With the MCU’s Phase 5 well underway, Disney has announced some changes to its release order, so here is everything we know about the Multiverse Saga’s reshuffling. After Black Panther: Wakanda Forever became the final feature film in MCU’s Phase 4, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 officially began Phase 5. As always, Marvel President Kevin Feige is always looking ahead to the future of Phase 5, and even projects slated for the MCU's Phase 6, with many changes to the original slate announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 becoming prevalent.
With the MCU Phases 4, 5, and 6 all being part of the Multiverse Saga of the MCU (following the first three phases which made up the Infinity Saga), the franchise is naturally changing to accommodate several outside factors. From the WGA strike of 2023 to the different statuses of each upcoming project, Marvel has outlined their 2024 and 2025 movie schedules which have somewhat impacted Phase 5. With each of these changes in mind, here is everything we know about the MCU Phase 5 including reshuffled release dates, story details, and more.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was the first MCU film of Marvel's Phase 5, centered on the return to the Quantum Realm. Starring Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily who returned as Ant-Man and the Wasp, the film introduced MCU newcomer Kathryn Newton as an older Cassie Lang. Released on February 17, 2023, Ant-Man 3 properly introduced Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror.
Kang served as the film’s central antagonist, and will continue to be a major threat throughout the MCU, culminating in Phase 6's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. Joining the cast was Bill Murray as a Quantum Realm resident known as Lord Krylar, as well as the returning Corey Stoll as Darren Cross, the MCU’s version of the classic Marvel villain MODOK. In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Scott was shown to be enjoying his new fame as an Avenger, which got in the way of his family life before he and his loved ones had to face off against Kang and escape the Quantum Realm.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was the second film in the MCU’s Phase 5, culminating the story of the titular team that writer-director James Gunn always envisioned. Guardians of the Galaxy 3 largely focused on Star-Lord grappling with the loss of Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War, as well as struggling to come to terms with the new version of her from Avengers: Endgame who doesn't share their history.
Chukwudi Iwuji appeared as the film's villain, the High Evolutionary, who came into conflict with the Guardians after searching for Rocket, one of his earliest creations. Much of the emotional core of the film centered on Rocket’s origins, and the last goodbye the MCU’s Guardians shared together. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was largely considered a return to form for the MCU after some lackluster Phase 4 projects, with the emotionally resonant story, fantastic performances, and satisfying conclusion of the Guardians’ story serving as the second outing for the MCU’s Phase 5.
Secret Invasion
June 2023 will see Secret Invasion release on Disney+. Starring Nick Fury and the Skrull, Talos, in an adventure of paranoia over shapeshifting aliens, the upcoming series will also feature the return of Maria Hill and War Machine – though any one of them could easily be Skrulls in disguise. As there's currently no sure way to tell who is a Skrull in the MCU, Secret Invasion promises to be one of the most exciting series slated for Phase 5, especially given the more grounded tone of the show that seems akin to former MCU projects like Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Rounding out the rest of the cast are Emilia Clarke and Olivia Colman, who will play G'iah and Sonya Folsworth respectively. Clarke's character is the daughter of Talos, first seen in 2019's Captain Marvel. Falsworth, on the other hand, is a British intelligence agent and an old ally of Fury's, though will have an antagonistic presence in the show. Kingsley Ben-Adir also joins the MCU as Gravik, the leader of a group of Skrulls that has seceded from Talos'. Returning to the MCU is Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, whom Fury recruits in his quest to stop the Skrulls. Secret Invasion releases on Disney+ on June 21, 2023.
Loki Season 2
Despite initially being set for a summer 2023 release, Loki season 2 will arrive on Disney+ in October 2023. The second season will see the God of Mischief dealing with the fallout of the first season after Sylvie unwittingly unleashed the multiverse and villainous variants of Kang. The second season of Loki was hinted at in the post-credit scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, with Hiddleston's Loki and the returning Owen Wilson as Agent Mobius tracking down different variants of Kang the Conqueror.
