Marvel’s Phase 5has certainly had its ups and downs. That said, the movies and shows that make up the fifth (and current) phase of the MCU have collectively done some pretty exciting things for theMCUtimeline. While there are still a few movies and shows left at the time of writing, Phase 5 is close to nearing its conclusion.
By the time it concludes,the MCU’s Phase 5 will consist of 15 projects released between 2023-2025. Including 6 movies and 9 shows on Disney+, Phase 5 has certainly been more tumultuous than its preceding MCU phases. However, the way in which it pays off elements from Phase 4 while also setting up Phase 6 is pretty exciting, featuring some of the best MCU moments of all time. To that end,here’s Marvel’s Phase 5 explained in full, which projects have already been released, and which are still on the way ahead of Phase 6.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
February 17th, 2023
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
May 5th, 2023
November 10th, 2023
Deadpool & Wolverine
July 26th, 2024
Currently,four MCU movies have been released as part of Phase 5.Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniawas the first Phase 5 project in the MCU, the third in theAnt-Manfranchise which explores the subatomic universe known as the Quantum Realm, while also providing the full debut ofJonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3was the third and final MCU film from James Gunn, bringing a truly heartwarming end to the galactic team of heroes as audiences have known it.
The Marvelsbrought Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Capt. Monica Rambeau together for the first timein a cosmic conflict involving both the Kree and the Skrulls.Deadpool & Wolverineis the most recent Phase 5 project, featuring Ryan Reynolds' Wade Wilson and his efforts to save hisX-Menreality of Earth-10005 while also teaming up with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Currently still in theaters,Deadpool & Wolverinehas already made over a billion dollars at the box office.
June 21st, 2023
October 5th, 2023
December 22nd, 2023
Echo
January 9th, 2024
On the small screen, 2023’sSecret Invasionwas 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 working to prevent a rogue Skrull faction from starting WWIII. It also served as a prelude forThe Marvels.Lokiseason 2picked up right where the first season left off, continuing the God of Mischief’s adventures outside of time and space with the TVA while also tackling the threat of Kang and his variants, becoming a brand-new kind of god by the season’s end.
What If…?season 2continued revealing alternate universes, as well as the ongoing adventures of Captain Carter and Uatu the Watcher. Marvel’sEchois Phase 5’s most recent series, continuing the story of Maya Lopez following the events of 2021’sHawkeye. Not only does Echo reconnect with her family and their ancient history, but she also faces Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin who attempts to bring her back into the fold of his criminal empire.
February 14th, 2025
Thunderbolts*
May 2nd, 2025
The next MCU movie in Phase 5 set for release isCaptain America: Brave New World.Continuing Sam Wilson’s status as the next Captain America, 2025’sBrave New Worldis expected to feature a massive shift in global power. It will also featureHarrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross as the US President and the MCU’s Red Hulk. Giancarlo Esposito will also be playing the new villain Sidewinder, while Tim Blake Nelson is set to reprise his role as Samuel Sterns aka The Leader.
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Thunderbolts*is set for release in May 2025, and is expected to be the final MCU movie in Phase 5. Bringing together some of the MCU’s more morally questionable characters, Julia Louis-Dreyfus' CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine will assemble an all-new team, presumably for the CIA and the American government itself. Confirmed members include Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier, Florence Pugh’s Black Widow, Wyatt Russell’s U.S.Agent, Hannah John-Kammen’s Ghost, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, and Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster. Lewis Pullman is also set to play “Bob”,most likely Robert Reynolds' extremely powerful Marvel hero known as The Sentry.
September 18th, 2024
2024
Ironheart
2025
Agatha All Alongis the next MCU show set to release in Phase 5.Continuing the story of Agatha Harkness following the events ofWandaVision, Agatha will be attempting to reclaim her lost powers with an all-new coven of witches (and a mysterious teen).Eyes of Wakandawill be a four-part animated miniseries, revealing new stories from Wakdana and its warriors throughout history.Friendly NeighborhoodSpider-Manwill also be an animated series, revealing the origins of Peter Parker in an alternate MCU reality where Norman Osborn becomes his mentor rather than Tony Stark’s Iron Man.
Daredevil: Born Againwill continue to show the more grounded side of the MCU in New York,while also continuing the rivalry between Matthew Murdock’s Daredevil and Wilson Fisk’s Kingpinfirst seen in the original Netflix series. Multiple characters from the originalDaredevilseries are also expected to return, including Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, Elden Henson’s Foggy, Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page, and more.Ironheartis expected to be the last MCU show in Phase 5, revealing Riri Williams' ongoing adventures building a new suit of armor in the wake ofBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.
How MCU Phase 5 Continues The Story Of Phase 4 Explained
Expansion Of The Multiverse, Paying Off Kang Set-Up
There are several elements in the preceding MCU phase which Phase 5 pays off quite well. Phase 4 truly began introducing the concepts of the multiverse, variants, and alternate timelines with projects includingLokiseason 1,What If…?season 1,Spider-Man: No Way Home, andDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Phase 4 also began teasing the emergence of Kang the Conqueror, who at the time was being set up as the next big bad of the Multiverse Saga.
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Not only did Phase 5 begin by debuting Kang in full, but it has also continued exploring the multiverse through the second seasons ofLokiandWhat If…?, as well asThe MarvelsandDeadpool & Wolverine. Likewise, bothThe MarvelsandDeadpool & Wolverinein Phase 5 continued establishinggreater connections between the primary MCU reality of Earth-616 and Fox’sX-Menuniverse, ties that initially began in Phase 4 with Ms. Marvel and Namor being confirmed as mutants, as well as a variant of Professor Charles Xavier inMultiverse of Madness. Evan Peters' fake Quicksilver inWandaVisionarguably counts too.
How MCU Phase 5 Sets Up Phase 6 Explained
Setting Up The End of the Multiverse Saga, Establishing New Teams, Continuing Solo Stories
Kang the Conqueror is no longer positioned to be the major villain of the Multiverse Saga. Instead, Marvel Studios has seemingly pivoted withRobert Downey Jr. set to return as Doctor Doom. However,Kang’s warnings about total multiversal collapse and the threat of incursions in Phase 5 will likely still stand as the Multiverse Saga’s overarching threat, something that will likely become more of a present danger heading into Phase 6’sAvengers: Doomsdayand the culminatingAvengers: Secret Wars.
Deadpool & Wolverinealso teased future multiversal conflicts, establishing strong links between theX-Menuniverse of Earth-1005 and Earth-616 which will likely be paid off withSecret Wars.At the same time, future movies likeCaptain America: Brave New WorldandThunderbolts*will help expand the more grounded side of the MCU. They’ll continue the stories of characters like Sam Wilson’s Captain America and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, while also introducing exciting new shifts to the status quo in the primary MCU such asthe debut of a brand-new team with Val and the Thunderbolts.
Series likeAgatha All Along, Daredevil: Born Again, andIronheartwill no doubt progress the stories of individual MCU characters as well. Many of these starring characters will likely have futures beyond Phase 5, such as Daredevil who’s expected to get a second season. At any rate,it will be very exciting to see how these final projects continue setting up what’s still to come in Phase 6 and the Multiverse Saga’s end.
