Late last week we chatted up Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige about all things Thor: The Dark World and Marvel's future plans. We'll be running several pieces from our interview leading up to the release of Thor: The Dark World on November 8, beginning with this one regarding the potential for a Doctor Strange movie, a female-driven solo movie and when Marvel actually intends to announce the movies it has planned for those empty release dates in 2016 and 2017.

Earlier in the year Disney revealed two new release dates for Marvel movies without actually saying which movies they were. Those dates are May 6, 2016 and May 5, 2017, and while many thought Marvel would reveal those Phase Three movies at this past San Diego Comic-Con, it did not.

So then when, exactly, will Marvel be making those announcements? And will one of those movies be Doctor Strange?

"Doc Strange, as I've been saying for years, is a movie I believe we should make -- we're just figuring out how to make it a great movie. It is in active development right now," Feige told us. "Whether that's one of the movies we announce for 2016 or 2017, we have to see. I think it'll be the middle of next year before we announce officially what the post-Ant-Man films will be.

Perhaps saving those reveals for next year's San Diego Comic-Con? "Maybe... stuff might happen before that. It's too early to tell."

What may or may not be part of that 2016/2017 plan is Marvel's first female stand-alone superhero movie. It certainly feels like Marvel is building towards one, especially since the female heroes in their movies now are being given a lot more to do. But when will they take that chance? When will they break out one of their many fantastic female superheroes and give her a solo movie?

We asked Feige straight up whether Marvel will deliver fans a solo female superhero movie before DC. "Good question. I don't know what they're doing or what they're planning,' Feige said. "I know we have numerous exciting female heroes, whether none of them are currently slated, some of them are in development -- frankly, you can look at what Jane Foster does in [Thor: The Dark World], look at Pepper Potts literally saving the day and defeating the bad guy in Iron Man 3, and I'd say we already have great female heroes that are showcased and play major roles in our universe now. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as you will see, features Black Widow in her biggest role yet in any of our films. In terms of a solo stand-alone female hero, I'm not sure when that will be. We make two movies a year, we've planned through 2015 and we have some ideas of what we're doing in 2016 and 2017, so we'll see what happens."

We'll have lots more with Feige in the coming days right here, as well as over on our sister site, Fandango. Thor: The Dark World hits theaters on November 8, and you can buy your tickets for it right now over at Fandango.

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