Marvel’s MCU Phase 5 Projects and Release Dates Explained

Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has felt somewhat aimless in its larger franchise storytelling, but Marvel Studios has reminded us that there definitely is a plan at work. During Comic-Con 2022 Marvel’s Kevin laid out the franchise’s next big story arc  (The Multiverse Saga) and revealed almost all of the projects that will be part of the Multiverse Saga in MCU Phase 5. 

Below is a list of the confirmed projects Marvel has announced for Phase 5 of the MCU (and one big unconfirmed film). Each breakdown will explain the MCU Phase 5 project and do some guess work about why they are coming when they are! 

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Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Release Date: February 17, 2023

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will be the beginning of Phase 5. That film is expected to reveal more mysteries of the pivotal Quantum Realm universe; it will be the first official introduction of Jonathan Majors as Kang (the big bad of this Multiverse Saga) and will debut a new young hero when Scott Lang’s daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) suits up as well. 

While that’s a lot we know, there’s plenty we don’t know yet about what new lore Ant-Man 3 will open the door to. With Kang’s arrival alone comes an entire potential line of the villain’s variant selves, who could end up anywhere across the MCU (if not already embedded there). MODOK will be another major Marvel villain introduced in the film, so this will be a pivotal story, for sure. 

Secret Invasion

Release Date: Spring 2023

This espionage-heavy Disney+ series will focus on Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncovering a plot by factions of the shape-shifting alien race, The Skrulls. The title of the show is a hot-button reference to a pivotal Marvel Comics storyline, which revealed key heroes and world figures had been deep-cover Skrull agents for years, in a plot to stage a planet-sized coup against Earth. 

Obviously, there’s potential for the MCU adaptation of Secret Invasion to similarly shake things up – from the situation on Earth, to what is taking place in the cosmos. With The Marvels arriving later next year, Secret Invasion could also be a pivotal turning point for the franchise. It will be the first time we also see Don Cheadle’s War Machine since Endgame.  

Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3

Release Date: May 5, 2023

James Gunn will be ending his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy with this film – and he and the cast and crew are letting fans know in no uncertain terms that it is going to be an ending. Guardians 3 will be introducing some key cosmic figures in Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) and the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) – and it’s here that we begin to see a possible pattern forming in Phase 5: powerful villains rising in ways our heroes may not be ready for. 

No matter who lives or who dies, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 will be leaving a hole in the universe – as well as our hearts.

Marvel’s Echo

Release Date: Summer 2023

Echo quickly went from being a Hawkeye spinoff to something much more pivotal, after it was announced that both Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) would be major players in it. Now, Echo looks poised to kick off an entire series of events that could lead to Marvel’s Defenders returning and/or Kingpin starting a rise to new levels of power in the MCU… 

Loki Season 2

Release Date: Summer 2023

Loki was our first real window into what this Multiverse Saga is all about, in terms of scope and stakes. Now, season 2 of the series will see Loki in the position of being the first MCU (anti-)hero to discover Kang and his reality – while having to escape it. Fans are already theorizing that this sophomore season will position Loki to be one of the more pivotal characters in the Phase 6 Avengers films, The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. 

The Marvels

Release Date July 28, 2023

The Captain Marvel movie franchise will meet the Ms. Marvel TV series (with help from WandaVision’s Monica Rambeau) to form a new trifecta of cosmic-powered superheroines in the MCU. Plot details are unknown, but Ms. Marvel left us with a place-switching connection between Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), so that’s something. Based on other projects like Secret Invasion, The Marvels could have some serious Kree/Skrull drama to resolve – and again, we could be looking a major shakeup in the cosmic order, as a result. 

Ironheart

Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) will debut in Black Panther 2, but the MCU needs a new armored Avengers/genius engineer, and Riri will be stepping up to that role. The threads of the Iron Man franchise have been hanging loose for some time – Ironheart will be the first step to picking them up again. 

Blade

Release Date: November 3, 2023

The Marvel Knights supernatural side of things has been teased through Moon Knight and Eternals’ post-credits scene, but Blade is the film that will really open the door to it all. Depending on if/when Marvel drops Moon Knight Season 2, Blade could be a pivotal dark horse story whose significance we can’t yet fully understand. 

Agatha: Coven of Chaos

Release Date: Winter 2023 – 2024

The Agatha series got a new title “Coven of Chaos” and it sure does imply a LOT. While Blade will open the door to the supernatural, the witches of the MCU seem to however between the mystical and supernatural based on what we’ve seen. Further clarification of all that, would be GREAT. 

Daredevil: Born Again

Release Date: Spring 2024

Charlie Cox’s Daredevil will get eighteen episodes in the MCU. Daredevil: Born Again could do everything from bringing Marvel Netflix’s Defenders to the MCU, to see Wilson Fisk Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) follow his comic trajectory and become a major political figure, that can make life hell for superheroes in a whole different way. 

Captain America: New World Order

Release Date: May 3, 2024

Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) has taken up the shield and mantle, but it sounds like the timing could be rather unfortunate. In the comics, the New World Order organization was founded by Red Skull in a clandestine plot to take over the world. There have been many similar stories in Marvel lore since then (Leviathan) that could be streamlined into the premise of Captain America 4. Either way, it sounds like Sam will find out there are some truly seedy (world threatening) things happening in the world of politics and espionage. 

Thunderbolts

Release Date: July 26, 2024

The end of MCU Phase 5 will be Thunderbolts – a series that started as a team of villains posing as heroes. Given everything we’ve seen in Phase 5 leading up to it, Thunderbolts makes us wonder if Phase 5 will end with a new world order of villains holding the reigns, and heroes left on the run.