The start of Marvel Phase 6 has been moved back even further but, don't worry, there is still plenty to get excited about.
While Fantastic Four and two Avengers movies are the only Phase 6 entries to have been officially confirmed, there are a handful of projects that have been essentially set in stone thanks to new reports. On top of that, there are movies that we expect to show up down the line, too, like a third Black Panther movie and a Shang-Chi sequel. We run the rule over them all down below.
So, join us as we run through what we know about Phase 6 so far – including those new release dates.
Marvel Phase 6 release dates
As revealed by Kevin Feige at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, there are a fair few entries in Marvel Phase 6 to come. The confirmed release dates are as follows:
- Fantastic Four – May 2, 2025
- Avengers: The Kang Dynasty – May 1, 2026
- Avengers: Secret Wars – May 7, 2027
There are a number of TBA slots, too, but it's unclear at the moment how they've been affected by the recent set of delays. Those slots are: two for Fall 2024, Winter 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and finally another Summer 2025.
Fantastic Four
Release date: May 2, 2025
Flame on! The MCU’s take on Fantastic Four is dropping on May 2025 and marks the first entry in Marvel Phase 6. The super-powered group – which consists of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm (AKA The Thing) and Johnny Storm’s Human Torch – haven’t been cast yet, though a director has been confirmed.
The news was announced at D23 with Feige introducing Matt Shakman as the man in charge. Shakman can count WandaVision among dozens of high-profile TV directing credits, will be the man behind the camera. John Krasinski stepped into the stretchy boots of Reed Richards of Earth-838 for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, though it remains to be seen if he’ll be the one cast in the lead role over on the MCU's Earth-616.
Despite some rumors, there was no more revealed about Fantastic Four at D23 2022. This means we'll have to keep speculating about which stars could be appearing in the movie. Grain-of-salt casting rumors have tied Penn Badgley and Adam Driver to the Reed Richards role, while the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie and Jodie Comer have been the names floating about on Reddit threads for Sue Storm.
"All the casting stuff you see is just rumors," Shakman told Collider, dispelling the speculation. "We are early in our process there. We have nothing to announce right now and, certainly, when we do we'll let you know." The director also confirmed that filming will begin early in 2024.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
Release date: May 1, 2026
If you thought we'd seen the last of the Avengers in Endgame, think again. We have to wait a while though until Avengers: The Kang Dynasty arrives. Details pertaining to the movie's plot and cast are pretty scarce right now. We can expect Kang to have a major role, with the character also appearing in Loki season 2.
As for the heroes he'll face off against, we'll have to wait and see. The new Avengers have yet to be confirmed, but they could include everyone from Shang-Chi to Ironheart.
Speaking of Shang-Chi, Legend of the Ten Rings helmer Deston Daniel Cretton will direct the movie.
Avengers: Secret Wars
Release date: May 7, 2027
Not a lot has been confirmed about Avengers: Secret Wars just yet. However, Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo has teased that the movie will "go out with a bang." In the comics, the Secret Wars saw Marvel's most powerful superheroes face off against the universe's most powerful villains, so whatever goes down is bound to be pretty explosive.
No casting information has been announced yet, but the 2015 Secret Wars comic book storyline included Thor, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, She-Hulk, and the Fantastic Four. As for villains, Kang, Doctor Doom, and Magneto were just some of the baddies facing off against the Avengers in the comics. The movie's director hasn't been announced yet, either, but it has been confirmed that Marvel is looking for a different filmmaker to take over the reins from Cretton after Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Potential Marvel Phase 6 movies
And that's not all. There are multiple unknown projects coming as part of Marvel Phase 6 throughout the next few years.
Nova
Marvel has yet to confirm a Nova project is actually happening, but reports signalled it's development. At this stage, it's not clear if Nova will be a movie or Disney Plus show, and there's no casting information, though Ryan Gosling has ruled himself out. It's possible that Nova could come after Phase 6, since it seems to be in the very early stages, but with Marvel getting more and more cosmic, Phase 6 is also a natural place to see Nova's first solo project.
Shang-Chi 2
A Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings sequel is officially in the works, with Simu Liu and director Destin Daniel Cretton both returning. Surprisingly, though, the film isn't part of Marvel's Phase 5 lineup. That means we won't be seeing the follow-up until Phase 6 at the earliest. Considering the first Shang-Chi was released in 2021, Marvel won't want to leave this sequel too long. We say expect Shang-Chi 2 to arrive in 2025.
Doctor Strange 3
Doctor Strange 3 hasn't been confirmed, but after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' first post-credits scene showed Strange meeting Clea and heading through an interdimensional portal, we can assume we'll be seeing more from the sorcerer sooner rather than later. Strange is also all tied up with the multiverse, and since this stage of the MCU is named the Multiverse Saga, it would make sense for his third movie to fall within Phase 6.
