Marvel has already made strong strides in their 2022 cinematic showcase. With Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) wowing viewers with its spectacle and Thor: Love & Thunder (2022) set to be the latest chapter in the female-empowered superhero movement, it can be easy to get lost in the moment. Same with DC, who is set to bring audiences more family fun with Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2022).
Three studios are taking even more characters from the pages of Marvel & DC Comics and bringing them to the big screen, be it with new entries, new characters, or even new universes. We’re going to look at all the films currently slated to release in 2023. Be it through marketing power or word-of-mouth, they all have different levels of anticipation behind them.
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9 The Flash (2023)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Unfortunately, The Flash (2023) has seen a litany of issues. First, there are all the delays, with the first officially announced target date being March 23rd, 2018. In the interim, we’ve seen five films released, a Joker film, and we’re slated to have three more films before the new year. For being “the fastest man alive,” Barry Allen has been slow to open the gates.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
A significant contributing factor to these delays is the fact that the film’s development process has seen a revolving door of directors and writers. With at least five different names reportedly being attached to the director’s chair at one point or another, and speculation that the script has 45 names attached to its Writer’s Guild of America submission, one begins to question the clarity of this film’s narrative. And, of course, given recent events, Ezra Miller’s star appeal has undoubtedly lost its luster.
8 Kraven the Hunter (2023)
Sony Pictures Releasing
Sony certainly had everyone’s attention with their tandem effort alongside Marvel on the Spider-Man trilogy. While their first entry of the Venom franchise also turned heads, they couldn’t maintain the same momentum with Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021). Add in Morbius’ (2022) humiliating flop, and Sony has started grasping at straws.
What Kraven the Hunter(2023) has going for it is the stellar casting of Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular hunter. With the potential to dive into Kraven’s heartbreaking origin story as well as set up the ‘Kraven’s Last Hunt’ storyline, devout Spider-Man fans are keeping their fingers crossed that this film can stand on its own while paving the way for future entries.
7 Madame Web (2023)
Netflix
Another entry in Sony’s Spider-Man-centered cinematic universe, there’s plenty of intrigue going into this film. With few details confirmed, most of the hype comes from the mystery of what the Madame Web character could bring to the overall story. We currently know that Dakota Johnson is set to play the mysterious character and that in the comics, the character is often integral to story arcs concerning the multiverse.
With Michael Keaton crossing universes to bring his take on The Vulture into Sony’s staging ground, we could see Madame Web going on an adventure to see who else has been affected by these events. Perhaps she can bring us confirmation that Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man is in the same universe as Venom and Morbius. Either way, Madame Web has the potential to bring great change to Sony’s lineup. Whether the film lives up to that potential could make the difference in saving Sony’s hopes for a cinematic universe.
6 Blue Beetle (2023)
This film may have flown under the radar for the casual audience, but DC Comics fans hold high hopes for the Blue Beetle’s live-action film debut. This film will follow the story of the modern-day Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes. A young Latino teen who gets an alien scarab permanently attached to his spine that gives him advanced technological weapons and carapace armor.
The Blue Beetle character has made strides in being featured more prominently in DC media, making his animated debut in Batman: The Brave & The Bold. The hype behind the film increased significantly after it was revealed that it was not going to be an HBO Max exclusive and would instead see a full theatrical release. Featuring an original story and an original villain, this film will have many fans on the edge of their seats.
5 Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)
James Wan was given a choice of whether he wanted to direct a Flash film or an Aquaman film. That decision would shape the future of the DCEU. With the release of Aquaman (2018), James Wan showcased his beautiful vision for the oceanic hero. Jason Mamoa is set to continue dropping jaws when he returns to the role of Arthur Curry. The reception for the first entry in this franchise was overwhelmingly positive, with many citing the visual effects as jaw-dropping.
