SUMMARY
Phase 5 of the MCU is in full swing, with new movies and series reshuffling release dates and introducing new characters like Kang and the High Evolutionary.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 kick off Phase 5 with action-packed stories and emotional character arcs.
Stay tuned for more exciting releases like Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and the rumored series Agatha: Coven of Chaos in the ever-expanding MCU universe.
With the MCU’s Phase 5 well underway, Disney has announced some changes to its release order, so here is everything we know about the Multiverse Saga’s reshuffling. After Black Panther: Wakanda Forever became the final feature film in MCU’s Phase 4, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 officially began Phase 5. As always, Marvel President Kevin Feige is always looking ahead to the future of Phase 5, and even projects slated for the MCU’s Phase 6, with many changes to the original slate announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 becoming prevalent.
With the MCU Phases 4, 5, and 6 all being part of the Multiverse Saga of the MCU timeline (following the first three phases which made up the Infinity Saga), the franchise is naturally changing to accommodate several outside factors. From the WGA strike of 2023 to the different statuses of each upcoming project, Marvel has outlined their 2024 and 2025 movie schedules which have somewhat impacted Phase 5. With each of these changes in mind, here is everything we know about the MCU Phase 5 including reshuffled release dates, story details, and more.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (February 2023)
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was the first MCU film of Marvel’s Phase 5, centered on the return to the Quantum Realm. Starring Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily who returned as Ant-Man and the Wasp, the film introduced MCU newcomer Kathryn Newton as an older Cassie Lang. Released on February 17, 2023, Ant-Man 3 properly introduced Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror.
Kang served as the film’s central antagonist, and will continue to be a major threat throughout the MCU, culminating in Phase 6’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. Joining the cast was Bill Murray as a Quantum Realm resident known as Lord Krylar, as well as the returning Corey Stoll as Darren Cross, the MCU’s version of the classic Marvel villain MODOK. In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Scott was shown to be enjoying his new fame as an Avenger, which got in the way of his family life before he and his loved ones had to face off against Kang and escape the Quantum Realm.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 2023)
Guardians of the GalaxyVol. 3 was the second film in the MCU’s Phase 5, culminating the story of the titular team that writer-director James Gunn always envisioned. Guardians of the Galaxy 3 largely focused on Star-Lord grappling with the loss of Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War, as well as struggling to come to terms with the new version of her from Avengers: Endgame who doesn’t share their history.
Chukwudi Iwuji appeared as the film’s villain, the High Evolutionary, who came into conflict with the Guardians after searching for Rocket, one of his earliest creations. Much of the emotional core of the film centered on Rocket’s origins, and the last goodbye the MCU’s Guardians shared together. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was largely considered a return to form for the MCU after some lackluster Phase 4 projects, with the emotionally resonant story, fantastic performances, and satisfying conclusion of the Guardians’ story serving as the second outing for the MCU’s Phase 5.
Secret Invasion (June 2023)
June 2023 saw Secret Invasion release on Disney+. Starring Nick Fury and the Skrull, Talos, Secret Invasion saw the duo face off against an alien conspiracy brought about by a splinter cell of Skrulls led by Gravik, who sought to destroy humanity and take over the Earth. Secret Invasion saw some lackluster reviews, but did bring some major plot points regarding big characters like Nick Fury and War Machine, which should hopefully be capitalized upon in future MCU releases.
Loki Season 2 (October 2023)
Despite initially being set for a summer 2023 release, Loki season 2 arrived on Disney+ in October 2023. The second season saw the God of Mischief dealing with the fallout of the first season after Sylvie unwittingly unleashed the multiverse and villainous variants of Kang. The second season of Loki was hinted at in the post-credit scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, with Hiddleston’s Loki and the returning Owen Wilson as Agent Mobius tracking down different variants of Kang the Conqueror.
The post-credit scene of Ant-Man 3 saw Loki finding a variant of Kang known as Victor Timely, who joined the Loki season 2 cast alongside the return of Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Wunmi Mosaku as Sylvie, Ravonna Renslayer, and Hunter B-15 respectively. Loki season 2 draws this cast yet closer to the main MCU timeline, as the group’s endeavors see them become integral in changing the The Marvels (October 2023)
The next feature film as part of the MCU’s Phase 5 was The Marvels, which released on November 10, 2023, and saw Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau’s Spectrum coming together as the titular dynamic trio, and exploring Captain Marvel’s complicated history as they band together to protect the universe from a new threat. The film follows directly on from Ms. Marvel’s post-credits scene, where Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan switched places. The Marvels was directed by Nia DaCosta, and stars Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris in the lead roles, as well as also seeing the return of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.
What If…? Season 2 (December 2023)
What If…? season 2 continued the premise of the first season – that being the anthology-based exploration of the MCU’s multiverse. From characters seen in Phases 1-3 to new characters from Phase 4, What If…? season 2 offers an even deeper look at the multiverse.
The series masterfully ensured the overarching narrative of the series was continued even as it explored a series of largely entirely disconnected stories exploring theoretical alternative scenarios that could have happened in the main timeline. Given What If…? season 2’s release proved something of a surprise for audiences – as it came out far sooner than had initially been anticipated – it’s a benefit to the MCU that it left audiences pleasantly surprised, and eager for a third prospective season.
