There’s never a shortage of upcoming MCU projects. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a wealth of future MCU movies and TV shows planned, with a full calendar planned for the next several years as the MCU’s Phase 4 ends. MCU Phase 5 starts in 2023, kicking off with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Starting with Iron Man in 2008, the MCU has grown into the most successful movie franchise ever, and new MCU movies repeatedly smash global box office records. WandaVision then got a new era rolling in 2021 by giving audiences MCU Disney+ shows to follow too. With an ever-growing cast of characters, an expanding multiverse, and the confusing MCU canon, it can be hard to keep track of all upcoming MCU movies. Below is everything you need to know about the next Marvel TV show, the next MCU movie, and all upcoming Marvel projects planned after them.
The MCU release calendar was disrupted during Phase 4. The 2020 Pandemic led to the MCU delaying several movies and even releasing Black Widow exclusively on streaming. However, since then, the MCU is back to full-scale theatrical releases. On top of new MCU movies, Disney and Marvel have also been expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the small screen with Disney+ shows. Unlike earlier MCU TV projects (such as Agents of SHIELD), the Disney+ MCU series have a direct impact on the MCU movies. Since the release of WandaVision, several more Disney+ shows have been released, and all of them have changed the MCU. The most notable example is Loki introducing the Thanos-level antagonist for the MCU’s «Multiverse Saga,» Kang the Conqueror.
2022 has already had a slew of MCU releases. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder both performed well at the box office, adding details that help the MCU build toward Phase 5. On the Disney+ side, audiences have been introduced to multiple new heroes in shows like Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel, the latter of which had another game-changing MCU moment upon revealing that Kamala Khan was revealed as a Mutant. The MCU has no plans of losing momentum, and there are loads of upcoming Marvel projects planned for 2022, 2023, and beyond. Here’s everything you need to know about all upcoming MCU projects, including the next Avengers movie, the Marvel Blade reboot, and the long-awaited MCU Secret Wars.
I Am Groot – 10 August 2022 (Disney+ Show)
Disney+’s I Am Groot release date is set for August 10, 2022. It is a series of shorts that follow Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy alongside a collection of new and returning characters. Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper are both reprising their roles as Groot and Rocket Racoon. Unlike the cartoon animation that the MCU used in What If…?, this upcoming Marvel TV show uses photo-realistic animation. I Am Groot debuts with five 10-minute animated shorts. Trailers indicate the show is light-hearted and aimed primarily at kids, although adult Baby Groot fans will no doubt still get a kick out of it.
James Gunn has confirmed that I Am Groot is canonically part of the MCU. However, it also doesn’t look like the kind of show where the MCU canon matters too much. There will doubtless be Easter eggs for Guardians fans throughout, and it may fill the gaps of some events in or between Guardians Vol. 2, as well as the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Holiday Special. The focus of I Am Groot won’t be on the Marvel cinematic canon though – it will mostly be about Baby Groot being his adorable self.
She-Hulk: Attorney At Law – 17 August 2022 (Disney+ Show)
The She-Hulk: Attorney At Law release date is 17th August 2022, and it marks the introduction of one of the MCU’s most powerful Hulks. The MCU hasn’t had a solo Hulk story since Edward Norton’s Bruce Banner debuted in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, but that all changes with the upcoming MCU Disney+ show. Mark Ruffalo is back as Bruce Banner, and the show will see his cousin, lawyer Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), gain Hulk powers. Much like the Smart Hulk introduced in Avengers: Endgame, when Walters hulks out, she maintains her personality and intelligence. She-Hulk will follow Jen as she balances her career as a lawyer with her transformation into She-Hulk, but these worlds inevitably collide.
