Release Calendar Predictions

JHawkInc

We know two things. One, that characters are being released in a 5*/4*/4* pattern, and Two, that new releases come every two weeks. These are fairly certain. Here's 2017 so far. (dates used are the first date of the release event, literally the first moment they're available in-game)

• January 5th - Carol Danvers (4*)
• January 19th - Riri Williams (4*)
• February 2nd - Black Panther (5*)
• February 9th - Mordo (4*)
• February 23rd - Agent Coulson (4*)
• March 9th - Hawkeye (3*/5*)
• March 23rd - Iron Fist (4*)
• April 6th - Cloak & Dagger (4*)
• April 27th - Star Lord (3*/5*)
• May 4th - Rocket & Groot (4*)

Fits the 5/4/4 pattern, all two weeks apart (minus Mordo, one week early, and Star Lord, one week late). 

So here's a list of future dates, two weeks apart, 4*/5* pattern listed, to give us a framework for future speculation.

• May 18th - 4*
  
• June 1st - 5*
• June 15th - 4*
• June 29th - 4*
• July 13th - 5*
• July 27th - 4*
• August 10th - 4*
• August 24th - 5*
• September 7th - 4*
• September 21st - 4*
• October 5th - 5*
• October 19th - 4*
• November 2nd - 4*
• November 16th - 5*
• November 30th - 4*
• December 14th - 4*
• December 28th - 5*

Now, we know Rocket & Groot and Gamora are coming, they'll probably fit those two May dates (the dates are speculative at this point, but the characters have been teased). That fits the "Guardians Volume 2" theme we have going on.

Which brings me to the last bit. Sometimes character releases tie-in to other Marvel events (Iron Fist and his Netflix show, Mordo and the Doctor Strange home release of the movie, the three Guardians and their new movie, etc). Upcoming this year we still have Spider-Man Homecoming on July 8th, The Defenders on Netflix on August 18th, Inhumans on IMAX September 1st (continuing on ABC on September 26th), Thor: Ragnarok on November 3rd, and Punisher on Netflix "sometime". Not counting home-media releases (random speculation that we'll get Guardians and Spidey in 2017), or Agents of Shield (or Cloak & Dagger or the Runaways) tie-ins. And that's before you get into all of the things happening in the comics. Or even things like MPQ's next Anniversary.

So we have, theoretically, 17 more characters coming out this year, 12 11 four-star and 5 6 five-star, not counting anything beyond that (like how many 5*s have a 3* released alongside, or a deviation from "normal" schedule). Who do you think we'll get? And when? And why, for what little clues we have this far in advance? Even vague suggestions (like "we're overdo another "joke" character" or "I bet we'll get two characters for Spidey's movie") without specifying specific characters are welcome. I've kinda listed "what we know", so I'm interested in hearing what people expect from that going forward.

(I've got my own thoughts, but I'll post them separately from the main idea to avoid adding extra bias to people's responses)

EDIT1: Rocket & Groot article posted, calendar adjusted accordingly (of course I talk about the "two week" pattern for them to throw it off by a week IMMEDIATELY) I guess I'll keep tweaking the calendar as long as this thread remains active. Maybe we'll have some predictions to compare to the results a few releases from now?

Orion

Well, Spider Man Homecoming will be released on July 7th, so the July 6th release will probably be a 4* Spiderman.  Although it could be a villain too since there's enough spider people running around the 4* tier already.

Thor: Ragnarok comes out on Novenber 3rd, and I'd love for one of those releases around then to be a 4* Planet Hulk.  Maybe they could finally get Spiderman and Hulk correct this time.

jffdougan

For Spider-Man, I predict Vulture. I'm behind the entire Agents of Shield season, so no speculation from that. For Defenders, it's high time we got Jessica Jones to round out the team (although I think that a 4* Daredevil isn't a bad guess, either).

Edit: I really want to see Nebula for Vol 2, and know several folks who think Yondu is a better bet. One or both of those will tie to the home release, I suspect.

Wjohnson992

Unless they add Robbie Reyes Ghost Rider I hope we dont  get an Agent of Shield like Simmons

GrumpySmurf1002

I would say for sure we're getting is a 5* Thor at some point, because his absence is notable given the other 5* characters.

We may get the missing Defender (Jessica Jones) at some point as well, maybe/maybe not with a 4* Daredevil or 5* Elektra (or 5* whoever the main villain in that series ends up being).

