In the latest episode of our ongoing series, Ryan George reveals what (probably) happened in the pitch meeting for the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 4. Despite everything coming to a massive, box office-decimating climax in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU Phase 3 isn't quite done yet, with Spider-Man: Far From Home still to come this summer. While the trailers for that movie have thoroughly spoiled the end of Endgame, Marvel Studios is holding off on officially revealing its Phase 4 slate until after Far From Home's release.
Of course, it's hard to keep movies a secret when they're already deep in development (or already filming) so we do have some idea of what to expect from the MCU Phase 4. If you were devastated by Black Widow's death in Endgame, you can see her again soon in her own solo movie This will presumably be a prequel movie, since there are no take-backsies when it comes to flinging yourself off a cliff in exchange for an Infinity Stone. That being said, Gamora managed to come back just one movie later after taking the same dive as Natasha, so maybe Black Widow's death will be short-lived as well.
After Black Widow it looks like the next movie on the Phase 4 production line is Shang-Chi, which is expected to begin filming this fall. and may well be the second of Marvel's two movies releasing in 2020. Another new franchise joining the MCU is cosmic adventure The Eternals, which is currently gathering its cast together. Then there are the sequels. James Gunn will be returning to direct Guardians of the Galaxy 3 after having a fling with the DC Universe and making The Suicide Squad, and Black Panther 2 is also going to be high on the priority list, given how much the first movie made.
With 11 years and 21 years of build-up leading to it, Avengers: Endgame is going to be hard to top. After all, not every movie can have every superhero in the MCU facing off against a Mad Titan for control of six magical stones powerful enough to rip the entire universe apart and put it back together again. That sort of thing would start to get old after a while.
However, if Marvel has proven to be good at one thing, it's making money. So, it's safe to say that Phase 4 will have something in store to get the kids flocking to theaters all over again. And if that thing happens to resemble the plot of the movie Air Bud... well, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.