Ironheartjust wrapped upPhase 5 of the MCU, and nowThe Multiverse Saga is heading intoits final and most important chapter. But fans are looking closely at how everything will connect, especially after thescattered and inconsistent tone of Phase 5. Several recent releases, especiallyDisney+shows likeSecret InvasionandEchowere met with harsh criticism from both fans and critics.
Phase 6 kicks off withThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsand features a packed lineup of films andDisney+series, all building toward the saga’s endgame and possibly a soft reboot of theMCUas we know it. This chapter isexpected to bring long-awaited payoffs, multiverse-level consequences, and big character momentsthat could change everything. With so much riding on this chapter, here’s how the Phase 6 lineup stacks up in terms of fan anticipation.
10’Marvel Zombies'
Expected Release Date: June 25, 2025
Marvel Zombiesis a spinoff oftheWhat If…?episodethat first introduced an alternate universe where Earth’s mightiest heroes become flesh-eating monsters. The new animated series will expand on that story with even more chaos and gore. It also marksthe first Marvel Animation projectto receive a TV-MA rating, promising a darker tone than anything fans have seen from the studio’s animated slate before.
Thecast is stacked with returning stars, includingSimu Liuas Shang-Chi,Florence Pughas Yelena Belova,Hailee Steinfeldas Kate Bishop,David Harbouras Red Guardian, andElizabeth Olsenas Wanda Maximoff, among others. Despite the impressive lineup,the series is not canon to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline. It’s going to be afun watch for the Halloween season, but not something that’s expected to move the larger MCU story forward. Because of that, fan anticipation remains quite low.
Marvel Zombies
9’Vision Quest'
Expected Release Date: 2026
InVision Quest, Paul Bettanywill return asthe emotionless White Visionlast seen inWandaVision. This series is the first time that Bettany is the primary lead of his own series. While details are under wraps about the specifics of the series, we do know thatJames Spaderwill be making his return as Ultron. Ever sinceAge of Ultron, fans have speculated that he survived and have been begging Marvel to bring him back in some form. The series is also confirmed to feature an appearance from another MCU AI,E.D.I.T.H., now voiced by Emily Hampshire.
While it is exciting to see the return of Spader to the MCU, we don’t know how much of a role he will be in White Vision’s journey; for all we know,it could be a glorified cameo. Because there’s so little we know about the plot details of the series, the fan excitement aroundVision Questhas been pretty quiet. It could bring something exciting to the table, especially with Bettany’s caliber leading the series. For now, though,Vision Questdoesn’t have the same hype as other Phase 6 projects.
Vision Quest
8’Eyes of Wakanda'
Release Date: June 11, 2025
Eyes of Wakandawill be an animated seriesfollowing Wakandan warriors across different points in historyas they travel the world to retrieve vibranium artifacts. According toBrad Winderbaum, head of animation atMarvel Studios,the series will be canon tothe main MCU timeline. This opens up interesting possibilities for world-building and expanding Wakanda’s legacy beyond what we’ve seen in the films.
However, thelack of any recognizable characters or crossover hooks keeps it low on the hype scale. But this wouldn’t be the first time a Marvel animated project debuts under the radar.X-Men ‘97had a quiet launch before word of mouth turned it into a breakout hit. The same happened withYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The trailers drew criticism for the animation style, but the show won fans over once it actually premiered.If the story is strong,Eyes of Wakandahas a real chance to surprise peopleand find its audience over time.
Eyes of Wakanda
7’Wonder Man’
Expected Release Date: December 2025
Wonder Manfeels like one of those projects thatgot greenlit during Marvel’s awkward content overload phase, right around the time shows likeEchoandAgatha All Alongwere pushed into production. It starsYahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, a Hollywood actor who becomes a superhero. Thestory will reportedly focus on the entertainment industry inside the MCU.
One of the show’s more puzzling choices isthe return ofBen Kingsleyas Trevor Slattery, the washed-up actor who pretended to be the Mandarin inIron Man 3. This time, he’s playing Wonder Man’s acting coach. If that sounds like a forced cameo, that’s because it probably is. It’snot expected to play a major role in the MCU’s bigger story, and with little buzz or excitement around it, anticipation for this one is pretty low.
