Marvel phase four is set to be the MCU’s most exciting yet.
After what felt like an eternity, the studio’s next era was kickstarted in January in a far different manner to what fans were used to – with a TV show.
Due to the delay of Black Widow and Eternals due to Covid-19, WandaVision became the studio’s first Phase Four project to be unveiled, and the inadvertent move has paid off.
WandaVision is the first of several Marvel shows that will be released on Disney Plus over the coming years, and it signals an evolving chapter in the MCU.
In the seventh episode of the acclaimed series, which stars Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany as their Avengers characters Wanda “Scarlet Witch” Maximoff and Vision, a fake advertisement for “Nexus” tablets provided the biggest hint at the direction the MCU will be going down in future films.
In the Marvel comic books, the Nexus is a crossroads to the many different realities that form the Multiverse, a series of alternate worlds featuring characters who are not only dead and alive, but from different franchises altogether (hello to Evan Peters’ Pietro).
With this in mind, we have compiled a full list of Marvel films and TV shows that will be released as part of the bustling Phase Four.
Hold onto your hats – the MCU is about to get even more crowded.
WandaVision
Showrunner: Jac Schaeffer
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Teyonah Parris, Kathryn Hahn
Wanda “Scarlet Witch” Maximoff and Vision are living an idyllic suburban life in the town of Westview, New Jersey, trying to conceal their true natures. As they begin to enter new decades and encounter television tropes, the couple suspects that things are not as they seem.
Disney Plus premiere date: 15 January 2021 / Finale date: 5 March 2021
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Showrunner: Malcolm Spellman
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp, Daniel Brühl
After being handed the mantle of Captain America at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Sam “Falcon” Wilson (Mackie) teams up with Bucky Barnes (Stan) in a worldwide adventure that puts their abilities to the test as they fight the anti-patriotism group the Flag-Smashers.
Disney Plus premiere date: 19 March 2021 / Finale date: 23 April 2021
Black Widow
Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Natasha Romanoff (Johansson) finds herself alone and forced to confront a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Romanoff must confront her demons and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
Cinema release date: 7 May 2021
Loki
Showrunner: Michael Waldron
Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino
Loki is brought to the mysterious Time Variance Authority organisation after stealing the Tesseract during the events of Avengers: Endgame, and travels through time while altering human history. He ultimately ends up trapped in his very own crime thriller.
Disney Plus premiere date: 11 June 2021
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh
When Shang-Chi (Liu) is drawn into the clandestine Ten Rings organisation, he is forced to confront the past he thought he left behind.
Cinema release date: 9 July 2021
What If…?
Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Chadwick Boseman, Hayley Atwell, Jeff Goldblum (voices)
The animated series explores what would happen if major moments from the MCU occurred differently.
Disney Plus premiere date: Mid 2021
Eternals
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani
After an unexpected tragedy following the events of Avengers: Endgame, the Eternals – an immortal alien race created by the Celestials who have secretly lived on Earth for over 7,000 years – reunite to protect humanity from their evil counterparts, the Deviants.
Cinema release date: 5 November 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Following the climatic events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter Parker (Holland) must contend with the fact that the world now knows his identity, as well as the arrival of Electro (Foxx) and Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) – villains from previous Spider-Man franchises. Doctor Strange (Cumberbatch) will also be along for the ride.
Cinema release date: 17 December 2021
Ms Marvel
Starring: Iman Vellani, Aramis Knight, Matt Lintz, Nimra Bucha
Sixteen-year-old Muslim Pakistani-American Kamala Khan (Vellani), who writes superhero fan fiction of Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), gains shape-shifting powers.
Disney Plus premiere date: Late 2021
Hawkeye
Showrunner: Jonathan Igla
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Vera Farmiga, Florence Pugh
The time Clint “Hawkeye” Barton (Renner) spent as the assassin Ronin in Avengers: Endgame explored. Meanwhile, he hands his mantle over to a young protégé named Kate Bishop (Steinfeld).
Disney Plus premiere date: Late 2021
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Rachel McAdams
After the events of Avengers: Endgame and WandaVision, Dr Stephen Strange’s continuing research on the Time Stone is hindered by a friend-turned-enemy, resulting in Strange unleashing unspeakable evil.
Cinema release date: 25 March 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder
Hemsworth returns as Thor alongside the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy in a film that will see Portman’s Jane gain similar powers to him, after becoming the Mighty Thor.
Cinema release date: 6 May 2022
Black Panther II
Starring: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Winston Duke
The long-awaited return to Wakanda will explore the history of its many characters, reportedly including Erik Kilmonger (Michael B Jordan), the villain from the first film. Chadwick Boseman’s lead character will not be recast following the actor’s death in 2020.
Cinema release date: 8 July 2022
Captain Marvel 2
Starring: Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, Teyonah Parris, Zawe Ashton
The sequel will see Carol Danvers AKA Captain Marvel reunited with the adult version of Monica Rambeau (Parris) as well as Ms Marvel (Vellani).
Cinema release date: 11 November 2022
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan
A Christmas special set between the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and the forthcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, which will be released in 2023.
Disney Plus premiere date: December 2022
Moon Knight
Showrunner: Jeremy Slater
Starring: Oscar Isaac, May Calamawy, Ethan Hawke
The show will follow Marc Spector (Isaac), a former CIA agent, who is saved by the moon god Khonshu during a mission and turned into the human avatar of the Egyptian deity on Earth.
Disney Plus premiere date: 2022 TBC
She-Hulk
Starring: Tatiana Maslany, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, Ginger Gonzaga
This series revolves around Bruce Banner’s cousin (Maslany), who gains superpowers after receiving a blood transfusion from the character played by Ruffalo. The Abomination, the villain played by Roth in The Incredible Hulk, will return.
Disney Plus premiere date: 2022 TBC
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Jonathan Majors
The third film in the franchise will see Scott “Ant-Man” Lang and Hope van Dyne, also known as the Wasp, get caught up in Quantum Realm madness, which will pit them on a collision with classic Marvel villain Kang the Conqueror (Majors).
Cinema release date: 2022 TBC
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3
Starring: Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff
The third outing for the Guardians of the Galaxy characters that will undoubtedly see Peter “Star-Lord” Quill (Pratt) hunt for the missing Gamora (Zoe Saldana), who disappeared at the end of Avengers: Endgame.
Cinema release date: 2023 TBC
Fantastic Four
Characters including Mr Fantastic, Susan Storm, The Thing and Human Torch will finally get their first standalone MCU film.
Cinema release date: 2023 TBC
Secret Invasion
Showrunner: Kyle Bradstreet
Starring: Samuel L Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn
Nick Fury (Jackson) springs into action as he discovers a sect of Skrulls have infiltrated all aspects of life on Earth.
Disney Plus premiere date: 2023 TBC
Ironheart
Starring: Dominique Thorn
A certified super-genius named Riri Williams (Thorn) designs a suit of armour similar to Iron Man’s using material stolen from campus. When campus security knocks at her door, she flees while wearing the suit.
Disney Plus premiere date: 2023 TBC
Armour Wars
James “War Machine” Rhodes (Cheadle) must confront one of Tony Stark’s greatest fears when Stark’s tech falls into the wrong hands.
Disney Plus premiere date: 2023 TBC
Untitled Wakanda Series
A new series set in the world of Black Panther’s Wakanda.
Disney Plus premiere date: TBC
We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content.
Watch every Marvel film and TV show to date by signing up to Disney Plus for a free trial here