In terms of the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law cast and characters, Tim Roth will be returning to the MCU as Emil Blonsky (Abomination). Jameela Jamil (The Good Place) is Mary MacPherran (Titania), and Megan Thee Stallion will appear in an unannounced role. The cameo most fans are excited for, however, is Charlie Cox as Daredevil. The nine She-Hulk: Attorney At Law episodes are a half hour in length, and the show has a lighter tone than some other MCU shows like Moon Knight.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – 11 November 2022 (Movie)
While Black Panther‘s success meant that a sequel was expected, its production became complicated when Chadwick Boseman tragically died of cancer in 2020. The production team has confirmed that his character, T’Challa, will not be recast, nor will CGI be used to portray him in the movie, meaning that his last appearance as the character was in the Marvel’s What If…? Disney+ show recorded before his death. While some theorize that T’Challa’s sister Shuri might become Black Panther, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer doesn’t show who is under the suit. However, Wakanda is the operative word in the Black Panther sequel’s title: the sequel will focus on Wakanda and its people rather than the titular hero.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will show how the isolated fictional nation deals with the loss of T’Challa while navigating an escalating conflict with Atlantis. Namor, one of the most highly anticipated Marvel comic characters yet to be seen on screen, will be introduced to the MCU. On-set photos have indicated that the film will introduce Dominique Thorne’s portrayal of Riri Williams ahead of her upcoming Marvel TV show, Ironheart. Fans of Wakanda and those eager for Namor’s MCU debut won’t be waiting much longer, as the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever release date is set for November 11, 2022. Letitia Wright is reprising her role as Shuri, Angela Bassett is the majestic Queen Ramonda of Wakanda, and Florence Kasumba is once again leading the Dora Milaje as Ayo. Lupita Nyong’o is back as Nakia, and comic-favorite Namor has found his on-screen representative in Tenoch Huerta.
The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special – December 2022 (Disney+ Show)
James Gunn has said that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be the last time he works on Guardians. However, he’s sneaking in one last story before the third part of the trilogy lands in 2023. The MCU is branching out into the realms of TV specials, and Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff are all expected to appear in the one-off TV drop. Gamora won’t be in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, as finding her is reportedly central to the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which canonically takes place after the upcoming Disney+ Guardians outing. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will be around 40 minutes long and will contain some elements that set up Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Unlike the upcoming Groot series, the Holiday Special is a live-action show, and filming started and finished in early 2022. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special releases on an unspecified date in December 2022.
Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania – February 17, 2023 (Movie)
The Ant-Man 3 release date has been pushed forward, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is out on 17th February 2023. As revealed at San-Diego Comic-Con International 2022, Ant-Man 3 is the first MCU Phase 5 movie. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly will be returning to their roles as Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne in this follow-up to Ant-Man and The Wasp. Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer will also return as Hope’s parents, Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne. However, Scott’s daughter, Cassie Lang, is being recast. She was swapped out for an older actor in Avengers: Endgame, Emma Fuhrmann, but in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Fuhrmann will be replaced by the older Kathryn Newton. The choice to use an older actress could indicate that the film will explore Cassie’s comic book transformation into the hero Stature, who was a prominent member of the Young Avengers team.
Filming wrapped on Quantumania in 2021, but the release date has been moved about several times due to pandemic-related delays. Peyton Reed is back in the director’s chair, and the script was written by Jeff Loveness, best known for his work on Rick and Morty. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is already set to be an important movie in the MCU timeline. Having made his debut in Loki, Jonathan Majors is set to return as Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man 3. Not only will this pose the biggest challenge Scott and Hope have faced, but it also marks the start of serious momentum in the MCU’s build-up to the next Avengers movie, The Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Secret Invasion – Spring 2023 (Disney+ Show)
Secret Invasion has been being teased since the 2019 release of Captain Marvel introduced the Skrulls to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it’ll also be the first Disney+ Marvel show to serve as a crossover event. There aren’t many details yet considering how close the Secret Invasion release date is though. The Disney+ show will see Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn reprising their roles as Nick Fury and Talos, fulfilling the tease from the post-credits scene for Spider-Man: Far From Home. The six episodes of Secret Invasion will also introduce a cast of unannounced characters played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Olivia Colman, Emilia Clarke, Killian Scott, Christopher McDonald, and Noel Fisher. A first look was released as part of Disney+ Day 2021 which showed a much older-looking Nick Fury sporting a gray beard and missing his signature eye patch. After initially being slated for a 2022 release, the Secret Invasion show is set to hit Disney+ in Spring 2023. Panel discussions at SDCC 2022 revealed that Secret Invasion will be a dark series full of intrigue and mystery.
