What’s Next for Marvel and the MCU?

What’s Next for Marvel and the MCU?
Contributor: Zachariah Kelly and io9 staff

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the biggest entertainment franchises of all time, with movies and Disney+ shows constantly being churned out. With so many things being made, postponed and shifted around, it can be tough to keep up.

There are at least a dozen new movies in various stages of development, and just as many Disney+ streaming TV shows on the way.

We will keep this list up to date as Disney inevitably moves things around. Just to confirm, these are all Australian release dates, so the confirmed dates in your region may be different.

What’s the next Marvel movie to release?

The next film that Marvel will release will be Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 on May 4, 2023.

What’s next for Marvel on Disney+?

The next Marvel project to come to Disney+ will be the Nick Fury-focused series Secret Invasion (on June 21, 2023).

Is there a Marvel Phase Six?

Yes, Marvel phase six will begin in late 2024 with Deadpool 3. We are currently in Phase Five.

Will there be an Avengers 5?

There will be a fifth Avengers movie, titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, however, it’ll be released on May 2, 2025. On May 1, 2026, Avengers: Secret Wars will be released, marking the sixth Avengers movie.

With that out of the way….

Upcoming Marvel movies and Disney+ shows

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Release date: May 4, 2023 (in theatres)

The final movie in the Guardians trilogy was supposed to be completed years ago, but then writer/director James Gunn got fired, then rehired, then did a really fun DC superhero movie. Now, the third Guardians movie is finally underway, starring the usual crew (Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan) and actor Will Poulter as Adam Warlock. It’ll be the last film in the Guardians trilogy.

Secret Invasion

Release date: June 21, 2023 (On Disney+)

This series picks up storylines from both Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home to explain the decades-long Skrull invasion of Earth. Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn will star.

 

The Marvels

Release date: November 11, 2023 (in theatres)

The sequel to Captain Marvel will pull together three of the MCU’s most powerful women: Brie Larsen’s titular Captain, Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan (who recently starred in Ms. Marvel on Disney+), and Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau. Nia DaCosta (who most recently helmed the revival of Candyman) is directing the film.

What if…? Season 2

Release date: 2023 (On Disney+)

The speculative animated series and its omnipresent narrator The Watcher will return with an all-new season. The show’s creators say next season will focus on new stories, new heroes, and “lots of fun”.

Image: Marvel Studios
Image: Marvel Studios

Echo

Release date: Winter, 2023 (On Disney+)

This spinoff from the Hawkeye series will follow Echo, a deaf martial artist, as played by actress Alaqua Cox.

Image: Marvel Studios
Image: Marvel Studios

Loki Season 2

Release date: Winter, 2023 (On Disney+)

The smash hit series about Tom Hiddleston’s antihero will return in 2023.

marvel release dates

Ironheart

Release date: Spring, 2023 (On Disney+)

With Tony Stark gone, the MCU needs a new super-genius inventor. Enter teenage prodigy Riri Williams (played by Dominique Thorne), who creates a brand new, ultra-advanced armoured suit. She will appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Image: Marvel Studios
Image: Marvel Studios

Agatha: Coven of Chaos

Release date: Summer 2023/2024 (On Disney+)

This spinoff from WandaVision will star Kathryn Hahn as her fan-favourite character Agatha Harkness. It was originally titled Agatha: House of Darkness, but since 2021 the name has changed to Agatha: Coven of Chaos.

Spider-Man: Freshman Year

Release date: 2024 (On Disney+)

Disney says this new animated series follows Peter Parker “on his way to becoming Spider-Man in the MCU, with a journey unlike we’ve ever seen and a style that celebrates the character’s early comic book roots.”

Image: Marvel Studios
Image: Marvel Studios
@herd

Captain America: New World Order

Release date: May 2, 2024 (in theatres)

We’ve got a new Captain America, so it’s inevitable we’ll get a new Cap movie. Anthony Mackie will appear in the title role.

marvel release dates
Image: Marvel Studios

Thunderbolts

Release date: July 25, 2024

Announced back at San Diego Comic-Con, the Thunderbolts film’s main cast has been revealed. Fortunately, it’s people we already know, including Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, David Harbour’s Red Guardian, and Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier.

Blade

Release date: September 6, 2024 (in theatres)

Disney hasn’t revealed much about this reboot of the franchise that features vampire-hunter who is also a vampire, but we know that it stars two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali, who also played Cornell ‘Cottonmouth’ Stokes in Luke Cage. We also know Blade appeared (or at least his voice did) in the end credits of The Eternals.

Image: Marvel Studios
Image: Marvel Studios

Deadpool 3

Release date: November 8, 2024 (In Theatres)

Ryan Reynold’s “merc with the mouth” is set to appear in Disney’s first R-rated film following the company’s completed acquisition of Fox assets.

marvel release dates
Image: Marvel Studios

Fantastic Four

Release date: February 14, 2025 (In Theatres)

Disney has confirmed that Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm will finally make an appearance in the MCU.

Image: Marvel Studios
Image: Marvel Studios

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars

Release date: May 2, 2025 and May 1, 2026 (in theatres)

Two Avengers movies were announced at SDCC 2022 that will tie off the multiverse saga. Marvel has confirmed their release dates are a year apart from each other.

marvel release dates
Image: Marvel Studios

Unknown Marvel release dates

Marvel Zombies

Release date: Unknown (On Disney+)

This new animated show is loosely spun out from a breakout episode of What If..? that saw MCU heroes battling a zombie apocalypse.

Image: Marvel Studios
Image: Marvel Studios

Armor Wars

Release date: Unknown

This movie (once planned to be a series) will follow James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) as he tracks down stolen tech that allows criminals to replicate Iron Man technology.

Untitled Wakanda Series

Release date: Unknown (On Disney+)

Not much is known yet about this show set in Black Panther’s home country.

australian movie release schedule
Image: Marvel Studios

Untitled Shang-Chi sequel

Release date: Unknown (in theatres)

Shang-Chi’s debut movie was compelling, exciting and fun. It also made a ton of money, so a sequel is inevitable.

marvel release dates
Image: Marvel Studios

Untitled mutants movie

Release date: Unknown (in theatres)

Now that Disney owns the old Fox assets that included all the “mutant” Marvel superheroes, you can count on characters like the X-Men making an MCU debut. Though it might take a while.

marvel release dates
Image: Marvel Studios

This article has been updated since it was first published and we’ll continue to make changes as Marvel release dates change.