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The 88 Best Superhero Movies of All Time

Friends of the super variety, we’ve collected every Fresh and Certified Fresh superhero movie with at least 20 reviews to assemble our guide to the best superhero movies ever, ranked by Tomatometer!

It’s been a decades-long battle towards the top in pop culture for superhero movies, and we’re featuring here all the goods, the greats, and the masterpieces made along the way. Everything from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Iron Man, Avengers) to DCEU (Aquaman, Wonder Woman), animated fare (The Incredibles, Megamind) to live-action spoofs (The Toxic Avenger, Mystery Men), comedies (Deadpool) and the super serious (The Dark Knight), and then throwing in some originals made just for the big screen (The Rocketeer, Darkman, Unbreakable).

Great leaping buggaboos! This introduction is now over! Throw up the cape, slip on that cowl, and hop into the Tomatomobile: We ride for to the best superhero movies of all time! (And don’t forget the worst superhero movies ever as well.)

When Marvel Studios first announced its collaboration with Disney+ to produce television shows, the first three projects — WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki — were all proposed as limited series. The proposal certainly made sense as each program featured major Marvel Cinematic Universe stars who needed the most flexible commitments. The first two shows stuck to this plan as their stories continued (or will continue) in Marvel films, but Loki surprised viewers when it announced in the closing of moments of what turned out to be season 1 that it would return. And considering where Loki Laufeyson (Tom Hiddleston) ended up, the story definitely needed to continue.

And then, of course, things went quiet for a time. Key creatives moved on, other Marvel films and television shows grabbed fans’ attention, and Loki quietly soldiered on. But with the news in mid-May that the program will be back this October, we began sifting through our Time Variance Authority files to take a look at everything we know about Loki’s second season and how it ties to the grander MCU tapestry. Join us as we take stock of Loki’s current predicament, the likelihood of his adversary being someone new despite being familiar, and what it means for everyone’s favorite mischief-maker to start again.

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Where Did We Leave Off in Loki?

In the first season, the variant Loki from Avengers: Endgame who absconded from the Battle of New York with the Tesseract soon found himself scooped up by the Time Variance Authority, an organization that operated outside of time to make sure such aberrations to the Sacred Timeline were stamped out or, as it turned out, made to work for their cause. But just as Loki became their guest, another variant Loki — known as Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) — was also causing trouble for the TVA. One middle-level caseworker, Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson), decided the best way to catch a Loki was to use another Loki, even one still burdened by his “glorious purpose.”

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And then everything collapsed as it turned out the TVA was a front for He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), a supergenius who developed the Sacred Timeline to prevent devastating war between the various realities of the Multiverse. That it left him in charge was merely a by-product, of course. But when Sophie recommitted to her original purpose, He Who Remains lived no longer and the Sacred Timeline reconfigured back into the Multiverse giving characters like Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), and She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) so many problems.

For Loki, though, it meant a return to a TVA where former friends like Mobius now regarded him as a stranger and the organization was more closely affiliated with someone who looks an awful lot like He Who Remains. Or, at least, the statues strewn about the office sure seemed to suggest that notion.

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The second season will see Loki attempting to reignite his friendship with Mobius while also trying to convince him that the TVA’s new boss is both the old boss and something much worse. Both elements are part of what Hiddleston called a fight for the TVA’s very soul. But then, what does the appearance of a Victorian inventor named Victor Timely — as teased in the final Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania stinger — have to do with Loki’s new battle?

In addition to all of that, a trailer released at the end of July (embedded at the top of the page) introduced a new problem for the title character: He is now timeslipping, which should be impossible within the TVA. It is unclear if the slipping is an immediate bodily threat to Loki, but it has allowed him to see that “this world” is headed for an untimely end. Whether or not they become friends again, Loki and Mobius begin a hunt through time for the threat Loki saw in his timeslip. But will it be Kang, the presumed main antagonist of the Multiverse Saga, or one of his many, many variants?

Meanwhile, Sylvie and other TVA agents have missions and agendas all their own…

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Where Is Loki Season 2 Set?

The main setting of the series will continue to be the TVA, although it is yet to be seen just how different it will be under the stewardship of a different He Who Remains variant. One thing that will stay the same is its cool mid-20th Century aesthetic with partially analogue technology, luxurious seating, and main thoroughfares anyone who has ever visited the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta will recognize on sight.

And just as the first season visited various time periods and doomed civilizations, it’s safe to assume Loki, Mobius, and the rest of the TVA will enjoy free travel throughout the Multiverse. That possibility could lead to some interesting settings and, perhaps, a few unexpected cameos.

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(Photo by Marvel Studios)

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But as this is still Loki’s show, expect these locales to have something personal for him. We might even see a universe where he grew up as Laufey’s son in Jotunheim. One place we definitely know Loki is headed thanks to Quantumania and the July trailer: Victorian England to convince Mobius that Victor Timely is the big bad they’ve been looking for.

Meanwhile, one wonders if a newfound opportunity to travel that widely means Loki will finally reveal himself to Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and seek his aid in the trouble to come. As it turns out, the program is a crucial part of the overall Multiverse Saga and, at some point, Loki needs to share what he knows with the heroes. Whether or not they believe him will be up for debate, though.

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Who Stars in Season 2 of Loki?

Hiddleston returns as the new favorite Loki; in fact, despite the existence of variants who look different, it would be hard for the show to continue without him. Also returning is Wilson as jet ski enthusiast Mobius. Their dynamic was one of the great surprises of the first season and though circumstances reset their relationship, we expect Loki’s attempts to get his friend back will prove entertaining.

And though the star is the favorite Loki, the other favorite Loki, Di Martino’s Sylvie, will also be back. It’s unclear what she’ll be up to this season, though, as she fulfilled her purpose in killing He Who Remains. The July trailer sees her in various time periods and outfits. And it appears she will once again team up with her male variant. She also mentions, at one point, that their actions will see them “acting like gods.” According to Hiddleston, Loki and Sylvie have had some discussion about her actions in the season 1 finale, but it is currently unclear when or how this transpired.

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Other returning cast include Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer — the TVA judge who fled for parts unknown when her understanding of the universe unraveled — Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, Tara Strong as the voice of Miss Minutes (glimpsed in the new trailer menacing Victorian England), and Eugene Cordero as lovable TVA staffer Casey/Hunter K-5E. Richard E. Grant will also reportedly make another appearance as the comic book inspired “Classic Loki.”

Additionally, Majors also returns; this time as Victor Timely. It was unclear for some time which of He Who Remains’ variants or even how many he would play. As season 1 drew to a close, many presumed the statues suddenly adorning the TVA indicated Kang, but as Quantumania revealed, there are many Kangs in the Multiverse and not all of them go by that name. A further wrinkle: the July trailer appears to suggest that only Loki can see the many deceptions of Kang strewn about the TVA complex. Well, assuming the statues and murals are of Kang. It could also be one of the other variants like Immortus, Rama-Tut, or even Timely himself.

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The last identity, thanks to his brief appearance in the Quantumania stinger pulled directly from Loki’s second season, is the one confirmed variant we know we’ll be seeing. But even in that, there are questions: Is Victor Timely Kang’s original identity? Is it another cover for a different variant? Is it the Kang seemingly killed in Quantumania hiding out? Or is it one of the multitudes glimpsed in that film’s mid-credit stinger? Although embattled with legal troubles that may end his future as Marvel’s current principal antagonist, Majors’ great strength as the Kangs seen so far was his ability to give them different personalities. Presumably, Victor Timely will also differentiate himself until a key moment of revelation or evolution.

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A few new people will also join the cast: Ke Huy Quan, Rafael Casal, and Kate Dickie. Quan — who knows a thing or two about Multiverses — plays a TVA archivist addressed in the July trailer as “OB.” The roles of the latter two are, naturally enough, obscured in the mists of Marvel’s tendency to deny everything until a time they consider the most opportune. Casal’s role is said to be major, while Dickie is rumored to take on a villainous part. The former appears in a handful of shots throughout the trailer, and is even menaced by Loki at one point, but his connection to the TVA’s current woes remain unclear.