Echo (January 2024)
Spinning out of the events of Hawkeye, Maya Lopez returned with her own series in Echo. Echo was initially planned to be the final Phase 5 release of 2023, but instead was pushed back to an early January 2024 release, bringing in the new year for the franchise. The show was also be the first in MCU history to release every episode at once, with the entire show coming out on January 9, 2024.
The series continues Echo’s story and follows her as she travels back to her hometown, reconnecting her to her roots while showing the audience her past with Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin. The show sees Alacqua Cox’s Maya Lopez make peace with her past and her family, while finally embracing her Native American roots to move forward in her life. Interestingly, the series also ties directly with another upcoming Phase 5 property – Daredevil: Born Again – although Daredevil himself features minimally within the events of Echo itself.
Deadpool & Wolveirne (July 2024)
Originally announced for a September 2024 release date as part of the MCU’s Phase 6, Deadpool & Wolverine was moved up to July 26, 2024, continuing the journey of Phase 5. Deadpool 3 was announced by Ryan Reynolds in September 2022 and is set to feature the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Shawn Levy will direct the film after working with Reynolds on Free Guy and The Adam Project. The film is rumored to include the TVA from Loki and is set to be both a culmination of Deadpool’s journey in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise and the beginning of the character’s inclusion in the MCU.
Captain America: Brave New World (February 2025)
Originally announced as Captain America: New World Order, the recently-retitled Captain America: Brave New World will feature Anthony Mackie’s next MCU journey as Captain America. Picking up after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier with Sam Wilson wielding the iconic shield, the next Captain America movie will see Wilson continuing to grapple with the constantly-changing status quo of the world’s politics. Moreover, Harrison Ford’s MCU debut – taking over from the late William Hurt as the new President of the United States Thunderbolt Ross – will be featured in Brave New World, which has prompted theories about the potential appearance of Red Hulk in the MCU.
Alongside Ford in the film’s central antagonistic role is Tim Blake Nelson, returning as Samuel Sterns/The Leader from The Incredible Hulk. After being disregarded from MCU continuity for so long, Captain America: Brave New World will reintroduce many plot elements from The Incredible Hulk, including the return of Liv Tyler as Betty Ross. Initially, Brave New World was set to release in May 2024 as the fourth Phase 5 film, before Deadpool & Wolverine was moved to that date. Now, Captain America: Brave New World will release a little later, giving it a February 14, 2025 release.
Thunderbolts (May 2025)
After a series of roster changes, Thunderbolts will now release on May 2, 2025 as the final Phase 5 film, with The Fantastic Four bringing in Phase 6 as the next impending release. Confirming several theories and teases that the MCU has been building toward its own team of antiheroes, the Thunderbolts roster was established at SDCC 2022. The team will be made up of Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster from Black Widow, U.S. Agent from Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Ghost from Ant-Man and the Wasp – led by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
Thunderbolts underwent various release date changes, going from a July 2024 release to a December 2024 release, then being announced to release in July 2025 before being moved to its final current release date.
An interesting element of Thunderbolts is that this team is likely not the final product. Other potential inclusions – such as Baron Zemo, the team’s founder from the comics – could be included after his return role in Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Similarly, rumors have surfaced that Harrison Ford will reprise his role as Thunderbolt Ross in the film, with many expecting the character to become Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World, making him a Thunderbolt too. Reports have also surfaced stating the movie’s original script killed off all of the main squad, suggesting this MCU outing might still be more lethal than usual.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos (Currently Unconfirmed Release Date)
First announced at SDCC 2022, WandaVision’s spin-off series starring Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha was titled Agatha: House of Harkness. The show has since been retitled to be Agatha: Coven of Chaos. Like Ironheart, the series was set for a 2023 release before being pushed to 2024 without a specific release date. While little is known about the show’s story, it will likely detail witches and wizards from Agatha’s past, with the story created by WandaVision alum Jac Schaeffer. Alongside Coven of Chaos’ star Kathryn Hahn are cast members like Aubrey Plaza, Deborah Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, and Joe Locke.
Daredevil: Born Again (Currently Unconfirmed Release Date)
Coming in 2024, Daredevil: Born Again will see Charlie Cox’s return as the Man Without Fear following his first three seasons on Netflix. Having appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law as part of Marvel’s Phase 4, Marvel Studios has been in the process of integrating the character into the greater MCU before his own Disney+ series. It was also confirmed that Daredevil: Born Again will consist of 18 episodes, the highest episode count yet for any Marvel series. Alongside Charlie Cox will be Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, and Sandrine Holt as Vanessa Fisk.
Ironheart (Currently Unconfirmed Release Date)
Following her debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri Williams’ Ironheart will be getting her own series. Initially planned for a Fall 2023 release, Ironheart has now been pushed back to an unconfirmed date in 2024. Played once again by Dominique Thorne, Riri’s MCU journey will continue after Wakanda Forever established her as an incredibly gifted engineer who developed her own Iron Man suit. Riri has already struck up a friendship with Wakanda’s lead scientist and new Black Panther, Shuri, with whom she designed the vibranium Ironheart Mark II armor.
Another confirmed cast member of Ironheart is Anthony Ramos of Hamilton and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts fame. Ramos will play Tim Robbins/The Hood, a friend of Riri’s who possesses a hood that allows him to tap into dark arts and magic. Apparently, the show will focus on the clashing of technology and magic, something that could be very interesting for MCU Phase 5.
