Coloring Club, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, noon.
Thursday, Sept. 8
AMI Chamber members luncheon, The Porch, 9707 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 11:30 a.m., $18 for members or $30 for prospective members. Reserve to 941-782-8683.
Sunshine Stitchers knit and crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.
Thursdays in Paradise Stroll featuring local art, music and food, Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 5-8 p.m.
Teen yoga, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 9
Mahjong Club – Experienced Players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 10
Sunrise paddle, Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 6:30 a.m. Register with Sarah Denison at sarah.denison@mymanatee.org.
Saturday mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon.
Origami Club, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.
Music on the Porch, Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez, 2-4 p.m.
Greg LaPensee Bowling Tournament benefitting The Center, Bowlero Bradenton, 4208 Cortez Road, Bradenton, 5 p.m., $50 per person or $250 for a team of six. Call 941-778-1908 or email info@centerami.org to register.
Monday, Sept. 12
Sunset Tai Chi at the Nest, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 13
Preschool yoga, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.
Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, 11:30 a.m.
Mahjong for Beginners, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.
One-on-one tech help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2-3:30 p.m.
Benefit dinner for Sean Walsh, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, 5-7 p.m., $40 per person. Ticket price includes spaghetti dinner, two drinks, live and silent auction and 50/50 raffle.
Wednesday, Sept. 14
Shine Medicare open enrollment education, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.
Island Time Book Club “The Lies I Tell” by Julie Clark, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 6:30 p.m.
L to r: Loana Lecomte, Pauline Ferrand Prevot, Alessandra Keller on the podium at short track event at Val di Sole MTB World Cup (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Titouan Carod (BMC MTB Racing) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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L to r: Alan Hatherly, Titouan Carod, Luca Braidot (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Final World Cup overall: l to r – Filippo Colombo, Alan Hatherly, Titouan Carod (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Pauline Ferrand Prevot (BMC MTB Racing wins) (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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Final World Cup overall: l to r – Rebecca Ellen McConnell, Alessandra Keller, Jolanda Neff (Image credit: Rob Jones)
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The final round of the first-ever World Cup season in the cross-country Short Track (XCC), saw world champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (BMC) win the women’s race and her BMC teammate Titouan Carod win the men’s on Friday, in Val di Sole, Italy.
The first overall series titles went to Alessandra Keller (Thomus Maxon) and Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory).
The women’s 20-minute race quickly came down to four riders – Ferrand-Prévot, Keller, Loana Lecomte (Canyon Collective) and Olympic XCO champion Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory).
The group stayed together until the final lap, when Lecomte launched an attack on the climb. Only Ferrand-Prévot could stay with her, and then passed her in the final corner to take the win by a bike length.
Keller took third, to give her 1,470 points, 190 ahead of early season series leader Rebecca McConnell (Primaflora Mondraker Genuins), who finished second overall, 21 points in front of Neff.
The battle for the men’s title was expected to be between Hatherly and second place Filippo Colombo (BMC), who was only 62 points back going into the final round.
However, when Hatherly attacked aggressively in the early laps, Colombo faded, to eventually finish 15th. Carod was the only rider to go with Hatherly, attacking on the final lap to win, with Hatherly securing his title by finishing second, ahead of Luca Braidot (Santa Cruz FSA).
Colombo held onto to his second in the overall standings, but Carod jumped from fifth to third with his win, his first in XCC.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has organised a number of free events as part of this year’s European Heritage Open Days (EHOD). Taking place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 September 2022, EHOD is an annual celebration of local architecture, history and culture across Northern Ireland. This year’s theme focuses on Sustainable Heritage; Learn, Use and Enjoy.
Get out and about in Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark with a Guided Walk at Gortmaconnell or enjoy a history bike ride at Old Castle Archdale in Fermanagh. Discover some of the sites and stories of Fermanagh’s Medieval Lough Erne Pilgrimage Route at an interesting talk at Enniskillen Castle. Why not take a guided tour of Cole’s Monument or a walking tour of Enniskillen as Gaeilge with Tursa Inis Ceithleann?
In Omagh, you can enjoy a Historic Buildings walk and talk which includes an open door look inside the Provincial Bank Building to find out about the building’s past and its future plans. Find out more about the post glacial landscapes of the Sperrins on an interesting and active bus trip around the southern Sperrrins, and children will love the Forage Walk at Ecclesville Demesne in Fintona.
