WandaVision Is A Perfect Choice To Begin MCU Phase 4

Marvel Studios will begin Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with WandaVision, and the Disney+ series is the perfect choice to kick off a new era of storytelling. When the Phase 4 slate was originally announced in 2019, Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow movie was set to begin a post-Infinity Saga story. Fans have long had an interest in seeing a solo Natasha Romanoff project. Still, the decision to have Black Widow start Phase 4 felt weird, especially after she died in Avengers: Endgame.

Now that the Phase 4 schedule has been changed multiple times due to coronavirus, Black Widow will not start Phase 4, with that honor instead going to WandaVision. The show was originally planned to be the second MCU Disney+ offering and fourth Phase 4 title overall, but Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany will now be up first. Plot details on WandaVision have been kept under wraps, but Marvel finally announced that the first episode would arrive in January 2021. This will make WandaVision the start of Phase 4, and even though it wasn't planned to be the beginning, it has all the makings to be the perfect start.

Scarlet Witch and Vision have so far been supporting characters in the MCU, but their story in WandaVision is expected to be the first step in Phase 4 exploring the multiverse. Marvel has confirmed Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Loki, and What If...? have multiverse ties, while Spider-Man: Homecoming 3, Thor: Love and Thunder, and more might also play with the concept. Theories have run wild that WandaVision will explore the multiverse through an alternate reality Wanda and Vision appear to be living in or that Wanda will break the multiverse open by the end of the series. If WandaVision does include the multiverse, Phase 4 starting with a multiverse storyline will help let fans know what else is on the way.

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This can be taken a step further, too, with WandaVision confirmed to set up the events of Doctor Strange 2. Scarlet Witch will return to the MCU in the sequel, and the film's title proves that the multiverse will be in play. Not only will WandaVision get fans prepared for the multiverse madness that awaits them in the rest of Phase 4, but it can also show audiences how seamless the MCU Disney+ shows can crossover with the movies. If some think that this new form of MCU content can be skipped, WandaVision's role in setting up Scarlet Witch's MCU future and one of Phase 4's biggest films will show that isn't the case. Audiences may still be able to piece together the overall narrative if they choose not to watch the Disney+ shows, but those wanting the full experience will need to check out WandaVision and the rest of Marvel's Disney+ offerings.

Speaking of which, Disney+ being the place where Phase 4 begins with WandaVision is quite notable since the streaming service will play such a huge role in the MCU's future. WandaVision is the first Marvel show coming to Disney+ but far from the last. Marvel Studios is developing nearly a dozen shows for the streaming service, and those titles might all be released by the time Phase 4 ends. There is even a realistic chance that Phase 4 will have more Disney+ shows than movies. The MCU is clearly embracing the new, episodic format at its disposal. With Phase 4 beginning on Disney+ with a multiverse storyline that sets up future movies, it's almost unfathomable why Marvel Studios didn't always want WandaVision to kick off what they are planning next.

MORE: Every Way MCU Phase 4 Is Different From Marvel's Previous Phases