Benedict Wong has the most appearances in the phase, starring or makingcameo appearances asWong in three films and two television series. The phase was a large expansion of the MCU compared to the previous phases and led to discussions about quality versus quantity and whether Marvel Studios still had an overarching plan for the franchise. The first season of theI Am Groot shorts are also included in this phase, alongside some tie-in comic books. Phases Four,Five, andSix make up "The Multiverse Saga" storyline.
By October 2016,Walt Disney Studios had scheduled multiple release dates for untitledMarvel Studios films for 2020 and 2021. Marvel Studios presidentKevin Feige said some of the films for those dates were already known, explaining, "We know what [films] we'd like them to be for 2020. Over the years, where we're aiming we've been lucky enough that it's usually been the same thing but we always leave ourselves the opportunity to bob and weave and adapt if we have to."[1] Feige was not sure if Marvel would continue to groupthe films of the MCU into phases oncePhase Three concluded in 2019, saying that "it might be a new thing",[2] but by December 2018, Marvel was believed to be using the term Phase Four.[3] Feige said Marvel hoped to reveal some upcoming films after the release ofAvengers: Endgame (2019),[4] withthe Walt Disney Company CEOBob Iger later indicating that Marvel would reveal its slate of post-Avengers: Endgame films in mid-2019.[5]
By November 2017, Disney was developing a Marvel television series specifically for release on its new streaming serviceDisney+, which was planned to launch before the end of 2019.[6] In September 2018, Marvel Studios was revealed to be developing several limited series for the service, to be centered on "second-tier" characters from the MCU films who had not and were unlikely to star in their own films; the actors who portrayed the characters in the films were expected to reprise their roles for the series. Stories for each series were still being decided on, but the series were expected to be six to eight episodes each and have a "hefty [budget] rivaling those of a major studio production". The series would be produced by Marvel Studios rather thanMarvel Television, which producedthe previous television series set in the MCU. Feige was taking a "hands-on role" in each series' development,[7] focusing on "continuity of story" with the films and "handling" the actors who would be reprising their roles from the films.[8] Feige stated in February 2019 that the series would be "entirely interwoven with both the current MCU, the past MCU, and the future of the MCU",[9] and a month later he elaborated that the series would take characters from the films, change them, and see those changes reflected in future films, unlike the weaker relationship the films have with the Marvel Television series. He also said that new characters introduced in the Disney+ series could go on to appear in films.[10] In May, Feige compared the Disney+ series to theMarvel One-Shots short films that Marvel Studios had previously released alongside their films, saying, "The best thing about the One-Shots is that we got to flesh out other characters. It's tremendously exciting that we now have Disney+ series where we get to do that on a grand scale".[11]
Kevin Feige announcing Phase Four titles at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con
Black Widow was removed from Disney's release schedule in March 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[27] Discussing this decision forVariety, Adam B. Vary and Matt Donnelly questioned whether the MCU could be impacted more by this delay than other big properties due to the interconnected nature of the franchise, though a Marvel Studios source told the pair that changingBlack Widow's release date would not affect the rest of the MCU timeline.[28] In April, Disney changed its entire Phase Four release slate, schedulingBlack Widow whenEternals had been set for release in November 2020 and moving all its other Phase Four films back in the schedule to accommodate this.[29] Later that month, Sony delayedSpider-Man: No Way Home to November 2021, resulting in Disney adjusting the release ofDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness andThor: Love and Thunder.[30] In July 2020, Disney confirmed thatThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier would not release in August 2020 as planned, because the series had not completed filming due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[31] while Sony pushed back the release ofSpider-Man: No Way Home to December 2021.[32] In early September,WandaVision was set to be the first television series released for the phase asThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier's release was pushed back to 2021 due to its production delays.[33][34] Later that month,Black Widow's release was delayed to May 2021, resulting inEternals andShang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings also being rescheduled;[35] this made 2020 the first year since 2009 without a Marvel Studios release.[36] When adjusting the release of the films and series in the phase, Marvel Studios was being cognizant to ensure major story points would not be spoiled with the new release order,[14] but Feige noted many of the properties in the Phase were mostly standalone or a continuation fromEndgame.[37] He also credited the studio's "long lead plan" for being able to avoid any creative shifts to their Phase Four plans because of the pandemic, only shuffling release dates and production schedules.[38] Additionally, he stated that many of the series had their release dates shifted only "by a matter of weeks" from their original dates.[39] The only significant aspect of the phase that was affected by the pandemic wasJulia Louis-Dreyfus's introduction asValentina Allegra de Fontaine, which came inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier rather thanBlack Widow as was originally planned, sinceBlack Widow ended up being released after the series.[40][41]
