Expect the advertising blitz on Iron Man 3 to ramp up starting now, as the May release date quickly approaches (quicker for the April release date in IMAX in some markets). It begins with this Superbowl ad, and second teaser poster after the jump, showing Tony in a bad way.

But Iron Man is far from the only film Marvel is making right now: Thor: The Dark World finds itself nearer to post production, Captain America: The Winter Soldier nears filming, all the while Keven Feige balances his plans for the entire universe to expand. So, let's begin.

- Emily VanCamp has, reportedly, been cast as the female lead in the Cap sequel. Primarily a television actress, she currently is the lead on ABC's Revenge, a show I've never seen. In fact, looking at her filmography, I've never seen VanCamp in anything, which is a tactic Marvel has taken with many of it's casting decisions, choosing relative newbies that can be propelled into stardom via the Marvel properties (most successful example of this is probably Chris Hemsworth). She did beat out Alison Brie for the role, and that makes me sad.

- Also in the Winter Soldier will be a somewhat surprising return, as Toby Jones announced that his Red Skull henchman Arnim Zola will return in the sequel. This seems reasonable, as last we saw the true genius behind the Red Skull's plans, he was in American custody. In the comics, Zola is often nothing more then a disembodied brain, or computerised consciousness in a robot body, so that is one way to work around the time gap. The other is, of course, flashbacks. Either way, I suspect Zola will have a hand in the emergence of the Winter Soldier, the identity of which comic readers know, and which I won't spoil here (though any cast list for the film will spoil almost immediately).

Hit the jump for more news about the general future for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and some X-Men stuff.


- It's a good thing Marvel hired Joss Whedon to act as a point guard on Marvel Phase 2, because Kevin Feige is already thinking well into Phase 3 (if not Phase 4). Feige said, while talking to MTV about the upcoming films:

“Beyond that… ‘Ant-Man’ is the only one officially announced, but you probably don’t have to look too far to guess at the next list of characters we’re toying with and beginning to develop…’Doctor Strange,’ which I’ve been talking about for years, is definitely one of them.  He’s a great, original character, and he checks the box off this criteria that I have: he’s totally different from anything else we have, just like ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ He’s totally different from anything we’ve done before, as is ‘Ant-Man,’ which keeps us excited.”

Feige has proven to be a man of his word, in terms of making the films he intends to make. The fact that Guardians of the Galaxy is moving forward is proof enough of that, and that Avengers made Scrooge McDuck-levels of money gives him the ability. He's been talking about Dr. Strange since back before Thor, so it's not so much a matter of "if," but "when."

- Rumours abound that Iron Man 3 will feature more then a few connections to future films. Aside from the previous theory that Stephanie Szostak will be playing Wasp in the film (which would also make the number of Avengers come in at eight, which Feige recently described as the number of things present in Whedon's first draft of the sequel script that are "worth the price of admission."), but it might also connect to the Guardians film. The logic: apparently, a space-based, or space-capable suit has been glimpsed among Tony's new armour, and this has some thinking Tony might be the hero that connects the series to the outer limits.

Said Brian Michael Bendis, Marvel golden boy, Guardians comic writer and original MCU architect,

“Tony standing back and wondering what the Earth needs from him… what he can do for the Earth, for the galaxy… and then taking that back into his next Avengers adventure is a good story worth telling with Tony Stark.”

- And retuning from the depths of rumourdom is the idea that Planet Hulk and World War Hulk might form the backbone of Phase 3 in some way. Said Feige, who obviously really loves his job:

"Either of those sound like a pretty excellent and exciting way to give Hulk something new and fresh to do in a film. Picture this. The Avengers are fighting Thanos in The Avengers 2 along with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Hulk does something really really bad, maybe kills a major character, and after the battle, the Avengers vote for the Guardians to send Hulk away. End of Avengers 2, beginning of The Incredible Hulk 2 in space. In fact, if Planet Hulk turns into Incredible Hulk 2, World War Hulk could pretty easily be The Avengers 3. Hulk and his alien minions fight The Avengers on Earth."

Considering that, pre-Whedon, a lot of people assumed that the Avengers joining up to fight the Hulk would be the focus of the first film, and that both of these ideas are just strange enough while remaining within the realm the MCU has already carved out, it seems more then possible.

- Paul Giamatti has been hired for the Amazing Spider-man sequel, to play the Rhino of all characters. I have thoughts on this, none of them good.

- X-Men: Days of Future's Past will feature more of the original team with the confirmation of the return of Rogue, Iceman and Shadowcat, as played by Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore and Ellen Page. And while the main story will take place in the seventies (putting it about a decade behind First Class), Kitty's role from the original story might be preserved, as the mutant who manages to escape the Sentinel ruled hellscape to warn Xavier and Co. of the impending doom. Said Mark Millar, ward of the Fox properties, "Kitty Pryde fans will not be disappointed."

Who might be disappointed is me, as Bryan Singer, original series director said when tweeting this announcement, "Thank you Brett Ratner for letting them live." This has cast into doubt the return of Cyclops and any other characters who died in X3, and also suggests that it will remain, regrettably, canon. So where exactly is Kelsey Grammer as old Beast then, Mr. Singer?

Seriously, if this film doesn't wipe X3 from existence, I'm going to be nerd-enraged.

Via /Film, and again, and again. Also The Mary Sue, First Showing, Collider, Screenrant, and Den of Geek.