Rumours about Marvel’s Phase 4 have been providing pop culture content fodder since 2017. 2019’s Avengers: Endgame wrapped up the Avengers arc, leaving us with Thanos defeated, Tony Stark dead and Captain America casually using time travel to get a do-over. Then 2020 became notable, amongst other things, as the first time since 2009 that no new MCU movies were released.
We still hold out hope for 2021, although we have seen a reshuffle of the original line up release dates as studio execs hold onto major movie releases in the hope of bigger, better and brighter ticket sales.
Marvel’s Phase 4 line up has lost and gained a few titles, and currently runs like so:
WandaVision
On Disney+, January 15
The series sees the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) enjoying an idyllic life in a TV-styled pocket universe. Initially appearing to be cross between “Pleasantville” and “The Truman Show”, a darker reality starts to intrude as the story progresses.
Morbius
In Theatres, March 19
Potentially set in an alternate universe, Morbius the Living Vampire (starring Jared Leto) sits oddly with the other titles in the Phase 4 line up. Leto has said that although “big and fun,” Morbius will be a more of a horror genre film then has previously been seen in the MCU. Rumour has it that Morbius will be a “Jekyll and Hyde” story, following the transformation the main character will go through from scientist to vampire.
The Falcon And The Winter Soldier
On Disney+, March 19
Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprise their movie roles as Sam Wilson (“The Falcon”) and Bucky Barnes (“The Winter Soldier”). Sam Wilson was given the mantle of Captain America by Steve Rogers at the end of Avengers: Endgame. As a six hour tv show, there is potentially the time necessary for delving more deeply into character backgrounds, exploring how race factors into Sam’s new role along with questions about what qualities Captain America really embodies.
Black Widow
In Theatres, May 7
Black Widow was original the headliner for Phase 4, scheduled to kick off in summer 2020 but cinema closures pushed release dates back. And back again. And back again. Black Widow takes place after after Captain America: Civil War but before Avengers: Infinity War and explores Natasha Romanoff’s (Scarlett Johansson) history as a product of the Red Room.
Loki
On Disney+, in May.
Loki escaped from the Avengers post-Battle of New York in 2012 using the Tesseract – as shown in Avengers: Endgame. The show’s story sees Loki recruited by the Time Variance Authority and appearing to visit multiple alternate MCU timelines. Tom Hiddleston returns as Loki, and will be surrounded by some top talent, including Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Richard E. Grant.
Marvel’s What If…?
On Disney+, in June/July.
Like DC Elseworlds, Marvel’s What If…? is a comic line taking well-known characters and events from their respective comic universes and putting a twist in to explore what could have happened if something had been slightly different. The Disney+ animated series includes stories exploring what would happen if Peggy Carter had become a super soldier instead of Steve Rogers and what if T’Challa had become Star-Lord instead of Peter Quill.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
In Theatres, June 25
Tom Hardy returns to reprise his role as Eddie Brock (“Venom”), with Woody Harrelson as the main villain Cletus Kasady (“Carnage”), as teased at the end of the last Venom movie.
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
In Theatres, July 9
A Shang-Chi film first entered development in 2001, but the project was fast-tracked in March 2019 as Marvel’s first film with an Asian lead. The Ten Rings organisation appeared in the first Iron-Man film and references have been peppered throughout the series.
Hawkeye
On Disney+, in Sept/Oct.
After the events of Avengers: Endgame, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) trains the next Hawkeye, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Exact story details are unknown, but my fingers are crossed that they follow the Matt Fraction run in the comics, “My Life as a Weapon”.
Eternals
In Theatres, November 5
Eternals hosts the biggest star studded line up since the original Avengers – Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Gemma Chan, Kit Harington, Barry Keoghan, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Don Lee, and Lia McHugh. Eternals follows a group of superhumans created by the Celestials (remember Peter Quill’s real dad in Guardians 2?), as they fight to protect Earth from the Deviants – who were also created by the Celestials.
Ms. Marvel
On Disney+, late 2021
A recent but incredibly popular comic featuring Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), a Pakistani-American Captain Marvel fangirl living in New Jersey. Kamala develops the ability to shift shape when her superpowers awaken. Very likely to be a YA targeted show.
Spider-Man: Homecoming 3
In Theatres, December 17
Still untitled. Tom Holland, Zendaya and Marisa Tomei return to reprise their Homecoming roles but the story appears to be closely tied into the multiverse arc. Characters from other Spider-Man franchises are rumored to appear, including Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Doc Ock (Alfred Molina). We may also see Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield appearing as Spider-Men from other universes.
