Avengers: Secret Wars

Development

By April 2014, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said that additional storylines for their media franchise and shared universe, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), were planned through 2028. During Marvel Studios' panel at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2019, Feige announced several films and Disney+ television series in development for Phase Four of the MCU, before revealing the film Blade and a Fantastic Four film were also in development. After the panel, Feige confirmed that Blade was not part of the Phase Four slate at the time, and that what was announced was the full Phase Four slate at that point, despite Marvel already developing further projects at that time. Fantastic Four was formally confirmed in December 2020; the film was believed to be a part of Phase Four at that time.

By June 2021, in addition to What If...?, Marvel Studios was developing a slate of at least three more animated series. During the Disney+ Day event in November 2021, Marvel Studios announced the What If...? spin-off series Marvel Zombies. By the end of November 2021, producer Amy Pascal said that Marvel Studios was planning at least three more Spider-Man films starring Tom Holland with Sony Pictures after Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and the following month, Marvel Studios and Sony were actively beginning to develop the story for the fourth MCU Spider-Man film. Also in December, Destin Daniel Cretton was revealed to be developing a comedy series through his company Family Owned, as part of his overall deal with Marvel Studios to develop television projects for the studio for Disney+ in addition to returning to write and direct a sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). In April 2022, Feige said he and Marvel Studios were on a creative retreat to plan and discuss the MCU films for the following 10 years, and in June 2022, said information on the next saga of the MCU would be provided in the following months, with Marvel Studios being a "little more direct" on their future plans to provide audiences with "the bigger picture [so they] can see a tiny, tiny bit more of the roadmap" following the clues included during Phase Four. Cretton's series was also revealed to be Wonder Man that month.

At Marvel Studios' San Diego Comic-Con panel in July 2022, Feige announced that Fantastic Four would be the first film of Phase Six. He also announced that the phase would conclude with two ensemble films, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, both to be released in 2025, and that Phase Six, along with Phase Four and Phase Five, would be part of "The Multiverse Saga". The films were respectively inspired by "Kang Dynasty", a 2001 comic book storyline written by Kurt Busiek in which Kang the Conqueror travels through time to enslave humanity, and Secret Wars, the name of a 1984–85 comic written by Jim Shooter and a 2015–16 comic written by Jonathan Hickman that both follow various Marvel characters who converge on the planet Battleworld. Feige noted that while not all projects in Phase Six or the previous two phases would directly tie into the larger multiverse storyline, the various storylines that would weave together leading into Secret Wars was "a whole new aspect to the MCU". At the panel, Feige also confirmed the film Blade for Phase Five. Following Marvel Studios' SDCC panel, Disney announced a third season of What If...? and a second season of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, then titled Spider-Man: Sophomore Year. In October, Marvel Studios delayed Blade to September 2024 and pushed back the releases of Fantastic Four and Avengers: Secret Wars as a result. In early February 2023, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the company would be re-evaluating the volume of content it outputs as a way to cut costs over the next few years. Shortly after, when reflecting on the amount of Disney+ content released for Phase Four in a short time frame, Feige anticipated that Marvel Studios would look to space out the releases of the Disney+ series in Phase Five and Six or put fewer out each year "so they can each get a chance to shine".

Films

The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

The Fantastic Four must protect their 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic world from the planet-devouring cosmic being Galactus.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said they were developing an MCU Fantastic Four film in July 2019. Jon Watts was announced as the director in December 2020, but he stepped down in April 2022. Matt Shakman took over as director that September, when Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer were writing the script. Josh Friedman was rewriting the script by March 2023, with Eric Pearson also contributing to it. Friedman, Pearson, Kaplan, and Springer were all credited for the film's screenplay, with Pearson, Kaplan, Springer, and Kat Wood receiving story credits. The titular team's cast was confirmed in February 2024, consisting of Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing. The title was announced at the end of July 2024, when filming began at Pinewood Studios in England, and wrapped at the end of November. The Fantastic Four: First Steps premiered at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on July 21, 2025, and was released in the United States on July 25.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set on Earth-828, an alternate universe from the main MCU "Sacred Timeline", in 1964. Because of this, Shakman said there would be no "Easter eggs" to the larger MCU. Robert Downey Jr. makes a cameo appearance as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom in the mid-credits scene.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)

Peter Parker anonymously protects New York City as the hero Spider-Man and investigates a powerful new threat while his superpowers undergo a surprising and potentially dangerous evolution.

