Lady Loki Is In Loki

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Though she hasn't yet been name-checked by an official casting announcement, Sophia Di Martino has been heavily rumored to be playing Lady Loki in Disney+'s Loki series and the trailer for the show released in December confirmed her presence very fleetingly. What some fans believed to be a sighting of Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow on Vormir actually appears to be the first official sighting of Lady Loki, who has long been a comics fan favorite, as corroborated by set photos showing Di Martino with the same haircut. Whether Lady Loki is a gender-swapped version of Tom Hiddleston's character (thanks to magic) or an alternate universe one doesn't really matter here, because the idea of Phase 4 exploring gender identities is something that's been way too long in the making.

Oscar Isaac (Probably) Cast As Moon Knight

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In probably the most surprising casting revelation of the entire year, Oscar Isaac was said to be in talks to join the MCU as Moon Knight, the titular star of Disney+'s most unexpected MCU show addition. Not much is known of the show so far, other than confirmation that it will explore the character's mental illness - another stride for progressiveness in the MCU, provided it's done right - but it remains an intriguing prospect all the same. For the sake of ease, Moon Knight is effectively the MCU's answer to Batman, with Kevin Feige confirming that he will be the type of hero "who jumps out of buildings and gets into fights.” Isaac's potential casting will be another huge boon for the franchise if it comes off and would make what is otherwise a comparatively harder sell far more of a tentpole.

Charlie Cox's Daredevil Is In Line To Return

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When Netflix's MCU was shuttered to the great dismay of its fans, it looked like the end for the mostly perfectly cast Defenders cast and Charlie Cox's Man Without Fear in particular. There had been talk of another season and both Cox and Kingpin actor Vincent D'Onofrio were publicly very keen on returning, but without the platform, the rights issue seemed a problem too far. But then came the MCU's multiverse and Marvel's apparent willingness to break down some borders that had once existed and reinterpret some other ones entirely. Actors who had played characters previously could return like Ryan Reynolds did as Deadpool after the X-Men Origins disaster and one of the most exciting is the prospect of Charlie Cox playing Matt Murdock again. If it comes off, his appearance in Spider-Man 3 would be a gem among a trove of great moments, and if it then sets up Cox's own MCU project, even better.

Hailee Steinfeld Is Kate Bishop (And Has Pizza Dog)

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The worst kept secret in the MCU was the casting of Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop for Disney+'s Hawkeye show, which will follow on from Endgame, presumably exploring the fallout of Clint Barton's time as Ronin. Based on the beloved comic Hawkeye run by Matt Fraction & David Aja, the show is the first opportunity for fans to really get under the skin of Jeremy Renner's Barton, even if he's sharing the screen with Bishop and that alone makes the series a big draw. Adding Steinfeld's perfectly cast legacy hero gives it even more of an impressive arsenal and then, of course, there's the small matter of Pizza Dog, who is bound to steal the hearts of all dog-loving MCU fans.

The Fantastic Four Movie Is Confirmed

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Though it's a shame that there has been no confirmation yet of the X-Men's involvement in the MCU, the first huge MCU move with the former Fox Marvel properties (other than the announcement of Deadpool 3 - which appears to exist in its own annex) saw the announcement of the Fantastic Four movie. No cast has yet been announced for Marvel's First Family, but director Jon Watts will return after Spider-Man 3 to shepherd their arrival to the franchise continuity. Though there have been two duds from these characters, the Fantastic Four are one of Marvel's most celebrated properties, and in the right hands can be a massive draw for the MCU. The fact that their first movie is now announced makes for an incredibly exciting prospect for fans who want to see them given a fair go in movies.