Still to come, look out for ‘Meet the Giant’ walking tours – an opportunity to walk to the Mullaghcarn summit and meet the new Guardian of the Sperrins. The walking tours will be delivered in English and Irish language.
Speaking about the programme, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Barry McElduff said;
“I am delighted that the Council (FODC) is actively participating in European Heritage Open Days 2022.
This annual event provides an opportunity for locals and visitors alike to explore the built and natural heritage of the District through specially organised events.
This year’s theme focusses on sustainability and how our historical sites can be more environmentally friendly, which is important in the context of Climate Change.
The Council (FODC) is committed to ensuring that our natural and built heritage is cherished, sustainably managed and accessible. The European Heritage Open Days provide an opportunity to achieve this and ensure that our heritage is preserved for future generations.
I would encourage everyone to take advantage of the European Heritage Open Days weekend to explore some of the heritage of our District.”
Admission to all events and activities is free of charge but booking is essential.
September 21 will be the final Milwaukee Night Market of 2022.
“We have seen tremendous crowds this summer, estimating 30,000 people attending each night during the 5-hour event,” said Megan Kujaw, Westown Association Marketing & Events Director.
Kujaw said the goal of the event “is to create a unique, fun and safe place for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to experience Milwaukee, as well as promote and support small businesses and local entrepreneurs.” She added that her favorite part of the event is “the positive energy and diversity of the event. From the vendors and food, to the performances and the attendees, it really is a place for people of all ages, places and backgrounds to come and celebrate our city. I also really love seeing everyone dancing at the main intersection throughout the night. One minute the whole crowd is learning how to do the Cupid Shuffle and the next you have young kids in the middle of a dance circle just having the best time with everyone cheering them on.”
The event, held once a month from June through September, features nearly 100 vendors of food, beverage, apparel, art, jewelry and more, as well as entertainment. The event runs from 5 to 10 pm Wednesday, September 21 on West Wisconsin Avenue between Second Street and Vel R. Phillips Avenue.
The final event of 2022 is also College Night, with special activities for new and prospective students at Milwaukee’s colleges and universities.
The Night Market was first created in 2014 by NEWaukee, a marketing agency that specializes in community engagement. The Westown Association took over the event in 2021.
September Milwaukee events
The Great Riverwest Fall Rummage Sale & Flea Market | 9 am – 5 pm, Saturday, September 10 | 722 E. Burleigh St Milwaukee WI 53212
Comedian Coca Brown | Saturday, September 10 | The Northern Lights Theater- Milwaukee
King Solomon’s Reggae Reunion show at TosaFest | 8:30 pm, Saturday, September 10 |7617 W State Street, Wauwatosa
Milwaukee Night Market | 5-10 pm, Wednesday, September 21, 2022 | 275 W. Wisconsin Ave.
YOGA by a Black man for Black men | 6-7 pm, various dates in August through November | Everyday Studio MKE, 2625 S. Greeley St., Unit 335
U.S. President Joe Biden is traveling Monday to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania to take part in celebrations for the annual Labor Day holiday.
The White House said Biden will use speeches in both Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to highlight the “dignity of American workers.”
Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is joining Biden for the events.
The president on Sunday expressed his support for a California state measure that would give agricultural workers expanded ways to vote in union elections.
“Government should work to remove — not erect — barriers to workers organizing. But ultimately workers must make the choice whether to organize a union,” Biden said.
California’s legislature has approved the bill, which would let workers cast union ballots by mail. But California Governor Gavin Newsom has opposed the measure in its current form, with a spokesperson citing concerns about the system being untested and lacking necessary steps to protect election integrity.
Monday’s holiday honoring workers in the United States was first celebrated in 1894, and it includes parades and other events in cities across the country.
Labor Day also represents an unofficial end to summer with a last busy long weekend for travelers and many children set to begin their school year.
Some information for this story came from The Associated Press.
Gustav Legnavsky during final training for the men’s freeski halfpipe at the Winter Games at Cardrona on Monday. In the end competition was called off, with Legnavksy declared the winner from earlier qualifying.
Ronan Thompson and Jessie Violet led the way for New Zealand as the first of the freeride events at the Winter Games NZ began at The Remarkables skifield in Queenstown on Monday.