What If…? (Season 2) – Early 2023 (Disney+ Show)
The first What If…? series on Disney+ was a huge success, and the What If…? season 2 release date is coming in early 2023. What If…? season 2 was announced in December of 2019, well before the first season had aired a single episode. In What If…? season 2, Jeffrey Wright will return as The Watcher, Uatu, and continue to examine the alternate worlds of the multiverse. One episode’s details are already known, as an episode based on Gamora and Iron Man defeating Thanos was pushed back from the first season and will appear in season 2, but the characters already appeared in the season 1 finale. Producers have confirmed that Hayley Atwell’s Captain Carter will return in season 2 and that she will likely revisit the season 2 post-credits scene that sees the rediscovery of the Hydra Stomper. The producers have also said that they plan to return to Captain Carter multiple times within the series. The second season of What If…? will have 9 episodes, and some additional stories are said to include an episode in Marvel’s historically based 1602 setting.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 – May 5, 2023 (Movie)
The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 release date is May 5, 2023. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 releasing in 2017, audiences have waited a long time for the sequel. The film has had a rough production, including a period when director James Gunn was fired by Marvel over offensive tweets from yesteryear. He was rehired after public outcry, but in the meantime had already signed on with DC to direct The Suicide Squad and its John Cena-centered spin-off Peacemaker. This understandably caused a lot of delays, but it’s now been confirmed that the Guardians are returning in May 2033 under Gunn’s direction. The full cast, including Zoe Saldana as Gamora, will return. They’ll also be joined by Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary, and Will Poulter will finally be appearing in the MCU fully after his Guardians of the Galaxy 2 post-credits scene teased his debut as Adam Warlock.
In terms of plot, the story of Guardians of the Galaxy vol.3 already looks set to be just as engaging as the first two films. Rocket Racoon’s backstory will be expanded on, and the hunt for Gamora will also be a huge part of the plot, as will Peter Quill’s inevitable difficulties coming to terms with the fact his Gamora is gone, and the current version of his former love-interest has no memory of him. The first Guardians of the Galaxy was one of Marvel’s earliest successes with a lesser-known franchise in the MCU, and it’s safe to say that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is one of the most anticipated upcoming MCU Phase 5 movies.
Echo – Summer 2023 (Disney+ Show)
The Echo release date has come unexpectedly early, with the show planned for release in Summer 2023. Echo was a Disney+ series that had been an extremely likely rumor for a long time, but Marvel made it official with a Disney+ Day 2021 announcement shortly before the character’s debut in Hawkeye. Echo will follow Maya Lopez, played by Alaqua Cox, who goes by the superhero alter-ego of Echo. Maya Lopez is a Native American hero who is part of the Deaf community and plays a large role in the Daredevil comics stories. After her father’s death, Echo trained to be an assassin, aided by her ability to immediately mimic the movements of others. Charlie Cox as Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin are both confirmed to be part of the show. Since Fisk also appeared in Hawkeye, and a new Daredevil Disney+ series is also on the way, it looks likely that Echo will also flesh out the Matt-Murdock-adjacent corner of the MCU’s gritty, street-level underbelly. There’s no news on the plot of Echo yet, but Etan and Emily Cohen are both attached as writers
Loki (Season 2) – Summer 2023 (Disney+ Show)
There’s now a Loki season 2 release window, and fans can now begin counting down to Summer 2023 when they’ll see Tom Hiddleston once again playing Thor’s younger brother after his absence from Thor: Love and Thunder (making it the first Loki-free Thor movie). The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and WandaVision were one-season event series, and Loki was initially marketed as the same. However, it has become the first Disney+ Marvel TV show with a second season. Loki season 1 set in motion many of the events being tackled in the MCU’s Phases 5 and 6. Chief among these is the introduction of variants and the MCU’s Thanos replacement, Kang the Conqueror. With a summer 2023 Loki season 2 release date, it’s hard to predict what the exact plot may be, but it is likely to see Loki (Hiddleston), Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), and Mobius (Owen Wilson) return for Loki to fix the mess they created in the first season.