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Who’s Producing and Directing Season 2 of Loki?

Lending further credence to Loki’s original purpose as a limited series were the departures of season 1 head writer Michael Waldron and director Kate Herron shortly after the second season was confirmed. Herron stated her intention was to only be involved in the program for one season, while Waldron’s commitments to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a now-defunct Star Wars project Lucasfilm denies ever existed, and Avengers: Secret Wars (the Avengers film said to cap off the Multiverse Saga) meant new writing leadership was needed. Eric Martin, a writer on the first season, soon emerged as Waldron’s replacement.

Taking Herron’s place are the director duo of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. The pair helmed the middle chapters of Moon Knight and are also known for The Endless and the VHS: Viral segment called “Bonestorm.” Before shooting the season in the summer and fall of 2022, they were said to be excited to explore another of Marvel’s outcasts.

Executive producers include Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and Waldron. In other production roles are director of photography Isaac Bauma (a veteran of Channel Zero and Servant), and the first season’s editor Paul Zucker and composer Natalie Holt.

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When Does Season 2 of Loki Premiere?

Loki returns on Friday, October 6 for a second six-episode run. It is, of course, unclear if the series will return for a third year, but we expect that to be spelled out in the final moments of the last season 2 episode, scheduled to stream on Friday, November 10. The finale will be closely followed by the premiere of Hawkeye spin-off Echo on Wednesday, November 29.

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What Is the Rotten Tomatoes Score for Loki?

Season 1 of Loki is Certified Fresh at 92% on the Tomatometer. The review embargo lifts for season 2 of Loki is still to be announced, but reviews for season 1 did not begin appearing until one day before the June 9, 2021, series premiere.

- - Loki: Season 2 (2023) premieres on October 6 on Disney+.

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(Photo by Marvel Studios)

Marvel TV Shows Ranked from Best to Worst

Disney+’s MCU-tied streaming series are the latest threat to the rankings of all Marvel TV shows. How do the comic book giant’s television properties currently stack up?

After Moon Knight leapt into the top 10 in March 2022, the groundbreaking Ms. Marvel overcame the Egyptian god by reaching No. 1 soon after its June launch. Ms. Marvel took the top spot from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which had recently returned to No. 1  despite hefty competition from the first Disney+ original series WandaVision and Daredevil, the highest-scoring former-Netflix series now streaming on Disney+. Also in 2022, Marvel released She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which, while solidly Fresh, debuted as the lowest-rated of the Disney+ original shows. By its finale, She-Hulk had secured a spot in the list’s top 10, pushing out Moon Knight. She has since dropped again, but almost a year has passed and Secret Invasion has taken over the dubious distinction of being the lowest-rated Disney+ series.

We’ve included titles that have at least 10 reviews, and ties were resolved by the number of reviews for each title.

Disagree with the results? Tell us in the comments which series you think should have scored higher (or lower) with critics.

Updated July 27, 2023: Secret Invasion added and ranking adjusted to reflect updated scores

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Although Secret Invasion debuted as one Marvel Studios’ less well-received ventures into television, it is still part of the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe saga — or sagas as the story took elements from both the previous Infinity Saga and the current Multiverse Saga. And like Thor: The Dark World before it, key details could still emerge from the program and, as the Multiverse Saga approaches its end in a few years, we could eventually see Secret Invasion in a different light.

But in the interim, what was the point of Nick Fury’s (Samuel L. Jackson) return to Earth? Or his absence for that matter? How do the geopolitics seen in this series sync up with what we saw in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? And, considering the indefinite end of the tale, how will the fallout from Secret Invasion impact upcoming shows or features like The Marvels and Armor Wars? Let’s do a Secret Invasion debriefing and see what we can find under its skin.

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Spoiler alert: The following contains plot details about the season 1 finale of Secret Invasion, “Home.” Stop reading here if you have not watched the episode and want to avoid spoilers.

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It Was a Series About Blowback

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Although the program took its name from one of the most bombastic Marvel Comics crossovers ever published, Secret Invasion ended up a more low-key affair more concerned with an aging Fury than the possibility of, say, key heroes being replaced by shape-shifting Skrulls looking to invade the Earth. And while more personal interactions took the focus, it is interesting to note that the overall plot was a rumination on blowback.

The term, which simply means the negative and unintended consequences of an action, is quite specific when dealing with spies, secret operations, and geopolitics. In this context, blowback is the result of a highly financed security operation losing control of an insurgency it trained and backed. Across the series’ many flashbacks, we can see this is the root of Gravik’s (Kingsley Ben-Adir) desire to wipe humanity off the face of the Earth. Sure, claiming the planet for Skrulls is his stated intent, but considering Fury took a personal interest in his development, trained him to be part of his covert spy network, and put him in charge of collecting the Avengers DNA following the Battle of Earth, his disappointment in his mentor led to the blowback seen throughout the series.

In fact, it is easy to sympathize with the Skrull insurgency when you consider they waited 30+ years for Fury and Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) to find them a new homeworld, and Fury used their abilities to assemble an undetectable spy network/execution squad in the interim.

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Consider Gravik’s final speech to G’iah (Emilia Clarke) when he thinks she is Fury: The human face he adopted was the visage of the first man Fury ordered him to kill and every subsequent execution order took a piece of his heart. How many other Skrulls did Fury traumatize for the sake of S.H.I.E.L.D. or his own ambitions?

Even if Gravik’s methods proved inadequate (and often seemed an afterthought in the grand scheme of things), he personifies an interesting idea for the MCU: What if Fury created his own greatest monster for the sake of his country?

This rumination on blowback is marred, of course, in the execution. Since Fury and Gravik never really have a conversation through the duration of the series, he never truly owns up to the damage he caused. Even his phone call with Gravik in the finale is more about laying the groundwork for a ruse than any sort of culpability. The late revelation that he is attempting peace talks with the Kree — the alien empire that made refugees and warriors of the Skrulls in the first place — also rings a little hollow as he never really takes responsibility for the crisis at hand.

But perhaps G’iah understood Fury better than anyone realizes when she, as Fury, told Gravik that it’s easier to save the world than change the hearts and minds of its inhabitants. Fury will always accept the win before he answers to the fact he designed the game in the first place.

Like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier before it, Secret Invasion’s main plot is an interesting idea, but perhaps too interesting for a six-episode limited series. Especially when you consider President Ritson’s (Dermot Mulroney) response to the Skrulls at the end.

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It Was Also a Series About Love

One of the show’s most curious quirks is the way any scene between two people — particularly if sat opposite from one other — proved more riveting than Gravik’s world-altering scheme. It’s true of the scene in which he’s promoted to Skrull General in episode 2, it’s also true of the scene between Fury and the Skrull posing as Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) in the same episode.

And it also charges the scene in which Fury and his wife, Varra (Charlayne Woodard), point guns at one another in episode 4. Of course, that one is potentially more charged than the others as Secret Invasion is also about the secret love of Nicholas J. Fury.

Told in flashback across several episodes, we learn Varra was another of the Skrulls willing to join Fury’s network. But in doing missions, she started to develop feelings for him and, after several years and faces, Fury started to feel likewise. But upon returning to their home at the start of the series, we learn something different occurred with his most recent absence and it threatens to break what they had together.

Varra is saint for putting up with his crap and disappearances for over two decades — did she even know if he was alive after his publicly announced death in Captain America: The Winter Soldier? — but as she states, his distance after the return Snap is something new they must confront. On top of that, the Skrull insurgency, and her part in it, refreshed the doubt she always felt in their marriage: Does Fury love her, Varra the Skrull, or “Priscilla,” the human face she wears?

Thankfully, Secret Invasion gives us enough time with them as a couple that we can conclude he isn’t lying when he says he loves her “as she is” before taking her to the S.A.B.E.R. space station. Visually, his truthfulness is backed up by the kiss between them after she assumes her true form. See also the moment when he says he is better with her and that she is the diplomat he needs for the Kree peace talks. While it may not reconcile with the actions that led to Gravik and the blowback, Fury’s personal life is one of the series’ more successful aspects.

