Marvel just introduced an entirely new group of heroes into the MCU but there's even more to come - here's every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie releasing after Eternals. After sitting out the entirety of 2020 due to the pandemic - the first year since 2008 that Marvel Studios hasn't released a film - the MCU returned in full force in 2021 with a slew of new movies and streaming series that have begun to reveal the franchise's plans for Marvel's post-Infinity Saga future.
2021 kicked off with the release of WandaVision and the studio quickly followed suit with several more high-profile shows, including The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki. It was the theatrical side that really kicked things into high gear, though. Black Widow was released on Disney+ and in theaters simultaneously and ignited a months-long legal battle between Scarlett Johansson and Disney. Now that the Black Widow lawsuit is over, impacting both Disney and Hollywood, Marvel is looking to the future of their theatrical slate in the hopes of pumping out more content than ever.
In addition to Black Widow, the studio has released both Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals and they show no signs of slowing down. On the streaming side of things, Marvel will release Hawkeye, a series that may see Clint Barton pass on the Avenger mantle to Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Things will also heat up in theaters as Marvel will be releasing 12 more MCU movies over the next few years, with several more in development.
Spider-Man: No Way Home - December 17, 2021
Arguably the most highly anticipated MCU movie since Avengers: Endgame, Tom Holland's third solo outing as the web-slinging New Yorker is slated to hit theaters a little over a month after the debut of Eternals. Hype has reached a fever pitch throughout 2021, as rumors ran rampant about what's in store for Peter Parker after his identity was revealed by JK Simmons' J. Jonah James at the end of Far From Home. Some of those rumors have been confirmed, including the appearance of Alfred Molina's Doc Ock, a Tobey Maguire Spider-Man villain, as well as the return of Jamie Foxx's Electro.
Much remains unconfirmed, though. It seems all but guaranteed that both Maguire and Andrew Garfield will be reappearing as their own versions of Peter Parker in a multiversal adventure that is set off by Doctor Strange's meddling with magic. With a rumored runtime of over two-and-a-half hours, Spider-Man: No Way Home has plenty of time to explore all of this and more before it leads into the MCU's next movie, which could prove to be even more massive.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - May 6, 2022
After taking over as Peter Parker's mentor in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange will get his second solo outing in 2022. Like many of the MCU's upcoming films, he will be joined by a slew of Marvel heroes both familiar and new. Elizabeth Olsen will be returning as Scarlet Witch, although it remains unclear if she will be friend or foe to the Sorcerer Supreme in the upcoming film. Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Rachel McAdams are also set to return while Xochitl Gomez will make her MCU debut as the dimension-hopping hero America Chavez.
Plot details for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness remain slim, but with horror icon and former Spider-Man director Sam Raimi at the helm, it's sure to be one of Marvel's most exciting entries yet. It's also set to follow through on the promise of exploring the multiverse, something the MCU has yet to do in full force despite touching on it in shows like Loki and the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Thor: Love & Thunder - July 8, 2022
Chris Hemsworth is breaking the trilogy mold by starring in his fourth solo outing as the God of Thunder. After wowing audiences with his hilarious and irreverent Thor: Ragnarok, Taika Waititi is back in the director's chair for another Thor adventure. At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Thor was last seen leaving earth with the Guardians of the Galaxy, as they set out to search for Gamora. The Guardians are also set to make an appearance in Love and Thunder.
Jane Foster will also be back as Mighty Thor, as she prepares to wield Mjolnir. Also back are Jamie Alexander's Lady Sif and Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie. They'll all have to face off against Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher, although just how his villain factors into the equation remains to be seen. Russell Crowe will also be playing Zeus, introducing Olympian gods to the fold and combining the cosmic adventures of Thor with mythological storytelling.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - November 11, 2022
The highly anticipated sequel to 2018's Black Panther (the only Marvel movie to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar) has faced a long road to screens. After the tragic passing of T'Challa actor Chadwick Boseman, Wakanda Forever was retooled to tell a more expansive story about Wakanda while still honoring Boseman's legacy as the iconic Black Panther. While the Black Panther sequel will focus on the various characters introduced in the first film, Wakanda Forever will also introduce Ironheart, played by Dominique Thorne.
Wakanda Forever is sure to be one of the MCU's most emotional movies to date as it deals with T'Challa's absence and how the African nation will be shaped by his legacy. It will also be grander than ever, as the film is set to introduce villain Namor to the MCU and through him the lost city of Atlantis. As for who will be taking on the mantle of Black Panther, that remains to be seen and it would make sense if Wakanda Forever doesn't answer that question immediately.
The Marvels - February 17, 2023
After the recent set of Marvel movie delays, the sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel will kick off the MCU's 2023 slate. Brie Larson's Carol Danvers will be joined by Teyonah Parris' Monica Rambeau, who has a bone or two to pick with the cosmic hero. Iman Vellani will also appear as Ms. Marvel after her debut in a solo Disney+ show in 2022. As is common for Marvel movies this far out, very little is known about the plot, but the events of The Marvels are seemingly already being set up in the MCU.