The Marvels – 28 July 2023 (Movie)
Of all the upcoming MCU projects, The Marvels’ release date looks like it’s going to be one of the most critical in terms of changes to the MCU. As part of the MCU’s use of their upcoming TV shows, The Marvels is a culmination of the plots of Captain Marvel, WandaVision, and Ms. Marvel. It also brings together several areas of the MCU universe. Carol is connected to cosmic/space adventures, and Monica Rambeau’s brush with Wanda means there may be a connection to the magic worlds usually seen in the likes of Doctor Strange. As for Ms. Marvel, her unique backstory combines elements of both of these, while also throwing in some X-Men connections courtesy of Kamala Khan being the MCU’s first confirmed mutant (outside of Earth-838, at least). All in all, the potential for increased scope with this new MCU movie is near-unmatched.
There’s not much known of The Marvels‘ story, but it will likely start with Carol Danvers trying to piece together why she was teleported to Kamala Khan’s bedroom in the Ms. Marvel post-credits scene. While little has been revealed about the plot, Brie Larson is set to return as Captain Marvel, and Iman Vellani will once again portray Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel. Teyonah Parris is reprising her WandaVision role as Monica Rambeau, marking the character’s 3rd MCU appearance. Set on Earth in the present day, the team is set to face off against a villain portrayed by Zawe Ashton. In addition, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Maria Hill (Cobbie Smulders), and Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) are all expected to return. Directorial duties go to Nia Dacosta, and WandaVision’s Megan McDonnell has written the script.
Ironheart – Fall 2023 (Disney+ Show)
After Tony Stark’s death in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU has felt a little empty without a genius hero in a red-and-gold suit of hi-tech armor. This gap will be filled when the Ironheart release date comes around in Fall 2023. The hero Ironheart will be back for her own Disney+ show after making her MCU debut in the upcoming Marvel movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Domonique Thorne (Judas and the Black Messiah) will return as Riri Williams, the titular Ironheart, a genius engineer who creates a suit similar to Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit and becomes a superhero. In addition, Anthony Ramos, Harper Anthony, Manny Montana, and Alden Ehrenreich have been cast as yet-to-be-disclosed characters. Lyric Ross is also in an unnamed role, although her character will apparently be Riri’s best friend. Ironheart will be following the 6-episode format of most Disney+ shows, with directors Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes directing three episodes apiece. Snowpiercer’s Chinaka Hodge is the head writer for the show, and it’s rumored that the cast and crew started filming for Ironheart in June 2022.
Blade – 3 November 2023 (Movie)
Blade reboot news has circulated for years, and now the MCU Blade release date has been confirmed. Many Marvel fans might think of Wesley Snipes’ portrayal of the Daywalker in the Blade trilogy as definitive, but the MCU is set to introduce a new version of the character into the MCU, and the new Blade movie comes out on 3 November 2023. The iconic role of Blade will be played by Mahershala Ali, who won Oscars for his performances in both Moonlight and Green Book. While hints to his existence were shown inside the TVA in Loki, Blade has already made been in an MCU film, if only with his voice. In Eternals‘ post-credits scene, Dane Whitman hears someone speaking to him, and it has been confirmed since release that this is Mahershala Ali’s Blade.
