Thor: Love & Thunder is sure to make a distinctive mark on the MCU, and likely each of the 11 Marvel movies currently announced to release after Thor: Love & Thunder, too. Staple MCU characters such as Captain America (the Steve Rogers version), Iron Man, and Black Widow were retired after the climactic ending of the Infinity Saga in Avengers: Endgame, leaving plenty of opportunities for Marvel to introduce a massive array of new characters and fresh stories - and making Thor all the more important in the current universe. While the Phase 4 projects in the MCU still feel quite disconnected and separate, Marvel have a huge slate of films and series' planned which will surely bring the stories together in spectacular fashion, much like they did during previous phases.

The release of Thor: Love & Thunder in July 2022 marks the first time one of the original Avengers has been gifted a fourth solo movie in the MCU, and is set to follow a similar pattern as many Phase 4 projects of an established hero passing on their mantle. Audiences have already seen this happen with other hero titles, allowing Marvel to refresh their slate of heroes and keep up interest in their ever-growing franchise. Marvel have already started to expand into the new, grand concept of the multiverse in the MCU, a theme which will certainly carry on into the future as the characters become more interesting and the threats become bigger.

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Aside from 14 upcoming Disney+ series' taking place in the MCU and two holiday specials, Marvel are set to release 11 feature film titles in the near future. Only four of these upcoming projects are linked to a definite release date after Thor: Love & Thunder - a problem set to be resolved both in late July at 2022's San Diego Comic Con and September at the D23 Expo, where more MCU projects and more release dates are expected to be revealed. For now, though, there are several MCU films that are confirmed to be coming from MCU after the release of Thor: Love & Thunder, starting with the highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - November 11, 2022

Black Panther Wakanda Forever Upcoming Title

After the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, fans were left speculating about how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would take shape without its lead. Ryan Coogler and Marvel Studios decided not to recast T'Challa in the MCU, instead choosing to use the film as a legacy project for the actor. While most of the main cast from Black Panther were confirmed to be returning, Letitia Wright's Shuri was singled out for being given a more substantial role in the sequel. New additions include Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, who is set to have her own Disney+ series, and Tenoch Huerta in an as-yet-undisclosed role that is rumored to be that of Namor the Sub-Mariner.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will certainly be an emotional watch for many after Boseman's death. His absence in this film will be impossible to ignore. But more focus on other characters and a deeper exploration into Wakandan subcultures will help to flesh out the technologically advanced country, and the rumors of Namor's appearance in the sequel are exciting for comic fans who've been waiting years to see the Atlantean in the MCU.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - February 17, 2023

Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania Upcoming Title

In the past, Ant-Man films have often been overshadowed, sandwiched between more hyped-up films such as Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War. But this time, it seems Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will take the spotlight as the MCU film many are eager to watch. The confirmation of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, a variant of He Who Remains from Loki, has made Marvel fans very excited for the future of the franchise.

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As well as Majors, the rest of the main cast are confirmed to be returning, including Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Joining them is MCU newcomer Kathryn Newton as Scott Lang's daughter Cassie, aged and recast (again) after the Blip. Aside from Kang's true introduction into the MCU, Quantumania is set to explore the Quantum Realm even further, with Peyton Reed stating they were just "dipping [their] toes into it" in previous films.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - May 5, 2023

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3 Upcoming Title

Perhaps Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be the MCU instalment most affected by Thor: Love & Thunder. Thor and the Guardians left Earth together at the end of Avengers: Endgame and the Guardians have already made their appearance in recent trailers for the fourth Thor film. James Gunn returns in what is set to be the final film for some members of the Guardians team, with this set to be the final Guardians of the Galaxy film with its current roster of heroes.

The entire main cast is set to return in what is sure to be an explosive sequel. Joining them, Will Poulter has been confirmed to be taking on the role of Adam Warlock, a character whose introduction into the MCU will have ramifications for years to come. Before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is released, viewers can watch the Guardians in Thor: Love & Thunder and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special set to be released in December 2022.

The Marvels - July 28, 2023

The Marvels Upcoming Title

The Marvels is set to bring Brie Larson's Captain Marvel hero Carol Danvers together with like-minded, superpowered women. Teyonah Parris will star as an adult Monica Rambeau, who gained her powers by walking through the Westview Hex in WandaVision. Alongside the adult heroes, Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), the teen Djinn-descendant superhero introduced in Ms. Marvel will also have an important role in the film.

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Not much information has yet been shared about the premise of The Marvels, with the storyline either following on from the 1990's setting of Captain Marvel, or taking place in the present day. Viewers can be sure to see more action involving S.W.O.R.D., first featured in WandaVisionWith the confirmed return of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, perhaps some more Skrull developments too ahead of Disney+ series Secret Invasion.

Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four Upcoming Title

After the 2019 finalization of Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox, the rights to properties such as the X-Men and the Fantastic Four were returned to Marvel, making audiences excited to finally see Marvel's First Family interact with the established heroes. John Krasinski's Reed Richards has already made an appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as a member of Earth-838's Illuminati. However, his performance was met with a mixed reception, so it's unsure whether Krasinski will be returning to play the Reed Richards in the MCU Fantastic Four.

Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogy director was originally set to direct Fantastic Four for Marvel, but split with the project in April 2022 to take a break from directing superhero films. Very little is known about the MCU's adaptation of the Fantastic Four. The film is not currently attached to a release date, but it could potentially fill the open slot in 2023's slate.

Blade

Blade Upcoming Title

At 2019's San Diego Comic Con, Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali was confirmed to be playing the MCU's version of vampire hunter Blade. Ali has already appeared in a Marvel project, portraying Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes in Marvel Television's Luke Cage series on Netflix, but since these shows aren't considered MCU canon, this won't be a problem for BladeBassam Tariq is linked to the project as director, with confirmation that the Ebony Blade will be featured in Blade alongside Ali, both of which made an appearance in the post-credits scene of 2021's Eternals, where Ali's voice can be heard talking to Kit Harrington's Dane Whitman.

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Deadpool 3

Deadpool Upcoming Title

The Fox X-Men film franchise might be officially over, but one character will see that as an opportunity, not a problem. The fourth-wall-breaking Deadpool has been confirmed to be coming over to the MCU, not in a reboot, but in Deadpool 3Ryan Reynolds will be reprising the hugely popular role of Wade Wilson, a.k.a. Deadpool, with Shawn Levy attached as director. While nothing has been revealed about when or how Deadpool will enter the MCU, Deadpool 3 will be Marvel's first R-rated film in the usually PG-13 MCU, an exciting development for the franchise's future.

Captain America 4

Captain America 4 Upcoming Title

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier officially saw the mantle of Captain America move from happily-retired Steve Rogers to former-Falcon Sam Wilson. After the success of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson were confirmed to be returning to pen a fourth Captain America film for the MCU with Anthony Mackie's Wilson donning the star-spangled banner in his first solo film. While not much information is known about Captain America 4, it can be assumed that the film will continue the themes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, exploring Sam Wilson's Captain America further.

Shang-Chi 2

Shang-Chi 2 Upcoming Title

In December 2021, Shang-Chi 2 was confirmed to be in development. The sequel to Destin Daniel Cretton's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will follow on from the events of the first film, featuring Simu Liu reprising his role as the titular Shang-Chi. It can be expected that other stars of the first film will return, including Awkwafina as Shang-Chi's best friend and budding archer, Katy, and Meng'er Zhang, Shang-Chi's sister Xu Xialing, who seemed to take the Ten Rings throne at the end of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Thunderbolts

Thunderbolts Upcoming Title

In June 2022, a Thunderbolts film was finally confirmed to be in development at Marvel Studios. The film has been rumored for years, with William Hurt's Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross appearing as far back as 2008's The Incredible Hulk. After Hurt's death in March 2022, it is expected that his character won't return in any capacity and that Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina Allegra de Fontaine will take over his character's role in the Thunderbolts cast as the team's leader after designing U.S. Agent in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and convincing Yelena Belova to kill Hawkeye in the post-credits scene of Black Widow. There is huge excitement among much of the MCU's audience for the franchise to explore more into the arcs of the series' villains, leading to much anticipation as to the roster for the Thunderbolt team.

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X-Men

Professor X appears in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

No specific X-Men film has currently been confirmed, although at San Diego Comic Con 2019, Marvel chief Kevin Feige did announce that a mutant-centred film was in production. Much like with Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four, Patrick Stewart's Professor Charles Xavier made a long-awaited appearance in the MCU during Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, confirming the existence of mutants in at least one reality in the MCU's multiverse. This introduction gives audiences hope for an X-Men MCU debut to come into the main timeline in the near future.

Along with several upcoming Disney+ series' in the pipeline at Marvel Studios, Scarlett Johansson has been revealed to be returning to the studio, but not reprising her role as Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow. Instead, Johansson will serve as a producer on an as-of-yet undisclosed project with Marvel Studios. As well as this, Kevin Feige and Sony Pictures head Amy Pascal have revealed a new trilogy of Spider-Man films is in the works, with Tom Holland's Peter Parker expected to return. With Thor: Love & Thunder sure to shed more light on what the MCU's Phase 4 and 5 might look like, it won't be too long before fans are given another small peak behind Marvel Studios' curtain.

Next: Marvel's Phase 5 Movies Are Already More Exciting Than Phase 4

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