Marvel unveils Phase IV roster

New Delhi, March 5 (IANS) Its going to be a marvelous time for Marvel fans. The new phase starts with Scarlett Johansson coming back on the big screen as deadly spy Natasha Romanoff in 'Black Widow' this April.

After a blockbuster end to the last phase in 2019 with "Avengers: Endgame", Marvel will be starting off its most anticipated phase four by redefining the superhero universe with women's power in focus.



On Thursday, the studio released a poster announcing the dates of release in India for its upcoming films.

Johansson's "Black Widow" will release on April 30. The film is set after the events of "Captain America: Civil War" but before the events of "Avengers: Infinity War". The film will trace the story of Romanoff, who will confront her past.

Directed by Cate Shortland, "Black Widow" will also feature Taskmaster, a popular character from the Marvel Comics. It will be his first live-action film appearance. It is not known who will portray the villain. The film also stars Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz.



Then there will a Bollywood touch to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with big-budget superhero saga "The Eternals". The film is slated to release on November 6.

Directed by Chloe Zhao, the film stars Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, and Kumail Nanjiani.

It is about the super-powered beings, The Celestials, and their villainous adversaries, The Deviants, in a war set millions of years ago. Nanjiani says his character in "The Eternals" will have the secret identity of a Bollywood star.



Marvel's first Asian-led superhero film, "Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings" will release on February 21, 2021.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, it stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, alongside Tony Leung and Awkwafina.

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch will be returning as the Sorcerer Supreme with "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness", which will open on May 7, 2021. The film also stars Elizabeth Oslen and Benedict Wong. It is believed that Sam Raimi, who directed the 2000s "Spider-Man" trilogy starring Tobey Maguire, is in talks to direct the "Doctor Strange" sequel.

The God of Thunder will be back for a new adventure, too. "Thor: Love And Thunder", the fourth film in the "Thor" franchise, will release on November 5, 2021. Chris Hemsworth will return as Thor.

Natalie Portman will be returning to the franchise for the first time since 2013's "Thor: The Dark World". At the San Diego Comic-Con last year, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige said that Portman's Jane Foster will take up Thor's hammer Mjolnir in "Love And Thunder", and take up the persona of the Mighty Thor. The film is being directed by Taika Waititi and it also stars Tessa Thompson and Waititi.

There are reports that actor Christian Bale is also in talks to join the cast of "Thor: Love And Thunder".

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