Over the years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen heroes die or move on, and stories are being told in multiple mediums… but amid all that change, there is one thing that fans can always rely on: there will always be a new big screen MCU blockbuster on the way. Summer tentpoles are the franchise’s bread and butter (the movies admittedly ranging from the great to the not-so-good) and we always know what projects are coming and when years in advance.
If you are one of those aforementioned Marvel Cinematic Universe fans and ever curious about what is on the way, you are definitely in the right place. Our Marvel Movies In Order timeline looks at the franchise’s past, but this feature is designed to keep track of the future. And if you’re a Disney+ subscriber curious about what’s coming on the streaming front, also be sure to check out our Upcoming Marvel TV guide.
Marvel Phase 5
Captain America: Brave New World - February 14, 2025
| Captain America: Brave New World Release Date | February 14, 2025 |
| Confirmed Captain America: Brave New World Cast Members | Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres), Shira Haas (Sabra), Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley), Tim Blake Nelson (Samuel Sterns/The Leader), Liv Tyler (Betty Ross), Giancarlo Esposito (Sidewinder), Harrison Ford (President Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross), Xosha Roquemore Seth Rollins, and Rosa Salazar |
| Director | Julius Onah |
| What To Watch To Prepare | Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier |
Why Captain America: Brave New World Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: Captain America: Brave New World marks the first time that an intra-franchise series has proceeded beyond a trilogy with a new lead. Not only do we expect Captain America to continue to be a leader of the Avengers in future of the canon, but the film is the first to really solidify The Incredible Hulk in the larger continuity given that it features three characters from the 2008 blockbuster: Thaddeus Ross, Samuel Sterns a.k.a. The Leader, and Betty Ross.
The Backstory: The torch has been passed… or more accurately, the shield has been passed. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson didn’t feel totally comfortable taking on Steve Rogers’ moniker at the very end of Avengers: Endgame, but he grew a lot through the events of the Disney+ series The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, and now he is wearing the star-spangled costume replete with wings as the new Captain America leading his first feature film.
With a plot and tone said to echo the beloved Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Brave New World will see Sam Wilson embroiled in a plot that involves using mind control to try and take the life of President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Malcolm Spellman, the head writer on The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, has penned the script and it’s being directed by filmmaker Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox).
Thunderbolts* - May 5, 2025
| Thunderbolts* Release Date | May 5, 2025 |
| Confirmed Thunderbolts* Cast Members | Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent), Olga Kurylenko (Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Valentina Allegra de Fontaine), and Lewis Pullman (Sentry) |
| Director | Jake Schreier |
| What To Watch To Prepare | Black Widow, Hawkeye, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant-Man & The Wasp |
Why Thunderbolts* Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: Between Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn and Joker movies, DC is way ahead of Marvel when it comes to crafting stories that put antagonists front and center, but that’s an exercise we’ll finally see them attempt with Thunderbolts*. As far as the larger in-canon narrative of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is a title that has had some Avengers-level setup in the last few years, as fans will finally learn the endgame plan for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine – which has thus far been teased in Black Widow, Hawkeye, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The Backstory: Writer Lee Sung Jin and director Jake Schreier proved to be a successful collaboration in the making of the hit Netflix series Beef, and now they are bringing their talents to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thunderbolts*. The project was first announced in June 2022, and while not much is known about the plot, we do know that it’s a team-up film based on the comics of the same name (which saw classic villains assume the identities of classic heroes). The asterisk in the title of Thunderbolts* is a mystery unto itself, as Marvel Studios has kept quiet about its meaning – and it’s likely we won’t have a real answer until the film hits theaters.
Marvel Phase 6
The Fantastic Four: First Steps - July 25, 2025
| Fantastic Four: First Steps Release Date | July 25, 2025 |
| Confirmed Fantastic Four: First Steps Cast Members | Pedro Pascal (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (The Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (The Human Torch), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing), Ralph Ineson (Galactus), Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne |
| Director | Matt Shakman |
| What To Watch To Prepare | WandaVision |
Why Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: Because of the information that we lack about Fantastic Four: First Steps (more on that in a minute), we can’t say with any specificity at this point how the film is going to impact the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s hard to imagine that the movie won’t be momentous. The members of the Fantastic Four are essential parts of Marvel’s history, and much like with Spider-Man and the X-Men before, the MCU has always felt incomplete without them. Even the title “First Steps” suggests that there are many steps ahead.
The Backstory: Marvel Studios producers have been champing at the bit to make the film since the completion of the Disney/Fox merger, and now it is almost here. Fans of Marvel Comics have suffered through multiple mediocre-or-worse Fantastic Four movies, but now the rights to the characters have returned to Marvel, and they will finally be making their Marvel Cinematic Universe debut with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Director Matt Shakman, who proved himself a capable talent with the series WandaVision, is taking the helm after Jon Watts stepped away from the project in April 2022.
Sadly, we know nothing about the plot, but it has been confirmed that the setting of the story will be a retro futuristic version of the 1960s inspired in part by the artistic style of Syd Mead. What that means for the movie’s connection to the canon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is unclear, however, as there are major aesthetic discrepancies. The title The Fantastic Four: First Steps was first confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con 2024.