In December 2020, Marvel Studios adjustedThor: Love and Thunder andBlack Panther II back in its schedule, to May 6 and July 8, 2022, respectively,[42][43] and also announcedAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania andaFantastic Four film were in development,[44][45][46] along with the Disney+ miniseriesSecret Invasion,Ironheart,[47] andArmor Wars (later changed to a film),[47][48]The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and the series of short filmsI Am Groot.[49][50] These new Disney+ series, plusBlack Panther II,Captain Marvel 2 (later retitledThe Marvels),Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, andFantastic Four, were believed to be a part of Phase Four at this time.[51] Feige had been pressured into including titles that were not close to being ready to announce, with some being significantly overhauled or delayed after the announcement.[52]
In March 2021, Disney movedBlack Widow to July 2021 (taking the spot ofShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), and announced that it would releasesimultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ withPremier Access.Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was moved to September 2021, with the intent for a theatrical-only release.[53] In May, Marvel Studios announced the title for theBlack Panther sequel asBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.[54] Feige described the phase as being about "continuing in new ways and... leavingthe Infinity Saga behind [for] a new beginning".[55] By August 2021, a Halloween-themedtelevision special for Disney+ was in development, reportedly centered onWerewolf by Night.[56] In October 2021, Marvel Studios further adjustedDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,Thor: Love and Thunder, andBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever to May 6, July 8, and November 11, 2022, respectively,[57] because of production-related issues.[57][58]
In late June 2022, Feige indicated that Phase Four was nearing its conclusion, stating audiences would begin to see where the next saga of the MCU would be heading, and that there had been many clues in the phase to what that would be. He said Marvel Studios would be a "little more direct" on their future plans in the following months to provide audiences with "the bigger picture [so they] can see a tiny, tiny bit more of the roadmap".[59] At Marvel Studios' San Diego Comic-Con panel in July, Feige announced thatWakanda Forever would conclude Phase Four, with other films and Disney+ series believed to be part of the phase moving toPhase Five andPhase Six. He also announced that Phase Four would be the first phase, along with Phases Five and Six, of "The Multiverse Saga".[60] Feige stated that many of the projects in Phases Four and Five, and their post-credit teases, would connect and lead towards the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga, while some would remain standalone.[61]James Gunn, the writer and director of theGuardians of the Galaxy films, said thatThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was the epilogue of Phase Four.[62] At the 2022 D23 Expo, Marvel confirmed the Halloween special asWerewolf by Night.[63] At that time,Werewolf by Night andThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special were revealed to be marketed as "Marvel Studios Special Presentations".[64][65]
Natasha Romanoff finds herself alone and forced to confront a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Romanoff must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became anAvenger.[81][82]
After exploring the backstory ofScarlett Johansson's character Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow inAvengers: Age of Ultron (2015),Kevin Feige expressed interest in further exploring it in a solo film.[83] By January 2018,Jac Schaeffer was hired to write the script,[84] withCate Shortland hired to direct that July.[67]Ned Benson was rewriting the script the next February.[85] Schaeffer and Benson received story credit on the film, withEric Pearson credited for the screenplay.[68] Filming began in May 2019 and concluded that October,[86][87] shooting in Norway, the United Kingdom,Budapest, Morocco, and Georgia.[86][88][89]Black Widow premiered on June 29, 2021, at various red carpet fan events in London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, and New York City,[90][91] and was released in the United States on July 9, 2021, in theaters and onDisney+ withPremier Access.[53]
WhenShang-Chi is drawn into the clandestineTen Rings organization, he is forced to confront the past he thought he left behind.[96]
By December 2018,Marvel Studios was actively developing their first Asian-led film for Shang-Chi, withDave Callaham hired to write the screenplay,[97] andDestin Daniel Cretton to direct by March 2019.[69] AtSan Diego Comic-Con that July,Simu Liu was revealed to play thetitle role, along withTony Leung asWenwu.[12][96] Filming began in February 2020,[98][99] but was halted in March due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[100] Production resumed in August and concluded that October.[101][102] Shooting occurred in Australia and San Francisco.[98][103] In April 2021, Cretton was revealed as a credited writer along with Callaham andAndrew Lanham.[70][104]Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings premiered in Los Angeles on August 16, 2021,[105] and was released in the United States on September 3, 2021.[53]
After the return of half the population ignites "the emergence", theEternals—an immortal alien race created by theCelestials who have secretly lived on Earth for over 7,000 years—reunite to protect humanity from their evil counterparts, theDeviants.[113][114]
By early 2018, Marvel Studios was developing a film for the Eternals, withKaz Firpo and Ryan Firpo writing the script to focus on a love story between the charactersSersi andIkaris.[115][116][71] Late that September,Chloé Zhao was hired to directThe Eternals,[71] and also served as the film's credited writer along withPatrick Burleigh and the Firpos.[72][73] Filming occurred from July 2019 to February 2020, shooting throughoutEngland.[117][118] The main cast, headlined byRichard Madden as Ikaris andAngelina Jolie asThena, was announced at the July 2019 San Diego Comic-Con,[12] withGemma Chan cast as Sersi the next month.[24] The title was shortened in August 2020.[119]Eternals premiered in Los Angeles on October 18, 2021,[120] and was released in the United States on November 5.[35]
