Marvel’s Phase 5 has undoubtedly had its ups and downs. That being said, the films and shows that comprise the fifth (and present) phase of the MCU have done some really interesting things for the MCU timeline. While there are still a few movies and episodes left as of this writing, Phase 5 is nearing completion.
By the end of Phase 5, the MCU will have released 15 projects between 2023 and 2025. Phase 5, which includes six films and nine series on Disney+, has undoubtedly been more problematic than previous MCU phases. However, the way it wraps up themes from Phase 4 while also setting up Phase 6 is quite exciting, having some of the best MCU moments of all time. To that end, here’s an overview of Marvel’s Phase 5, including which projects have already been released and which are still in the works ahead of Phase 6.
(Marvel Cinematic Universe) MCU Phase 5 Movies & Shows That Have Been Released
| Released MCU Phase 5 Movies | Release Dates |
|---|---|
| Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | February 17th, 2023 |
| Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | May 5th, 2023 |
| The Marvels | November 10th, 2023 |
| Deadpool & Wolverine | July 26th, 2024 |
Currently, four MCU films have been released as part of Phase 5. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was the first Phase 5 project in the MCU, and the third in the Ant-Man franchise. It explores the subatomic dimension known as the Quantum Realm, and it also marks the full debut of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was James Gunn’s third and final MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) film, giving a really happy conclusion to the galactic squad of heroes as audiences have known them.
The Marvels joined Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Capt. Monica Rambeau together for the first time in a cosmic struggle between the Kree and the Skrulls. Deadpool & Wolverine is the most recent Phase 5 film, starring Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson and his quest to save his X-Men reality of Earth-10005 while teaming up with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Deadpool & Wolverine is still in theaters and has already grossed more than a billion dollars.
| Released MCU Phase 5 Shows | Release Dates |
|---|---|
| Secret Invasion | June 21st, 2023 |
| Loki (S2) | October 5th, 2023 |
| What If…? (S2) | December 22nd, 2023 |
| Echo | January 9th, 2024 |
On television, 2023’s Secret Invasion was the first Phase 5 series starring Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and his return to Earth, revealing his years of secret history with the shape-shifting aliens known as the Skrulls while also attempting to prevent a rogue Skrull faction from starting WWIII. It also acted as a precursor to The Marvels. Loki season 2 picked up where the first season left off, continuing the deity of Mischief’s exploits outside of time and space with the TVA while also addressing the threat of Kang and his variations, transforming him into a completely new kind of deity by the end of the season.
What if…? Season 2 continues to unveil multiple universes while also following Captain Carter and Uatu the Watcher’s continuous exploits. Marvel’s Echo is Phase 5’s most current series, continuing Maya Lopez’s journey after the events in 2021’s Hawkeye. Echo not only reconnects with her family and their ancient heritage, but she also confronts Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin, who seeks to reintegrate her into his criminal empire.
MCU Phase 5 Upcoming Movies & Shows
| Upcoming MCU Movies | Release Dates |
|---|---|
| Captain America: Brave New World | February 14th, 2025 |
| Thunderbolts* | May 2nd, 2025 |
Captain America: Brave New World is the next MCU film in Phase 5, planned to be released. Continuing Sam Wilson’s role as the future Captain America, 2025’s Brave New World is likely to see a significant shift in global dominance. It will also feature Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross as the US President and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Red Hulk. Giancarlo Esposito will also play the new villain Sidewinder, with Tim Blake Nelson reprising his role as Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader.