Avengers: Doomsday - May 1, 2026
| Avengers: Doomsday Release Date | May 1, 2026 |
| Confirmed Avengers: Doomsday Cast Members | Robert Downey Jr. (Victor von Doom a.k.a. Doctor Doom) |
| Directors | Joe and Anthony Russo |
| What To Watch To Prepare | Every movie and TV show since Spider-Man: No Way Home |
Why Avengers: Doomsday Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: If a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie has “Avengers” in the title, you know it’s important. From the beginning, the blockbusters in the Avengers intra-franchise series have all been essential capstone projects that answer big picture questions and merge multiple established storylines. We don’t know exactly how that will be unfolding in Avengers: Doomsday, but there is every expectation that it will.
The Backstory: Marvel Studios spent years setting up Jonathan Majors’ Kang The Conqueror as the next Thanos-level big bad in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that plan went straight to hell in 2023 due to legal issues and a conviction that led Marvel Studios to terminate the actor’s franchise contract. Because of that situation, the plans for the next Avengers movie have changed dramatically: what was originally going to be called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty has now become Avengers: Doomsday.
This big change was made official at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, where it was not only confirmed that Joe and Anthony Russo will direct the film, but that the role of Victor von Doom will be played by Robert Downey Jr. – who will be making his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe following the death of Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame. It has not been confirmed whether or not there will be a specific connection between Stark and Doom – but it has inspired a great deal of fan speculation.
Spider-Man 4 - July 24, 2026
| Spider-Man 4 Release Date | July 24, 2026 |
| Confirmed Spider-Man 4 Cast Members | Tom Holland (Spider-Man) |
| Director | Destin Daniel Cretton |
| What To Watch To Prepare | Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: No Way Home |
Why Spider-Man 4 Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: This one doesn’t really need explanation, does it? Spider-Man is a beloved lynchpin character in the history of Marvel, and while his connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is different than just about every other character in the canon (due to movie rights belonging to Sony Pictures), he will be a vital piece in the big picture for as long as the major studios can agree to contracted terms.
The Backstory: In the wake of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland's Peter Parker is in real trouble. Having made mistakes while messing with the multiverse, he now lives in a reality where everyone he has ever known and cared about has wholly forgotten about him – and it seems that he plans to keep it that way for a while as a means of protecting them from his life as Spider-Man. Exactly what the future holds for the character is unclear, but at the very least what we do know is that his adventures will continue on the big screen.
Will we soon get to see an MCU version of Venom? Maybe a showdown with Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin? How about live-action debuts for Scorpion (having already been introduced to Michael Mando's Mac Gargan) and/or Felicia Hardy a.k.a. Black Cat? Only time will tell.
Avengers: Secret Wars - May 7, 2027
| Avengers: Secret Wars Release Date | May 7, 2027 |
| Confirmed Avengers: Secret Wars Cast Members | Robert Downey Jr. (Victor von Doom a.k.a. Doctor Doom) |
| Directors | Joe and Anthony Russo |
| What To Watch To Prepare | Every movie and TV show since Spider-Man: No Way Home |
Why Avengers: Secret Wars Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: Expectations are obviously super high for Avengers: Doomsday and its impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but you can basically double those expectations for Avengers: Secret Wars. Exciting as the introduction of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom might be, that’s nothing compared to a film named after two of the most impactful crossover events in the history of Marvel Comics. There is a very real chance that the blockbuster ends up rewriting the entire franchise.
The Backstory: Next to nothing is known about the plans for the movie plot-wise, but Michael Waldron (Loki Season 1, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness) has been hired to pen the screenplay, and there is expectation that the project will take inspiration from the two comic book events series of the same name.
Unscheduled Marvel Projects
Blade
| Blade Release Date | N/A |
| Confirmed Blade Cast Members | Mahershala Ali (Blade) and Mia Goth |
| Director | N/A |
| What To Watch To Prepare | Eternals |
Why Blade Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: Monsters and horror have been a key part of Marvel’s history from the beginning, but they have thus far been relegated to the small screen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with projects like Werewolf By Night and Agatha All Along. Blade will not only be the first blockbuster in the canon to feature creatures of the night, but it’s also been said that it will be the second R-rated MCU movie after the ultra-successful Deadpool & Wolverine.
The Backstory: How hard is it to make a movie about a half-vampire who dedicates his life to ridding the world of vampires? Apparently it’s pretty damn hard.It was first announced that Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali would be playing the lead character in a solo Blade movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all the way back in 2019, and the character made a voice-only cameo in the end credits of Eternals, but there have been a number of behind-the-scenes shakeups that have slowed development of a solo feature for the character.
The MCU Blade movie was originally put in the hands of director Basam Tariq in July 2021, but he departed the project in September 2022 just as production was gearing up. Yann Damange came aboard in November 2022… but he reportedly lost the gig in June 2024. The would-be R-rated blockbuster does not currently have a director attached, and while Blade had a scheduled November 2025 release date at one point, the project has since been taken off the calendar.
