Marvel Phase 5: every forthcoming MCU movie and TV show release date
Tom Power, entertainment reporter
With new speculation dropping weekly, our latest update includes rumors surrounding Captain America 4, Deadpool 3, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and Daredevil: Born Again among others. We’ve also added our Ant-Man 3 review to this hub, with the movie releasing on February 17.
Marvel Phase 5 has begun. With Ant-Man 3 out now in theaters – read our Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania review to see if it’s worth watching – the next chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is officially a-go.
Now that Ant-Man 3 has kicked off Phase 5, we suspect you’re looking for a complete rundown on every Marvel movie and Disney Plus TV show that’ll launch between now and (potentially) September 2024. Well, you’re in luck. Below, we go into more detail about the MCU’s next slate of projects, including their release dates, casting news, plot details, and any trailers that have debuted thus far.
You’ll also find the very first details about Marvel Phase 6 at the end of this guide, and details about some potentially big line-up changes to Marvel’s overstuffed TV show slate.
But we digress. Here’s everything you need to know about Marvel Phase 5.
Marvel Phase 5: every movie and TV show
Here’s the full lineup for Marvel Phase 5:
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (February 17, 2023)
- What If…? season 2 (TV show, early 2023)
- Secret Invasion (TV show, early 2023)
- Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (May 5, 2023)
- Echo (TV show, mid-2023)
- Loki season 2 (TV show, mid-2023)
- The Marvels (July 28, 2023)
- Ironheart (TV show, late 2023)
- X-Men 97 (animated TV show, late 2023)
- Agatha: Coven of Chaos (TV show, late 2023/early 2024)
- Daredevil: Born Again (TV show, early 2024)
- Captain America: New World Order (May 3, 2024)
- Thunderbolts (July 26, 2024)
- Blade (September 6, 2024)
- Deadpool 3 (November 8, 2024)
- Spider-Man: Freshman Year (animated TV show, 2024)
- Marvel Zombies (animated TV show, 2024)
- Armor Wars (movie, TBA)
Marvel Phase 5 movies
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Release date: May 5, 2023
This movie will end the MCU trilogy James Gunn (now co-head of DC Studios) has helmed since 2014. It’s set after Thor: Love and Thunder and The Guardians’ Holiday special, and sees every member of the cosmic ragtag crew return.
Guardians 3 marks the final time we’ll see the group’s current line-up. Dave Bautista isn’t returning as Drax, while Gunn has hinted at some major character deaths in the threequel. The film’s first trailer teased Adam Warlock’s first MCU appearance, a multi-armed, gun-toting Groot, and baby Rocket, while its second teaser arrived on February 12.
Will Poulter will play Adam Warlock, who was teased in Guardians 2’s post-credits scene. Chukwudi Iwuji (Peacemaker) will play the villainous High Evolutionary, while Maria Bakalova (Borat 2, Bodies Bodies Bodies) reprises her role as Cosmo the Spacedog from The Guardians’ Holiday Special. Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad), and Nico Santos (Crazy Rich Asians) have been cast in undisclosed roles.
The Marvels
Release date: July 28, 2023
This Nia DaCosta-directed film will see a female superhero-only team up on the big screen for the first time. Well, if you discount the all-female ensemble in Avengers: Endgame.
Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers reunites with Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau, the daughter of Danvers’ best friend Maria (Lashana Lynch) from 2018’s Captain Marvel. The last time we saw Rambeau, aka Photon, was in WandaVision, so expect an awkward family-style reunion between the pair. Iman Vellani’s Ms Marvel will also make her MCU movie debut after starring in her own TV show.
Zawe Ashton (Velvet Buzzsaw) will play the movie’s villain. Park Seo-joon (Parasite) will portray an as-yet-unnamed character and Samuel L Jackson’s Nick Fury will cameo. A teaser was shown at D23 Expo 2022, but we’re still waiting for its public release.
Captain America: New World Order
Release date: May 3, 2024
A new Captain America film starring Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is in development. Malcolm Spellman (Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FATWS)) is penning the script, while Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox) will direct. Filming begins in March, according to Mackie (per Yahoo Entertainment).
Danny Ramirez and Carl Lumbly will reprise their roles as Joaquin Torress and Isaiah Bradley from FATWS. Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns/The Leader makes his first MCU appearance since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, while Shira Haas (Unorthodox) will play Israeli superheroine Sabra, who may provide another link to mutants existing in the MCU. Xosha Roquemore (Atlanta) has reportedly landed a key casting role, which could be Leila Taylor, Sam’s love interest from the comics.