Thunderbolts* is scheduled for release in May 2025 and is slated to be the final MCU film in Phase 5. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine will bring together some of the MCU’s more morally problematic individuals to form an all-new squad, presumably for the CIA and the American government. Sebastian Stan plays Winter Soldier, Florence Pugh plays Black Widow, Wyatt Russell plays U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kammen plays Ghost, David Harbour plays Red Guardian, and Olga Kurylenko plays Taskmaster. Lewis Pullman will also play “Bob,” most likely Robert Reynolds’ immensely powerful Marvel hero, The Sentry.
| Upcoming MCU Shows | Release Dates |
|---|---|
| Agatha All Along | September 18th, 2024 |
| Eyes of Wakanda | 2024 |
| Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man | 2024 |
| Daredevil: Born Again | March 2025 |
| Ironheart | 2025 |
Agatha All Along is the next MCU show planned to premiere in Phase 5. Following the events of WandaVision, Agatha Harkness will strive to recover her lost powers with a new coven of witches (and a mystery teen). Eyes of Wakanda will be a four-part animated miniseries that tells new stories about Wakdana and its warriors throughout history. Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will also be an animated series, revealing Peter Parker’s origins in an alternate MCU reality where Norman Osborn serves as his mentor rather than Tony Stark’s Iron Man.
Daredevil: Born Again will portray the more grounded side of the MCU in New York, as well as continue the rivalry between Matthew Murdock’s Daredevil and Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin, which began in the original Netflix series. Several characters from the first Daredevil season are likely to return, including Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, Elden Henson’s Foggy, Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page, and others. Ironheart is slated to be the final MCU show in Phase 5, showing Riri Williams’ ongoing adventures in developing a new set of armor following Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
How MCU Phase 5 Continues The Story Of Phase 4
Several elements from the previous MCU phase pay off nicely in Phase 5. Phase 4 saw the introduction of the multiverse, variations, and different timelines with projects such as Loki season 1, What If…? season 1, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Phase 4 also began hinting at the advent of Kang the Conqueror, who was being positioned as the Multiverse Saga’s next major enemy.
Phase 5 began with the full premiere of Kang, but it has also continued to explore the multiverse with the second seasons of Loki, What If…?, The Marvels, and Deadpool & Wolverine. Similarly, both The Marvels and Deadpool & Wolverine in Phase 5 expanded on the connections between the primary MCU reality of Earth-616 and Fox’s X-Men universe, which began in Phase 4 with the confirmation of Ms. Marvel and Namor as mutants, as well as a variant of Professor Charles Xavier in Multiverse of Madness. Evan Peters’ false Quicksilver in WandaVision may also count.
How MCU Phase 5 Sets Up Phase 6 Explained
Kang the Conqueror is no longer positioned as the Multiverse Saga’s principal enemy. Instead, Marvel Studios appears to have flipped, with Robert Downey Jr. slated to reprise his role as Doctor Doom. However, Kang’s warnings about total multiversal collapse and the threat of incursions in Phase 5 are likely to remain the Multiverse Saga’s overarching threat, becoming more of a present danger as Phase 6’s Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars approach.
Deadpool and Wolverine also hinted to future multiversal conflicts, forging strong linkages between the X-Men universes of Earth-1005 and Earth-616, which will most likely be resolved with Secret Wars. Simultaneously, upcoming films such as Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* will contribute to the MCU’s more grounded side. They’ll continue the adventures of characters like Sam Wilson’s Captain America and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, as well as provide exciting new changes to the current quo in the main MCU, such as the formation of a brand-new team with Val and the Thunderbolts.
Series like as Agatha All Along, Daredevil: Born Again, and Ironheart will undoubtedly continue the stories of particular MCU characters. Many of these starring characters, including Daredevil, are slated to return for a second season. At any rate, it will be fascinating to see how these final projects continue to lay the groundwork for what comes next in Phase 6 and the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga.
Upcoming MCU Movies
| Movie Name | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Captain America: Brave New World | February 14, 2025 |
| Thunderbolts | May 2, 2025 |
| The Fantastic Four (2025) | July 25, 2025 |
| Blade (2025) | November 7, 2025 |
| Avengers: Doomsday | May 1, 2026 |
| Avengers: Secret Wars | May 7, 2027 |
Stay Tuned For the Next Updates Of the Marvel Cinematic Universe MCU.
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