One of WandaVision's post-credits scenes set up The Marvels when Monica is approached by a Skrull and is told that someone in space would like to talk to her. While it's unclear whether or not the Skrull is referring to Carol herself or Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, Monica is set to explore her powers when she does make the journey beyond earth. How Kamala Khan gets wrapped up in it all remains a mystery, but with director Nia DaCosta at the helm, The Marvels has the chance to expand the cosmic side of the MCU even further.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - May 5, 2023
James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the only MCU movie not to be delayed recently and that's because Gunn has been ready to direct the film for several years. After originally being fired by Disney for old tweets that resurfaced, Gunn was brought back onboard by the studio to complete his cosmic trilogy that launched the obscure Guardians into mainstream stardom.
In addition to being the last outing of the original members of the team, Guardians 3 will also introduce Adam Warlock, who is set to be played by Will Poulter. Gunn has also hinted that dozens of other secret roles have been cast for the film, indicating a massive send-off for some of the most beloved MCU characters. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will also expand the cosmic side of the MCU further after both Thor: Love and Thunder and The Marvels spend some time away from earth.
Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania - July 28, 2023
While the Ant-Man films have always been more tangentially related to the MCU at large, that all changed when Paul Rudd's plucky Scott Lang played a big role in Avengers: Endgame. The third Ant-Man film will go even further than that. Not only does Cassie Lang, Scott's daughter, seem primed to become a hero in her own right, but the Lang family is set to face off against who many presume to be the MCU's next Thanos.
Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror was introduced in Loki as He Who Remains, but the foreboding overlord of the citadel beyond the end of time warned of dangerous variants of himself who would be unleashed if the Sacred Timeline was destroyed. Now that that's happened, it looks like Scott, Hope van Dyne, Janet van Dyne, and Hank Pym are set to face off against one of the MCU's most dangerous villains, making Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania an integral installment in Marvel's wider plans.
Fantastic 4
Marvel's First Family will finally make their MCU debut - it's just a matter of when. Now that Disney owns 20th Century Fox, the rights to the Fantastic Four are finally in the hands of Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige announced plans for a movie about the superhero team in December 2020. Spider-Man: No Way Home director Jon Watts will also helm Fantastic Four, so as soon as Peter Parker's third solo film releases, Watts should be able to begin work on the highly anticipated film. While Marvel has yet to set a date of release for the film, it seems safe to assume it could come in late 2023 or early 2024.
Blade
Two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali will take on the role of vampire hunter Blade as the MCU looks to continue exploring the scarier side of Marvel lore with characters like Moon Knight and the upcoming Disney+ Halloween special that will reportedly include Werewolf by Night. This won't be Ali's first go in the Marvel realm either - the actor previously played Cottonmouth in the Netflix series Luke Cage - but Blade will represent a shift in the MCU as a whole and there's no one more perfect than Ali to take on the role. With a director and writer both attached to the film, Marvel could release Blade as soon as late 2023.
Deadpool 3
The famous "Merc with a Mouth," Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool is officially making his way to the MCU in Marvel's first R-rated feature. Bob's Burgers writers Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin are attached to pen the screenplay with filming beginning sometime in 2022. Right now, Deadpool is the only character who will remain the same in crossing over from 20th Century Fox to Disney, and there's no better character to do so than Wade Wilson. With filming commencing next year, it seems likely that Deadpool 3 will hit theaters sometime in early 2024.
Captain America 4
Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson is officially the MCU's new Captain America after he wrestled with taking on the mantle in Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Little is known about Captain America 4, including whether or not Sebastian Stan will appear after Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson teamed up in their show. Still, it seems safe to assume that Stan could make a comeback alongside Emily van Camp's Sharon Carter, who was revealed as the Marvel villain Power Broker at the end of that series. With no writer or director attached to Captain America 4, it could be a while before the movie comes out, but Kevin Feige has said he does have a release date in mind.
X-Men
Like Deadpool and the Fantastic Four, X-Men mutants are officially being introduced to the MCU. Of all the upcoming Marvel projects, the one centered around mutants may be the most mysterious. Marvel will want to differentiate itself from 20th Century Fox's long-running X-Men franchise and doing so could mean holding back on introducing fan-favorite characters like Wolverine, Storm, and Cyclops. However it happens, it's sure to be another landmark event for the MCU following Eternals, but it will be quite some time before they finally appear. That won't stop Marvel Studios from slyly laying the groundwork for mutants' eventual appearance, though.
Key Release Dates
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Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness
Release Date:2022-05-06 -
Thor: Love and Thunder
Release Date:2022-07-08 -
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Release Date:2022-11-11 -
captain marvel 2
Release Date:2023-07-28 -
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Release Date:2023-05-05 -
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Release Date:2023-02-17