New Zealand skiers and snowboarders landed six of the 12 podium places in the North Face Frontier 2-star event, held in icy underfoot conditions with snow showers throughout the day
Thompson led an all-Kiwi podium in the men’s snowboard, which he won in 2020. He impressed the judges with fast riding and a huge 360. Scott Beacom finished second and Max King third.
“That was tough out there,” he said. “I just wanted to do the 360, that was my goal for the day. It was a real fast run out with not great snow but I’ve done that before, so I thought I’ll go with what I know.”
It was a Kiwi one-two in the women’s ski field with Violet beating Elke Marshall. Violet, 19, has made the podium at junior freeride events, but proved that she is ready to make her mark on a bigger stage, incorporating a huge air into her run. “The bottom half of the course is fun, but the top half is really challenging. Conditions were really icy but I thought my run was ok and I liked that bottom air.”
Ross Mackay/Winter Games NZ
Ronan Thompson in action during the North Face Frontier 2-star event at The Remarkables.
Kiwi Lach Powell picked up a second place finish behind Japan’s Tenra Katsuno in the men’s ski, while Canada’s Jaimie Figueira won the women’s snowboard.
The 4-star event will be held on Thursday.
High winds and low visibility meant that finals for some other disciplines on Monday had to be halted, with the leaders in those events on Thursday and Saturday declared the winners.
Sean Beale/Winter Games NZ
Jessie Violet flies during the The North Face Frontier 2-star event.
Cardrona local and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympian 16-year-old Gustav Legnavsky won the men’s freeski halfpipe category with an impressive run that included three double corks, scoring 94.33.
He was disappointed that the finals were cancelled, but nonetheless was stoked to take the overall win.
“Since the Olympics I’ve been getting fired up wanting to have those better results. It definitely feels a lot better and I have been more consistent.
“I am pretty excited, it’s great to get another gold back at my home mountain.”
Eighteen-year-old Kiwi Campbell Melville finished third in the men’s snowboard halfpike, won by Chaeun Lee of Japan, while Gaon Choi of Korea won the women’s event.
Neil Kerr/Winter Games NZ
Ruby Andrews of Queenstown salutes after her win in the freeski slopestyle, flanked by Yuna Koga, left, who was second and third-placed Madeleine Disbrowe.
Ruby Andrews of Queenstown and Luca Harrington of Wānaka topped the women’s and men’s freeski slopestyle, with results from qualification on Saturday used as the final results.
Andrews was in second place after the first run and knew she had to do something special to secure the top spot – and pulled out a switch misty 900 down, which she had not done before.
“I am stoked, over the moon – this is my home mountain and coming away with a result like today, I couldn’t ask for anything better,” she said.
Freeski judge Kat Alexander was impressed with Harrington’s win.
“Luca’s first run was unreal, his right double cork 1260 tail grab was perfection and then he got massive amplitude on his switch right double cork 1260 on the final jump, that just blew us out of the water.”
Harrington said: “It definitely was challenging with the weather; qualification day was the best day we had so I just tried to put something down that was clean and turned out that it worked out in my favour, so I am pretty happy.”
Wānaka athletes Lucia Georgalli and Ava Beer finished in second and third in the women’s snowboard slopestyle behind Mari Fukada of Japan, while Jesse Parkinson was a standout winner of the men’s event.
Eighteen-year-old Campbell Melville finished third in the men’s snowboard halfpike, won by Chaeun Lee of Japan, while Gaon Choi of Korea won the women’s event.
Donald Trump and his supporters are famously obsessed with crowd size, and a video has gone viral comparing the audiences between recent rallies Mr Trump and Joe Biden held in Pennsylvania this week.
“Donald Trump and Joe Biden Both held rallies in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania this week,” reporter Benny Johnson, of conservative TV network Newsmax, wrote on Twitter in a post sharing the clip. “Here is what they looked like back to back. Incredible.”
The video, which has been viewed roughly 2.3m times, shows a packed house at Mr Trump’s rally in a stadium on Saturday, compared to a more modest crowd at the president’s speech on Tuesday in Wilkes-Barre.
The former president used the “Save America” rally – nominally a speech to support Republicans seeking office in Pennsylvania like aspiring US senator Mehmet Oz and gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano – to attack federal law enforcement and make unfounded claims about Democratic Senate hopeful John Fetterman using illegal drugs.