Peter Parker's life and reputation are turned upside down following his identity being exposed at the hands ofMysterio. Seeking help fromStephen Strange to try and fix everything, things soon become much more dangerous when themultiverse breaks open, allowing villains from alternate realities who have previously fought versions of Spider-Man to arrive.[125][126]
A third MCUSpider-Man film was planned by early 2017 to be set during Peter Parker's senior year of high school,[127][128] with Feige later saying it would tell "a Peter Parker story" not previously done on film due to the mid-credits scene inSpider-Man: Far From Home.[129] By August 2019,Chris McKenna andErik Sommers were writing the script while Disney and Sony split on adjusting their agreement over Marvel Studios' involvement in Spider-Man films,[75][130] but announced the next month they would co-produce the film, withTom Holland returning to star,[25] along withJon Watts as director by June 2020.[74] Filming began in October 2020 inNew York City,[131] before moving toTrilith Studios inAtlanta, Georgia later that month.[132][133] The title was officially announced in February 2021,[26] before filming concluded in late March.[134] ProducerAmy Pascal described the film as "the culmination of theHomecoming trilogy".[135]Spider-Man: No Way Home premiered in Los Angeles on December 13, 2021,[136] and was released in the United States on December 17, 2021.[26]
By December 2018,Doctor Strange (2016) director and co-writerScott Derrickson signed to direct a sequel, with Benedict Cumberbatch reprising his title role.[3] The title was officially announced at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, along withElizabeth Olsen's involvement.[12] In January 2020, Derrickson stepped down as director over creative differences, but remained an executive producer.[147] The next month, Sam Raimi signed on to direct,[148][149] andLoki (2021)head writerMichael Waldron joined to rewrite the script;[77] Raimi confirmed his involvement in April 2020.[76] Filming began by November 2020 inLondon,[150][151] but was halted in January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[152] Production resumed by that March,[153] and concluded in mid-April 2021 inSomerset.[154] Shooting also occurred atLongcross Studios inSurrey.[155]Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premiered in Hollywood on May 2, 2022,[156] and was released in the United States on May 6, 2022.[57]
Chris Hemsworth expressed ongoing interest to return as Thor in January 2018, at the time his Marvel Studios contract had come to an end.[162] After previously directingThor: Ragnarok (2017),Taika Waititi signed on to write and direct a fourthThor film in July 2019,[78] and the title was officially announced atSan Diego Comic-Con later that month, with Hemsworth returning alongsideTessa Thompson as Valkyrie andNatalie Portman as Jane Foster, who becomes the superhero the Mighty Thor.[163][164]Jennifer Kaytin Robinson joined to co-write the script with Waititi in February 2020.[165][79] Filming began late January 2021 in Australia,[166] and concluded that June.[167]Thor: Love and Thunder premiered in Los Angeles on June 23, 2022,[168] and was released in the United States on July 8, 2022.[57]
The leaders of the kingdom ofWakanda fight to protect their nation in the wake of KingT'Challa's death,[173] and a new threat emerges from the hidden undersea nation ofTalokan.[174]
By October 2018,Ryan Coogler signed on to write and direct a sequel toBlack Panther (2018).[80]Joe Robert Cole also returned for the film to once again co-write the screenplay with Coogler.[55] Feige confirmed the film was in development by mid-2019 with the placeholder titleBlack Panther II.[18][24] Plans for the film changed in August 2020 whenBlack Panther starChadwick Boseman died fromcolon cancer,[175] with his role asT'Challa not recast.[43] Some of the main returning cast members were confirmed by that November,[150] withLetitia Wright headlining the film asShuri / Black Panther.[150][176] The title,Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was revealed in May 2021.[54] Production began in late June 2021 at Trilith Studios in Atlanta,[177] and lasted until early November 2021,[178] before a hiatus began later that month.[179] Filming resumed in mid-January 2022.[180] Shooting also occurred inBoston andWorcester, Massachusetts,[181][182] and inBrunswick, Georgia,[183] before wrapping in Puerto Rico in March 2022.[184]Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiered in Hollywood on October 26, 2022,[185] and was released on November 11, 2022.[57]
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set after the events ofSpider-Man: No Way Home, and "potentially concurrent" withLove and Thunder andAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) according to producerNate Moore.[186]Dominique Thorne appears asRiri Williams / Ironheart, ahead of starring in the Disney+ seriesIronheart (2025).[187] Julia Louis-Dreyfus reprises her MCU role as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, now serving as the director of theCIA.[188]
Wanda Maximoff andVision are living an idyllic suburban life in the town of Westview, New Jersey, trying to conceal their true natures. As their surroundings begin to move through different decades and they encounter various televisiontropes, the couple suspects that things are not as they seem.[14]