Of all new MCU Movies, Blade has been one of the most keenly awaited – and not just by MCU fans, either. The original 1998 Blade and its sequel were huge before the MCU existed, back when Superhero movies weren’t the box office record-smashers they are today. The first Blade is a straight-up supernatural action movie. Fans of Blade aren’t necessarily fans of the MCU but have been eager to see his return, so the Blade remake has more than one fanbase excited. While many online were disappointed that Wesley Snipes won’t play Blade in the MCU, the news of the Daywalker’s big-screen return has been generally well received.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos – Winter 2023 (Disney+ Show)
Another show that had been rumored but was confirmed as part of Disney+ Day 2021 is the WandaVision spinoff Agatha: Coven of Chaos (formerly titled Agatha: House of Harkness). The Agatha Harkness Disney+ show is now well and truly on the way, and Agatha: Coven of Chaos lands in a Winter 2023 release window. Following Agatha Harkness, the upcoming Disney+ series from Marvel Studios will see Kathryn Hahn return to the title role with WandaVision’s Jac Schaeffer returning as the creator. Nothing is known about the plot at this time. The series will likely explore Agatha’s history as a witch and her family’s actions that led up to the attempt to burn her at the stake, but it could also see the powerful witch break free from her imprisonment at the hands of Wanda Maximoff in Westview, where she currently believes herself to be Agnes.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year – 2024 (Disney+ Show)
The Spider-Man: Freshman Year release date falls sometime in 2024, and it will be an animated series. Freshman Year is set as a prequel to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man appearance in the MCU. Marvel famously skipped telling Peter Parker’s origin story in the MCU, but this series promises to go back and explore his becoming a superhero and eventually being recruited by Iron Man. This will mean that the series takes place sometime before the events of Captain America: Civil War. The show will be led by the writer Jeff Trammel. At this time, it is not known whether Tom Holland will appear as the voice of Spider-Man. One casting choice is known, though: Charlie Cox will once again make an MCU cameo as Daredevil. At SDCC 2022, some character designs for Spider-Man: Freshman Year were debuted, some of which raised questions about the series’ place in the MCU canon – including what appears to be Dr. Octopus, who Holland’s Spider-Man hadn’t met before the multiverse-hopping Alfred Molina version appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Marvel Zombies – 2024 (Disney+ Show)
Marvel Zombies release date has been confirmed as sometime in 2024 after its successful adaptation as part of What If…?, episode 5, «What If… Zombies!?» Many viewers were clamoring for more Marvel Zombies on Disney+. Marvel heard those cries and announced the spin-off Marvel Zombies Disney+ show in 2021. Bryan Andrews will direct Marvel Zombies, and Zeb Wells will write. Marvel has officially described Marvel Zombies as being a show focusing on «a new generation of heroes battle against an ever-spreading zombie scourge.» At SDCC 2022 some details about Marvel Zombies were revealed. The team of MCU characters in the What If…? zombie spin-off includes Shang Chi, Katie Chen, Kate Bishop, Death Dealer, Jimmy Woo, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Kamala Khan. It takes place in the same universe as the What If…? episode, and most of the original MCU actors are believed to be returning for the first Marvel Zombies Disney+ show. Marvel Zombies will have a TV-MA Rating, which has fans of the original gore-filled Marvel comic incredibly optimistic.
Daredevil: Born Again – 2024 (Disney+ Show)
Few pieces of MCU news in 2022 caused more of a stir than this – the Daredevil season 4 release date officially exists, it’s real, and it’s coming in 2024. Daredevil: Born Again release date news has been in demand since it was revealed the canceled Netflix show would be getting new life on Disney+. At SDCC 2022 Marvel Studios announced not only the 2024 release window but also the show’s full title of Daredevil: Born Again. It will be a direct continuation of the Netflix series and is bucking the MCU Disney+ trend by being 18 episodes long. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio will be returning as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk respectively.
The plot of Daredevil season 4 is almost a total mystery, as it will be a continuation of events not only from Daredevil season 3, but Hawkeye, Echo, She-Hulk, and potentially others. Plus, because Daredevil is on Disney+ now, it will be able to draw on more MCU characters, so it may pay more than a passing nod to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe canon (unlike the connected-but-not relationship the show had when on Netflix). Daredevil: Born Again will keep the same mature tone of the first three seasons, though, and it’s a cause for genuine celebration that the much-loved show has been saved from oblivion after the Marvel-Netflix partnership ended.
Captain America: New World Order – 3 May 2024 (Movie)
The new Captain America movie release date is 3rd May 2023, as confirmed at SDCC 2022 along with the full title: Captain America: New World Order. The next Captain America movie is expected to be a follow-on from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Sam Wilson has been confirmed to be the new Captain America in Captain America: New World Order, having officially inherited Steve Rogers’ shield at the end of the Disney+ series. No other characters have been confirmed for the upcoming Marvel movie, but it seems likely that Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes will make another appearance. One figure that won’t make an appearance is Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers. While rumors abound that he might make a return to the MCU in some form in the future, it won’t be in Captain America: New World Order, where his presence would risk overshadowing Anthony Mackie’s new Cap.