A fourth MCU Spider-Man film was reportedly in development by August 2019 alongside Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). By December 2021, Sony and Marvel Studios planned to make at least three more films, including the fourth, starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers began writing the script in February 2023, but work was soon put on hold by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. Destin Daniel Cretton was hired to direct by October 2024 when Holland was confirmed to star, and the title was revealed in March 2025 as Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Avi Arad and Rachel O'Connor also produce the film. Filming began in August 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland, with soundstage work at Pinewood Studios in England, before wrapping in December 2025. Spider-Man: Brand New Day premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on July 27, 2026, and was released in the United States on July 31.

Brand New Day is set four years after the events of No Way Home in 2028. Jon Bernthal, Florence Pugh, Mark Ruffalo, and Zabryna Guevara reprise their respective MCU roles as Frank Castle / Punisher, Yelena Belova / Black Widow, Bruce Banner / Hulk, and Sheila Rivera. Sadie Sink is introduced as Jean Grey ahead of the untitled X-Men film (2028).

Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

Groups of heroes from three different universes—the Avengers, Wakandans, and New Avengers from Earth-616; the Fantastic Four from Earth-828; and the "original" X-Men from a separate universe—converge to face the existential threat of Doctor Doom.

Marvel Studios originally announced the fifth Avengers film as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) in July 2022, to be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, while Jeff Loveness was writing the script by September. They both left by November 2023 when Michael Waldron joined as writer. Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors was attached to star in the film until he was fired the following month after an assault conviction. At the July 2024 SDCC, Marvel Studios announced the film's new title; Robert Downey Jr.'s casting as the film's new antagonist Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom, having previously portrayed Tony Stark / Iron Man in the MCU; Anthony and Joe Russo as the directors; and Stephen McFeely as a co-writer, working with Waldron. McKenna and Sommers also worked on the script. Marvel Studios executives Louis D'Esposito and Jonathan Schwartz serve as producers alongside Feige. The film features an ensemble cast, including many actors who have appeared in other MCU media. Filming began in April 2025 at Pinewood Studios in England, and wrapped that September. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to be released on December 18, 2026.

Doomsday is set 14 months after the events of Thunderbolts* (2025) and after Brand New Day. Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden reprise their respective roles as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto, Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler, Raven Darkhölme / Mystique, and Scott Summers / Cyclops from 20th Century Fox's X-Men film series.

Avengers: Secret Wars (2027)

Marvel Studios announced Avengers: Secret Wars at the July 2022 SDCC, with Waldron writing the script that October. The Russo brothers were announced in July 2024 as the directors, along with McFeely as the co-writer and Downey's casting as Doctor Doom. McKenna and Sommers also worked on the script. Filming is expected to begin in late 2026 at Pinewood Studios in England, and to last for approximately six months. Avengers: Secret Wars is scheduled to be released on December 17, 2027.

Television series

The series in Phase Six will be or are being released on Disney+.

Eyes of Wakanda (2025)

The Hatut Zaraze, Wakandan warriors, carry out dangerous missions around the world to retrieve vibranium artifacts throughout history.

Eyes of Wakanda was announced from Marvel Studios Animation in December 2023, created in collaboration with Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) director Ryan Coogler's production company Proximity Media. In May 2024, Todd Harris was revealed to have created the series, and he serves as the director and showrunner. He previously served as a storyboard artist at Marvel Studios. John Fang also directs. Eyes of Wakanda was released on August 1, 2025, and consist of four episodes.

Eyes of Wakanda is set in several past time periods, with its respective episodes set in 1260 BC Crete during the Bronze Age, 1200 BC during the Trojan War, 1400 AD China at the start of the Ming dynasty, and 1896 AD Ethiopia during the First Italo-Ethiopian War.

Marvel Zombies season 1 (2025)

A group of survivors fight against former heroes and villains that have been turned into zombies.

In November 2021, an animated series based on the comic book series Marvel Zombies was announced, with Bryan Andrews directing and Zeb Wells serving as head writer; Andrews was later revealed as showrunner. It is a continuation of the reality first introduced in the What If...? episode "What If... Zombies?!" and includes characters introduced in Phase Four of the MCU. Marvel Zombies was released on Disney+ on September 24, 2025, and consists of four episodes. A second season was in production by April 2026.