Mr Trump accused the Biden administration of “weaponising the FBI and Justice Department like never ever before” and described the court-authorised search of his property as the FBI “breaking into the homes of their political opponents”.
“The FBI and the justice department have become vicious monsters, controlled by radical-left scoundrels, lawyers and the media, who tell them what to do,” Mr Trump said.
Mr Biden was back in his home state this week as part of his own run of Pennsylvania midterm events.
The Biden speech shown in the comparison video took place on Tuesday in a gymnasium at Wilkes University, a small college with a student body of just over 2,000.
At the event, Mr Biden criticised Republicans for claiming to be the party of law and order, while backing the Trump supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6.
“So let me say this to my Maga Republican friends in Congress: Don’t tell me you support law enforcement if you won’t condemn what happened on the 6th,” he said. “Don’t tell me. Can’t do it.”
He continued: “For God’s sake, whose side are you on? Whose side are you on? Look, you’re either on the side of a mob or the side of the police. You can’t be pro-law enforcement and pro-insurrection. You can’t be a party of law and order and call the people who attacked the police on January 6th ‘patriots’. You can’t do it.”
“Too much of what’s happening in our country today is not normal,” he said, adding that the man he defeated nearly two years ago – former president Mr Trump – and his “Maga Republican” allies “represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic”.
“That is a threat to this country,” he continued.
It’s not the first time crowd-size comparisons are part of the political conversation.
Perhaps the first scandal of the Trump White House involved the then-president and his aides making dubious claims about the crowd size at Mr Trump’s January 2017 inauguration.
Mr Trump’s adviser Kellyanne Conway told incredulous NBC host Chuck Todd at the time that the debunked statements weren’t wrong, but based on “alternative facts”.
Marvel Studios has long been famous for its blockbuster announcements events that see President Kevin Feige stand before a crowd to showcase the future of the MCU. After a two-year hiatus from such events due to the pandemic, Feige returned to San Diego Comic-Con in July to show off the Multiverse Saga, which also got its official name at the fan convention.
The grand-scale event brought with it new footage, the Phase 5 slate, and confirmation for two new Avengers blockbusters on the way. Despite that, Marvel Studios still left some gaps in the pipeline, most notably in Phase 6 to be filled in at a later date that may be coming soon.
Feige will soon take the stage once more at the bi-annual D23 convention in a panel that will be shared with Lucasfilm and other Disney studios. Marvel Studios is expected to bring plenty to the table and The Direct has some predictions for the event before it takes place on Saturday, September 10.
Who knows whether this will amount to the full online release of the second trailer or just attendee-exclusive footage, but the next public look can’t be far away. Perhaps fans will finally see a closer look at Namor and his Kingdom of Talocan.
Werewolf by Night Finally Announced
Marvel
Marvel Studios’ upcoming Disney+ Halloween Special has been among the worst-kept secrets in its history. Composer Michael Giacchino will make his directorial debut on the secretive project that stars Gael García Bernal and Laura Donnelly.
The Werewolf by Night special began production in March and wrapped shortly after. The composer-turned-director promised in June that news is coming “very soon,” and with release expected in October, that ought to come at D23.
MCU Directors Become Official
Marvel
Many of the MCU’s upcoming Phase 5 and 6 projects have reportedly signed directors, but have yet to be formally revealed in a presentation. Among these is Shang-Chi‘s Destin Daniel Cretton, taking Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman, who will tackle Fantastic Four.
These directorial signings ought to be part of Kevin Feige’s D23 announcements, perhaps with them even coming out on stage to offer a tease of what to expect from their upcoming MCU flicks.
Having previously gone undiscussed at Comic-Con, the Holiday Special ought to be highlighted at D23 only a few months out from release. This should involve the reveal of the first trailer, but who knows whether it will find its way online or remain exclusive to attendees.
Likely
Deadpool 3 Goes Official
Marvel
Four years after Ryan Reynolds’ last superhero outing, Deadpool 3 is finally close to becoming a reality with Free Guy‘s Shawn Levy taking over directing duties and the writers of the last two flicks back once again.