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Geopolitics in the MCU

In the program’s final moments, President Ritson tells the American public that he intends to declare all off world–born life as enemy combatants. Fury refers to the action as both hate-filled and the choice of a one-term president. Whether or not it means Fury will take it upon himself to ensure Ritson is not re-elected — we already know a new president will appear in the July 2024 theatrical film Captain America: Brave New World — it reflects Marvel’s attempts, shaky or otherwise, to engage with geopolitics.

Consider this unintended fallout from Ritson’s decree: Will any Asgardians living in the U.S. be forced to leave as the wording of his order makes them the enemy in a conflict they had no part in? Will he attempt to take this up with the UN in order to remove New Asgard from the map? Will Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) still be allowed to crash on his grandfather’s couch as he is half alien?

Like the geopolitical implications of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, we doubt subsequent productions will follow up on most of these questions. Note the complete lack of the Global Repatriation Council as an ongoing concern here in Secret Invasion. See also the return of S.H.I.E.L.D., which was seemingly teased at the end of TFATWS. At the moment, it appears Marvel wants to seed these ideas in viewers minds without exploring them too deeply. Otherwise, the series really should’ve been about Fury’s ability to build a space station and armada in secret with unlimited resources.

Then again, it is possible much of this will come to bear in Brave New World. That subtitle alone implies a great deal.

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Unresolved Questions and Other MCU Connections

Despite Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige declaring Secret Invasion an event too big to contain in one feature, it ultimately felt apart from the ongoing stories and in a world of its own. Is it possible the whole thing took place elsewhere in the Multiverse? It’s unlikely, but not something we can completely dismiss as the Multiverse Saga continues through 2027. But like the Infinity Saga before it, not every discrete story ties back to the overarching metaplot.

Armor Wars will tie back to Secret Invasion, however. Initially announced as another Disney+ series, it will ultimately arrive as a feature following Rhodey (now freed from Skrull captivity) as enemy agents obtain some of Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) Iron Man technology. Presumably, Rhodey’s abduction will factor into the story as a character beat. How long ago was he abducted? Will he still work for the president, whoever that person happens to be? Will he be back as War Machine? Or will the film dramatize that journey back to being an Avenger?

Come to think of it, will any of these Marvel projects declare if the Avengers still exist in some form?

And considering the Iron Man armor, we expect Ironheart (Dominique Thorne), who appeared in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and will headline her own Disney+ show next year, will be part of that war as well.

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Fury, meanwhile, will return in just a few months for the November 10 release of The Marvels. As glimpsed in its various trailers, he seems more his old self than the broken man featured in Secret Invasion. Hopefully, the film will answer the most pertinent question the series presented: Why did Carol Danvers fail to find the Skrulls a new homeworld? Also, we expect Carol’s opponent in the film, Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), will hamper Fury’s attempt to negotiate a Kree-Skrull peace.

The film may also address the real purpose of S.A.B.E.R. and the armada Fury has been building. We always assumed it was in anticipation of Secret Invasion, but now — who knows? Similarly, as Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) is a featured character in The Marvels, we hope the film will address her absence throughout Secret Invasion. Was she aboard S.A.B.E.R the whole time? Her last moment in WandaVision saw her being approached by a Skrull, so is the space station mainly staffed by the aliens?

Back in the Disney+ realm, the next two programs, Loki season 2 and Echo, will likely not refer back to any events in Secret Invasion. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) will have his hands full befriending Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson) again and convincing him their true enemy is hiding in plain sight when that series returns in October. November 29’s Echo, meanwhile, returns to the street-level storytelling of Daredevil and Hawkeye with its title character (Alaqua Cox) going home and trying to evade the pursuit of her uncle, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio).

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Further afield, though, the fallout of Secret Invasion could set up some interesting introductions. The alliance between Sonya Farnsworth (Olivia Colman) and G’iah, the only remaining Super Skrull, might lead, perhaps, to a UK-based superteam or a means of establishing Captain Britain and his psychically-charged sister. With Ms. Marvel already utilizing Marvel UK’s ClanDestine, could we really see Excalibur or even Death’s Head in the future?

Of course, that’s just wild speculation. Marvel has plenty on its plate just with announced projects and the current work stoppage. Avengers: Secret Wars, due in 2027, is both far away and too close for comfort, but like Avengers: Endgame before it, we may find in five-years’ time that Secret Invasion, warts and all, was secretly important.

54% Secret Invasion: Season 1 (2023) is now streaming in its entirety on Disney+.

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(Photo by Universal/ courtesy Everett Collection)

All Robert Downey Jr. Movies Ranked

Before he became synonymous with playing playboy millionaire rascal Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr. was…a playboy millionaire rascal, but with an Oscar nomination! Born into minor Hollywood royalty, Downey spent his formative ’80s career as a Brat Pack honorary in films like Weird Science and The Pick-Up Artist. An Oscar nomination for playing the titular silent-era legend in Chaplin suggested a watershed moment for Downey and his future career.

Instead, he spent the rest of the ’90s in a maelstrom of wild parties and tabloid headlines as he publicly battled addiction. Early 2000s work in A Scanner Darkly, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Zodiac told the world he was still capable of intriguing work, though, and the marked the early stages of a career comeback.

His tumultuous decades seem like a lifetime ago, simply a precursor to his role today as the Man in the Iron Mark IV. Director Jon Favreau fought hard to get Downey in as star of the first Iron Man, with Marvel Studios literally put up as collateral, and the rest is modern history. Across nearly a dozen appearances in Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, Downey has utterly owned the Tony Stark role, whose redemption arc mirrors the actor’s own in real life. Now, we ranking Robert Downey Jr. movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo

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Charlayne Woodard’s Priscilla defends her home with Nick Fury from Skrull invaders with some expert help from Emilia Clarke’s G’iah in a scene from Secret Invasion episode 5, the penultimate episode of season 1.

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Bonus: Secret Invasion Episode 5 Exclusive Image

50% Secret Invasion, Season 1, Episode 5: "Harvest"

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Skrull revolutionary leader Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) turns the temperature up to a boil in this exclusive clip from episode 3 of Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion.

“You’re going to take our people to the edge of extinction with a war with the humans,” Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) warns him.

But Gravik has a solution to Earth’s human problem: “I’m going to murder them all.”

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Bonus: Episode 3 Exclusive Photo of Kingsley Ben-Adir and Emilia Clarke

Could Emilia Clarke’s G’iah really keep her change of heart a secret from diabolical Gravik?

54% Secret Invasion: Season 1 (2023) is streaming on Disney+.

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After a long pause in Marvel Studios’ television initiative, Secret Invasion premieres this week on Disney+. Starring Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, it sees the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director back on Earth as years of blowback from a failed promise he made decades ago comes back to haunt him.

Unlike the full-tilt superhero comic book brawl that inspired it, the series goes for something more grounded and character-focused. It is no surprise, then, that Jackson and some of the cast had a lot to say about the series during a recent press conference. Rotten Tomatoes was there to add their comments to our Secret Invasion dossier, and here are the key takeaways to know before watching the show.

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1. It Goes Grittier and Darker

“We’re finding Talos in a difficult time,” actor Ben Mendelsohn, who returns as the sympathetic Skrull Talos (from Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home), said of where his character begins in the program.

Indeed, as the previews and clips made available online have revealed, Secret Invasion is in a much darker place than many of the previous Disney+ shows, like the out-and-out comedy of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and the stakes have worldwide implications.

And the security of the world means a fair amount of espionage operative will be involved, like Olivia Colman’s Sonya Falsworth. She Is an MI6 agent with a curious interrogation manner. “She likes wearing red,” Colman teased. “She’s quite funny. And she’s potentially a little bit not that nice sometimes.”

The actor also said Falsworth and Fury have “history” if not a friendship. “They trust each other, which is … Maybe they don’t?” she said.

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Jackson added, “As much as one spy can trust another spy, yeah.”

The emphasis on spies came from executive producer Jonathan Schwartz, who pitched Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige on what the studio chief called a “darker, grittier spy show” based around the bombastic Secret Invasion comic book storyline. The key commonality? Skrulls have invaded every echelon of human society with plans to weaken planetary defense as a prelude to an open invasion.

