Since 2008, fans of Marvel have been anxiously waiting to see what the men and women hard at work at Marvel Studios will come up with next. They have taken some risks that have paid off and built a cinematic universe that is the highest grossing film franchise of all time, filled with some of the most beloved heroes and villains of all time. The MCU has a stacked lineup that includes films and TV shows that extend all the way to 2019. Just recently came the exciting announcement that Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 will be written and directed by James Gunn and will be released after the conclusion of the battle with Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. With all of this in mind, it’s hard not to think about what could possibly joining the Guardians in a post-Infinity War MCU. It’s always fun to speculate so lets take a look at some properties we here at Geek Motivation would like to see.

THE SEQUELS:

This goes without saying, but it is safe to assume the narratives that began in films like Doctor Strange, Ant-Man, and Black Panther will see some sort of continuation going forward. Executives at Sony Pictures have already confirmed plans to release sequels to Spider-Man: Homecoming and Kevin Feige is more than exuberant about the future of his studio in every interview he gives. Films like Captain Marvel will also see some sort of sequel depending on the success of the first female-centered standalone film in the MCU. With Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor all getting the trilogy treatment throughout the years, it would be a travesty if the new faces of The Avengers didn’t get the same three-film story arc to flesh out their characters and individual overarching plot points.

Black Widow Solo Film:

With everyone from Jeremy Renner to Joss Whedon to Chris Evans weighing in on the possibility of a solo outing for Black Widow, a staple of the MCU since her debut in Iron Man 2, it’s absolutely shocking that it hasn’t come to fruition yet. Scarlett Johansson has the star power, the sex appeal, and the acting prowess to hold her own for a solo outing. Fans have been dying to see more of Black Widow’s origin ever since the casual mention of her escapades in Budapest with Hawkeye and the glimpse of The Red Room in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Maybe we get to see a young Natasha pulling off assassinations in Russia, or being trained by a certain Winter Soldier? The possibilities are endless and the creative forces over at Marvel Studios would be fools to not capitalize on the bevy of potential stories.

NOVA: 

Whether it be Richard Rider or Sam Alexander, it would be a damn shame if The Nova Corps weren’t given a second chance to shine on the silver screen. Following the losses they faced on Xandar during the battle with Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy, it would make sense for the them to extend their recruitment to Earth and tell the tale of how Nova became one of the most powerful and captivating heroes on the Avengers roster. It would also give the MCU an excuse to play in space following the conclusion of the respective Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy trilogies.

The Sentry: 

This one might be a weird choice, but with the power of a million exploding suns, his constant struggle with good and evil, and the void that may or may not be leftover following Mark Ruffalo’s exit, Robert Reynolds could be a perfect choice to include in future MCU installments. The Sentry is a comic book staple with notable battles with the Hulk and Harry Osborn. There is a huge collection of source material to pull from and adapt for the big screen. Marvel has never been afraid to switch up origin stories, so they could change his powers from stemming from a serum to introducing him as an Inhuman. Either way, a powerful, unpredictable force would be a fun choice to interact with T’Challa and Stephen Strange as they lead a new generation of Avengers.

TV SHOW CROSSOVER: 

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daredevil, Luke Cage and Agent Carter (among others) have been holding it down on the small screen since 2013. While they include subtle mentions to the larger MCU world in the films, they have been mostly separated from the rest of the heroes. While we can hope and wish for the likes of Melinda May and Quake fighting alongside Iron Man and The Vision, odds are that’ll never happen. But who’s to say the creative forces over at Marvel Television and ABC Studios wouldn’t be interested in a team-up film featuring the beloved Defenders heroes and our favorite ragtag group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. With an Inhumans show debuting this fall, Cloak & Dagger and New Warriors on the fast track to premiering on Freeform, and a Runaways series confirmed for Hulu (assuming every show is included in the MCU canon), producers and writers have a huge list of characters to pick and choose and create something special for loyal fans of the TV side of the MCU. Jeph Loeb is an executive producer for every show produced by Marvel Television (including FX’s Legion) and has always considered them to be a passion project. One can only dream, but fans have been clamoring for more inclusion with characters they have spent hours falling in love with and rooting for.

Those are my choices for what the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe could possibly have in store. Some may come to fruition, and others may just be wishful thinking, but one thing is certain… The Marvel train has shown no signs of stopping or even slowing down once the dust settles following Thanos’ attempt to recover the dangerous Infinity Stones.

What do you think? Tweet us @GEEKMOTIVATION with what you hope to see from Marvel Studios over the course of the next decade.

• Christian Hubbard, Social Media Administrator