Reynolds has begun training and filming preparations are getting underway, suggesting production on the “fish-out-of-water” story will begin soon. With evidence pointing to the sequel joining Phase 5 on February 16, 2024, news ought to come at D23, perhaps with Reynolds even coming out on stage.
Thunderbolts Cast Confirmed
Marvel
Thunderbolts was one of the biggest reveals of Comic-Con as it will round out Phase 5 on July 26, 2024, with production expected to begin early next year. Unfortunately, Feige omitted the roster from his last presentation, but that ought to come at D23 this month.
Mahershala Ali’s Blade now stands as the only element of Kevin Feige’s 2019 Comic-Con presentation to have not yet been released. Nonetheless, Blade’s release is set for next November and production will begin in October, so there’s likely to be some news at D23 ahead of filming, such as casting announcements.
Wonder Man Finds Its Star
Marvel
Progress appears to be moving fast on Disney+’s Wonder Man series that is being developed by Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton as a “Hollywood satire.” The cast already includes the return of Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery, but D23 ought to offer the reveal of the titular star and a release window.
Despite having concluded filming prior to the event, The Marvels didn’t show any footage at Comic-Con, likely due to the Ms. Marvel finale still being fresh. With some time now passed, attendees ought to catch an exclusive look at the all-female ensemble, showing off Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau.
Phase 5 Disney+ Series Make Waves
Marvel
After She-Hulk wraps up in October, Marvel Studios won’t have another Disney+ series until spring’s Secret Invasion. Nick Fury’s mystery thriller may have already shown footage at Comic-Con, but D23 will likely bring exclusive peeks at Echo and Loki Season 2, the former of which has already wrapped filming.
The other Phase 5 Disney+ series include Ironheart, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and Daredevil: Born Again, none of which would have enough footage to reveal. However, there may still be casting announcements or other news to offer.
50/50
She-Hulk Drops Mid-Season Trailer
Marvel
By the time D23 gets underway, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will have just premiered the fourth installment of its nine-episode season. As Disney will likely be eager to market the legal comedy to some degree at its biggest event of the year, a mid-season trailer, or at least some new footage, ought to be shown.
Now, most are expecting Armor Wars to finally get its moment in the spotlight at D23 as it gets slotted into one of the vacant Phase 6 release slots. Perhaps this will come with casting, storyline details, and hints toward Ironheart connections.
As Marvel Studios will probably want the Eternals to get involved in the climax of the Multiverse Saga, this should release at some point in 2025 in order to free up the team from their current cliffhanger ahead of the crossover event. So, if that is indeed the plan, it may become official
Shang-Chi 2 Goes Official
Marvel
Shang-Chi 2 has already been revealed to be in development but has yet to be made official. One factor that could greatly influence where Shang-Chi 2 places in the future is whether the first film’s director will be returning.
Hulk fans have been waiting for a sequel to The Incredible Hulk for over a decade now, but rights issues with Universal have prevented that. Now, World War Hulk appears to be in the pipeline and may even be getting set up by She-Hulk: Attorney at Law right now.
Production will reportedly begin in the not-too-distant future, so an announcement is entirely possible. But if the storyline hinges around the latter episodes of She-Hulk then that reveal may be saved until later to avoid spoilers.
Nova Enters The Fold
Marvel
The wait has been long to see Nova – either Richard Rider or Sam Alexander – enter the MCU, and all signs are pointing to it being not too far away. Granted, nobody yet knows whether this will be a big-screen movie or Disney+ series, but reports indicate Rider will be the star.
The last word on production indicated a 2023 start to what is “likely” to be a Disney+ series, so it ought to slot somewhere into Phase 6, perhaps leading Marvel Studios to shock fans with the reveal at D23.
Major Casting Announcements
Marvel
Among Marvel Studios’ most shocking event moments yet was the shock reveal of Mahershala Ali’s Blade at Comic-Con 2019. Part of what made this moment so special was the fact this had yet to be reported anywhere, and perhaps Kevin Feige has something similar up his sleeves again.
One report suggested Marvel Studios has signed John Boyega, Henry Cavill, Jodie Comer, Daisy Edgar-Jones, John Krasinski, Giancarlo Esposito, and Denzel Washington in various roles that may be announced at D23. For now, this rumor is unverified, but this may be a taste of the potential shock castings to expect.