“We love to do different genres for everything,” Feige continued. “And this was an attempt to really dive back into things we touched upon in The Winter Soldier, Captain America 2, but hadn’t in a while, and really delving into the tone of a spy show.”

According to Schwartz, the program is keeping forward momentum on the timeline. “[It’s] post-She-Hulk, post-Blip right at this exact, present day in the MCU,” he said.

There is still some imprecision there. As fans may recall, Endgame initiated a five-year time jump from 2019 to 2023, with every subsequent film and television series (except Black Widow) taking place afterward. But with shows like WandaVision taking place weeks after Endgame and Hawkeye seemingly taking the timeline into 2025 — to say nothing of She-Hulk spanning all of that time — the when of Secret Invasion may leave fans stumped.

“It’s present day MCU,” Schwartz reaffirmed and, at least for the moment, that means the show’s events are the most current. Everything prior to it has occurred and that could lead to just about anything in terms of cameos, as long as they stay on the ground, of course.

Series director Ali Selim felt the story is also very human. “It’s the Nick Fury story. He’s a human. He does have his own version of superpowers, but they’re not like superhero superpowers,” he said. “It’s a story about him putting his feet back on the ground once again after some time.” But is he the same man?

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2. A Different Kind of Fury

Jackson is now the longest serving actor in the MCU with 14 appearances across its 15 years of existence.

“I was in there a year and didn’t do anything?” the actor quipped in regard to missing a year’s worth of film and TV shows.

But that absence underscores one of the program’s key questions: Where has Nick Fury been since the Blip? At least part of it will be answered almost immediately, but the underlying puzzle will remain.

“This is my second appearance post-Snap,” Jackson noted. Fury is glimpsed during Tony Stark’s funeral in Endgame, and he is seen, at least briefly, in Far From Home assembling something out in space while Talos subbed in for him during most of the film.

“I did the whole of Spider-Man,” Mendelsohn quipped. “That was a really tough job.” In actuality, Jackson played Talos as Fury for most of that film.

But as Fury returns to Earth in Secret Invasion, he is a changed man.

“He’s a little tired, a little vulnerable, but coming back to Earth because he’s been summoned,” Jackson explained. “[He’s] got a bad knee now. Not so happy.”

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The physical impairments also underscore an emotional change in the character which will be explored alongside the overarching Skrull plot. For one thing, he’s still dealing with being Blipped.

“It definitely has a mental health effect on you, and it causes a different kind of rift between you and the people that you’ve been around or people that you’re supposed to be close to,” Jackson said. “The more you find out about him, then the more you’re gonna like him — the more I like him. It’s peeling the onion and having a good time.”

That deeper layer even includes an actual Fury home!

“You got to watch to find out if I live in a condo or a real house,” Jackson teased. “Does he have an island in his kitchen? Can he cook? Is he a CD or a turntable man?”

But will the onion be enough to explain his absence? As Mendelson noted, “By the way, [Fury], you know, up there [in space]? Like, coulda used him. Like, I’m just sayin’.”

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3. Relationships Are Strained

While Fury, Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), and Talos form a family unit of sorts — and Talos has his own family with wife Soren (Sharon Blynn) and daughter G’iah (Emilia Clarke) — those bonds are under a great strain even before Fury makes planetfall.

“I think the relationship is quite strained because she’s been calling, and he hasn’t been answering,” Smulders said of Hill’s regard for Fury as events begin. Although, she was quick to add that “working with Sam is my favorite thing.”

Mendelsohn, meanwhile, denied that that Fury and Talos’s friendship is under as much tension, instead calling it an “evolution.”

Jackson added, “He’s like my green brother.”

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Feige also added that viewers will be seeing a “very different dynamic between Fury and Talos than we had seen in sort of our ’90s buddy action movie, Captain Marvel.”

One relationship that is definitely on the rocks is the one between Talos and G’iah. She’s joined the revolutionary cause — even if she still answers Talos’ phone calls from time to time. This was one of the relationships the group were less willing to comment on, but it is another major aspect of the show. It remains to be seen, though, if it will be one resolved within the show’s six episodes or carry on into other stories.

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4. Rhodey Goes From War Machine to Political Animal

One of the Marvel threads the series is picking up is Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle), who trades in his Avenger War Machine armor to become advisor to the US president in the series. The change was teased ever so slightly in the first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Solider, but becomes major text with Seceret Invasion.

“We see him as more a political animal than we have in the past,” Cheadle explained. “He’s been more of a military man, but now he’s, in some ways, a right hand of the president and this special envoy.”

And because everything in the MCU is connected, Rhodey’s White House tenure will “relate” to Armor Wars, the former series turned upcoming film set to star Cheadle in the next few years. Of course, both he and Feige were quite mute on the topic, other than to reiterate that the two projects will interconnect in some fashion.

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In the interim, Secret Invasion is an opportunity to “get under the hood of who [Rhodey] is.” Cheadle also admitted that he is most excited to see “how this relationship, not only with Nick Fury — but the other cast members — evolves.”

“I never had an in-depth scene with Don [before this],” Jackson said. “So that was, like, you know, manna. We’ve been waiting to do this for, like, years and years and years, you know?” Some of that interaction can be seen in the early trailer, which featured Fury and Rhodey in the midst of a tense dinner table conversation. According to Jackson, that interaction will be informed by a lot of “presumed” dynamics and we can say the conversation is not one you will expect.

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5. Gravik Has the Potential To Be a Top-Tier Marvel Antagonist

Of course, a proper spy story needs to identify a clear enemy to fight and Secret Invasion’s threat is a Skrull revolutionary named Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir). Describing him both as not “too fond of anyone” and a mix of “self-hatred,” the character organizes a sect of the Skrull refugees disgruntled after 30 years without Fury or Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) making good on their promise to find them a new homeworld.

Ben-Adir said he was really inspired by the tone of the script and sought to make Gravik as “unsentimental” as possible, even “in his hatred.”

“There’s something about how much he hated Nick and how much he hated G’iah that was like, ‘God, this feels really enticing,'” he said. Of course, how his regard for the latter informs her work within his band of Skrulls remains to be fully unveiled, but the pragmatism of having someone so close to the source of ire says something about the character, who has the potential to be as memorable a Marvel antagonist as Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), or the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji).

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Jackson added that as much as Secret Invasion is a Nick Fury story, it is also the story of Gravik, Talos, G’iah, Rhodey, and Falsworth.

“It’s all these people that they’re being introduced to that make you want to say, well, sh*t, I want to go home with them too, see what’s happening,” he said.

Continuing the thought, he considered something that always been true for his character and, it seems, underscored in Secret Invasion. “He leads you to all these other people that are really, really, really, really interesting.”

54% Secret Invasion: Season 1 (2023) debuts July 21 on Disney+.

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[Updated June 13, 2023]

Since Marvel Studios present Kevin Feige first introduced the notion of Phases to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, their purpose and length have always been mysterious. Sometimes, he even reconsiders where they begin and end after the fact. But with Marvel Studios’ presentation at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2022, the exact length and purpose of Phases Four, Five, and Six were revealed during a presentation notable for just how much information the often evasive Feige was willing to offer. For one thing, the three phases form the next Marvel epic: The Multiverse Saga. And like The Infinity Saga before it, it will build from a phase of character introductions (the recently concluded Phase Four) to something full of war, dynasties, and secrets.

Of course, the introductions are far from ending. Also, on the horizon is the arrival of the anti-hero team known as the Thunderbolts and, of course, Marvel’s first family, the Fantastic Four. And as we have for the last few years, we’re keeping track of it all in this comprehensive guide of every upcoming Marvel Studios film (and television show) with a handy calendar of the studio’s projects through 2026 (and beyond).

As always, we will continue to update this page frequently as new details emerge. And be careful: There are spoilers ahead. (Want to see what the other camp is up to? Check out our full breakdown of upcoming DC movies.)