Whether it be during intense fights between Aquaman & Black Manta or seeing underwater creatures like Karathen the leviathan, viewers found themselves awestruck. With James Wan stating that he and David Johnson-McGoldrick completely understand the seven underwater kingdoms, audiences are looking forward to seeing what new lore Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom(2023)will bring to the surface. In contrast, despite the media attention towards Amber Heard has proving harmful (over 4 million people have signed a petition calling for the actress’ termination) the production team has elected to keep Amber in her role as Mera.
4 Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania
Marvel Studios
The latest superhero to be given the trilogy treatment, Paul Rudd, returns to reprise his role as Scott Lang. Having appeared in two prior Ant-Man films, as well as Captain America: Civil War (2016) & Avengers: Endgame (2019), Scott and his team have been through a lot. After rescuing Hope’s mother, Janet Van Dyne, from the quantum realm, Scott was trapped for five years, missing a significant part of his own daughter’s life. Now that Scott has helped to save the world from Thanos, viewers are excited to see what’s next for the microscopic hero.
With the expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) into streaming on Disney Plus, there are breadcrumbs being laid for the plot of Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania(2023). With Kang the Conqueror confirmed to make an appearance after having made his live-action debut in Loki, one has to wonder what cosmic and temporal repercussions may affect Scott & Hope. With a stellar cast and a plot that has far-reaching effects on the MCU, this film is set up to be the summer blockbuster of 2023.
3 The Marvels (2023)
Disney Platform Distribution
With the success of the Ms. Marvel Disney Plus miniseries, Iman Vellani is set to bring Kamala Khan to the big screen. Kamala will fight alongside her idol, Carol Danvers, a.k.a Captain Marvel. Kamala is a Pakistani-American powered individual who has slowly been introduced to newer audiences over the years. Making her comic book debut less than ten years ago, Kamala would then be featured in Marvel’s Avengers video game in 2020. Now that Ms. Marvel has hit Disney Plus this year, Kamala is becoming a fan favorite.
Accompanying her in this adventure is the cosmic firebird, Carol Danvers. This character has had quite a mixed reception in her appearances, played by Brie Larson. Despite that, Captain Marvel is a powerhouse on a cosmic scale and can prove to be a great teacher for our young heroine. The Marvels are set to be an action-packed buddy comedy. And as long as the infectious joy that Iman brings to the role gets plenty of screen time, the film should live up to the hype.
2 The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
One last ride. That is what is being promised when James Gunn returns to direct the Guardians in their third epic film. After two films of comedic hijinks, Star-Lord, Rocket, Gamora, Drax, Groot, Nebula, & Mantis are all coming back for a third adventure. Spinning out of the events of Thor: Love & Thunder, the Guardians are going on another cosmic adventure where the fate of the entire galaxy is at stake.
After taking a break from Marvel and working on The Suicide Squad (2021) & HBO Max’s Peacemaker, James Gunn is bringing his signature style to the Guardians once again. With seeds planted in one of the sequel’s post-credit scenes, cosmic powerhouse Adam Warlock is set to make his onscreen debut, potentially bringing Magus with him. With all the fun the Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy video game brought, fans are finally ready for the wait to be over for what is likely this franchise’s final chapter.
1 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
The film with the most hype behind it is undoubtedly Sony’s sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). Miles Morales’ origin story was given a whole new spin, coming face to face with a different universe’s Peter Parker, shortly after witnessing the death of his own. Add in Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Ham, & Peni Parker, and this film was set to be a romping good time. Many fans were in agreement, as well as critics, with the film having won Best Animated Feature at the 91st Academy Awards.
The sequel has a lot to live up to. Still, with the inclusion of Oscar Isaac as Spider-Man 2099, and the reports that this is only the second entry into what will be a trilogy, there are a lot of eyes on this project to continue breaking limits and exceeding expectations. Animation, soundtrack, and narrative are all critical components that made the first film an instant classic. Marvel diehards and casual viewers are looking forward to seeing this on the big screen in theaters.
