently surfaced claiming Jason Segel has been cast as Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, and he’ll appear in She-Hulk – so we may see a glimpse in the trailer.

Werewolf by Night and Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special images

The MCU is releasing two seasonal specials this year.

There’s two MCU specials coming to Disney+ this year: a Halloween adaptation of Werewolf by Night starring Gabriel Garcia Bernal; and a Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special this Christmas, directed by James Gunn and part of the overall canon.

Neither project has shown any footage yet (Werewolf by Night hasn’t even been officially announced by Marvel, despite several reports and interviews confirming it), so we can expect first-look images, or maybe even footage.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer with Namor

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will hit cinemas later this year.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is one of the biggest movies still to come in Phase Four of the MCU. It’s undergone several delays, both as a result of Chadwick Boseman’s death and global restrictions impeding production.

Plot details have been slim in the lead-up to its release this year, but it’s likely we’ll see Tenoch Huerta as hotly-tipped villain Namor in the inevitable teaser trailer, as well as Atlantis.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania teaser with Kang

A Kang reveal as part of the Ant-Man 3 trailer is likely.

Previous Ant-Man adventures have always been among the smaller-scale MCU entries, but Quantumania looks to change all that.

It’s going to revolve around the Quantum Realm and feature one of the MCU’s next big bads: Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, as introduced in Loki. If not a teaser trailer, we can expect first-look images, including “He Who Remains” in his new garbs.

First teaser for Guardians of the Galaxy 3 with original cast onstage

The cast of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy are expected to appear at Comic-Con.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the final chapter of Gunn’s saga. Arguably, it’s the most anticipated movie to come in the MCU at this point, with fans eager to see how the team will reunite with Gamora and their dynamic with Adam Warlock.

The film is set to release in May next year, so this year’s Comic-Con may be the last time we’d get to see the cast onstage together before their departure. Feige wouldn’t miss that chance, would he?

Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel & Photon onstage for The Marvels

Iman Vellani, Brie Larson, and Teyonah Parris will star in The Marvels.

Given the success of Ms. Marvel on Disney+ and its direct lead-in to The Marvels, we can expect to hear more about what’s to come from next year’s Captain Marvel sequel.

While there’s might be footage, it’d be sensible to bet on seeing Iman Vellani, Brie Larson, and Teyonah Parris onstage together for the first time – and maybe a first-look at them all in costume.

Captain America 4 confirmed by Kevin Feige

Anthony Mackie will return in Captain America 4.

Captain America 4 is happening, but it’s yet to be discussed by Marvel in any sort of official capacity. News broke that Anthony Mackie had signed on to headline his own movie following The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but updates have been few and far between ever since.

We know that The Cloverfield Paradox’s Julius Onah has also signed on to direct. It’s possible we could see Mackie back onstage with the shield.

Ryan Reynolds onstage for Deadpool 3

Ryan Reynolds will return for Deadpool 3.

Deadpool is the potty-mouthed, violent outlier under the House of Mouse’s Marvel umbrella. He’s at the heart of two of the biggest R-rated movies of all-time, neither of which tiptoe into the harder content – they’re blood-soaked and naughty.

However, Deadpool 3 is coming, and it’s remaining R-rated. The script has been in the works for quite some time, so given the hype around Marvel’s return to the convention, Reynolds’ appearance would be a headline-making event.

Blade gets an update… of some form

Mahershala Ali appeared at San Diego Comic Con in 2019 to surprise fans.

Mahershali Ali being unveiled as the MCU’s Blade was one of the best Comic-Con moments Marvel has ever produced. It has been followed by some skepticism over its age rating and exactly how the vampire hunter will fit in, so it’s time to steady the ship.

Shooting hasn’t started yet, so there won’t be any footage, but we may see some concept art and hear a few details about the plot – for example, will it follow Eternals’ post-credits scene with Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman?

Disney+ confirmations and renewals, including Daredevil, Nova & Ms. Marvel Season 2

Expect loads of Disney+ news at Comic-Con.

There’s a familiar cycle to Marvel projects: one of the trades reports on their initial development, whether it’s casting or directors signing on; a few interviews tease the show without confirming it; then Marvel uses an event to unveil the logo.

So, for Charlie Cox’s return as Daredevil in his own series, Nova’s debut, and the all-but-confirmed return of Ms. Marvel for Season 2, this trajectory will likely reach the latter stage at Comic-Con. Also expect more on Echo, Secret Invasion, Moon Knight, Agatha: House of Harkness, Armor Wars, and Ironheart.

Fantastic Four director and casting reveal

Fantastic Four casting would be the biggest story at Comic-Con.

The arrival of the Fantastic Four in the MCU has been a source of speculation ever since Disney’s takeover of 20th Century Fox. Marvel’s first family have been adapted for the screen before, but the stakes are the highest they’ve ever been this time around.

Will that seemingly debunked Steven Spielberg rumor be proven true? Is Jason Segel playing The Thing? Is Joe Keery playing the Human Torch? Has Marvel come to its senses and hired Brad Bird for the gig? Is Bryce Dallas Howard not only starring as the Invisible Woman, but directing too? We’ll soon see, hopefully.

Secret Wars announcement (or maybe just a tease)

Secret Wars could be an even bigger event than the Infinity Saga.

With the MCU’s multiverse in full swing following Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange 2, many fans have predicted Secret Wars as the franchise’s next Endgame. It’s too much to explain here, but imagine a massive brawl between all of the heroes on another planet.

The Russo Brothers, who famously helmed Infinity War and Endgame, have been rather coy about the possibility of returning for Secret Wars; in their own words, it would be “two movies.” Amid complaints of aimlessness in the MCU, it would give people something to look towards through the uber-interconnectivity of the movies and shows.

X-Men movie announcement

The X-Men are coming to the MCU, it’s just a matter of when.

Even more so than the Fantastic Four, the arrival of the X-Men has been an everlasting question mark in the post-Fox era of Marvel. While not always commercially successful, the past X-Men movies with Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Ian McKellen were undoubtedly iconic.

So, what better bombshell to end the panel with than the long-awaited announcement of an X-Men movie, particularly after Ms. Marvel’s mutant reveal? Any casting news is unlikely – Taron Egerton is the best shout for Wolverine, alongside Giancarlo Esposito as Professor X – but crazier things have happened.

Check back to Dexerto this weekend to see if we’re right, and to read our extensive Comic-Con coverage.