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WHAT TO EXPECT IN PHASE FIVE

As Feige revealed at SDCC 2022, Phase 5 opens with an Ant-Man movie and closes with a team-up movie — but not the team you would expect. The phase also features a lot of sequels and the first Season 2 in their Disney+ television series initiative. And considering how it begins, we imagine the purpose of the Phase will be to set up the overall nemesis — Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) — even as it further re-establishes Daredevil in the MCU proper and sheds light on other corners of the vast Multiverse.

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Secret Invasion: Season 1 (2023)

Premiere Date: June 21, 2023

What We Know: Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) will deal with a sect of ill-intentioned Skrulls hiding on Earth and infiltrating “every level of life” on the planet. Word of the series first broke in September of 2020 as an unspecified Nick Fury project, but calling it Secret Invasion leads to something very pointed as Feige ultimately referred to the original Secret Invasion comic book event series as “the biggest” since Civil War. Kyle Bradstreet serves as the program’s head writer. In April of 2021, news broke indicating both The Crown’s Olivia Colman and Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke would be joining the cast. As both played royalty in other prestige series, speculation on their parts immediately centered on Skrull Empress Veranke, the main antagonist of the Secret Invasion comic book storyline. They’ve since been confirmed to be playing an unnamed MI6 agent and Talos’s daughter G’iah, respectively. In May of 2021, Thomas Bezucha and Ali Selim signed on to direct the series. Later in the month, Christopher McDonald joined the series in a role said to be original for the program, but with the potential to cross over into other aspects of the MCU. Production began in November 2021 with the subsequent Disney+ Day video revealing a brief glimpse of a grizzled and visibly older Fury alongside a decidedly more Skrull-like title card. The six-episode series wrapped production in April 2022. Soon after, Martin Freeman confirmed his character, Everett K. Ross, will also appear. Other actors appearing in the series include Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik, leader of the Skrull splinter cell, Carmen Ejogo and Killian Scott. During Marvel’s SDCC 2022 presentation, Smulders appeared on stage and referred to the program as “a darker show,” adding, “We’re going to see [Maria Hill and Nick Fury] in new ways.” The teaser screened at the event backed up her words by showing the two characters at odds and Fury unwilling to explain why he is the only person equipped to handle the Skrull threat. The teaser also confirmed reports that Don Cheadle would appear as Colonel James Rhodes. In February 2023, rumors began to surface indicating the series may be one of just two debuting on Disney+ in the coming year, but that it also must precede the release of the next film, The Marvels, for story reasons. In March, Disney confirmed the program will debut in June. Early the next month, the company unveiled a trailer (above) suggesting the program will be the most serious of the Disney+ Marvel shows to date.

How It Fits in the MCU: Picking up from Talos’s appearances in Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home, the series will dramatize one of the possible MCU stories we’ve been talking about since the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame. As it turns out, Fury’s armada in Far From Home was meant to help the Skrulls find a world of their own. Sadly, the search has not gone well. Also, we suspect at least one character we’ve seen in a Disney+ series has been replaced with a Skrull.

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Loki: Season 2 (2023)

Premiere Date: October 6, 2023

What We Know: During the Disney Upfront presentation in May of 2022, Feige revealed the cast of Loki would soon reassemble to shoot the program’s second season. Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Eugene Cordero, and Wunmi Mosaku are all back as Loki faces whatever became of the Time Variance Authority after Sylvie (Di Martino) killed He Who Remains (Johnathan Majors). For the moment, we’re going to assume Majors will appear as a variant other than Kang or He Who Remains. One completely new presence in the series: Ke Huy Quan, who joined the series in the Fall of 2022. Eric Martin takes over as head writer from Michael Waldron while directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (of Moon Knight‘s middle episodes) take the reigns from Kate Herron. In February of 2023, rumors surfaced suggesting the second season will be part of just two Marvel series to stream on Disney+ during the year. And with Secret Invasion debuting in June, it seems Loki‘s return will have to wait a little bit longer.

How It Fits in the MCU: With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania adding a new wrinkle to Kang’s involvement in Phase 5, it is possible the variant whose statues now adorn the TVA will appear as a more benevolent being than even He Who Remains. Sure, it’s a long shot, but it is possible. What this would mean for Loki is anyone’s guess. Meanwhile, we still think Loki will discover the problem lurking between all possible realities and, perhaps, recruit his brother for aid.

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The Marvels (2023)

Release Date: November 10, 2023

What We Know: In January 2020, Marvel reportedly hired WandaVision staff writer Megan McDonnell to begin drafting a sequel to Captain Marvel. Brie Larson soon set her return as Carol. In August of 2020, Candyman director Nia Costa took the director’s chair from the first film’s Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who were never expected to return. At the 2020 Disney Investor Day presentation, Feige revealed Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani and WandaVision’s Teyonah Parris (as the grown-up Monica Rambeau) were joining the cast, confirming the film will take place in the modern-day MCU. In a subsequent Phase 4 sizzle reel, it was revealed the film would be called The Marvels. In June of 2021, Park Seo Joon reportedly joined the production, which began that August with Kamala’s family from Ms. Marvel also joining the cast. Zawe Ashton also signed up to play the villainous Dar-Benn, a Kree of some stripe who brandishes some familiar objects. In October of 2021, the film was delayed to February 2023 in light of various scheduling changes and production delays around the whole Marvel operation. In April of 2022, it was once again delayed to July 2023, swapping spots with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Filming finally wrapped that May. In February of 2023, Disney once again moved the film’s release, this time to November. In April of 2023, Disney released the first teaser trailer for the film, giving a hint to some of the plot and Kamala’s newfound tendency to switch places with both Carol and Monica.

How It Fits in the MCU: Considering the continued cosmic emphasis post-Endgame, it is entirely possible The Marvels will follow-up on ideas from Guardians of the Galaxy and Eternals. But with both Kamala Khan and Parris’s grown-up Monica Rambeau joining Carol on this adventure, we know the film will feature Earth in some capacity — indeed, the final moments of Ms. Marvel put Carol planetside.

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Echo: Season 1 (2024)

Premiere Date: November 29, 2023

What We Know: In March of 2021, word broke indicating Echo, who debuted in Disney+’s Hawkeye would get her own show. Etan Cohen and Emily Cohen serve as writers and executive producers of the series with Alaqua Cox reprising her role as the deaf assassin with a knack for picking up her opponents’ fighting styles. The story sees her leaving New York to reconnect with the Indigenous parts of her family. Of course, a new crisis interrupts that reunion. Marvel confirmed the series’ existence during the November 2021 Disney+ Day announcements and production began in May of 2022. The cast also includes Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, Graham Greene ,and Zahn McClarnon. Sydney Freeland and Catriona McKenzie are directing. In July of 2022, reports of Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio joining the program emerged, with a special note of Daredevil’s purpose in the series: looking for an old ally who might turn out to be Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter). The following February, reports surfaced indicating the series may be delayed to 2024 as Marvel and Disney reconsider the pace of the MCU. Alaqua Cox subsequently teased on Twitter the possibility of an October debut.

How It Fits in the MCU: Echo’s story continues on from the events of Hawkeye and, perhaps, straight into the designs of Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Echo’s mimicry sure seems like an asset she would want for her team. Also, considering the way she parted ways with her uncle, Wilson Fisk (D’Onofrio), it is a guarantee he will reappear in her life. In the comics, the character has appeared alongside Moon Knight and Daredevil, so her crossover potential is also pretty endless.

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Ironheart (series)

(Photo by © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, © Marvel Studios)

Premiere Date: 2024

What We Know: Based on the character introduced into Marvel comics by Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mike Deodato (with a subsequent redesign by Eve Ewing and Kevin Libranda), Riri Williams (Dominque Thorne) is a robotics genius who builds a suit of armor more advanced than anything Tony Stark devised in his lifetime. She’ll probably need it as Tony left behind plenty of enemies who want control of his style of tech. In April of 2021, word broke indicating poet and Snowpiercer veteran Chinaka Hodge will serve as the program’s head writer and executive producer. The following February, Anthony Ramos joined the cast in a role that is both secret and compared to Jonathan Major’s debut in Loki while Lyric Ross also joined as Riri’s best friend. That April, Ryan Coogler’s Proximity production company signed on to produce while Blindspotting‘s Angela Barnes and Dear White People‘s Sam Bailey climbed aboard to direct. Additional cast members added in the summer of 2022 include Manny Montana, Shea Couleé, and Alden Ehrenreich in a key role. Although already filmed, reports in February of 2023 indicated the series may move to a 2024 release as Disney and Marvel seek to slow the output of both films and television.

