Marvel has confirmed how many more phases are left in the MCU, horrifying fans who have become invested in the series over the past two decades.
It probably goes without saying that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) film franchises of the 21st century.
Ever since the franchise debuted in 2008’s Iron Man, it’s been a non-stop cavalcade of superhero flick after superhero flick, and it seems as if the ship hasn’t stopped sailing yet.
For many it seems as though the MCU is near-endless, and we’re just going to keep having new films coming every year until we’ve all withered away into dust.
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But a new comment from MCU boss Kevin Feige has confirmed how many more phases have been planned for the franchise, and we don’t know what this could mean for the distant future of the MCU.
Speaking to Comic Book, Feige says, “A saga’s three phases, so we’re working on the next three right now. But really, the first one of the next saga is directly impacted by what we’re doing right now with these movies and Secret Wars.”
The next saga of the MCU will debut following the release of Avengers: Secret Wars, which is slated for release in cinemas on 17th December, 2027.
Following this, it’s assumed that this will lead into the X-Men reboot, which is being directed by Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier.
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And although we don’t have confirmation what the next saga will involve, it’s rumoured to be the Mutant Saga. Therefore, it may be very X-Men heavy, pulling attention away from the Avengers and the multiverse.
If Marvel follows through with these plans, it could see the MCU release new films and TV series for the next decade as part of Phases 7 through 9. Following that, there are no plans for more phases or sagas.
“I'm starting to feel like Marvel is gonna end the MCU at Phase 9,” writes one fan on the Marvel Studios Reddit page.
“The phases had value to them when each one ended with an Avengers movie,” writes another fan. “You knew there was some finality to it, with it being marked by a big event and what not. But, now, with all these shows and movies, they've lost their meaning and worse, we've lost track.”
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Meanwhile, another fan stated that phases “don’t mean anything anymore”, so it’s also possible that Marvel will do away with phases after the next saga has concluded, and that we could see more standalone adventures and sequels materialise as a result.
The next MCU film is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is slated for release on 31st July, 2026.