Marvel unveils huge slate of new superhero films

Marvel on Tuesday unveiled plans for nine new superhero movies through 2019, expanding a universe anchored on blockbuster franchises including The Avengers and Captain America.

In a surprise announcement, the studio revealed there will be a new two-part Avengers sequel in 2018-2019 -- on top of one already scheduled for next year to follow the record-breaking 2012 original.

The studio also named its first African American solo lead actor -- Chadwick Boseman, who will play the title role Black Panther, due out in 2017.

And it confirmed a release date for the sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy, which is so far the top-grossing film of 2014.

Here is a list of the nine movies, in chronological order based on release date:
- Captain America: Civil War - May 6, 2016
- Dr Strange - November 4, 2016
- Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - May 5, 2017
- Thor: Ragnarok - July 28, 2017
- Black Panther - November 3, 2017
- Avengers: Infinity War, Part 1 - May 4, 2018
- Captain Marvel - July 6, 2018
- Inhumans - November 2, 2018
- Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2 - May 3, 2019

So-called 'tent pole' movies -- big money-making films that are often sequels to tried-and-tested blockbuster franchises -- are increasingly important to studios as the movie-watching experience fragments into theatergoers and others viewing online or elsewhere.

The first Avengers movie and last year's Iron Man 3 are among the top five grossing films ever, together earning more than $2.7 billion worldwide to date, according to Marvel.

The Avengers -- in which a band of superheroes helps save Earth from mythical prankster Loki and an alien army -- opened in North America in May 2012 with a staggering $207.4 million in ticket sales -- the biggest US debut of all time.

James Cameron's Avatar remains the biggest grossing film of all time worldwide, with some $2.8 billion in takings, followed by Titanic on $2.2 billion and The Avengers on $1.5 billion, according to the Box Office Mojo website.