By September 2018, Marvel Studios was developing a limited series starring Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff andPaul Bettany as Vision, with a focus on their relationship.[7][202]Jac Schaeffer was hired to write the first episode and serve ashead writer in January 2019,[189][203] and the series was officially announced and titled that April, with Olsen and Bettany confirmed.[203][204] It explores where Maximoff's alias theScarlet Witch comes from.[205] Filming began in November 2019 atPinewood Atlanta Studios,[206][207] withMatt Shakman directing the series,[22] but was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[208] Production resumed in Los Angeles in September 2020,[209] and concluded that November.[210]WandaVision premiered on January 15, 2021,[36] and ran for nine episodes, concluding on March 5, 2021.[211][212] It is the start of a trilogy of series that includes:[213]Agatha All Along, starringKathryn Hahn asAgatha Harkness, which debuted in September 2024,[214] as part ofPhase Five;[60] andVisionQuest, with Bettany reprising his role, which is set to debut in late 2026,[215] as part ofPhase Six.[66]
By late October 2018,Malcolm Spellman was hired to write and serve as head writer on a limited series starringAnthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon andSebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier.[190][8][203] The series was officially announced and titled in April 2019, with Mackie and Stan confirmed.[203] Filming began in October 2019, in Atlanta,[225] withKari Skogland directing the series,[191] but was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[226] Production resumed in early September 2020,[227] and concluded late the next month.[228]The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premiered on March 19, 2021,[34] and ran for six episodes,[191] concluding on April 23, 2021.[229] A feature film,Captain America: Brave New World (2025), starring Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America, serves as a continuation of the series,[230] and is part of Phase Five.[60]
After stealing theTesseract, an alternate version ofLoki is brought to the mysteriousTime Variance Authority (TVA) to help fix the timeline and stop a greater threat, ending up trapped in a crime thriller of his own making, traveling through time.[237][238][239]
By September 2018, Marvel Studios was developing a limited series starringTom Hiddleston as Loki,[7] which Disney CEOBob Iger confirmed that November.[240] In February 2019,Michael Waldron was hired as head writer,[192][203] and Hiddleston was confirmed to reprise his title role.[241] Filming began in February 2020,[242] withKate Herron directing the series,[193] but was suspended that March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[208] Production resumed in September 2020 at Pinewood Atlanta Studios,[243] and concluded in early December.[242] The first season ofLoki premiered on June 9, 2021,[244] and ran for six episodes,[245] concluding on July 14, 2021.[244] Asecond season debuted in October 2023,[246] as part of Phase Five.[60]
Loki begins after the 2012 events seen inAvengers: Endgame, but much of the season exists outside of time and space or in different time periods that the characters travel to.[247] The season ties intoDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,[248] and Feige said it would be "tremendously important" and "lay the groundwork" for the future of the MCU.[249][250]: 1 This includes the appearance ofJonathan Majors asHe Who Remains, a variant of the characterKang the Conqueror who appears inAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.[251]Jaimie Alexander makes an uncredited cameo appearance asSif, reprising her role from previous MCU media,[252] while Thor actor Chris Hemsworth has an uncredited cameo as the voice ofThrog, a frog version of Thor.[253]
What If...? explores what would happen if major moments from theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) occurred differently, as observed by theWatcher.[204]
By March 2019, Marvel Studios was developing an animated anthology series based on theWhat If comic book concept to explore how the MCU would be altered if certain events had occurred differently.[254]Jeffrey Wright was revealed to narrate the series as the Watcher that July,[12] with voice recording beginning the next month.[255] Production continued remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, with on-site work suspended.[256]A. C. Bradley serves as head writer withBryan Andrews directing.[194] The first season ofWhat If...? premiered on August 11, 2021,[257] and ran for nine episodes,[258] concluding on October 6, 2021.[259] It was produced byMarvel Studios Animation.[260] Asecond season debuted in December 2023,[261] while thethird and final season is scheduled to debut in December 2024,[262] both part of Phase Five.[263][additional citation(s) needed]
What If...? is set after the establishment of the multiverse inLoki'sfirst-season finale.[264] Many actors from the films voice their respective characters in the season.[265]
Clint Barton must work together with the youngKate Bishop to confront enemies from his past time asRonin to get back to his family in time for Christmas.[266]
By April 2019, Marvel Studios was developing a limited series starringJeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye, which would involve Barton passing the mantle of Hawkeye to the character Kate Bishop.[267] At the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, the series was officially announced with it exploring more of Barton's time as the vigilante Ronin,[12][268] withJonathan Igla hired as head writer that September whileHailee Steinfeld was in consideration to portray Bishop.[195][269] Steinfeld was confirmed as Bishop in early December 2020,[270] when filming began in New York City,[271] with bothRhys Thomas andBert & Bertie each directing a block of episodes.[196] Shooting also occurred at Trilith Studios in Atlanta,[272][273] and concluded in late April 2021.[274]Hawkeye premiered on November 24, 2021,[275] and ran for six episodes,[276] concluding on December 22.[277] A spin-off series,Echo, starringAlaqua Cox asMaya Lopez / Echo, released in January 2024,[278] as part of Phase Five.[60]
Hawkeye is set one year after the events ofAvengers: Endgame during the 2024 Christmas season,[279][280] and occurs over the course of about a week.[281] Florence Pugh reprises her role as Yelena Belova / Black Widow fromBlack Widow,[270] along withLinda Cardellini as Barton's wifeLaura from previous MCU films,[282] andVincent D'Onofrio asWilson Fisk / Kingpin from Marvel Television's Netflix seriesDaredevil (2015–2018).[283]