How It Fits in the MCU: Riri debuted in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Considering she is one of the younger Marvel characters, we imagine she will cross paths with Kamala and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) before too long. Also, with her connection to Stark, we imagine she will be part of the upcoming Armor Wars series in some fashion.

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Agatha: Coven of Chaos (series)

Premiere Date: 2024

What We Know: The series will see Kathryn Hahn return as lovable witch Agatha Harkness. Presumably, she will have to find her way out of being nosy neighbor Agnes and then restore her powers for another fight with Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) — despite what happened to the Scarlet Witch in Multiverse of Madness. Or, maybe, this will finally be the show to introduce Mephisto. WandaVision’s Jac Schaeffer serves as head writer, so maybe the series will also lean on single-character spinoff shows like Rhoda and Frasier for inspiration. At the 2022 Comic-Con presentation, Feige unveiled the series’ proper title. In subsequent months, Emma Caulfeild, reprising her WandaVision role, Aubrey Plaza, and Joe Locke joined the cast. Other actors set to appear include Debra Jo Rupp (also returning as the character glimpsed in WandaVision), Patti LuPone, Sasheer Zamata, and Trey Sartorius. The latter will reportedly play a character named “Nate Richards” who may be very important to the Multiverse Saga. Directing duties are split between Schaeffer, Gandja Monteiro, and Rachel Goldberg. Production is currently underway.

How It Fits in the MCU: With Blade, Wanda’s experiences in MoM, and Werewolf By Night, the increasing horror elements making their way into the MCU may be best explored by someone cloaked in traditional witchy trappings. Agatha just happens to fit that description perfectly. Of course, the possibility of a Nate Richards appearance also means the series will have Multiversal implications.

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Daredevil: Born Again (series)

Premiere Date: Spring 2024

What We Know: Although Charlie Cox teased knowing “some things” Marvel had in store for his character during interviews following his Spider-Man: No Way Home cameo, it was unclear if this meant further guest appearances or a return to fulltime duty as the Daredevil of Hell’s Kitchen. It seems it will be the latter with word finally breaking in mid-May 2022 that Marvel Studios is indeeed developing a Daredevil series for Disney+. The Enemy Within‘s Matt Corman and Chris Ord will reportedly serve as executives producers on the program, which is described as both a new iteration of Daredevil and continuing from stories told in the Netflix series. Cox will return as Matt Murdoch, as will Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk. At the moment, though, it is still unclear if Elden Henson, Deborah Ann Woll, or Wilson Bethel will return as their respective characters. One thing we’re pretty sure of, though, D’Onofrio’s Kingpin was Bliped and between the Echo series and Daredevil, he may have ample time to re-establish his empire and his beef with Matt. At the 2022 Comic-Con presentation, Feige also mentioned the series will be Marvel Studios’ first 18-episode production. Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva, and Sandrine Holt joined the cast in December of 2022. The following month, Nikki M. James also joined up while Arrowverse veterans Jill Blakenship and Grainne Godfree became part of the writing staff. Their hiring reinforces comments made by Feige about making some of the Marvel shows more episodic. In March of 2023, reports surfaced indicating Jon Bernthal will return as The Punisher, but both Henson and Woll are not expected to return — it is unclear if their characters will be featured with new actors. One part definitely recast, though, is Fisk’s wife Vanessa; Holt takes over the role from Ayelet Zurer of the Netflix-era series. Additionally, veteran Homeland director Michael Cuesta will helm the first episode and Arty Froushan will appear as Harry, an unconfirmed but reportedly pivotal role.

How It Fits in the MCU: Unlike the other Marvel Studios television projects, Daredevil is unique as it will cannonize stories that, while meant to be part of the MCU, always felt a universe or two away. Will it bring the other Defenders back as well? With 18-episode worth of time to fill, there may be a chance for the other street level heroes to chart their own new status quos in the MCU.

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Deadpool 3 (2024)

(Photo by @VancityReynolds)

Release Date: May 3, 2024

What We Know: With the news that former Bob’s Burgers writers Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin and Wendy Molyneux are scripting the third film in the funny X-related franchise, any number of things could happen. But we think the film will serve as the introduction of the X-Men in a roundabout way. Consider Deadpool’s (Ryan Reynolds) fourth-wall–breaking abilities and how they could be used to make him the only person cognizant that a fundamental change occurred around him. His quest to understand what happened and why his life is different could form an interesting story – particularly if it is built around finding the formerly dead Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) or discovering she never existed in his new reality. Although concrete plot details are unknown, Feige admitted in early 2021 that the film was in development and will be R-rated, but production would not begin for some time. In March 2022, Free Guy and The Adam Project director Shawn Levy agreed to direct the picture. Deadpool and Deadpool 2 writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick also returned at that time to further develop the script. Then, in late September of 2022, Reynolds himself took to Twitter to release a brief teaser for the next Deadpool film in which he confesses he has no idea what to do for the character’s third outing… aside from asking Hugh Jackman to return to play Wolverine “one more time.” The teaser ends with the announcement of a September 6, 2024 release date. Disney subsequently pushed that date to November 2024. In February of 2023, The Crown‘s Emma Corrin signed on as the film’s antagonist. The next month, Succession‘s Matthew Macfayden also joined the cast. That May, Rob Delany elected to return in his Deadpool 2 role as Peter, the completely human member of X-Force.

How It Fits in the MCU: As it will be the first R-rated MCU film, it sort of doesn’t. That may be part of the point, though, as we now think most of the Phase 6 films will take place in other realities (provided the film counts as a Phase 6 story). Although, we can’t help but think the incursion Clea (Charlize Theron) and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) are heading off to fight might be centered around Wade and his sudden appearance in the MCU.

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Captain America: Brave New World (2024)

(Photo by ©Marvel Studios)

Release Date: July 26, 2024

What We Know: Immediately following the final episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, news broke of series writers Malcom Spellman and Dalan Musson beginning work on a script for the fourth Captain America film. It will continue with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, who closed his deal to star in August of 2021) as Cap and how he fulfills the role in a world still recovering from the Blip. Perhaps it will also address his connection to the Avengers (or what’s left of them). In July 2022, The Cloverfield Paradox‘s Julius Onah emerged as the film’s director. Feige subsequently revealed the film’s title and release date at the 2022 Comic-Con presentation. At the D23 Expo the following September, Feige confirmed The Incredible Hulk‘s Tim Blake Nelson will return as The Leader and in the proceeding weeks, Disney confirmed a persistent rumor that Harrison Ford would replace the late William Hurt as recurring MCU character Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. In February of 2023, Marvel revealed Ross will be the President of the United States in the film. The next month, Liv Tyler signed to return as Ross’s daughter, Betty — a role she has not played since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.

How It Fits in the MCU: With Sam firmly established as the new Captain America and the announced changes in GRC policy going forward, shows like Secret Invasion and Ironheart will presumably pick up the geopolitical threads and establish at least part of the crisis Sam will need to resolve in his first feature film as Cap. Also, is it possible for either of those shows to occur without Sam making an appearance?

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Thunderbolts (2024)

Release Date: December 20, 2024

What We Know: In June of 2022, Deadline reported Robot & Frank‘s Jake Schreier will direct a Thunderbolts film — the project itself proving to be something of a surprise. Eric Pearson was writing the script based on the Marvel team of anti-heroes, but Beef creator Lee Sung Jin replaced him in March 2023. In the comic book original premise, Baron Zemo assembled a group of villains to masquerade as a superhero team and supplant the Avengers. But once Zemo’s true plan was revealed, the Thunderbolts became a squad with a more flexible immorality. During the D23 Expo in September of 2023, Feige revealed the team’s roster: Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine, Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), US Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko ). Ford will also appear as Ross. In January of 2023, Ayo Edebiri joined the cast with Steven Yeun signing up a month later.