Legendary actor Harrison Ford will portray Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross, the role held by William Hurt until his death in March 2022, with Feige confirming Ross is the USA’s new President in this film (via Entertainment Weekly (EW)).
Thunderbolts
Release date: July 26, 2024
Billed as an anti-hero Avengers-style film, Marvel’s Thunderbolts is being helmed by Paper Towns director Jake Schreier. Filming will start soon, according to Kevin Feige, while lead star Sebastien Stan still hasn’t seen a script (per Collider).
Stan’s Bucky Barnes will be joined by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko). – all four debuted in Black Widow – US Agent (Wyatt Russell) from FATWS, and Ghost (Hannah-John Kamen) from Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross will also feature, while FATWS’ Baron Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl) could cameo. Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) has reportedly joined the cast in an undisclosed role, too.
Blade
Release date: September 6, 2024
After his off-screen Eternals cameo, Blade is getting a solo MCU movie. Beau DeMayo (The Witcher) is rewriting Watchmen scribe Stacy Osei-Kuffour’s original script, and Yann Demange (Lovecraft Country) is its new director following Mogul Mowgli director Bassam Tariq’s departure. Kevin Feige has confirmed principal photography will begin in May.
Mahershala Ali (Green Room) will star as the titular vampire hunter. Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods) has joined the cast, while Joshua Mikel (Ozark) have also reportedly signed on. Milan Ray (The Wonder Years), who had apparently been hired, has dropped out over supposed scheduling conflicts.
The movie is said to be partly set in the 1920s, but it’s unclear how much of its runtime will be devoted to that time period. Either way, don’t expect Kit Harington’s Black Knight (last seen in Eternals) or Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight to cameo.
Deadpool 3
Release date: November 8, 2024
Deadpool 3 is officially in development – and, delightfully, Hugh Jackman is reprising his iconic role as Wolverine. As revealed by lead star Ryan Reynolds, The Crown’s Emma Corrin has signed on to appear. However, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil won’t make a surprise appearance.
Leakers suggest Fox’s defunct X-Men teams, as well as characters from Deadpool’s previous two solo films, such as Domino (Zazie Beetz) and Colossus (Stefan Kapicic), could appear. Other industry insiders claim Loki season 2 will have a hand in Deadpool’s MCU arrival, and some have even suggested Patrick Stewart’s Professor X and Ian McKellen’s Magneto might show up (per ComicBook.com).
Principal photography will begin in the UK sometime this year. It’s unclear if Deadpool 3 will cap Marvel Phase 5 or open Phase 6. Once we know for sure, we’ll update this section accordingly.
Armor Wars
Release date: TBA
Originally billed as a TV show, Armor Wars is being turned into a movie. Yassir Lester (Black Monday) will write the script, with the story picking up after Secret Invasion. There are conflicting reports about when shooting will commence on this Marvel Phase 5 project.
Armor Wars will follow Cheadle’s James Rhodes/War Machine as he pursues criminals who have acquired some old Stark technology for nefarious means. The Department for Damage Control, seen in projects including She-Hulk, Ms Marvel, and Spider-Man’s MCU trilogy, are expected to show up.
Spider-Man 4
Release date: TBA
A fourth Spider-Man MCU movie is in early development, and there are reports it could be part of Marvel Phase 5 – and that it could be released in July 2024. Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman has confirmed another Spider-Man will be made, but hasn’t specified when that’ll be. Kevin Feige also confirmed “we have a story” for Spidey’s next big-screen adventure.
Tom Holland and Zendaya could return as Peter Parker and MJ respectively. There are rumors that Miles Morales (another Spider-Man) could make his live-action debut, which could see Donald Glover’s Aaron Davis appear following his Spider-Man: Homecoming cameo. However, Jon Watts – director on Spidey’s three other solo Marvel films – isn’t likely to helm the flick.
Marvel Phase 5 TV shows
What If…? season 2
Release date: early 2023
What If…? season 2 was expected to be the first Marvel Phase 5 TV show, but a release date still hasn’t been revealed. Rumors abound it’ll be pushed into 2024, but we’ll keep it in its current line-up position until we hear otherwise.