At the August 2019D23 Expo, Marvel Studios announced that a series centered on Marc Spector / Moon Knight was in development,[22] withJeremy Slater hired as head writer that November.[197] In October 2020,Oscar Isaac entered negotiations to portray the title role,[285] and was confirmed to have been cast by January 2021.[198] Filming began in late April 2021 in Budapest,[286] withMohamed Diab and duoJustin Benson and Aaron Moorhead directing episodes of the series,[198] and concluded in early October inHungary andJordan,[287][288] before moving to Atlanta.[288] Filming wrapped by mid-October.[289]Moon Knight premiered on March 30, 2022,[290] and ran for six episodes,[291] concluding on May 4.[292]
Moon Knight is set afterHawkeye in early 2025.[293][294]
Kamala Khan, a fan of the Avengers, particularly Carol Danvers, struggles to fit in until she gains her own powers.[295]
By the 2019 D23 Expo, Marvel Studios was developing a series centered on Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel, withBisha K. Ali hired as head writer.[22][199] In September 2020,Iman Vellani was cast in the title role.[296] Filming began by early November 2020 at Trilith Studios in Atlanta,[297][150] withAdil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (credited as Adil & Bilall[298]),Meera Menon, andSharmeen Obaid-Chinoy each directing two episodes of the series.[33][298] Shooting also occurred in New Jersey,[299] and concluded in early May 2021 in Thailand.[300]Ms. Marvel premiered on June 8, 2022,[301] and ran for six episodes,[300] concluding on July 13.[302]
Jennifer Walters has a complicated life as a single attorney in her 30s who also becomes the 6-foot-7, green superhero She-Hulk after getting accidentally cross-contaminated with the blood of her cousin Bruce Banner.[23][308]
At the 2019 D23 Expo, Marvel Studios announced that the seriesShe-Hulk, centered onJennifer Walters / She-Hulk, was in development,[22] withJessica Gao hired as head writer that November.[200] In September 2020,Tatiana Maslany was cast in the title role.[309][201] Filming began in mid-April 2021 in Los Angeles and at Trilith Studios in Atlanta,[310][311] withKat Coiro andAnu Valia directing episodes of the series.[201] Filming wrapped by mid-August 2021.[312] The subtitle for the series was added by May 2022.[23]She-Hulk: Attorney at Law premiered on August 18, 2022, and consisted of nine episodes, concluding on October 13.[313]
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is set "a relatively short amount of time" afterShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.[314] Reprising their MCU roles in the series are Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk, Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky / Abomination, Benedict Wong as Wong,[23] and Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock / Daredevil.[315]
Michael Giacchino, the director ofWerewolf by Night and a frequent composer of MCU films
A secret group of monster hunters gather at Bloodstone Castle following the death of their leader and engage in a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic, which will bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.[318]
By August 2021, Marvel Studios was developing a Halloween-themedtelevision special for Disney+ that was reportedly centered onWerewolf by Night.[56]Gael García Bernal was cast in the lead role for the special in November,[319] starring as theJack Russell version of the character.[63] Filming began in late March 2022 atTrilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia,[320][321][322] withMichael Giacchino directing the special,[322][63] and Heather Quinn and Peter Cameron co-writing the screenplay,[316] and concluded by late April 2022.[323] It was formally announced asWerewolf by Night in September 2022, and released on October 7, 2022.[63]
Werewolf by Night exists within the MCU but does not state "when, how or why". Giacchino has "a very specific idea" of how the special fits into the MCU that had not been discussed with Marvel Studios.[324]
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
The Guardians of the Galaxy celebrate Christmas and set out to Earth to find Peter Quill the best present.[325]
In December 2020, Marvel Studios announced that James Gunn would write and direct a new television special featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy,[317] with the main cast returning.[326][327] Filming began by February 2022 at Trilith Studios in Atlanta,[328][329] and concluded in late April 2022,[330] during the production ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).[331] Shooting also occurred in Los Angeles.[332]The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was released on November 25, 2022.[333]
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is set "a fairly long time" after the Guardians parting ways with Thor as seen inThor: Love and Thunder,[170] and before the events ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[334] TheHoliday Special allowed Gunn to introduce important elements toVol. 3 that he then would not need to explain at the beginning of that film.[335]
Each short followsBaby Groot as he grows up in the galaxy, going on adventures with new and unusual characters that get him into trouble.[50][295]
Announced in December 2020,I Am Groot is a series ofphotorealistic animated short films starring Baby Groot for Disney+.[50][49][337] Production had begun by August 2021 from Marvel Studios Animation,[337][260] withKirsten Lepore serving as director, executive producer,[295] and head writer.[336] Vin Diesel was confirmed to star as the voice of Baby Groot by June 2022.[338][336]I Am Groot premiered with five shorts on Disney+ on August 10, 2022.[339] The second season, also consisting of five shorts, was released on September 6, 2023,[340] as part of Phase Five.[341]
I Am Groot is set between the end ofGuardians of the Galaxy and the start ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and the end ofVol. 2 and its mid-credits scene.[342] Cooper reprises his role as Rocket in the series.[343]
