The Marvel Universe has now entered Phase Five, the second instalment in what Marvel is dubbing the ‘Multiverse Saga’.
With highly anticipated follow-up films like The Marvels, new cinematic debuts such as Blade and the return of Netflix favourite Daredevil, Phase Five has a lot to offer in the superhero world. If you want to see how the order of films and shows are shaping up, keep on reading.
You can also check out how to watch the Marvel films and shows in order, and why Marvel’s Phase 4 narrative suffered, despite achieving its aim.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Disney
Out now on VOD, releases on Disney+ on 17 May 2023
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathryn Newton, Jonathan Majors
The third Ant-Man film once again follows Scott Lang, who is adjusting to his life post-Thanos and building a relationship with his daughter, Cassie. However, he and his family are in way over their heads when they get dragged into the Quantum Realm and come face-to-face with Kang the Conqueror, the next big bad of the MCU.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Disney
Out now in cinemas
Starring: Christ Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Chukwudi Iwuji
James Gunn is back in the Marvel fold for his third Guardians movie, long delayed thanks to Disney firing and then re-hiring him. Vol. 3 follows on directly from the Guardians Holiday Special and will be the final outing for the gang as they face off against High Evolutionary.
Secret Invasion
Disney
Disney+ release date: 21 June 2023
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Emilia Clarke
Nick Fury is back, and is joined by Ben Mendelsohn’s Skrull Talos from Captain Marvel. This new Disney+ series will explore one of the comics’ iconic arcs: the Skrull secret invasion of Earth, when shapeshifters surreptitiously replaced countless political figures (and superheroes) across the planet in a bid to take it over.
Loki Season 2
Disney
Disney+ release date: Summer 2023
Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Ke Huy Quan, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Loki was the first Disney+ series to get a confirmed second season. The Trickster god will return to the TVA, where the timelines are thrown upside down after Sylvie killed He Who Remains – unleashing Kang upon the multiverse.
The Marvels
Disney
Cinema release date: 10 November 2023
Starring: Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, Teyonah Parris, Zawe Ashton
Captain Marvel’s second outing will be directed by Nia DaCosta – the creator behind the 2021 Candyman reboot. Brie Larson will of course be back in the lead role, but she’ll be joined by the new Ms. Marvel, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris’s Monica Rambeau following on from her appearance in WandaVision. The film follows the trio as they keep swapping places. They must team up to find out the reason why.
The film was originally set to release in July, but has been pushed back to November.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos
Disney
Disney+ release date: Winter 2023
Starring: Kathryn Hahn
The character in the MCU with the best theme song ever is getting her own series. Agatha Harkness was first introduced in WandaVision, and has a rich history to explore as a witch – something that will no doubt be detailed in this new original.
Daredevil: Born Again
Disney
Disney+ release date: Spring 2024
Starring: Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio
The Netflix Marvel series Daredevil is getting a reboot, with Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin back in the roles of hero and villain respectively. In the comics, the Born Again arc is one of the lowest parts of Matt’s life, where Fisk finds out his true identity and exploits it massively.
Captain America: New World Order
Disney
Cinema release date: 3 May 2024
Starring: Anthony Mackie
Captain America will get a fourth instalment, with Anthony Mackie taking up the shield once again after his outing in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The subtitle in this movie is interesting, as this organisation is led by none other than the Red Skull in the comics. Could we see the return of another iconic villain?
Thunderbolts
Disney
Cinema release date: 26 July 2024
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah John-Kamen, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko
Marvel has slowly been planting the seeds for a Thunderbolts movie, with the introduction of antagonists such as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and U.S Agent John Walker. In the comics, the Thunderbolts are a group of reformed villains and anti-heroes who team up on various missions – similar to DC’s Suicide Squad.
Blade
Disney
Cinema release date: 6 September 2024
Starring: Mahershala Ali, Kit Harington
It’s been years since Wesley Snipes put down the katana, and now Mahershala Ali is back for his second Marvel role (he was in Luke Cage on Netflix, remember?) to play the Daywalker. The half-vampire vampire hunter is coming to the big screen, and he will be joined by Dane Whitman/Black Knight (Kit Harington) from Eternals.
This film has been delayed from its original November 2023 slot.
Ironheart
Disney
Disney+ release date: TBC
Starring: Dominique Thorne
Ironheart follows Riri Williams, a genius young inventor who creates her own suits of armour, just like those worn in the Iron Man movies. We already met Riri in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, so this series may give us more of an idea on how she creates her tech, and how her new contacts in Wakanda help her on her superhero journey with Tony Stark out of the picture.
Like several other 2023 Disney+ Marvel series, it has been delayed indefinitely.
What If…? Season 2
Disney
Disney+ release date: TBC
Starring: TBC
The animated series What If…? is back for a second season, with more alternative storylines from characters across the Marvel universe as told by The Watcher. This series we will have stories about Steve Rogers as the Winter Soldier, Iron Man and Gamora teaming up and more.
Season two of What If…? was meant to release in 2023, but has since been delayed.
Echo
Disney
Disney+ release date: TBC
Starring: Alaqua Cox, Devery Jacobs, Zahn McClarnon, Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio
Echo is a character that was introduced in Hawkeye, and she’s getting her own spin-off. She will be joined by Matt Murdock and her so-called uncle, Wilson Fisk. Maya Lopez is the first Native American hero in the MCU and one of the few deaf characters in the franchise.
Echo was originally expected to arrive this year, but currently has an unspecified release date.
What other Marvel projects are in the works?
Marvel has announced a few different shows and films that we know are on the way, but we don’t have confirmation that they will come in Phase Five. They are:
- Spider-Man: Freshman Year – Disney+ release date: 2024 (month TBC)
- Marvel Zombies – Disney+ release date: TBC
- Armor Wars – Cinema release date: TBC
- Untitled Spider-Man trilogy – Cinema release dates: TBC
- Untitled Wakanda Disney+ series – Disney+ release date: TBC
- Untitled Shang-Chi sequel: Cinema release date: TBC
- Untitled Wonder Man Disney+ series – Disney+ release date: TBC
Meanwhile, the following films have been confirmed for Phase Six:
- Deadpool 3 – Cinema release date: 8 November 2024
- Fantastic Four – Cinema release date: 14 February 2025
- Avengers: The Kang Dynasty – Cinema release date: 2 May 2025
- Avengers: The Secret Wars – Cinema release date: 1 May 2026