Thunderbolts – 26 July 2024 (Movie)
Thunderbolts’ release date of 26th July 2024 marks the end of the MCU Phase 5. The exact lineup of Marvel’s new MCU superhero team hasn’t been revealed, but Kevin Feige teased at SDCC 2022 that more Thunderbolts team reveals are incoming. Traditionally, the Thunderbolts characters in Marvel Comics are reformed villains or those seeking time off a prison sentence, similar to DC’s Suicide Squad (although without the explosive neck collars).
There are already some theories, though. John Walker, a.k.a. US Agent, was introduced in Falcon and the Winter Soldier and is a prime candidate, as is Daniel Brühl’s Helmut Zemo. Yelena Belova from Black Widow is likely, as is Taskmaster. Red Hulk was a popular member of Thunderbolts comics lineup, and Tim Roth’s She-Hulk: Attorney At Law appearance so soon after his Shang-Chi cameo could be a hint at an Abomination Thunderbolts MCU appearance. Ant-Man and The Wasp’s Ghost is another possibility. Some outfield suggestions, such as Bucky Barnes or Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, have also gained traction. It’s safe to say that Thunderbolts has already inspired discussion despite the scarce info, and it has plenty of potential to be a solid entry to the MCU.
Fantastic Four – 8 November 2024 (Movie)
After years of rumors, speculation, and theories dating back to the start of the MCU in 2008, the MCU Fantastic Four release date is confirmed as 8th November 2024. The Fantastic Four have been around in comics since 1961, and there have been several efforts to adapt Marvel’s First Family to film with limited success. Most recently, John Krasinski’s Mr. Fantastic appeared in Doctor Strange 2 before being shredded by Scarlet Witch. It’s not yet been confirmed if Krasinski will be reprising the role or if the Earth-838 Mr. Fantastic was simply a variant. Jon Watts, who directed all the MCU Spider-Man films, will direct the new Fantastic Four adaptation, and Kevin Feige maintains that the movie won’t be yet another Fantastic Four origin story. One crucial detail has been confirmed about the film – it’s been planned as the first entry in the MCU Phase 6.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty – 2 May 2025 (Movie)
The next Avengers movie was confirmed at SDCC 2022 to be The Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The new Avengers release date is a way off but has been announced as May 2nd 2025. The Avengers 5 villain, Kang the Conqueror, has been teased ever since Loki in 2021, and MCU fans are now eagerly anticipating seeing the ensemble MCU roster take him on just as they did Thanos. Revealing Kang as the Big Bad has already given the MCU a newfound sense of direction that many felt was absent during its weak Phase 4 offerings. With so many upcoming Marvel projects between 2022 and the Avengers: The Kang Dynasty release date, the plot is up in the air. But the title of Avengers 6 and the MCU’s most recent three phases being The Multiverse Saga implies that it will end with a full-on multiversal incursion event, leading snugly into one of the most anticipated upcoming Marvel projects in development: The Avengers: Secret Wars.
The Avengers: Secret Wars – 7 November 2025 (Movie)
The other Avengers movie release date announced at SDCC 2022 was Avengers: Secret Wars, and the sweeping crossover event will round off 2025. The adaptation of Marvel Comics’ various Secret Wars events (the first of which was initiated by powerful villain The Beyonder in the 1984 Secret Wars) is both eagerly anticipated for the sheer scale of its potential and feared for how difficult it will be to bring to life. In Marvel Comics, Secret Wars always featured characters from separate universes and canons colliding. It is in the first Secret Wars that Spider-Man got his infamous black Symbiote costume, and Secret Wars (2015) was the vehicle used to bring the popular Miles Morales from the waning Ultimate universe into the main Earth-616 continuity.