Many of the properties in the Phase are set after the events ofAvengers: Endgame.WandaVision is set three weeks after the events of that film,[216] withThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier set six months afterEndgame.[231]Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is also set afterEndgame during the days leading to theQingming Festival in early April,[106][107] withShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law set "a relatively short amount of time" afterShang-Chi.[314][348]Eternals takes place around the same time asThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier andSpider-Man: Far From Home, six to eight months afterEndgame in 2024,[121][122] whileSpider-Man: No Way Home begins immediately afterFar From Home, and continues over late 2024.[137]Hawkeye takes place one year after the events ofEndgame during the 2024 Christmas season,[279][280] occurring over the course of about a week.[281]
Moon Knight is set afterHawkeye in early 2025,[293][294] whileMultiverse of Madness is set afterNo Way Home.[157][158]Ms. Marvel is set afterMoon Knight, one to two years afterEndgame.[303]Thor: Love and Thunder is also set afterEndgame,[161] eight and a half years after Thor broke up with Jane Foster, which had occurred byThor: Ragnarok,[169] and "a few weeks" since Thor joined the Guardians of the Galaxy.[170]Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set after the events ofNo Way Home, "potentially concurrent" withLove and Thunder andAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,[186] though it was placed earlier in the timeline betweenMoon Knight andShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law with its addition to Disney+.[347]The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is set "a fairly long time" after the events ofLove and Thunder and before the events ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[170][334]
The first season ofLoki continues from the 2012 events seen inEndgame, but much of the series exists outside of time and space given the introduction of the TVA.[247][248]What If...? is set afterLoki's first-season finale, exploring the various branching timelines of the newly created multiverse in which major moments from the MCU films occur differently.[204][264]Black Widow is set betweenCaptain America: Civil War andAvengers: Infinity War (2018), mostly taking place between the main plot ofCivil War and its final scene.[92] TheI Am Groot shorts are set between the end ofGuardians of the Galaxy (2014) and the start ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), and the end ofVol. 2 and its mid-credits scene.[342] The specialWerewolf by Night exists within the MCU but does not state "when, how or why". The director Michael Giacchino has "a very specific idea" of how the special fits into the MCU that had not been discussed with Marvel Studios.[324]
With the release ofThor: Love and Thunder on Disney+ in September 2022, Thomas Bacon and Molly Jae Weinstein ofScreen Rant noted how the film's placement in the timeline order section on the platform seemed incorrect,[349][351] with Bacon saying it made "no sense" given dialogue and events in the film that contradicted this placement, and also pointing out howShang-Chi andMoon Knight's placement also ignored dating information given in each. Bacon said, "The MCU's timeline is now complicated by the sheer volume of Marvel films and TV shows currently in production, because even Marvel's key decision-makers don't really know quite what order things will be released."[349] Unlike the earlier phases where each new project was often the next chronological title in the timeline,[351] Phase Four "has hopped around the timeline with impunity", which in turn made it "rather messy".[349] With the release ofThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Bacon believed its placement on the Disney+ timeline "fixed"Love and Thunder's placement, thinking that film should be placed in late 2024 on the timeline.[350]
This section includes characters who have appeared in multiple films and/or television series within Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and have appeared in the billing block for at least one film or have been a member of the starring cast for at least one series.
A dark grey cell indicates the characterwas not in the film, series, or special.
A C indicates an uncredited cameo role.
A G indicates a guest appearance in the series.
A P indicates an appearance in onscreen photographs.
A V indicates a voice-only role.
Recurring cast and characters of Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Four
In early January 2021, Marvel announced their "Marvel Must Haves" program, which reveals new toys, games, books, apparel, home decor, and other merchandise fromHasbro,Lego,Funko, Her Universe, Loungefly and others based on the episodes of Disney+ seriesWandaVision,The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,Loki,What If...?, andHawkeye. The program began on January 18, 2021, with new reveals each Monday until the end of 2021. Paul Gitter, senior vice president of Marvel Licensing called the program "an unprecedented weekly celebration" with products that "authentically celebrate each new episode".[361] The program continued into 2022 withMoon Knight,[362]Ms. Marvel,[363] andShe Hulk: Attorney at Law.[364] In May 2022, Marvel Studios, Funko, andTarget announced the Marvel Studios Selects program, in which Funko items based on the MCU films and television series would be released monthly exclusively at Target.[365]
QR codes first appeared inMoon Knight that linked viewers to a website to access free digital comics featuring the character that updated weekly. Adam B. Vary ofVariety called the initiative "a savvy way to expand viewers' comic book knowledge" for the more obscure character of Moon Knight. Executive producerGrant Curtis explained that he had been fascinated with the engagement the animated seriesBob's Burgers had with their gags in the opening and closing credits and their "burger of the week", and believed that interactivity could be brought toMoon Knight to "help educate viewers on Moon Knight's comic book history". He realized that QR codes would be a good way to "organically incorporate... into the environment", and the codes were added into the episodes with CGI by the visual effects team. Curtis was hopeful the project would continue for other MCU films and series.[366] The program continued withMs. Marvel andShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law.[367][368]
