Marvel Phase 5 is about to kick off. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special have now graced our screens, wrapping up Marvel Phase 4, and our next stop is the Quantum Realm with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. And that's just the start – Captain America 4, Thunderbolts, a new Daredevil series on Disney Plus, and Guardians of the Galaxy 3 are also on the way.
We've got the full lowdown on Marvel Phase 5, from release dates to casting updates on all the upcoming MCU projects between now and Blade in September 2024.
Marvel Phase 5 is packed with movies and shows – and takes us all the way up to the summer of 2024. Here's everything that's coming in this stage of the MCU
• Ant Man and the Wasp - Quantimania
(February 17,2023)
• Secret Invasion (Spring 2023 Disney Plus)
• Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3 (May 5 2023)
• Echo (Summer 2023 Disney Plus)
• Loki Season 2 (Summer 2023 Disney Plus )
• Iron Heart (Fall 2023 Disney Plus)
• Agatha: Coven of Chaos (Winter 2023/2024, Disney Plus)
• Daredevil: Born Again (Spring 2024, Disney Plus)
• Captain America: New World Order (May 3, 2024, movie)
• Thunderbolts (July 26, 2024, movie)
• Blade (September 6, 2024, movie)
Marvel Phase 5 movies and TV shows
Ant Man And The Wasp - Quantimania
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania release date: February 17, 2023
Kicking off Marvel Phase 5 is Ant-Man 3, officially titled Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The film will be another multiversal adventure, with Jonathan Majors playing big bad Kang the Conqueror (after first appearing as He Who Remains in the Loki finale).
The movie's trailer sees Paul Rudd's Scott Lang, Michelle Pfieffer's Janet van Dyne, Evangeline Lily's Hope van Dyne, Michael Douglas' Hank Pym, and Kathryn Newton's Cassie Lang dragged into the Quantum Realm – and there, they encounter Kang and Bill Murray's new character, someone who seemingly rules a Quantum city. Director Peyton Reed has also confirmed that MODOK will make an appearance, though in what capacity, we do not know.
Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion release date: Spring 2023
Secret Invasion is set to be a paranoid thriller, with shapeshifting aliens the Skrulls having infiltrated Earth. Samuel L. Jackson returns as Nick Fury with Ben Mendelsohn as Talos and Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill in leading roles. Martin Freeman's Everett Ross and Don Cheadle's Rhodey are also back.
Newcomers to the cast include Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, and Kingsley Ben-Adir. A trailer for Secret Invasion was revealed behind closed doors at Comic-Con and saw Fury coming down from space to help fight the invading Skrulls. Ben-Adir's character looks to be a villainous alien, though we suspect you can't trust anyone in this series. Marvel boss Kevin Feige has teased that it will be a "dark" and "gritty" show, while the official Disney Plus description teases a crossover event.
There's also Armor Wars on the way, which will star Don Cheadle's Rhodey and follow on from the events of Secret Invasion. Its release date is still TBC, though
Guardians of galaxy Vol 3
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 release date: May 5, 2023
The upcoming Guardians sequel is to be the last chapter in the Guardians of the Galaxy story, and we can expect it to be emotional. The Comic-Con trailer revealed that Gamora is back as the head of the Ravagers, but she's still missing her memories (this is an alternate version of the character from earlier in the Marvel timeline, after the 'main' version was killed in Infinity War), which is upsetting for Peter Quill. The plot appears to predominantly revolve around the origins of Rocket Racoon, with Chukwudi Iwuji playing his creator, The High Evolutionary
The rest of the cast includes Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff returning as the Guardians, while Elizabeth Debicki, Sean Gunn, and Sylvester Stallone are also back. Daniela Melchior and Nico Santos join the line-up, with Will Poulter debuting as Adam Warlock and Borat 2 breakout Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Space Dog.
Echo
Echo release date: Summer 2023
Having debuted in Hawkeye, Alaqua Cox's Maya Lopez has her own Disney Plus show incoming. Echo is the adopted niece of Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin, who was last seen being shot in the face by Echo – though we know he survives, as D'Onofrio is back. Better yet, Charlie Cox will be appearing as Daredevil, having reprised the character in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk already. Plot details regarding Echo are scarce, though we expect the series to pick up where Hawkeye left off. It's set to focus on her origin story as her time in New York City catches up with her when she returns to her hometown.
Loki season 2
Loki season 2 release date: Summer 2023
Loki's set to become the very first live-action Marvel series on Disney Plus to get a second season. The first ended with a Loki variant named Sylvie killing He Who Remains, the keeper of the Sacred Timeline, and essentially breaking the multiverse. The sequel will no doubt pick up where that series ended, with Loki and Sylvie trying to navigate this new, Kang-dominated era of time. Set photos have confirmed that Sylvie is back, with Sophia Di Martino returning to the role. Other actors coming back include Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Jonathan Majors will presumably return as Kang, though that's unconfirmed at this stage. Everything Everywhere All at Once star Ke Huy Quan has also joined the cast.