With the introduction of the multiverse being such a prominent feature in the MCU Phase 4, it was likely early on that a Secret Wars movie was on the cards. Sure enough, at SDCC 2022, it was confirmed that The Avengers: Secret Wars was the second Avengers movie in Phase 6. However, it’s not a guarantee that Kang will be the villain in Avengers: Secret Wars. Fantastic Four brings with it the potential introduction of Doctor Doom. Fans unfamiliar with Doctor Doom may write him off as yet another Marvel villain, but in the 2015 Secret Wars event, it was Doom who held the fragmented multiverse together using a combination of magic and sheer willpower. More details will emerge as The Avengers: Secret Wars release date draws closer, but the prospect of a multiverse mashup as a Phase 6 finisher sets up The Multiverse Saga for a thundering finish after a faltering start.
Armor Wars – TBA (Disney+ Show)
The Armor Wars release date is still unknown, and there were no announcements on the War Machine Disney+ show at SDCC 2022. The show is still in development though, and no plans to cancel it have been hinted at by Marvel or Disney. After the events of Iron Man, Tony Stark was always worried that his technology could fall into the wrong hands. Iron Man 2 seemed to justify those fears with the introduction of Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer. However, there was one man Stark trusted with his tech: James Rhodes (War Machine). After his brief cameo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Don Cheadle’s character will get a lead role in the upcoming Marvel TV show Armor Wars as he tries to protect Stark’s armor and legacy after Iron Man’s Avengers: Endgame death.
Wakanda – TBA (Disney+ Show)
The Disney+ show about Black Panther’s homeland is still in the early stages of development, so a Wakanda release date is probably a little way off. While the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever might already be planning to take a wider view of Wakandan society, the MCU plans to give viewers an even deeper look into Wakanda. While the upcoming Marvel TV show does not yet have an official title, let alone a release date, Kevin Feige has confirmed that a Wakanda-based show will be coming to Disney+. With their break from isolationism in Black Panther, their part in tracking down Zemo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and a What If…? indication that Wakanda has mastered space travel, the Wakandans can be sure to see new threats in their future.
Deadpool 3 – TBA (Movie)
Like the Fantastic Four, the rights to Deadpool had been sold to 21st Century Fox – which Disney then swallowed whole. The first iteration of the character was played by Ryan Reynolds in X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2009, before the character, still being portrayed by Ryan Reynolds, was rebooted for a solo project in 2016. Fox produced a sequel, but the future of the franchise was in question after Disney acquired 21st Century Fox. Marvel has since announced that they will be making Deadpool 3 and that it will be part of the canonical MCU while still being R-rated like its predecessors. At the time of writing, Marvel hadn’t yet advised a release window for Wade Wilson’s MCU debut. Since Mutants have been introduced in Phase 4 but no X-Men titles crop up in Phase 5 or 6, it could be that Deadpool 3 will be an entry in Phase 7 that focuses on the emergence of Mutantkind.
Spider-Man Sequel Trilogy – TBA (Movie)
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man has already appeared in three standalone films as well as making appearances in Captain America: Civil War and the Avengers movies. However, Tom Holland is now set to return to the Spider-Man suit multiple times in the future. While some had thought that Spider-Man: No Way Home might be Holland’s last outing, producer Amy Pascal has confirmed plans for the actor to return for Spider-Man 4, 5, and 6. There are no details so far on what the plot of these movies might be, or when they might be released. The MCU is likely to change a lot in the next couple of years, but predicting the future of the Spider-Man franchise is made that much harder by the progression of Sony’s Spider-Man Villain Universe. If Sony and Disney truly join forces, there is no telling what scale the newer movies with an older Tom Holland will be like, although there are rumors that he’ll refocus on local-level crime with Daredevil – a tantalizing prospect, for sure.
Wonder Man – TBA (Disney+ Show)
Marvel’s indestructible Hollywood stuntman, Wonder Man, will be getting his own Disney+ series. The Wonder Man series is still in the early stages of development, and as of now, no castings have been announced. Nathan Fillion has been widely rumored to play the titular Wonder Man though, a.k.a. Simon Williams. Wonder Man was a founding member of the West Coast Avengers and also became romantically involved with The Scarlet Witch. Kevin Feige, Destin Daniel Cretton, and Andrew Guest are producing, but that’s as far as known names involved with the upcoming MCU Wonder Man series go. By the time Wonder Man is released, though, it will be a very different post-Secret Wars Marvel Cinematic Universe.