Ahead ofWandaVision premiering to start the phase, Julia Alexander atThe Verge wondered if Marvel Studios would be oversaturating their content, saying that having essentially "a new Marvel thing each week [in 2021] is either a blessing or a curse" depending on how viewers felt about the MCU. While Alexander felt franchise fatigue was possible, she said Marvel Studios and Disney's biggest concern was losing trust from the fanbase, pointing to theStar Wars sequel trilogy (2015–2019) as an example of a large portion of fans not being pleased with the quality of the content. Alexander was encouraged by the fact that Feige was leading development of the Disney+ series, unlike the past Marvel television series that were led by Marvel Television'sJeph Loeb, and she felt the studio "just needs to keep doing what it's already doing" and give the "same level of attention" to extending the overarching story from the past films to the Disney+ series.[435] WithThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier being described as a "six-hour movie", Christian Holub ofEntertainment Weekly noted that this led to the series simultaneously "try[ing] to do too much and too little at once" and hoped future Disney+ series would be structured more like television episodes asWandaVision was, even if they did not employ themeta quality that series did with the format.[436]
Deadline Hollywood's Anthony D'Alessandro, writing after audiences polled byCinemaScore gaveEternals a "B" andDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness a "B+" (two of the lowest CinemaScores for MCU films), said this should be a "splash of cold water in Marvel's face". He discussed some fan concerns that Phase Four was not as cohesive as the projects in the first three MCU phases, with most of those films building towards the Infinity Saga storyline, and felt that this was impacting on the box office of the new films. He suggested that Marvel Studios "regroup, re-think and get these movies back on track".[437] Meredith Loftus ofCollider agreed that Phase Four felt "disjointed" by the release ofMultiverse of Madness, stating that each project was "complex and challenging, exploring themes of grief, mental illness, and family trauma... [but] what's made Phase Four so strong is also its weakness—while we're getting to deepen new and old characters alike, the expansive universe these characters live in feels isolated". She highlightedMoon Knight's lack of connections to the rest of the MCU, and discussed howDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did not address the events ofLoki andSpider-Man: No Way Home as some had expected. Loftus concluded, "Maybe this is a lesson in audience expectations, but when a studio has built a cinematic universe off the back of each movie with a through-line story for over a decade, the lack of one in Phase Four makes it feel incomplete."[438] James Whitbrook ofGizmodo also noted the lack of a singular threat for each of the phase's projects, like Thanos in the Infinity Saga, and said the multiverse storyline was the closest the phase had got to a "unifying build-up". He added that "this sense of aimlessness feels odd to an audience that has, over a decade, been trained to connect the dots and see how each of Marvel's releases connects to the others", with the films and Disney+ series "rarely [feeling] like they're in conversation with each other".[439] Writing forVariety, Adam B. Vary agreed that "there is no sense yet of where Phase Four is heading—if, indeed, it is heading in any single direction", but he felt this could be "a feature, not a bug", explaining, "With the explosion of MCU content on Disney+, there may be simply too many titles to hold together into one consolidated storyline". He did note that the multiverse plays a significant role inLoki,What If...?,Spider-Man: No Way Home, andDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, that potential "Big Bads" had been introduced, including Kang, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine,Arishem, and Wilson Fisk / Kingpin, and that the phase could be building to an unannouncedYoung Avengers film since members of that team had been appearing in many Phase Four projects.[440] Journalists Joanna Robinson and Eric Goldman responded in support of Vary's article,[441][442] with Robinson adding that, despite what some fans believed, the Infinity Saga was not completely planned out and instead was made cohesive by "luck and cleverness".[441] Goldman felt that some of this was fans retroactively treating each Infinity Saga film as having more importance to the overall storyline than they did when first released, and he said the same could happen to the Phase Four films once more was known about their connections to the next storyline.[442]
