Marvel Studios announces Phase Three films, including 'Black Panther' and 'Captain Marvel'

Marvel Studios announced yesterday the official titles of several films that will be part of its Phase Three plan for the next five years. Familiar characters such as Thor and the summer blockbuster heroes, the Guardians of the Galaxy, will make their returns in “Thor: Ragnarok,” and "Guardians of the Galaxy 2." At an event in Los Angeles, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige also announced that the third “Avengers” film will be split into two parts; “Avengers: Infinity War” will begin with the Infinity Gauntlet story arc.

Among the announced films are two notable new character films, “Black Panther” and “Captain Marvel.” “Black Panther,” which will be the first Marvel superhero movie to star a black character, has contracted Chadwick Boseman to play the lead. You may know him as James Brown in “Get On Up” (2014).Boseman will also play the Black Panther in another of the announced films, “Captain America: Civil War,” before leading his own solo effort. In the comics, the Black Panther is the superhero identity T’Challa, the leader of the advanced, isolationist African kingdom of Wakanda. Feige described the character as “a bit of a prince, he may even become a bit of a king, but it's all about how [his] isolationist country meets the world. Maybe it goes well, maybe it doesn't."

Additionally,“Captain Marvel” -- of the Marvel Universe -- will be helmed by a (currently unannounced) woman.  Captain Marvel will be brought to life on the silverscreen as Carol Danvers, one of the character's multiple incarnations.

“This film has been in the works almost as long as 'Doctor Strange' or 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014) before it came out,” Feige said.“One of the key things was figuring out what we wanted to do with it. Her adventures are very earthbound, but her powers are based in the cosmic realm.”

The officials at the press conference also officially announced the date for “Doctor Strange.” “Strange” tells the story of Steven Strange, also called “the Sorcerer Supreme,” who uses sorcery to protect the Earth against dark magic. Rumors have suggested that actor Benedict Cumberbatchis in talks for the role, but the actor was not mentioned at the event.