The post-credit scene of Ant-Man 3 saw Loki finding a variant of Kang known as Victor Timely. Timely will be played once again by Jonathan Majors in the MCU, and will play an important role in Loki season 2. While little else is known about the show's second outing, Loki season 2 will see the return of Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Wunmi Mosaku as Sylvie, Ravonna Renslayer, and Hunter B-15 respectively.
The Marvels
The next feature film as part of the MCU's Phase 5 is The Marvels which will see Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau's Spectrum coming together as the titular dynamic trio. The film will follow directly on from Ms. Marvel's post-credits scene, where Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan switched places. The Marvels is directed by Nia DaCosta, and stars Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris in the lead roles.
The first trailer for The Marvels was released in April 2023 and teased that Carol, Kamala, and Monica have become interlinked. While it is unclear why, the three heroines switch places whenever their powers are used, providing an explanation of Ms. Marvel's post-credit scene. The film will also see the return of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, with the film tying closely to the events of Secret Invasion. The Marvels' release date is currently set for November 10, 2023.
Echo
Spinning out of the events of Hawkeye, Maya Lopez will return with her own series in Echo. Echo will be the final Phase 5 release of 2023 and breaks new ground for Marvel Studios' Disney+ series. The show will be the first in MCU history to release in a binge-watching model, with every episode of Echo releasing simultaneously on Disney+ on November 29, 2023.
The series will continue Echo's story from Hawkeye and will follow her as she travels back to her hometown. The show will see Alacqua Cox's Maya Lopez make peace with her past and her family, while finally embracing her Native American roots to move forward in her life. Interestingly, the series will tie directly with another upcoming Phase 5 property, Daredevil: Born Again. Both Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio are expected to return in Echo as Daredevil and Kingpin respectively.
Deadpool 3
Originally announced for a September 2024 release date as part of the MCU's Phase 6, Deadpool 3 has been moved up to May 3, 2024, continuing the journey of Phase 5. Deadpool 3 was announced by Ryan Reynolds in September 2022 and is set to feature the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Shawn Levy will direct the film after working with Reynolds on Free Guy and The Adam Project. The film is rumored to include the TVA from Loki and is set to be both a culmination of Deadpool's journey in 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise and the beginning of the character's inclusion in the MCU.
Captain America: Brave New World
Originally announced as Captain America: New World Order, the recently-retitled Captain America: Brave New World will feature Anthony Mackie's next MCU journey as Captain America. Picking up after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier with Sam Wilson wielding the iconic shield, the next Captain America movie will see Wilson continuing to grapple with the constantly-changing status quo of the world's politics. Moreover, Harrison Ford's MCU debut - taking over from the late Willaim Hurt - as the new President of the United States Thunderbolt Ross will be featured in Brave New World, which has prompted theories about the potential appearance of Red Hulk in the MCU.
Alongside Ford in the film's central antagonistic role is Tim Blake Nelson, returning as Samuel Sterns/The Leader from The Incredible Hulk. After being disregarded from MCU continuity for so long, Captain America: Brave New World will reintroduce many plot elements from The Incredible Hulk, including the return of Liv Tyler as Betty Ross. Initially, Brave New World was set to release in May 2024 as the fourth Phase 5 film, before Deadpool 3 was moved to that date. Now, Captain America: Brave New World will release as the fifth MCU Phase 5 film, scheduled for a July 26, 2024, release.
Thunderbolts
Originally set as the closing film of the MCU's Phase 5, Thunderbolts will now release on December 20, 2024, the penultimate Phase 5 film. Confirming several theories and teases that the MCU has been building toward its own team of antiheroes, the Thunderbolts roster was established at SDCC 2022. The team will be made up of Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster from Black Widow, U.S. Agent from Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Ghost from Ant-Man and the Wasp - led by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
An interesting element of Thunderbolts is that this team is likely not the final product. Other potential inclusions such as Baron Zemo, the team's founder from the comics, could be included after his return role in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Similarly, rumors have surfaced that Harrison Ford will reprise his role as Thunderbolt Ross in the film, with many expecting the character to become Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World, making him a Thunderbolt too. With the film releasing in December 2024, more details on Thunderbolts will likely be divulged as we move further into Phase 5.