Thor 5
Thor 5 hasn't been officially announced, but Thor: Love and Thunder certainly leaves the way open for a continuation. For one thing, there are those post-credits scenes that introduce Brett Goldstein's Hercules and reveal Idris Elba's Heimdall and Natalie Portman's Jane Foster are both in Valhalla. Then there's the introduction of Love, Gorr the God Butcher's daughter, now in the care of Thor. If a fivequel does materialize, then, it'll most likely be in Phase 6 of the MCU.
X-Men
The mutant team is on its way to the MCU, though when it'll arrive is so far a complete mystery. Back in 2019, Kevin Feige hinted that we wouldn't be seeing the X-Men until 2025, which is coincidentally when Phase 6 is scheduled. We've already seen Patrick Stewart's Professor X in the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so seeing the rest of the X-Men in Phase 6 doesn't seem like such a long shot. Plus, the MCU introduced mutants with Ms. Marvel, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's Namor is also a mutant, so it would seem the X-Men could well be on the horizon.
Spider-Man 4
Another Spider-Man trilogy with Tom Holland may or may not be in the works – Sony producer Amy Pascal initially said three more movies on the way, which was played down by Sony insiders, then walked back by Pascal herself shortly afterwards. But, considering the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, we wouldn't be surprised if a fourth movie is in the works. No Way Home also left Spidey's story unfinished, with the world forgetting Peter Parker, so it would seem strange to end without some kind of resolution.
Plus, Sony movies chairman Tom Rothman has confirmed another movie is on the way. "You bet," he told The Hollywood Reporter when asked about another Spider-Man film. "When you can expect it, I don't know. Serve no wine before its time."
Black Panther 3
Following Wakanda Forever, the story of the Black Panther is definitely left open for more with Shuri taking over the mantle and the introduction of T'Challa's son Toussaint.
Letitia Wright has suggested that the movie might already be in development, too. "I think it's already in the works," she told Variety. "We just had a terrific two years of bringing [Wakanda Forever] out… we need a little bit of a break. We need to regroup [director Ryan Coogler] needs to get back in the lab. It's gonna take a while, but I'm really excited for you guys to see that."
Nothing has been confirmed yet, but if Black Panther 3 is made, Marvel Phase 6 would be a surprise considering how recently Wakanda Forever released. But, then again, there are release slots to fill, and Black Panther is a pivotal character and franchise.
Armor Wars
Originally a TV show, the movie about Don Cheadle's James "Rhodey" Rhodes seemed in limbo after being absent from Marvel's colossal Phase 5 line-up, but head writer Yassir Lester has assured fans that the project is still happening.
"I promise it is still coming out," he wrote on Instagram. It's likely we'll be seeing Armor Wars in Phase 6, then, following on from Ironheart's Phase 5 release – both shows that will likely tackle Tony Stark's legacy.
Cheadle was at D23 to briefly tease the upcoming project that will see Stark tech fall into the wrong hands. We also found it that the movie will follow on directly from what happens to Rhodey in Secret Invasion, so we should get a better idea of what to expect when that's released in spring 2023.
Wonder Man
Wonder Man hasn’t been officially announced by Marvel – but it’s almost certainly happening if you believe the trades. In the comics, Wonder Man is Simon Williams, the son of a failed Tony Stark-like industrialist who was once given superpowers by Baron Zemo. After eventually joining forces with the Avengers, Williams plied his trade in Hollywood as both an actor and stuntman.
Variety suggests that Wonder Man will be a "Hollywood satire." Sir Ben Kingsley will reprise his role as 'the toast of Croydon' Trevor Slattery for the Disney Plus series. Curiously, Nathan Fillion portrayed the character in a scene cut from Guardians of the Galaxy 2, but none other than Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is reportedly playing Wonder Man in this project.
Wakanda/Okoye spin-off
Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has been confirmed to be developing a Disney Plus series telling stories from Wakanda, while separate reports have suggested that a spin-off about the origins of Dora Milaje leader Okoye, played by Danai Gurrira, may also be in development. These two projects may overlap or they may be separate, but we'll let you know as soon as Marvel confirms more about the series.
Marvel producer Nate Moore has given a disappointing update on the Wakanda series, though. "Because of the amount of time and attention that went into [Black Panther: Wakanda Forever], and frankly the Ironheart show, that is probably not as far along as people want it to be," he told Collider. "But there are certainly great ideas that we're still talking to Ryan about. So, we'll see how far we can get with it."
Other potential sequels
Beyond the above, there are also a few other potential projects that could form part of Phase 6 that have not been announced but could well happen. Moon Knight season 2, Hawkeye season 2, a third season of Loki, and even a Scarlet Witch spin-off are all potential contenders – though we'll just have to wait and see which of our hopes end up becoming reality.
Catch up on the MCU with our guide to watching the Marvel movies in order – and the good news is, almost everything is streaming on Disney Plus now.