How It Fits in the MCU: Beyond the possibility of Zemo (Daniel Brühl) secretly organizing an Avengers all his own, the notion of a Thunderbolts in the MCU seems tailor-made to explain the appearances and behavior of the Contessa. Also: will they be called upon to truly replace the Avengers when Kang (or some other Thanos-level antagonist) finally makes good on their threat? Considering the film calendar Feige revealed at Comic-Con, we have to wonder if the Thunderbolts will utterly fail, forcing a new Avengers to form.

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Blade (2025)

(Photo by © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, © Marvel Studios)

Release Date: February 14, 2025

What We Know: Feige stunned the 2019 Comic-Con crowd by announcing Mahershala Ali will be the MCU’s version of Blade. Although so much about the eventual film is still fluid, some things are starting to come into shape with Stacy Osei-Kuffour signing up to write the project and Feige admitting it will be a PG-13 affair. In July of 2021, word broke indicating Bassam Tariq will direct the picture. In November of 2021, Delroy Lindo emerged as the second person cast for the film. Although it is unclear who he will play, the internet quickly seized on the possibility of Jamal Afari, Blade’s mentor in the comics who was revamped into Whistler for the first Blade film trilogy. The following February, Aaron Pierre joined the cast in an unknown role. The depature of Tariq in the Fall of 2022 not only delayed the film, but several others down the production calendar. In late September that year, Lovecraft Country‘s Yann Demange emerged as the new director with Michael Starrbury writing a new script. In April of 2023, Mia Goth joined the cast and, later that month, True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto took on writing duties with production expected to begin in late May. But with the onset of the Writers’ Guild Strike on May 2, it is unclear if Pizzolatto’s draft was completed or if production can commence without him. Additionally, with directors and actors potentially joining the writers on the picket lines when their work agreements end on June 30, it is possible Blade will once again be delayed.

How It Fits in the MCU: While the MCU is a realm of science, mysticism, cosmic entities, and traditional street crime, it lacks for genuine monsters. Emerging from Marvel Comics’ The Tomb of Dracula, Blade will no doubt be our guide into a darker corner of the MCU where one finds things that go bump in the night. Luckily, he’s pretty good with a sword and can vanquish them with relative ease. Of course, the literal demons of the Marvel Universe may present more of a challenge. In terms of a more concrete connection to the MCU, the character made a disembodied appearance in Eternals, stopping Dane Whitman (Kit Harrington) from embracing his destiny and, seemingly, adding the character to Blade’s corner of the Marvel Universe.

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PHASE SIX AND BEYOND

It was revealed at the SDCC 2022 presentation that Phase Six would begin with Fantastic Four and conclude with a two-part Avengers series sprwaling into 2026, although the September release date of Deadpool 3 may have shuffled things around just a bit. Considering it will be the culmination of the Multiverse Saga, we expect some of these films will takes place in other realties than the prime MCU. Also, considering how full the calendar is already, there may only be two additional films — and possibily a fourth Spider-Man — announced, developed, and released before the saga ends.

But beyond the saga are a number of reported television projects that have yet to take any real form. We are listing them below the Avengers films until such time as they become real and join the Phase Six schedule.

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Fantastic Four (2025)

(Photo by )

Release Date: May 2, 2025

What We Know: At the 2019 Comic-Con, Feige merely mentioned he “ran out of time” to discuss the Fantastic Four or mutants. While both concepts will eventually make their way into the MCU, we expected that integrating Marvel’s first family will be the priority. Like many on the internet have suggested, placing them in the 1960s during their first film – but making the world forget about them for decades – is an elegant way to introduce them and acknowledge their absence all this time. In that context, they also serve as a great replacement for the similarly time-lost Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). In December of 2020, Marvel announced Spider-Man: Far From Home director Jon Watts would helm the project, but then announced his departure in April 2022, just a week or so shy of John Kransinski making a cameo as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Some expected him to direct the movie. The actor did not appear at the 2022 Comic-Con presentation and Feige said little else about the film beyond its release date and place as the Phase 6 opener. At the subsequent D23 Expo, he confirmed WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman would direct the film. Shortly thereafter, Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer signed on to write the script. In March of 2022, Avatar: The Way of Water‘s Josh Friedman signed on to write a new draft of the script.

How It Fits in the MCU: The Fantastic Four bring with them a surprisingly robust rouges gallery. To be honest, we’re a little more excited to see Doctor Doom, Annihilus, and Galactus make their MCU introductions than the Richards clan – although, Kang’s involvement in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania means the family will ultimately be important. And now that we know this is the Multiverse Saga, we have to wonder if the film (and the bulk of the Phase 6 films) will take place outside the MCU.

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Armor Wars

(Photo by © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, © Marvel Studios)

Release Date: TBA

What We Know: According to Feige, Armor Wars will be Tony Stark’s “worst fears come to life” as bad actors get ahold of some Iron Man tech. Only Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) – a.k.a. War Machine – will be in a position to stop them. In August of 2021, Black Monday’s Yassir Lester emerged as the series’ head writer. Production was expected to start in late 2022 and as the series was not mentioned at all during the SDCC 2022 presentation, Lester took to his Instagram stories to clarify that it is still happening. Marvel and Disney subsequently announced the project would be a film instead with Lester staying on to write the script.

How It Fits in the MCU: Cheadle, of course, has played Rhodey since Iron Man 2 and survived terrible color schemes for his armor, the crushing of his legs, and the Blip. So he’s well-placed to defend Tony’s technology. Also, we can’t help but think Ironheart will show up to offer him some aid.

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Shang-Chi 2

(Photo by ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.)

Release Date: TBA

What We Know: Early in December of 2021, reports suggested director Destin Daniel Cretton will return to helm a Shang-Chi sequel and develop other projects for Disney and Marvel. Presumably, Simu Liu and Awkwafina will return as Shang-Chi and Katy with Meng’er Zhang continuing to rebuild the Ten Rings as Xialing. We also imagine Wong (Bendict Wong) will appear in some capacity, as the signal Shang-Chi’s Ten Rings are sending into space will lead something to Earth. Of course, readers of the Gene Luen Yang-written Shang-Chi comic book may wonder if, perhaps, the Five Weapons Society will also be introduced. But with word that Cretton will direct the next Avengers film (more below), it is possible the Shang-Chi sequel will end up on the back burner for some time.

How It Fits in the MCU: The signal broadcasting into space is the big one here. Will it attract a dragon-like alien race to the epicenter of the Blip? Is it the thing Nick Fury has been preparing for? Or is it a huge diversion while the Ten Rings organization returns to prominence in the criminal underworld? And speaking of Xialing’s future as a crime boss, she will no doubt face opponents like Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) and Kingpin in her quest to be more successful than her late father.

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Spider-Man 4

(Photo by Matt Kennedy/©Sony Pictures Releasing)

Release Date: TBA

What We Know: Mere hours into Spider-Man: No Way Home’s theatrical run, Feige confirmed Marvel Studios and Sony are already developing a fourth MCU Spider-Man film. Indeed, No Way Home producer Amy Pascal indicated in early December of 2021 that a second trilogy was in the works, but Sony Pictures CEO Tom Rothman walked that back at the film’s Los Angeles premiere. And yet, the conclusion of No Way Home makes it clear Peter Parker (Tom Holland) has a part to play in the phases to come. In the meantime, of course, he still needs to clear Spider-Man’s name and get some vestige of his life back. Also, there is that piece of Venom left behind in Mexico… In February of 2023, Feige confirmed Marvel has a story in mind for a fourth film, but offered little else, and after the release of the animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in June, Pascal gave Variety an interview in which she confirmed development on a number of Spider-Man-related titles, including a new Tom Holland film.

