Marvel Studios' Three Mystery 2029 Movies: Deadpool 4, Nova and Shang-Chi 2 Could Be the Answer

Marvel Studios has officially listed three untitled mystery movies for 2029, on May 4th, July 13th, and November 9th, and I want to walk through what these projects could actually be. Marvel has confirmed that a number of projects are already in the works, some in active pre-production, with directors and actors publicly confirming their involvement in others, so there is genuinely a deep bench of candidates to pull from for these three open slots.

For fans trying to plan out the next few years of the MCU, this matters because it starts to sketch out what comes after Avengers: Secret Wars and the current wave of announced films. Before we even get to 2029, the confirmed slate runs through Avengers: Doomsday on December 18th of this year, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 3 and Daredevil: Born Again season 3 in early 2027, Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027, The X-Men in May 2028, Ghost Rider in July 2028, and Black Panther 3 in December 2028. Marvel has also said more shows are in active development, so additional series announcements are expected on top of that movie list.

Deadpool 4 Is Confirmed and Could Be an X-Force Team-Up

Ryan Reynolds has confirmed Deadpool 4 is happening, and Marvel has confirmed it as well, so this one is not speculation, it is simply a question of timing. From what has been said, Reynolds does not want Deadpool doing another solo outing, he wants the character in an ensemble, team-up format, which points toward some version of an X-Force movie. Multiple versions of the script have reportedly already been written, and the project is in active pre-production at Marvel Studios.

Given that Deadpool and Wolverine's future after Avengers: Secret Wars is, as I see it, a big question mark, I think there is real potential for Deadpool 4 to lean multiversal, possibly set in an alternate reality altogether. That uncertainty is part of what makes it exciting to me, and it is one of the strongest candidates for one of these three 2029 dates.

Shang-Chi 2 Still Has Its Original Director Attached

Fans have gotten official confirmation that Shang-Chi 2 is still moving forward. Director Destin Daniel Cretton was attached before he moved to Avengers: Kang Dynasty, but those plans shifted and he ended up directing Spider-Man: Brand New Day instead. Marvel did not want to lose him because he is, in my opinion, a really good director, and I think keeping him attached to Shang-Chi 2 was the right call even though the film's release timeline has slipped.

Even though Shang-Chi 2 is not coming before the other announced films, Shang-Chi is expected to be a major player in the next saga alongside the mutants, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. I would say at least one of Deadpool 4 or Shang-Chi 2 is very likely to land in one of these three 2029 slots, and honestly I would not be surprised if both do.

Nova Is Officially a Movie With Annihilus Rumored as the Villain

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed Nova as a movie. It was originally planned as a Disney+ series but has since been redirected into a feature film. There was fan speculation that Ryan Gosling would play Nova, but he has since been cast as Ghost Rider instead, so as of now there is no confirmed casting for the role. That leaves this one feeling a bit further out than fans might want, even though it is officially in pre-production.

From what has been heard, Annihilus is expected to be a villain in Nova and could serve as one of the larger antagonists across the upcoming mutant saga, possibly even building toward an Annihilation event. That is a direction I would personally love to see explored properly on screen.

Blade's Cancellation Might Just Mean He Joins the Midnight Suns Instead

Blade has reportedly been cancelled as a solo film, and it increasingly sounds like Mahershala Ali may no longer be attached to the role, though he could simply be misdirecting fans before a surprise appearance. Either way, I think Blade could and very much should still be introduced through the Midnight Suns. The original plan, as I have discussed before, had Blade functioning as a kind of Nick Fury figure for a supernatural Avengers team, recruiting characters like the Black Knight in that post-credits scene toward eventually assembling the Midnight Suns.

The groundwork already looks like it is being laid. Mephisto is set to appear in Ghost Rider, and I think he is a strong candidate to be the villain of a future Midnight Suns film. Between the supernatural corner being built through Ghost Rider and Midnight Suns, the cosmic corner coming from Nova, and a possibly multiversal Deadpool 4, Marvel appears to be setting up several distinct genre threads at once heading into these mystery dates.

Fantastic Four 2 and Doctor Strange 3 Both Feel Like Locks

Fantastic Four 2 is confirmed, with reports already circulating that Marvel intends to make it, even though the exact plans could still change. Once it arrives, the Fantastic Four will be fully folded into the shared universe alongside the Avengers and the X-Men, and I am genuinely curious how those groups interact, since some will likely get along and others will not, much like in the comics.

Doctor Strange 3 was also originally slated before Kang Dynasty, but those plans changed, and I believe most of that character's remaining story is now going to play out in Avengers: Secret Wars rather than a standalone sequel, with maybe a glimpse of him as one of Doctor Doom's witches in Avengers: Doomsday. My personal theory is that Doctor Strange will remember what the multiverse was like before the new universe forms, and that he eventually becomes Sorcerer Supreme, though I am honestly unsure whether Wong survives to see it. I think Doctor Strange 3 needs to happen sooner rather than later, ideally in 2029 rather than slipping to 2030 or 2031.

The Young Avengers Are Being Set Up Across Multiple Projects

Based on reports, the Young Avengers are expected to play a decent role in Avengers: Doomsday and then a much bigger role in Avengers: Secret Wars. The building blocks are already visible: Cassie Lang has appeared in Doomsday trailers, Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan is doing a Road to Doomsday podcast for Marvel, and Hailee Steinfeld was photographed with Kevin Feige at D23. Whether they ultimately get a series or a feature film has flip-flopped in reports, but Marvel clearly has plans for the team.

I think there is a real chance Marvel rebrands them as the Champions rather than the Young Avengers, simply because actors like Hailee Steinfeld are not exactly teenagers anymore. Young is relative, but this cast is not playing kids.

Thunderbolts 2, a New Avengers, and Another X-Men Movie Round Out the Options

If Fantastic Four 2 is happening, I think a Thunderbolts 2, a new Avengers lineup movie, or some combination of the two is also likely, though Marvel may hold off given how much is already on the calendar with the X-Men, Ghost Rider, and a new Black Panther all needing setup. I do not think the Thunderbolts are going anywhere given how popular Yelena and Red Guardian are, though I joked that Red Guardian could always be resurrected and killed off again given how many times Charles Xavier has died on screen.

The last option is another X-Men-adjacent film, possibly a solo origin story, a recruitment story, or a Phoenix saga. I know some fans feel that story has been told before, but as I said, it has never been done in the MCU and never really been done right on screen, especially after Dark Phoenix. I think it needs to happen, just not rushed.

Which of these do you think fills the three 2029 mystery slots?