With Avengers: Endgame having come and gone, the landscape of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been shaken and flipped around considerably. The official slate of films has not yet been revealed, though an announcement from Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige should be on the horizon.
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Warning, spoilers for Avengers: Endgame follow. Major spoilers!
To round out Earth’s Mightiest Week on ComicBook.com, we’re taking a look at the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe now that Avengers: Endgame has finally been unleashed. The more than ten year journey dubbed “The Infinity Saga” has concluded.
As for what’s next, starting with Phase 4 of the MCU, the picture is suddenly a bit more clear…
Welcome to Earth’s Mightiest Week! From April 22nd to April 26th, ComicBook.com is celebrating the culmination of the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far with a series of exclusive articles, lists, arguments, and more. If you’d like to check out some of our other offerings from this week, you can click the image above.
Spider-Man: Far From Home
The first movie to follow Avengers: Endgame is Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Releasing on July 2, Peter Parker will return to his regularly scheduled life as a high school student and head out on a class trip to Europe. Details of the film have mostly been kept quiet as to avoid spoiling Endgame but now it is clear that the movie will be taking place five years after the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming. How Peter Parker and his friends are all still in high school is still a mystery.
The villain of the film with be Mysterio, played by Jake Gyllenhaal.
Black Widow
The first Marvel Studios film in 2020 is expected to be Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johansson and David Harbour under the direction of Cate Shortland.
Details of the film have not yet been revealed but Avengers: Endgame seems to confirm the suspicions that the movie will be a prequel which fills in details of Natasha Romanov’s mysterious past.
Black Widow should release on May 1, 2020.
The Eternals
The Eternals are an obscure group for anyone outside of the hardcore Marvel Comics fans but they will enrich the Marvel Cinematic Universe with some deep history moving forward.
The group which is all but immortal will likely come along in November of 2020, starring Angelina Jolie and Kumail Nunjiani, so far. It is expected to be directed by Chloe Zhao. Few other details have been revealed for the film.
The Eternals should release on Marvel’s scheduled November 6, 2020 date.
Black Panther 2
With T’Challa back in action, a return trip to Wakanda is inevitable.
The plot of a Black Panther sequel has not been revealed or teased just yet as all things seem to be starting fresh in the wake of Avengers: Endgame. Ryan Coogler will be back to direct with Chadwick Boseman, Danai Gurira, Lupita N’yongo, and the original cast members expected to return.
Black Panther‘s sequel will likely release early in 2021.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was originally supposed to release in May of 2020 as a follow up to Avengers: Endgame. However, delays in production have pushed it back.
Likely adding Thor to the movie (and possibly adopting the title Asgardians of the Galaxy), the movie seems to be built on tracking down Gamora of 2014 and will also feature the debut of Adam Warlock.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will likely hit theaters in May of either 2021 or 2022.
Shang-Chi
Shang-Chi will be among the new characters coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Phase 4.
Known well to fans of Marvel Comics, the Master of Kung Fu will likely be one of the next characters to join the Avengers. Shang-Chi is set to be directed by Dave Callaham and will be filmed in Australia.
A release date has not yet been revealed but Shang-Chi will likely arrive in late 2021 or early 2022.
Captain Marvel 2
Given the success of Captain Marvel, Brie Larson will likely be reprising the role quickly.
Captain Marvel however, was the last Marvel Studios film before Avengers: Endgame. This does not put the character at the front of the line to have a sequel produced — but it is definitely coming. Whether or not Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck will be back to direct is unknown.
Doctor Strange
After teaming up with all of the Avengers heroes, Doctor Strange is expected to have a sequel on the way under the direction of original helmer Scott Derrickson.
A release date has not yet been revealed. The sequel to Doctor Strange may include other characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe as his chemistry with others was fully on display in Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
Ant-Man and The Wasp
After the Quantum Realm became a key component in Avengers: Endgame, Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne will likely explore the microscopic universe in their next outing.
A sequel to Ant-Man and The Wasp has not yet been discussed but director Peyton Reed has mentioned uncharted territories and teases from his first two outings with the characters. For example, the city spotted in the Quantum Realm could become a factor.
An Ant-Man and The Wasp sequel would probably arrive in late 2022 or early 023.
Fantastic Four
If Marvel Studios wants to truly surprise their fans when announcing the next slate of movies (barring a major “event” film such as Secret Invasion), announcing the Fantastic Four will be arriving in the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems like the way to do.
Now that Fox characters are owned by Disney, the Fantastic Four and X-Men are available for Kevin Feige to add to his live-action roster. The Fantastic Four will arrive before the mutants do and Phase 4 is the place to keep the audience hooked after Avengers: Endgame.
The Fantastic Four would likely arrive in 2022 or 2023.