The Marvels
The Marvels release date: July 29, 2023
A sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel, The Marvels sees Brie Larson return as Captain Marvel. However, as the title implies, she's not alone. After debuting in WandaVision, Teyonah Parris will reprise her role as Monica Rambeau, while Ms. Marvel will also make an appearance (as confirmed by the Ms. Marvel post-credits scene that saw Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan and Captain Marvel switch places). Samuel L. Jackson's back as Nick Fury, too, so potentially the Skrulls from Secret Invasion could play a role. Velvet Buzzsaw's Zawe Ashton will play the movie's villain.
Ironheart
Ironheart release date: Fall 2023
Dominique Thorne stars as Riri Williams, AKA Ironheart, a young genius who in the comics made her own version of the Iron Man suit. The hero was first introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but she's returning for her own Disney Plus series. She'll be joined by Anthony Ramos as new villain the Hood. Not a whole lot is known about the show at this early stage, but we can expect the series to tackle the legacy of Iron Man.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos
Agatha: Coven of Chaos release date: Winter 2023/2024
Agatha: Coven of Chaos sees Kathryn Hahn reprise her witchy role from WandaVision, but this time she's the central star. Hahn previously teased that the project is "exactly what I would have hoped and dreamt," while Scarlett Witcher actor Elizabeth Olsen has said she would "love" to be part of the show. There's nothing really substantial available on the plot, though it should tie up some loose ends from WandaVision and potentially reveal how Wanda survived the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Heartstopper's Joe Locke has joined the cast, along with Aubrey Plaza, Ali Ahn, and Maria Dizzia.
Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again release date: Spring 2024
The Coxaissance is upon us. After appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home, She-Hulk, and Echo, Charlie Cox will finally appear in a solo project as Daredevil. Born Again will consist of a whopping 18 episodes, though don't expect it to follow the similarly titled comic-book storyline – that's already been adapted into live-action in The Defenders Saga. Instead, it makes for a fitting title seeing as Daredevil's been rescued from the pits of Netflix's cancelation and brought fully into the MCU.
Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin is also back, having first appeared in Hawkeye and Echo, and we can probably expect Echo to return, too, though that's unconfirmed. The Many Saints of Newark star Michael Gandolfini has also joined the cast, along with Margarita Levieva and Sandrine Holt, who will reportedly be playing love interests to the leads.
Captain America: New World Order
Captain America: New World Order release date: May 3, 2024
Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson finally has his own solo movie, having taken over the Captain America mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The Cloverfield Paradox director Julius Onah will helm the new Cap movie, while Falcon head writer Malcolm Spellman and staff writer Dalan Musson are penning the script. Tim Blake Nelson, who played the Leader in The Incredible Hulk, is returning to the MCU, while Danny Ramirez is also reprising his role from Falcon. Plus, Harrison Ford is set to replace the late William Hurt as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross. Plot details are tightly under wraps – but the title suggests Red Skull might be returning to the MCU...
Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts release date: July 26, 2024
Thunderbolts release date: July 26, 2024
Breadcrumbs teasing this shadowy group were first dropped in 2021 when The Falcon and the Winter Soldier introduced Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the Contessa – but at San Diego Comic-Con, it was finally confirmed that the villainous team will debut during Marvel Phase 5. Then, at D23, the full cast was revealed: joining Louis-Dreyfus' Contessa will be Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster, and Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost from Ant-Man and the Wasp. Paper Towns helmer Jake Schreier is in the director's chair.
Blade
Blade release date: September 6, 2024
Blade release date: September 6, 2024
Mahershala Ali may have played Cotton Mouth in Luke Cage, but the actor now has dual roles in the MCU, with the Oscar-winner portraying Blade in the upcoming movie. In fact, Ali has already played Blade in the Eternals post-credits sting, though that was a voice cameo – the movie will likely feature the Ebony Blade, as seen in that movie, too. Delroy Lindo and The Underground Railroad's Aaron Pierre are both in the Blade cast, with a script from Stacy Osei-Kuffour.
But, director Bassim Tariq stepped down from helming the movie shortly before filming was set to kick off. Production has been paused and the movie has been delayed from its original November 3, 2023 release date. Tariq hasn't left entirely, however, as he's still onboard as an executive producer.
An insider has also claimed Ali is unhappy with pre-production. "I'm told that the current Blade script is roughly 90 pages and features exactly TWO (lackluster) action sequences. Mahershala said to be very frustrated with the process. Feige said to be spread too thin," reported(opens in new tab) Jeff Sneider.
Yann Demange has now stepped up to replace Tariq in the director's chair – he's previously helmed episodes of Lovecraft Country and Top Boy. Production is set to re-start in early 2023.
That's a wrap on Marvel Phase 5.
- Nishant Bhagat