10 Movies & TV Shows From MCU Directors To Look Forward To In 2022
Some of the MCU's best talent comes behind the camera, with the brilliant directors of each project. What are these cinematic geniuses doing next?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has ingratiated itself into the top-tier of the film industry, finding success both critically and commercially over its 14-year run beginning with 2008's Iron Man. The films are lauded for their fun, fan-pleasing atmosphere, as well as their artistic direction.
Some of the most talented people behind the MCU aren't those in front of the screen, but those in the director's chair. The MCU has seen plenty of gifted directors over the years, many of whom have very exciting projects outside of Marvel's franchise that are in the works for the coming year
After his brief firing from Marvel and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn crossed the aisle to the DC Universe, where he directed The Suicide Squad, which resulted in a spinoff series entitled Peacemaker, which follows John Cena's titular character on his own escapades as a member of an Argus squad that doesn't tell him anything about their top-secret mission.
This series, which has already begun airing on HBO Max, has been immensely popular for the streaming service, with fans and critics praising Gunn's signature bonkers style and a hilariously funny cast lead by John Cena.
Since directing the first Thor film for Marvel, acclaimed actor-director Kenneth Branagh has had plenty of notable works, including his rebooted adaptations of Agatha Christie's compelling mystery novels. The second of these, Death on the Nile, is set to be released in February of this year.
After the success of Branagh's first Christie adaptation, Murder on the Orient Express, audiences are eager to see the next installment of his star-studded suspense series. With Branagh playing the iconic Inspector Hercule Poirot, this film is sure to be a fun adventure, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Taika Waititi reinvigorated the Thor franchise with his 2017 cosmic space adventure Thor: Ragnarok, reigniting fans' love of the thunder god and earning the series a fourth installment, set to release this summer. Waititi has not rested on his laurels, however, and is directing yet another film set for a 2022 release in Next Goal Wins.
Next Goal Wins is based on a sports documentary of the same name about Thomas Rongen, the coach of the so-called "weakest soccer team in the world." Given the tragically hilarious real-world content being adapted, Waititi is clearly the best choice to helm such a picture, which is sure to be yet another masterpiece to add to the director's arsenal.
Though Thor: The Dark World has been largely considered one of the weaker installments of the MCU, director Alan Taylor has continued to quietly make a name for himself in Hollywood, including with his upcoming series Interview With The Vampire for AMC.
Interview With The Vampire is based on a series of books entitled The Vampire Chronicles, by Anne Rice, and is expected to air with an eight-episode first season. Taylor will be directing two episodes out of the show's season 1, helping build a foundation for what will hopefully blossom into a strong series.
The Russo Brothers have been one of Hollywood's impressive directing duos of the last decade, producing box office hits such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame. Now that their time with Marvel seems to be on the backburner, many are anxious to see what the Russos will do next. One of their first post-Marvel projects is the Amazon Prime Video series Citadel.
Expected to air this March, Citadel has an impressive cast, which includes Richard Madden (Game of Thrones, Eternals) and Priyanka Chopra (Baywatch, The Matrix: Resurrections). While little is known about the series thus far, it is expected to launch several spinoff series centered and produced in different locations around the globe.
Taika Waititi is certainly a busy man in 2022, as yet another of his projects is slated for release this year. The third project on Waititi's 2022 docket is Our Flag Means Death, a series created by David Jenkins, in which Waititi will direct the pilot episode.
Taika Waititi is known for creating lovable characters, especially when he is included among the cast. This will be true of this series, which is loosely based on the story of Stede Bonnet, who abandoned the lavish lifestyle of the British aristocracy in favor of becoming a pirate, sometimes known as "The Gentleman's Pirate." Waititi will be portraying none other than the legendary pirate captain Blackbeard in the series, a sight that all fans of his will no doubt love to see.
Jon Favreau, the director of the first two Iron Man films and pseudo-"Godfather" of the MCU, has been busy fulfilling the dreams of Star Wars fans around the globe for the past few years with his many Disney+ projects, beginning with The Mandalorian. One of the upcoming series that may indeed release in 2022 is the long-awaited spinoff Ahsoka, which will star the titular former Jedi, as portrayed in live-action by Rosario Dawson.
With fans already theorizing about where Ahsoka's spinoff series may lead her, this series has the potential to be one of the most popular streaming shows of all time. Though Favreau is not yet confirmed to be directing any episodes of Ahsoka, he will be an executive producer for the series, adding his golden touch to what is already sure to be a thrill ride for Star Wars fans.
Destin Daniel Cretton is a recent addition to the growing list of MCU directors, having helmed 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which is largely credited with bringing the box office back into full swing following the COVID-19 pandemic. With all eyes on Cretton following his breakout success, his next project is HBO Max series Tokyo Vice.
Tokyo Vice will be a crime series based on the similarly named series of books by Jake Adelstein. The show will star Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe in the leading roles and is expected to be set in 90's Tokyo, a location that is sure to provide plenty of interesting plotlines.
Jon Favreau broke into the Star Wars franchise in a big way with The Mandalorian, the first live-action series in the franchise. Over its two-season run, The Mandalorian has been a massive hit for Disney+, becoming one of the most popular streaming series of all time. Now, after a long wait, the third season seems poised for a 2022 release.
Jon Favreau brings plenty to the table as the head writer for and creator of the series and has not let fans down at a single turn. As such, the fanbase is eagerly awaiting any news on the upcoming season 3 of the series. While they have had to wait a long time for any future stories to be told featuring their favorite Mandalorian bounty hunter, the most recent episode of The Book of Boba Fett finally included the return of Din Djarin, with the promise of more hints toward what the future of the original series might look like.
For their second film as directors following Avengers: Endgame, the Russo Brothers will be teaming up with long-time associate Chris Evans for yet another film releasing this year in the action-thriller The Gray Man.
While the release date of this film is yet unknown, it has wrapped filming and entered post-production, a good sign for a 2022 release. The upcoming Netflix film sees Chris Evans joined by a star-studded cast, which includes Ana de Armas (Knives Out, No Time To Die), Jessica Henwick (The Matrix: Resurrections), Ryan Gosling (La La Land, Blade Runner: 2047), and Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton). With such a powerful team of actors and directors, The Gray Man is sure to be one of the biggest hits of the coming year.