Matthew Belloni, a former editor forThe Hollywood Reporter and a writer forPuck News, and Sean Fennessey ofThe Ringer, discussed whether the MCU films and series were in a decline. Belloni noted how Marvel have "taken really idiosyncratic filmmakers in Chloé Zhao and Sam Raimi and tried to plug them into this formula, but given them a little bit more freedom" than previous MCU directors had for their films, and questioned whether this was a "mistake to stray too much from the Marvel formula?", and if this approach to "do it the same, but different" while still making it feel fresh and familiar for the audience would be necessary for the franchise to succeed going forward. Fennessey believed Marvel did not stray too much with these filmmakers, citing Marvel's history of hiring filmmakers with distinct tones and perspectives and being able to "blend [their] vision" with it, but felt the tone of Zhao's previous films did not "[make] any sense for a Marvel movie" or match Marvel's prior storytelling, and that Raimi's history with Marvel and his background making horror films was an attempt "to plug the dam" after Derrickson left as theMultiverse of Madness director, and that his hiring was "like a marriage of convenience and friendship, more so than like a bold choice to choose an unusual filmmaker". Fennessey saidEternals felt "fully disconnected" from the MCU's prior stories and that its more cosmic direction could lead toward future stories, but believed its "ill fit" and "very strange" choices behind the scenes made it look bad, and that the film was "more egregious" thanMultiverse of Madness. Belloni compared the MCU's increasing output toPixar when it began producing more animated films and said that experiencing a "drop-off in quality" was "the cost of doing business if you want to produce films at scale", but felt there was not a "huge cause for alarm at Marvel just yet".[443] Belloni later said that Marvel needed "to figure out how to generate Avenger-level interest from non-Avenger properties", and that the then-forthcoming releases of Marvel's next Disney+ seriesMs. Marvel andShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law would be "another big test for fans", but did not feel Marvel's series output was in trouble at that time.[444]
Benedict Wong appears as Wong in many of the Phase Four projects, which resulted in Feige jokingly referring to the franchise as becoming the "Wong Cinematic Universe"; this was also used by many on the internet.[445] These appearances were likened toPhil Coulson, a character who appeared in many of thePhase One films.[446][447]
Announced in December 2020, this series examines individual heroes, villains, moments, and objects from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and how they connect, in anticipation of the upcoming stories that would feature them in Phase Four.[456][457] The first season ofMarvel Studios: Legends premiered on Disney+ on January 8, 2021, with the release of the first two episodes.[456] Episodes highlighted Wanda Maximoff, Vision,[456] Falcon, Winter Soldier, Zemo, Sharon Carter,[458] Loki, the Tesseract,[457] Black Widow,[459]Peggy Carter, theAvengers Initiative, theRavagers,[460] the Ten Rings,[461] Hawkeye,[462] Doctor Strange, Wong, Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch,[463] Thor, Jane Foster, Valkyrie,[464] Bruce Banner,[465] T'Challa,Shuri, theDora Milaje,[466] Drax, and Mantis,[467] ahead of their appearances in Disney+ series, specials, and the films.[456][459][467] The Drax and Mantis episodes were removed shortly after they released, as they revealed a plot detail relevant toThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special,[468] but were both later restored.[469][470] TheLegends episodes continued in Phase Five,[471] which began the second season.[470]
Announced in February 2021, each special of the documentary series goes behind the scenes of the making of the MCU films and television series with cast members and additional creatives.Marvel Studios: Assembled premiered on Disney+ on March 12, 2021, with a special forWandaVision,[472][473] followed by additional specials forThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier,[474] the first season ofLoki,[459]Black Widow, the first season ofWhat If...?,[475]Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,[476]Hawkeye,Eternals,[477]Moon Knight,[478][479]Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,[480][481]Ms. Marvel,[482]Thor: Love and Thunder,[483]She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,[466] andBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.[484] TheAssembled specials continued in Phase Five.[485]
An independent, similar documentary special forWerewolf by Night, titledDirector by Night, was also released on Disney+ on November 4, 2022,[466] marketed with the "Marvel Studios Special Presentation" branding.[486]
Dan Abnett, Aki Yanagi, Jongmin Shin, Ju-Yeon Park, David Macho, Rafael Scavone, and Yifan Jiang[488]
Geoffo, Matt Milla, Joe Sabino, Rickie Yagawa, Carlos Macias, Do Gyun Kim, Fernando Sifuentes, Magda Price, Pete Pantazis, Marcio Fiorito, Felipe Sobreiro, and Gunji[488]
^Zhao is credited both as a solo writer and as part of a writing team with Burleigh.[72]
^Loki andWhat If...? are excluded from the diagram because they occur outside of the main timeline.[247][264]Werewolf by Night is also excluded given the special explicitly does not indicate where it takes places in the MCU.[324] Disney+'s timeline order placesLoki andWhat If...? betweenAvengers: Endgame andWandaVision,[344][345] andWerewolf by Night afterLove and Thunder.[346]
^Disney announced thatBlack Widow also earned $67 million globally from Disney+ Premier Access in its opening weekend.[375][376][377]
^Robinson, Johanna; Gonzales, Dave;Edwards, Gavin (October 10, 2023).MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios. New York City:Liveright. p. 366.ISBN978-1-63149-751-3.Disney Investor Day was touted as Chapek's debut as the voice of a new Disney era... Kevin Feige and Lucasfilm chair Kathleen Kennedy appeared onscreen to announce a dizzying number of new projects that would launch on Disney Plus. Both Feige and Kennedy were pressured into announcing projects that were nowhere near ready, some of which have been ... significantly overhauled and delayed (theArmor Wars TV series, aFantastic Four film).
^abLee, Chris (January 13, 2023)."Inside the VFX Union Brewing in Hollywood".Vulture.Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. RetrievedFebruary 1, 2023.Alonso heads up Marvel's dedicated "mini-studio," Marvel Studios Animation, which is behind such shows asWhat If ...? [...] and the summer 2022 series of Vin Diesel–voiced original shorts,I Am Groot.
^Scarlett Johansson v The Walt Disney Company, U.S., 9 (Cal. Super. August 20, 2021) ("$67MM in total worldwide Premier Access opening-weekend receipts").Archived from the original on August 22, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
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