Secret Wars won’t have to begin filming until 2024, so Marvel Studios doesn’t necessarily need to choose and announce a director right now. But if Kevin Feige already has one lined up, he may choose to announce that name at D23.
However, even if a solo project is on the cards for Wanda, Marvel Studios may wish to deliver her triumphant return on screen before announcing anything. After all, her shocking return in Avengers 5 to turn the tides in the fight against Kang the Conqueror would be jaw-dropping for moviegoers.
Avenger Icons Receive Sequels
Marvel
With the Multiverse Saga spanning three Phases, many of the flicks coming earlier in the saga ought to receive sequels by the time the end of it all. Doctor Strange 2 and Thor 4 have both arrived this summer and left off on intriguing cliffhangers to tease the future of their characters, so when will they be resolved?
As of now, there have been no major reports pointing toward either Doctor Strange 3or Thor 5having entered development, lowering the chances of a mention at D23. But perhaps Marvel Studios will come with some surprises to continue these stories before the current saga comes to a close.
Disney+ Season 2 Renewals
Marvel
On the topic of sequels, the time may have come for more Disney+ series to receive a coveted Season 2 renewal. As of now, Loki is the only live-action MCU show to have confirmed a follow-up is on the way, but the odds are high that more will eventually follow suit, even if that’s not necessarily at D23.
Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and She-Hulk all ought to see their stories continued on Disney+, but some will come sooner rather than later. Perhaps the most likely contender for now is Oscar Isaac’s Egyptian epic, especially since Moon Knight has yet to line up any more upcoming appearances.
Marvel Brings X-Men Updates
Marvel
With every Marvel Studios presentation since acquiring Fox, fans have been eagerly awaiting news on the X-Men. Now, the odds are higher than ever as the MCU has begun planting seeds for their introduction with Ms. Marvel, but the time may still not be quite right yet.
Firstly, reports have indicated that existing Fox contracts may prevent the MCU from recasting the X-Men until 2025, likely placing their debut into the next saga. Marvel Studios also has plenty of new characters and teams to play with for now, so it may opt to save a whole new super-powered race for the next saga.
Fantastic Four Finds Actors
Marvel
Fantastic Four may have found its director in Matt Shakman, but there’s still the question of which actors will bring Marvel’s First Family to life. As high as hopes may be to see the cast come out on stage, actors have likely yet to be signed as the newfound director ought to have some say in that choice.
But with filming placed to begin next year, Marvel Studios is likely currently hard at work on finding its four leading actors. If those, or even any of them, happen to be found before D23, there’s a chance they will be revealed at the event.
Doctor Doom Enters The Fold
Marvel
Doctor Doom earned his own spot on this list thanks to rumors he could be involved in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and possibly even make an appearance. Rumors have suggested the Latvian ruler may be the one pulling the strings of the war between the African nation and Namor’s Talocan.
If these rumors were to pay off, Doctor Doom could be joining the MCU before the year is out, meaning an actor may well have been cast. Granted, chances are Marvel Studios will want to keep any shocking cameo from the Fantastic Four villain quiet, but perhaps they may lean into it to further push the sequel.
The Phase 6 Slate Gets Completed
Marvel
Almost every potential Phase 6 project was placed in the lower echelon of likelihood on this list. This comes down to the chance that Kevin Feige steers clear of the Multiverse Saga’s conclusion altogether and instead focuses on Phase 5.
The first Phase 6 entry isn’t expected to release until Fall 2024, so Marvel Studios could comfortably save those announcements for 2023’s Comic-Con. But even though those projects likely won’t start filming until the second half of 2023, Feige may wish to complete the picture of the Multiverse Saga sooner rather than later.
Manage Expectations for the MCU at D23
Marvel
It’s important to go into D23 with reasonable expectations for what Marvel Studios will reveal. Feige just dropped plenty of major bombshells at Comic-Con, so it wouldn’t be awfully surprising if D23 isn’t quite as spectacular.
As the studio will probably want to save some announcements for future events, the Phase 6 slate may well be left incomplete. After all, there are still two more Comic-Cons to come before the final phase of the Multiverse Saga gets underway.
D23 ought to be used more as a platform to expand on what has already been revealed, as opposed to announcing tons of new projects. Nonetheless, the D23 weekend will undoubtedly be an exciting one for MCU fans.