Blade
After several production hiccups, Marvel's new Blade reboot is back on track and is scheduled for theatrical release as the final Phase 5 film on February 14, 2025. Starring Mahershala Ali as the titular vampire hunter, Blade was teased at the end of Eternals alongside Dane Whitman's Black Knight. While the 2022 SDCC panel didn't reveal much in the way of story details, the upcoming film promises to showcase the more frightening side of the MCU.
Following the departure of director Bassam Tariq, Blade will instead be directed by Yann Demange, who directed the pilot episode of the now-canceled Lovecraft Country. Due to Demange's previous works, it is likely that Blade will delve into the supernatural and possibly even cosmic horror elements of the Marvel Comics antihero. Filming on Blade is expected to begin as soon as the WGA strike of 2023 ends, hopefully resulting in proper compensation for Marvel Studios' - and Hollywood's - various writers.
Ironheart
Following her debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri Williams' Ironheart will be getting her own series. Initially planned for a Fall 2023 release, Ironheart has now been pushed back to an unconfirmed date in 2024. Played once again by Dominique Thorne, Riri's MCU journey will continue after Wakanda Forever established her as an incredibly gifted engineer who developed her own Iron Man suit. Riri has already struck up a friendship with Wakanda's lead scientist and new Black Panther, Shuri, with whom she designed the vibranium Ironheart Mark II armor.
Another confirmed cast member of Ironheart is Anthony Ramos of Hamilton and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts fame. Ramos will play Tim Robbins/The Hood, a friend of Riri's who possesses a hood that allows him to tap into dark arts and magic. Apparently, the show will focus on the clashing of technology and magic, something that could be very interesting for the MCU's Phase 5.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos
First announced at SDCC 2022, WandaVision's spin-off series starring Kathryn Hahn's Agatha was titled Agatha: House of Harkness. The show has since been retitled to be Agatha: Coven of Chaos. Like Ironheart, the series was set for a 2023 release before being pushed to 2024 without a specific release date. While little is known about the show's story, it will likely detail witches and wizards from Agatha's past, with the story created by WandaVision alum Jac Schaeffer. Alongside Coven of Chaos' star Kathryn Hahn are cast members like Aubrey Plaza, Deborah Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, and Joe Locke.
Daredevil: Born Again
Coming in 2024, Daredevil: Born Again will see Charlie Cox's return as the Man Without Fear following his first three seasons on Netflix. Having appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law as part of Marvel's Phase 4, Marvel Studios has been in the process of integrating the character into the greater MCU before his own Disney+ series. It was also confirmed that Daredevil: Born Again will consist of 18 episodes, the highest episode count yet for any Marvel series. Alongside Charlie Cox will be Vincent D'Onofrio as Kingpin, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, and Sandrine Holt as Vanessa Fisk.
What If...? Season 2
The final Marvel Studios TV show as part of Phase 5 is What If...? season 2, which is also without a release date as of Disney's new announcements in June 2023. The series will continue the premise of the first season, that being the anthology-based exploration of the MCU's multiverse. From characters seen in Phases 1-3 to new characters from Phase 4, What If...? season 2 will offer an even deeper look at the multiverse, something that bodes well for the MCU's Phase 5 and the continuation of the Multiverse Saga.
Key Release Dates
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The Marvels
Release Date:2023-11-10 -
Deadpool 3
Release Date:2024-05-03 Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date:2024-05-03-
Marvel's Thunderbolts
Release Date:2024-12-20 -
Blade (2025)
Release Date:2025-02-14 -
Marvel's Fantastic Four
Release Date:2025-05-02 -
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
Release Date:2026-05-01 -
Avengers: Secret Wars
Release Date:2027-05-01
