Though the highly anticipated and yet-to-be-titledAvengers 4is being set up as the finale of theMarvel Cinematic Universe, it will most certainly not be the end. Marvel President Kevin Feige has revealed that he and the rest of Marvel Studios are currently having meetings planning the massively successful franchise through at least 2025.
While actors likeRobert Downey Jr.andChris Evanswill not be contractually returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after next year’sAvengers 4, there are still a number of characters that should continue to be in the franchise down the road. Sequels likeSpider-Man 2,Doctor Strange 2,Black Panther 2, andGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3are all confirmed to release sometime after the fourthAvengers, so it is quite clear that the MCU is not done just yet.
According to Kevin Feige in an interview with Associated Press, Marvel Studios have plans for movies for the next seven years. Assuming that they stick to their current three-movies-per-year plan, that will be a great deal of movies still on the table for the MCU. Here is what Feige had to say.
“We’re always thinking ahead. Just when people think they can pin us down, we go somewhere else and that’s going to happen again afterInfinity Warin thebuild-up to the next Avengersfilm. And we had meetings earlier today about 2024 and 2025.”
In the past, Feige has revealed that he and the rest of Marvel Studios have had “ideas” formovies going through 2025, but the fact that they are actually having these meetings now is a great sign. These projects aren’t just ideas anymore; they are now actual movies in the development phase.
Unfortunately, it may be some time before we actually learn what each of these plans are. Feige has recently stated that there will beno MCU movie announcementsuntil after the release ofAvengers 4, so as to maintain a bit of mysterious regarding the movie’s plot and who we will actually see make it through the end of the film. However, the MCU does have three releases slated each year in 2019, 2020, and 2021, so the only mystery at this point is figuring out which movies each of these releases will be respectively.
Marvel Studios have been setting up a number of tentpole heroes forPhase 4 of the MCUto focus on, such as Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel. While these characters may not be as currently beloved as the likes of Iron Man, we are sure to grow a lot more attached to them in the coming years. In addition, if the current Disney / FOX deal does come into effect, then other beloved Marvel characters like the Fantastic Four and X-Men should be appearing in Phase 4 as well, which would bring even more enjoyable content to the table.
WhileAvengers: Infinity Warmay be the end of an era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it will not be close to the end of the MCU, as revealed in Kevin Feige’s interview withAssociated Press. There are so many heroes and stories from Marvel Comics to see adapted on screen, and the first three Phases of the MCU have barely scratched the surface.
