Looking ahead, there will be an extended wait for Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 7. Currently, Kevin Feige and the rest of Marvel Studios are focused on wrapping up the Multiverse Saga, starting with Avengers: Doomsday at the end of the year. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the film will see the return of the franchise’s inaugural actors, Chris Evans as Captain America and Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. At the end is the grand culmination of this era with Avengers: Secret Wars, set to release in 2027.
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However, just like the Infinity Saga, there’s already a plan in place for what comes next after Avengers: Secret Wars wraps up the Multiverse Saga. Feige and his team have yet to officially announce their projects for that new chapter of the MCU, but much like its previous iterations, it’s safe to say that they have already mapped out which characters and what projects will be released post-2028. Unfortunately for fans, Phase 7 has just been quietly delayed.
MCU Phase 7 Is Officially Pushed Back
Based on Disney and MCU’s original movie slate, Avengers: Secret Wars, which will be released in December of 2027, would be followed by a currently-untitled project just a couple of months later, on February 18, 2028. The said project would kick off the new era of the MCU after the Multiverse Saga. However, the franchise’s revamped schedule has nixed that from the list and has been effectively replaced by another one that will be released during the summer instead, on July 28, 2028.
It’s unclear if Marvel Studios simply pushed back the February 2028 film to a summer release or if it’s an entirely new movie. Some films expected to be released then include Shang-Chi 2, the X-Men reboot, and Black Panther 3 with Denzel Washington. Either way, it means that MCU Phase 7 has been officially delayed a few months, with a wider gap between its end with Avengers: Secret Wars and whatever the next chapter’s inaugural film will be.
Despite The Extended Wait, MCU Phase 7 Delay Makes Total Sense
Understandably, the extended wait is frustrating for anyone who wants to know what’s next for the MCU after the Multiverse Saga. For context, Marvel Studios had a substantial break after the Infinity Saga, albeit due to a mix of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Arguably, the franchise could have had a much longer hiatus after Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home to reinforce how they marked the end of a chapter. In the Multiverse Saga’s case, however, a seven-month gap between Avengers: Secret Wars and the start of Phase 7 is absolutely optimal.
Considering the tumultuous Multiverse Saga, Marvel Studios may also be keen on turning the page to Phase 7, although there still needs to have a break between the eras. Unlike Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Secret Wars is poised to reset the MCU, which means that it will include plot seeds that will materialize in the next chapter of its storytelling. Because of this, a longer break will not be beneficial to paying off those narratives. Half a year of a break is enough to separate the Multiverse Saga from what comes after it without risking people forgetting Marvel Studios’ Phase 7 set-up in the culminating film.
Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 18, 2026.
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
