Captain Marvel Movie Is Definitely An Origin Story

Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are awaiting each new piece of news relating to Captain Marvel, which will not only bring one of the comics’ longest-lived “legacy” heroes to the screen but also mark the first film from the studio to be fronted by a female character. But what form the film might take, in terms of what sort of story those same fans can expect to see play out, has largely remained a mystery — including whether or not it would be the place where audiences learned its hero’s origin story.

As it turns out, Marvel movie boss Kevin Feige has offered eager fans some idea of what to expect — in the origin department anyway.

While speaking to Cinema Blend, Feige was asked where the studio stood on the position of superhero movies so often defaulting to an origin story for each character’s first time out, given that thus far the Phase 3 features have focused more on sequels and team-ups. Feige responded by saying:

“[Black] Panther is not really an origin story, since we saw him already in Civil War. But his standalone certainly introduces you to 99% of his world that you never saw. And Captain Marvel is certainly an origin. It’s an origin story from the start.”

Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel comic Captain Marvel Movie Is Definitely An Origin Story
The quote would seem to walk back indications made several years ago that Phase 3 would actively move away from the origin story model, though it makes sense that new heroes would be introduced in a manner that lays out who they are and where they came from. While it’s true that Black Panther made his onscreen debut in another film and went through an origin of sorts in terms of his status quo as a public superhero, the full details of his world and background are still yet to be revealed and will (presumably) wait for his own solo feature to emerge.

Though not definitive, the statement would appear to cast some doubt on whether or not Captain Marvel will play a featured role in Avengers: Infinity War, as the film is scheduled to be released ahead of her solo film in 2019 — which will likely come as a disappointment to many fans who’d theorized (with actress Brie Larson already cast in the part) she might get a mini-origin before spinning off on her own like Black Panther did. However, it does not rule out the possibility that Larson could still appear in the Captain’s civilian identity of Carol Danvers.

Doctor Strange opens November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; Avengers: Infinity – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel– March 8, 2019; Untitled Avengers – May 3, 2019; and as-yet-untitled Marvel movies on July 12, 2019, and on May 1, July 10, and November 6 in 2020.