Marvel executive Brad Winderbaum has confirmed season 2 will dig into what makes The Watcher tick and show more of his humanity. Co-creator Bryan Andrews also says it’ll be wilder than its predecessor.
Scarlet Witch actor Elizabeth Olsen will reportedly lend her voice to her character’s animated version, despite not doing so in season 1, while Cate Blanchett is back to voice Hela for a Thor: Ragnarok-based episode. Other entries include the unused Gamora-Iron Man team-up, which was originally part of season 1, and a supposed Marvel 1602 set instalment. Finally, a third season has been greenlit, although it’s unclear how this will be impacted by season 2’s potentially delayed launch.
Secret Invasion
Release date: early 2023
Secret Invasion will focus on the Skrulls, with Samuel L Jackson’s Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos being the show’s leads. The show arrives in early 2023 and will be the MCU’s first crossover event.
Kyle Bradstreet (Mr Robot) has penned the six-part series, but a unnamed writer was also reportedly brought on board to improve the scripts. Thomas Bezucha (Let Him Go) and Ali Selim (Condor) are on directorial duties.
Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami), Olivia Colman (The Favorite), and Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) are among the MCU’s newcomers. Martin Freeman’s Everett K. Ross, Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes, and Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill will also feature.
Jackson has revealed we’ll see more of Fury’s life away from all the superhero stuff. Everything else is being kept under wraps, although Smulders has also teased the series will be much darker than we expect.
Echo
Release date: mid-2023
Following her MCU debut in Hawkeye, Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez/Echo is getting her own show, which is helmed by Sydney Freeland (Navajo) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai), and is “tonally different” and more “spiritual”, according to producer Stephen Broussard (per Collider), than what’s come before.
Zach McClarnon reprises his role as Lopez’s father from Hawkeye, and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk and Charlie Cox’s Daredevil are set to feature. Chaske Spencer (Wild Indian), Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon), Dervery Jacobs (Reservation Dogs), Cody Lightning (Hey, Viktor!), and Graham Greene (1883), have been cast in undisclosed roles.
Despite its mid-2023 launch window, there’s confusion over when Echo will be released. Showrunner Marian Dayre has claimed Echo could be delayed until late 2023, but we’re waiting on Marvel to confirm if this is true or not.
Loki season 2
Release date: mid-2023
Loki season 2 is coming this year. Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw are back as Loki, Agent Mobius, Sylvie, and Revanna Renslayer. Wunmi Mosaku’s Hunter B-15 could also return, plus Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Kate Dickie (Game of Thrones), and Rafael Casal (Bad Education) have been cast in undisclosed roles.
Season 1 head writer Michael Waldron is returning in an executive producing capacity. Eric Martin, a staff writer on three of season 1’s six entries, is the new head writer, while Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson (Moon Knight) have co-directed its episodes.
Kevin Feige revealed Loki season 2 “directly connects” to all three phases in the Multiverse Saga. A brief teaser was shown to D23 2022 attendees, which hints at a far creepier, time-jumping instalment.
Ironheart
Release date: late 2023
Ironheart will star Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, who made her live-action debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It’s been written by Chinaka Hodge (Snowpiercer), with Angela Barnes (Killing It) and Samantha Bailey (Dear White People) on directing duties. Black Panther director Ryan Coogler is also on board as an executive producer.
Anthony Ramos (In The Heights) will play Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, who specializes in dark magic. Nick Fury could make a cameo, too. Meanwhile, there are serious rumors that Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) will portray Mephisto, a previously rumored WandaVision villain. Elden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) is also part of the cast, though his role isn’t known.
Lyric Ross (This Is Us), Manny Montana (Good Girls), Zoe Terakes (Nine Perfect Strangers), Chaim Girafi (Waterworld), Shakira Barrera (GLOW), Rashida Olayiwola (Insecure), Sonia Denis (BoJack Horseman), Paul Calderon (Bosch), Cree Summers (Cosmic Love) and newcomer Harper Anthony are all believed to have signed on in undisclosed roles.
X-Men 97
Release date: late 2023
A revival of X-Men: The Animated Series, X-Men 97 will pick up right after the final episode of its predecessor’s original run. Beau DeMayo (The Witcher) serves as head writer, while JB Ballard (Moon Knight) is on board as script coordinator. Most of the series’ original voice cast have signed on to reprise their iconic roles.
Magneto will apparently be the team’s new leader. Sunspot, Nightcrawler, Cable, and Bishop are among the team’s new members, but no other story details have been unveiled.