Marvel Zombies is set in 2023, five years after the events of the What If...? episode. Over 15 actors reprise their MCU roles in Marvel Zombies, with several actors from What If...? also reprising their roles. Todd Williams voices Eric Brooks / Blade Knight in the series.

Wonder Man (2026)

Struggling actor Simon Williams and actor Trevor Slattery try to earn roles in the remake of the superhero film Wonder Man.

In December 2021, Destin Daniel Cretton signed a multi-year deal with Marvel Studios to develop television projects for Disney+, with a comedy series already in development by then, through Cretton's company Family Owned. In June 2022, the series was revealed to be Wonder Man, centered on the character Simon Williams / Wonder Man, with Andrew Guest joining to develop the series and serve as head writer; Guest later became showrunner. In October, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was cast as the title character. Filming began in April 2023 in Los Angeles, with Cretton, James Ponsoldt, Tiffany Johnson, and Stella Meghie directing episodes of the series, but was shut down the next month because of the WGA strike. Filming resumed in January 2024, and concluded by that April. The first season of Wonder Man was released in its entirety on Disney+ on January 27, 2026, as part of the "Marvel Spotlight" banner, and consists of eight episodes. The series was renewed for a second season in March 2026, but was canceled that July.

Wonder Man spans multiple years, from around late 2025 until 2027. Ben Kingsley and Arian Moayed reprise their respective MCU roles of Trevor Slattery and Department of Damage Control agent P. Cleary.

Daredevil: Born Again seasons 2 and 3 (2026–present)

In the second season, New York City mayor Wilson Fisk / Kingpin and his Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF) are hunting Matt Murdock / Daredevil after Fisk's consolidation of power. Murdock goes underground and gathers allies to resist Fisk's corruption and the AVTF.

The first season of Daredevil: Born Again premiered in March 2025. The series was announced in July 2022 with an 18-episode first season, but following its creative overhaul in September 2023, this was split into two seasons, and the series was renewed for a third season in September 2025. Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio return to star as Murdock and Fisk, respectively, along with showrunner Dario Scardapane. Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead returned for the second and third seasons, with Iain B. MacDonald and Solvan "Slick" Naim also directing in both seasons, while Angela Barnes served as a director in the second, and Jet Wilkinson served as a director in the third. Scardapane described the second season as the second part of the first season. Filming for the second season took place from the end of February to July 2025. with filming for the third season starting in March 2026 and concluding that July. The second season premiered on Disney+ on March 24, 2026, and consists of eight episodes, releasing weekly until May 5, 2026, while the third season, also consisting of eight episodes, is set to premiere in March 2027.

The second season is set six months after the first season, and is concurrent with the events of The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026), while the third season is set six months after the events of the second. For the second season, Krysten Ritter, Toby Leonard Moore, Royce Johnson, Geoffrey Cantor, and Mike Colter reprise their respective roles as Jessica Jones, James Wesley, Brett Mahoney, Mitchell Ellison, and Luke Cage from Marvel's Netflix television series. In the third season, Ritter and Colter once again reprise their roles, and are joined by Finn Jones and Élodie Yung reprising their Netflix series' roles as Danny Rand / Iron Fist and Elektra Natchios.

VisionQuest

A spin-off series from WandaVision centered on Paul Bettany's character Vision, titled Vision Quest, was in development by October 2022. Jac Schaeffer was set to return as head writer with Bettany starring, but Schaeffer was no longer developing it by May 2024 due to her focus on the first spin-off, Agatha All Along (2024), and Terry Matalas was hired to redevelop the series as its showrunner. The series concludes a trilogy that also includes WandaVision and Agatha All Along. Filming had begun by March 2025 at Pinewood Studios in London, with Matalas, Christopher J. Byrne, Vincenzo Natali, and Gandja Monteiro directing episodes of the series, and concluded in July 2025. VisionQuest is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ on October 14, 2026, and will consist of eight episodes.