No idea what else.  Maybe a Wolverine.

DesertTortoise

I'm with Grumpy, I'm positive we'll get a 5-star Odinson around Ragnarok. I wouldn't be too shocked if we got a 4 or 5-star Loki as well down the road. I'm fairly certain GotGv2 will get a home release before the holidays so I hope that's our chance to get Nebula, Yondu or Mantis. 

mpqr7

I saw you write 5/4/4, and I thought... "yes, 13 covers, no dupes!!!"

jffdougan

Time to update your framework calendar: 4* Grocket will, in fact, release starting on Thursday.

dylflon

The interview on marvel.com for 4* Rocket and Groot hints that they want more mechanics around members of the same team being present, so think teams. 

Quebbster

Looks like Rocket and Groot are released this weekend, not next week.

JHawkInc

Whelp, I was originally going to include the future calendar more as a rough guideline for speculation (even +/- a week, we still expect a 5* around Anniversary, you know?), but since they've already released 4* Rocket & Groot's info, I guess I'll go ahead an update the original post to reflect that info. Then I'll have to see if any of my own theories/guesses need tweaking based on the update.

jgomes32

Not sure those dates match, so i'm just guessing leading up to 5* Thor. Here are some predictions:

• 4*  Gamora (confirmed end of the month?)
  
• 5*   Edge of Venomverse tie-in? Throw some joke character with the symbiote?
• 4* Colleen Wing?
• 4* ????
• 5* Sandman
• 4* Silk or Peter Parker
• 4*  Youndu (maybe Mantis or Nebula)
• 5* Jessica Jones (maybe 3/5*?)
• 4* Gorgon or Crystal/Lockjaw
• 4* AoS related if the show is renewed?
• 5*  Ghost Rider
• 4* Nico Minoru or Morbius
• 4* Sif, Gladiator Hulk or Loki (most likely Loki)
• 5* Thor

JHawkInc

Okay, so, for my own thoughts.

We know Gamora is after Rocket & Groot. So we're covered through May.

Spider-Man: Homecoming will get us at least one character. My personal bet is an MCU Spidey for the June 29th spot. Might finally get us a desirable (and acquireable) Peter Parker, which is a no-brainer with a movie tie-in.

It would be cool to see Vulture as well. Simplest fit would be a 4* MCU Vulture. Coolest fit would be that July 5* for a 5*/3* release of Vulture, covering the movie version and the classic green suit, and taking note @dylfloncomment and being listed as a member of the Sinister Six. Then I'd enter wild speculation territory suggesting Mysterio or... Sandman? one of them some other time during the year (Kraven/Lizard aren't on the team as much as Sandman, at least to my memory, and while Electro is more common, I think he's still suffering from the bad PR of TASM2). Or maybe Hobgoblin. Then, someone (from Vulture onwards) can have a power that gets boosted by Sinister Six members (or we can get an off-season "Sinister Six" Spidey PVP with Spidey heroes/villains boosted?)

I really want a Jessica Jones for The Defenders, but part of me suspects a new 4* Daredevil instead (theoretically, either could have a team-oriented power for The Defenders members, which could be cool with 4* Luke Cage or Iron Fist, maybe with a nod towards the comics by making it work with Hulk/Strange too?). Ideally, we could get both, maybe?

5* MCU Thor feels inevitable, tentatively for the Nov 16th spot? My guess would be the Nov 2nd character would tie into the movie as well. I'm open to either a new Loki or maybe a gladiator Hulk for the 4* spot.

Nothing else jumps out at me for tie-ins. Maybe the Yondu/Mantis/Nebula people have been requesting for GotG Vol. 2 with the DVD release? (my money is on Mantis)

Comics have enough X-Men stuff going on I'm still hopeful for new X-Men (hook us up with a 4* Kitty that leads Gold team but also doubles as a member of the Guardians in the game, that'd be rad). There was an offhand comment from Cthulhu about new characters (as opposed to variants) and hoping to be able to anounce something soon, so I'm still hopeful that means more X-Men at some point. Figure we'll get America Chavez at some point considering her comic and that poll we had back when. Long shot for a joke character, Deapool the Duck (though I'd kinda prefer Spider-Ham). Either could be a solid 4* for around Anniversary.