How It Fits in the MCU: Bear with us as we speculate wildly. The Venom symbiote may be a long-game thing, waiting in the wings until Avengers: Secret Wars – in honor of the comic book event title of the same name in which Peter first received the black spider-suit – so Spider-Man 4 could concern itself with a hero trying to re-establish his cred in a New York filled with Hawkeyes, Daredevils, and the Fantastic Four. In fact, a cinematic re-creation of The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (in which Peter tries to join the FF) would be an amazing starting point. Also, it is always possible he’ll find organized crime kingpin Wilson Fisk as his new opponent. One other thing to consider: as Sony is in charge of Spider-Man release dates, this project will have to fit in between the other Phase 6 ambitions. Also, it could end up pushed to Phase 7.

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Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2026)

Premiere Date: May 1, 2026

What We Know: The fifth Avengers film will presumably set up the endgame of The Multiverse Saga. Also, judging by the name, it will likely see Kang in charge of everything. On July 26, 2022, word broke indicating Destin Daniel Cretton will direct the film. That September, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania writer Jeff Loveness signed on to craft the script. During the press tour for Quantumania, he teased the film will be a “bloodbath” and inspire the next generation of Avengers.

How It Fits in the MCU: Considering the number of times Kang mentioned starting a “dynasty” in Quantumania, the film will likely see him accomplishing that goal. But with the next Avengers film scheduled a year after The Kang Dynasty‘s release, we wonder if some additional Phase 6 stories will be told during his reign.

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Avengers: Secret Wars (2027)

Premiere Date: May 7, 2027

What We Know: The sixth Avengers film will conclude Phase 6 and The Multiverse Saga. The title also offers a few clues as Marvel Comics has published two epic stories with that name. The first saw heroes and villains transported to Battleworld so the Beyonder could watch them fight. The second saw some heroes remembering how their world was before various incursions collapsed it and plotting against Doctor Doom, the unquestioned master of all reality, to restore the universe they loved. Also, Spider-Man Miles Morales joined the mainstream Marvel Comics Universe in the aftermath. In October 2022, Loki‘s Michael Waldron signed on to write the script, but Marvel has yet to find a director.

How It Fits in the MCU: No matter how Kang’s rule of the universe ends, we expect the MCU will look fairly different afterward. Oh, and the post-credit scene — if one happens — would be the perfect moment to reprise the X-Men animated series theme again.

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Wonder Man (series)

Premiere Date: TBA

What We Know: Initially an untitled series tied to Cretton’s overall deal with Disney, news broke in June of 2022 that the project is, indeed, a Disney+ show centering on Wonder Man. At first a villain, the character saw the error of his ways (after dying, of course) and eventually joined the Avengers as a member in good standing. Also of note: his brain patterns were utilized to create Vision in the comics. Andrew Guest will serve as head writer on the program with Cretton acting as an executive producer. He may also direct a few episodes provided it does not conflict with his Avengers commitments. In October of 2022, Aquaman‘s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II emerged as the star of the series with Ben Kingsley also signing on to play in-universe actor Trevor Slattery once again. Additional cast includes Mindhunters‘ Lauren Glazier. In February of 2023, The Photograph‘s Stella Meghie emerged as one of the program’s episode directors. That March, Demetrius Grosse joined the series as Eric Williams, Simon’s brother and eventual coma-inducing Marvel villain Grim Reaper.

How It Fits in the MCU: Presuming he ends up debuting in Phase 6, Wonder Man could help resolve the mystery of White Vision (Paul Bettany) and, perhaps, aid him in integrating all his memories. But as Wonder Man’s civilian identity is an actor, there may also be another chance to illustrate what movies look like in the MCU.

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Ryan Coogler’s Wakanda-Set Television Series (series)

(Photo by Matt Kennedy/Marvel Studios)

Premiere Date: TBA

What We Know: As part of an overall deal with Disney, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler will develop and produce a series set in Wakanda. It is unclear if it will tell more tales of the country’s past or expand on ideas and characters seen in the film and its sequel. Beyond its setting, nothing else is known.

How It Fits in the MCU: Presuming it is set after Wakanda Forver, it may be a story about rebuilding after the events of the film.

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Untitled Okoye Series

(Photo by Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Premiere Date: TBA

What We Know: In late May of 2021, word broke indicating Danai Gurira will lead a Disney+ spinoff detailing Okoye’s rise through the Dora Milaje ranks. This project appears to be an additional Wakanda concept beyond the one Coogler is developing.

How It Fits in the MCU: A focus on Okoye – and the other Dora Milaje for that matter – offers untold possibilities for story and further exploration of Wakanda. It could also strengthen her ties to characters beyond its borders. Of course, if it tells an ongoing story following the events of Wakanda Forever, it could see the character grappling with becoming more of a traditional superhero.

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Untitled Scarlett Johansson Production

Release Date: TBA

What We Know: During a November 2021 American Cinematheque award ceremony in Scarlett Johansson’s honor, Feige let slip that the Black Widow star will be producing a project for Marvel Studios. Characterizing it as “top secret,” the studio chief also said the production will have nothing to do with Black Widow.

Johansson’s involvement with Marvel is somewhat surprising, as she sued Disney over the Disney+ premiere of Black Widow earlier that year. Although such suits are not uncommon, there seemed to be an unusual level of animosity between Disney and Johansson’s team – in the press, at least. But with the matter resolved, it seems Johansson will still take part in Marvel’s future endeavors.

How It Fits in the MCU: Since this is a “top secret” project, anything is on the table – including a film version of A-Force, the all-female Avengers team. Also, although we’re listing this as a movie project, it is also possible this will be a Disney+ series.

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Nova

Release Date: TBA

What We Know: In March of 2022, Moon Knight‘s Sabir Pirzada was reportedly devloping a project based on Marvel Comics’ Nova, centering on a member of  the Nova Corps, the yellow-clad space cops seen in Guardians of the Galaxy. At the time of the initial report, it was unclear if Nova would be a film or Disney+ series. In either case, it would follow a human who recives enhanced abilities upon joining the corps. Last Fall, reports inidcated the project was evolving into a Marvel Special Presentation like Werewolf by Night, but with Disney and Marvel rethinking its release strategy, it is possible Nova will have to wait for quite some time.

How It Fits in the MCU: Should it become a reality, Nova could take the place of Guardians as the key window into Marvel’s intergalactic happenings.

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Vision Quest (series)

Premiere Date: TBA

What We Know: In October of 2022, reports surfaced of a potential series staring Paul Bettany as the White Vision featured in WandaVision and his struggle to regain the memories the Hex Vision imparted to him. WandaVision and Agatha head writer Jac Schaeffer reportedly supervised a writers room last Fall, but it is unclear if the project is still moving forward, particulary with Disney and Marvel looking to slow down development of the slate.

How It Fits in the MCU: If the program goes foward, it really only has one objective: restore Vision in time for the fight against Kang. Then, maybe, it will be time to deal with Wanda, who we believe to be very much alive.

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FULL LIST OF UPCOMING MARVEL MOVIES

November 10, 2023 – The Marvels

May 3, 2024 – Deadpool 3

July 26, 2024 – Captain America: Brave New World

December 20, 2024 – Thunderbolts

February 14, 2025 – Blade

May 2, 2025 – Fantastic Four

May 1, 2026 – Avengers: The Kang Dynasty

May 7, 2027 – Avengers: Secret Wars

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Thumbnail image: ©Marvel Studios

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The 100 Best Movies on Disney+ (September 2023)

Disney+ covers over 100 years of its flagship studio’s history, from early animated shorts to groundbreaking full-length animated features to family live-action classics to the blockbuster triumvirate of superheroes, space operas, and 3D computer animation of today. It’s a big spread of time filled with classics, some middling stuff, and even a few disasters. Rotten Tomatoes is here to discover and present only the movies with the highest Tomatometer scores on Disney+! Our only stipulation for inclusion in our guide is that each film featured here is Certified Fresh, which means it maintained a high Tomatometer score after meeting a minimum number of critics reviews. —Alex Vo

Latest additions: the Indiana Jones trilogy, Spider-Man: Homecoming.

MORE ON DISNEY+:  All Disney Animated Movies Ranked | All Star Wars Movies Ranked | All MCU Movies Ranked | All Pixar Movies Ranked