Marvel taps new director for Avengers 5, and they’ll be very familiar to Stranger Things and Deadpool 3 fans
Stranger Things have happened in the MCU
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Marvelhas reportedly earmarked Shawn Levy as its new first-choice director forAvengers five.
First reported byDeadline, the comic book giant is in early talks with Levy to helm the highly anticipated superhero flick. Levy hasn’t committed himself to the project yet, but is believed to have received the film’s latest script, which has been penned by Michael Waldron. The latter, who also wroteDoctor Strange two’s screenplay and was head writer onLokiseason one, wasinstalled asAvengers five’s new writer in November 2023.
TechRadar has reached out to Marvel and Disney for comment on reports linking Levy to the fifthAvengersmovie. We’ll update this story if we receive a response.
Plot details are unknown, and following Jonathan Majors’ exit from the MCU as Kang following his assault conviction in December, it is unknown who the central villain would be, or if the film could potentially include multiple antagonists.MORE: https://t.co/rbUa5XfXMxJune 4, 2024
This isn’t the first time that Levy has been tapped asAvengers five’s filmmaker, withThe Hollywood Reporter(THR) suggesting he was also courted back in March. However, Levy is said to have turned down Marvel’s offer due to his busy schedule. Levy is currently dividing his time between wrapping production onDeadpool and Wolverine, the only film that Marvel will release this year, andStranger Thingsseason five– the wildly popularNetflixshow’s final entry that’s halfway through its months-long shoot.
If Levy passes onAvengers fiveonce more, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) next big team-up film will have to look elsewhere. Deadline and THR claim, though, that Marvel has made contingency plans for that event, with the Disney subsidiary tentatively reaching to other potential candidates about directing theMarvel Phase fivefilm.
Steady Eddy? More like Steady Levy
If Levy agrees to tackle the superhero behemoth that isAvengers five, he’ll be the safe pair of hands that the ailing MCU film needs to get itself back on track.
Anyone who’s followed the movie’s development (or, rather, lack of) over the past 12 months knows how protracted its production has been. For one,Avengers fivelost its original director– Daniel Destin Cretton, who directed 2021’sShang-Chiand thensigned on to helmAvengers: The Kang Dynasty(as it was known at the time) in July 2022 – last November.
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That’s just one of many problems affecting the movie, too.Marvel’s firing of Kang actor Jonathan Majors, after he was found guilty of numerous assault charges, has also reportedly led to a complete overhaul of its story. Oh, and let’s not forgetAvengers five’s release date being pushed back whenMarvel delayed numerous MCU moviesbecause of last year’s Hollywood actor and writers strikes. Yeah, when I said it’s been trapped in development hell, I meant it.
With his seemingly calm demeanour, instant likeability, and keen directorial eye, then, Levy seems like the kind of “steady eddie” filmmaker thatAvengers 5could do with. His key creative involvement inStranger Things, plus his experience helming one of 2024’s most exciting new movies inDeadpool three, means he’s no stranger to tackling big-budget projects. He won’t be daunted by the heightened expectations surrounding the MCU’s next all-star ensemble flick, either, based on his exposure to said productions and other large-scale projects –Free Guy,The Adam Project, andAll The Light We Cannot Seeto name just three.
Of course, leading development on anAvengersmovie is a completely different beast to all of the above. The possibility that, according to Deadline,Avengers 5will feature over 60 (!) superheroes – we’ve got the proliferation of all those MCUDisney Plusshows to thank for that – will be a headache-inducing exercise in giving everyone the requisite amount of screen time, too. I betStranger Thingsdidn’t prepare you for that, Shawn!
Still, there’s no guarantee that Levy will be swayed into directing it, especially as he’s got to get the ball rolling on his untitledStar Warsfilm. If he decides to take it on, though, I’m confident he’ll prove to be a shrewd acquisition. He’ll need to make his mind up sharpish, however, asAvengers fiveis rumored to start filming in January 2025. So, err, get your skates on, Shawn.
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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
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