The Marvel Phase 5 series will consist of 10 episodes and a second season has already been greenlit. Given that X-Men: The Animated Series’ theme tune was used in Ms Marvel’s season finale, here’s hoping X-Men 97 is a pre-cursor for the mutants’ eventual live-action MCU debut.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos
Release date: late 2023/early 2024
This Marvel Phase 5 show sees Kathryn Hahn reprise her WandaVision role in this nine-episode, part musical series, which began filming in January.
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), Joe Locke (Heartstopper), Audrey Plaza (The White Lotus season 2) Ali Ahn (Raising Dion), Sasheer Zamata (Tuca & Bertie), Patti LuPone (Last Christmas), and The Good Nurse‘s Maria Dizzia are all part of the cast. Locke is reportedly playing a grown up Billy Maximoff, aka Wiccan, but no other cast details are known.
Emma Caulfield Ford, Evan Peters, and Debra Jo Rupp, who played Dottie, Ralph Boener, and Sharon Davis in WandaVision, are expected to return. There’s also speculation Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda could feature.
WandaVision writers Peter Cameron, Cameron Squires, and Laura Donney are penning the scripts, as is The Marvels’ Megan McDonnell. WandaVision co-executive producer Mary Livanos will co-produce alongside Jac Schaeffer, who served as head writer on Black Widow and WandaVision. Schaeffer is also on directing duties.
Daredevil: Born Again
Release date: early 2024
The Man Without Fear is finally getting an MCU TV series. It’ll comprise 18 episodes and star Charlie Cox doesn’t think it’ll be fully R-rated. Matt Corman and Chris Ord (The Enemy Within, Covert Affairs) are helming the series. Filming is rumored to begin in March.
Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio reprise their roles as Daredevil and Wilson Fisk – the duo having already made MCU cameos in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk, and Hawkeye respectively.
Michael Gandolfini (The Many Saints of Newark), Margarita Levieva (The Deuce), Colin Woodell (The Flight Attendant), Sandrine Holt (American Gigolo), and Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon) have reportedly signed on in undisclosed roles.
Numerous characters from Netflix’s Marvel TV universe, including Elden Henson’s Foggy, Kristen Ritter’s Jessica Jones, and John Bernthal’s Punisher could cameo. Deborah Ann Woll, however, hasn’t been contacted about appearing as Karen Page.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year
Release date: 2024
This animated series follows Peter Parker during his college days and celebrates his early comic book roots. Tom Holland isn’t expected to voice this version of the character, which isn’t surprising, given the show is apparently not canon. However, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil is part of the cast, which muddies the canonicity waters.
Harry Osborn, Amadeus Cho, and Nico Minuro are part of Peter’s friendship group. Norman Osborn will be Peter’s main mentor, and multiple villains will show up, including Doc Ock, Chameleon, Scorpion, and Rhino.
Production has wrapped on this Marvel Phase 5 project. A second season, titled Spider-Man: Sophomore Year, is thought to be in development. However, apparent cost-cutting measures mean Sophomore Year – and Freshman Year itself – are in serious trouble and could even be canceled.
Marvel Zombies
Release date: 2024
A spin-off of What If…?, Marvel Zombies will make MCU history when it lands in 2024 as it’ll be Marvel’s first R-rated TV show.
It’ll pick up after the events of What If…? season 1 episode 5 – aka What If… Zombies!? – and comprises four episodes. It’ll see the MCU’s newer heroes face off against the ever growing zombie superhero threat, with Shang-Chi, Ms Marvel, Kate Bishop, and Black Widow‘s Yelena Belova and Red Guardian among the dwindling superhero roster.
We’ll also see a zombified version of Ikaris. However, given the Eternals are human-robot hybrids, it’ll be interesting to see what role Ikaris will play. Other zombified heroes will include Captain Marvel, Okoye, Ghost, Abomination, and Hawkeye.
Marvel Phase 6 movies and TV shows
Marvel Phase 5 is the primary focus of this guide, but the first three Phase 6 movies have been announced:
- Fantastic Four (February 14, 2025)
- Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (May 2, 2025)
- Avengers: Secret Wars (May 1, 2026)
For more Marvel-based content, check out our Marvel movies in order guide. Additionally, read our X-Men movies in order article, Spider-Man movies in order guide, and our Marvel movies ranked piece.