VisionQuest is set years after the events of WandaVision, around the events of Brand New Day. Various artificial intelligences (AIs) that have previously appeared in the MCU are featured in VisionQuest, including Ultron (portrayed by James Spader), E.D.I.T.H. (Emily Hampshire), F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Orla Brady), and J.A.R.V.I.S. (James D'Arcy); in prior MCU media, the latter three AIs were respectively voiced by Dawn Michelle King, Kerry Condon, and Bettany, while D'Arcy played J.A.R.V.I.S.'s human inspiration, Edwin Jarvis. Faran Tahir also reprises his role as the Ten Rings leader Raza from Iron Man (2008), while Ruaridh Mollica portrays Vision's son Tommy Maximoff and Thomas Shepherd, taking over from Jett Klyne who portrayed Tommy in WandaVision and the MCU film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2

The first season of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man premiered in January 2025. A second season, initially titled Spider-Man: Sophomore Year, was announced in July 2022, continuing the naming convention of the series' original title, Spider-Man: Freshman Year. Jeff Trammell returned as head writer and showrunner from the first season, and said in January 2025 that the series was not limited to covering one school year per season. The second season is scheduled to premiere in January 2027. A third season is also in production.

Television special

The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026)

After avenging his family's deaths, Frank Castle searches for meaning beyond revenge while haunted by ghosts of his past, until he is drawn back into conflict by crime lord Ma Gnucci.

In February 2025, a Special Presentation centered on Jon Bernthal's character Frank Castle / Punisher from Marvel's Netflix series and Daredevil: Born Again was announced to be in development. Reinaldo Marcus Green was set to direct the special and was writing the script with Bernthal, after they worked together on the miniseries We Own This City (2022). Filming began in mid-July 2025, in New York City, and wrapped in early August. In March 2026, the special was titled The Punisher: One Last Kill. It was released on Disney+ on May 12, 2026, one week after the Born Again season 2 finale. It is marketed as a "Marvel Television Special Presentation".

One Last Kill takes place concurrently with the events of Born Again season 2. Jason R. Moore and Kelli Barrett reprise their respective roles from Marvel's Netflix series The Punisher (2017–2019) as Curtis Hoyle and Maria Castle, while Deborah Ann Woll reprises her MCU role as Karen Page. Bernthal's daughter Addie and Eduardo Campirano respectively portray Castle's deceased children Lisa and Frank Jr., replacing Nicolette Pierini and Aidan Pierce Brennan from The Punisher.

Timeline

Eyes of Wakanda is set in several past time periods, from 1260 BC to 1896 AD. Wonder Man spans multiple years, from around late 2025 until mid 2027. The second season of Born Again is set six months after the first season, and is concurrent with the events of The Punisher: One Last Kill, while the third season of Born Again is set six months after the second. Brand New Day is set four years after No Way Home in 2028. VisionQuest is set years after the events of WandaVision, around the events of Brand New Day. Doomsday will also be set in 2028, 14 months after the end of Thunderbolts*, and after Brand New Day. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set on Earth-828 in 1964. Marvel Zombies is set in 2023 on the alternate reality from the What If...? episode "What If... Zombies?!" (2021), five years after those events.

Recurring cast and characters

Characters are listed alphabetically by last name, as applicable.

Reception

Critical and public response

With the announcement that the September 2026 re-release of Avengers: Endgame (2019) ahead of Doomsday would feature new footage to help bridge the story of Endgame to Doomsday and help inform the latter, Cheryl Eddy at Gizmodo wondered why the films and television shows of the Multiverse Saga were not already doing that, and felt watching all of them had been a bad investment of time given it seemed the Endgame re-release would be a better primer for Doomsday.

Tie-in media

Podcast

For the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel Television launched the nine-episode Daredevil: Born Again Official Podcast on March 17, 2026. It features conversations with the cast, crew, and creatives, exploring the series so far and examining each episode of the second season. The Daredevil: Born Again Official Podcast is available on Disney+ and YouTube, with an audio-only version available on various podcast platforms.

Related

X-Men '97 seasons 2 and 3: A continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997), produced by Marvel Studios via its Marvel Animation label. Jake Castorena served as supervising producer with Chase Conley and Emmett Yonemura directing. Creator Beau DeMayo served as head writer for the second season, before being fired from the series. Matthew Chauncey, a writer on Marvel Studios's first animated series What If...? (2021–2024), was hired to replace DeMayo as head writer of the series moving forward. Many cast members from the original series returned to reprise their roles or voice new characters. X-Men '97 is not set in the Sacred Timeline of the MCU, though Feige did consider integrating the series with the MCU during development. Instead, X-Men '97 shares continuity with the original series and several other animated Marvel series that were released in the 1990s; within Marvel Comics' multiverse, X-Men: The Animated Series exists on Earth-92131. Despite existing outside the Sacred Timeline, the series is listed in the MCU's Multiverse Saga section on Disney+. The second season was released from July 1 to August 12, 2026, with the third season expected a year after.