X-Men
| X-Men Movie Release Date | N/A |
| Confirmed X-Men Cast Members | N/A |
| Director | N/A |
| What To Watch To Prepare | Deadpool & Wolverine (?) |
Why X-Men Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: As noted earlier, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has long felt incomplete because rights issues prevented the use of historically significant characters, but that sad era ended with the Disney/Fox merger, and the future is now bright for upcoming X-Men projects. Technically speaking, Deadpool & Wolverine was the first MCU title to put a primary focus on classic mutant characters, but it still retained firm links to the X-Men movie timeline. This film – whatever form it will eventually take – will presumably establish the MCU versions of the classic X-Men.
The Backstory: Despite what happens at the end of Deadpool & Wolverine, the X-Men franchise that existed for two decades has ostensibly ended (2000-2021), and fans worldwide are over-the-top excited for their chance to finally see the legendary mutant characters make their debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The hitch is that introducing mutants to the expansive franchise is no small undertaking... so Marvel Studios is playing things smart by not rushing things.
Like with the Fantastic Four, Kevin Feige first name-dropped "the mutants" during the Marvel Studios Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, but he didn't offer any actual information regarding when we'll get to see them. We have seen developments involving mutants in key blockbusters and TV shows, but the X-Men do not yet exist in the MCU. Deadpool & Wolverine features a number of mutant characters, Kelsey Grammer's Beast appeared in The Marvels, and Patrick Stewart reprised his role as Professor Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, but the status of all the other major characters is unknown.
Shang-Chi 2
| Shang-Chi 2 Release Date | N/A |
| Confirmed Shang-Chi 2 Cast Members | Simu Liu |
| Director | Destin Daniel Cretton |
| What To Watch To Prepare | Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings |
Why Shang-Chi 2 Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: There have been a lot of sequels in the post-Avengers: Endgame era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but none of them have been for the original films that have premiered since the start of Phase 4. We still don’t know if we’re going to get a Black Widow 2 or an Eternals 2, but we do at least know that Shang-Chi is coming back for another adventure.
The Backstory: At the very end of Destin Daniel Cretton's Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, there is a message that announces that the titular criminal organization would be making a return in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – but there was no such affirmative declaration regarding the hero played by Simu Liu. The lack of news about a sequel continued for weeks after the film turned out to be a big box office hit, but finally things changed in December 2021. It was officially announced that Shang-Chi 2 is in the works, and Daniel Cretton will once again be back at the helm.
What we don't know right now is a) when the sequel will actually be made, or b) what it will be about. It seems fair to assume that Shang-Chi 2 will not only see the return of Simu Liu as the eponymous master of kung-fu, but also Awkwafina as his number one pal, Katy. Hopefully more information about the upcoming movie will be announced soon.
Armor Wars
| Armor Wars Release Date | N/A |
| Confirmed Armor Wars Cast Members | Don Cheadle (James “Rhodey” Rhodes / War Machine) |
| Director | N/A |
| What To Watch To Prepare | Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, Secret Invasion |
Why Armor Wars Is Important For The Future Of The MCU: Since the death of Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn’t put much focus on his particular corner of the world (the exception being Spider-Man: Far From Home). Armor Wars is the way back into the world of Stark Technologies, this time with Don Cheadle as the lead.
The Backstory: In December 2020, Marvel Studios announced a plethora of shows that were being made as Disney+ exclusives, and among the titles revealed was Armor Wars: a limited series that would feature Don Cheadle as James "Rhodey" Rhodes a.k.a. War Machine trying to stop the proliferation of Tony Stark's proprietary Iron Man technology. The studio hired Yassir Lester as head writer on the project in August 2021, and its continued development was confirmed at D23 Expo 2022... but then everything changed in September 2022. Instead of being a show, Armor Wars is now being made as a movie.
Yassir Lester is still attached to the project, but will obviously now be writing a screenplay instead of orchestrating teleplays for a six-episode series. There is presently no director attached, and, as you can tell by the fact that it is in this section of this feature, it doesn't have a release date. Since the project changed mediums, Marvel Studios hasn't provided any updates about its development – plus it was revealed in Secret Invasion that the guy we thought was James Rhodes for years was actually a Skrull in disguise.
And that covers all of the upcoming Marvel movies lined up for the future. Now let's take a look back at the previous phases of the MCU...
Past Marvel Releases
Marvel Phase 1
Iron Man (2008)
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Thor (2011)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
The Avengers (2012)
Marvel Phase 2
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Ant-Man (2015)
Marvel Phase 3
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Doctor Strange (2016)
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Black Panther (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018)
Captain Marvel (2019)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Marvel Phase 4
Black Widow (2021)
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)
Eternals (2021)
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022)
Thor: Love And Thunder (2022)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Marvel Phase 5
Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
The Marvels (2023)
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
With new Marvel movies always being announced and release dates shifting around, we will continue to update this feature, and as always, stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest news about the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
