Phase 4. Uttering these two words can send shivers up the spine of any MCU fan. So, what is in store for Phase 4? For many, it is hard to envision how the MCU will continue without Ironman, Cap, and Romanov.
Going on is precisely what Feige and company have planned. Phase 4 promises to be bigger, badder, and crazier than the previous three phases, hard as that is to believe.
Towards the end of the previous phases, Marvel started leaning into their cosmic and mystic characters – those more rooted in other planets/dimensions and magic than in science, tech, and skill. There promises to be a lot more exploration there and a lot less focus on the team-up, with no big team-up movies yet announced.
It's not all new characters, though. Spider-Man will be returning, thanks to another deal between Disney and Sony. He and Captain Marvel, both slatted to have sequels late in Phase 4 or early Phase 5, are expected to have a relationship similar to Tony and Steve. Though a prequel, everyone's favorite superspy and master assassin, Natasha Romanov, will grace us in the mantle of Black Widow one more time.
Set in the five years between Infinity War and Endgame, Black Widow presumably will give fans more insight into why Nat fought so hard to sacrifice herself for the Soul Stone and to provide hardcore fans some closure.
It is also possible it will feature Scarlett Johansson handing the deeply loved mantle of Black Widow on to Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh – a fellow assassin trained in the Red Room and the Black Widow training. Most fans are chomping at the bit to send Nat off in style, and to see a fan-favorite villain, Taskmaster, on the big screen. Delayed due to COVID-19, the May release has been pushed to November 6, 2020.
Other holdovers from the first three phases will be getting the chance to be the stars but on the small screen. There are multiple original series planned to be produced for Disney+. They will feature Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, respectively. Hawkeye and Loki will each get a self-titled show, and Scarlet Witch and Vision will be reunited in WandaVision.
Marvel is leaning hard into diversifying in the upcoming phases, with movies like The Eternals and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Female Thor is even going to take up the hammer in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder.
We will also see Scarlet Witch at the side of Dr. Strange in his sequel. Ant-Man will have his third stand-alone film as well, though Wasp will likely be there too. It is unknown what direction Black Panther 2 will go in with the tragic and devastating passing of Chadwick Boseman at only 43-years of age.
Blade, She-Hulk, Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel are all slated to pop up too, with the latter three having series planned for Disney+.