Wonder Man
Wonder Man follows Simon Williams, a Hollywood stuntman and actor, who gains superpowers and becomes the superhero Wonder Man. The storyline provides a unique superhero perspective on the entertainment industry, highlighting the challenges and satire of Hollywood life.
6’Punisher: Special Presentation'
A Marvel Special Presentationfocused solely on Frank Castleis the perfect format. A short, self-contained storythat doesn’t get dragged down by PG restrictions or stretched across too many drawn-out Disney+ episodes. Even more exciting is thatJon Bernthalisn’t just starring, he’s also co-writing the script. Bernthal previously turned down the chance to return inDaredevil: Born AgainSeason 1 before the creative overhaul, because he disagreed with the original direction and felt it wouldn’t resonate with fans. He’s an actor who clearly understands this character inside and out, and the fact that he now has a creative hand in shaping the story only builds more confidence.
Moreover, the special will set up big things for the MCU.It will tie directly intoSpider-Man: Brand New Day, where Frank is confirmed to appear next.Wemight even get a surprise Spider-Man (Tom Holland) cameoor a post-credits scene teasing their first encounter.
5’Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2
Expected Release Date: March 2026
Daredevil: Born AgainSeason 1 had a rocky start. Plagued by production issues, rewrites, and different creative teams,the season ended up being a patchwork of conflicting ideas. However, the premiere and the final two episodes were made after the creative overhaul, and they gave fans a glimpse of what the show could truly be.Season 2 will be fully helmed by the new creative team, and that has fans genuinely excited.
The finale of Season 1 also set the stage for big things ahead. A team-up was teased, and it’s already been confirmed thatJessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) will appear in Season 2. Even more surprising is the return of Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson). It’s unclear whether he’ll appear through flashbacks or if there’s a twist revealing he somehow survived the events of Season 1. On top of that, fans will finally seeMatt Murdock (Charlie Cox) suited upin hisnew all-black costume, complete with the long-awaited double D emblemon his chest.
Daredevil: Born Again
After Charlie Cox’s cameo appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home and supporting role in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Daredevil: Born Again gives Matt Murdock his first show set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Daredevil: Born Again continues the story that started in Netflix’s three-season Daredevil series and sees Wilson Fisk ascend to mayor of New York City.
4’Avengers: Secret Wars'
Expected Release Date: August 27, 2025
Avengers: Secret Warsis shaping up to beMarvel’s nextEndgame-level event, and possibly the biggest crossover in superhero movie history. In the comics,Doctor Doom absorbs the power of the Beyonders and fuses together multiple universes into a single planetknown as Battleworld. If the MCU follows a similar path, fans are in for multiverse galore. We could see Miles Morales make his long-awaited live-action debut, the return of the original Fantastic Four, and even cameos from legacy heroes likeChris Evans' Captain America,Ben Affleck’s Daredevil,Wesley Snipes’Blade, and possibly a new version of T’Challa. With the multiverse wide open,no version of any character is off the table.
Secret Warsis also expected to be a soft reboot for the entire MCU. After the dust settles, we could see iconic heroes like Iron Man and Captain America return, this time played by new actors. The phase afterSecret Warswill also introduceacompletely new X-Men team. This reboot allows Marvel to leave behind all the unresolved post-credit scenes, convoluted storylines, and pointless Disney+ shows that have confused even the most dedicated fans.
Avengers: Secret Wars
3’Spider-Man: Brand New Day'
Expected Release Date: June 18, 2025
Spider-Man: Brand New Dayis finallydelivering the street-level Spidey storyfans have been begging for. No multiverse, no magic, no billion-dollar Stark Tech. Now that MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) have no memories of him,Spider-Man has to learn what life is like as Peter Parker: broke, alone, and trying to survive in New York City.
But what really pushes this movie up the anticipation rankings is theconfirmed appearance of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher.Peter’s moral code doesn’t leave room for killing, while Frank Castle lives by it. Watching these two clash over the philosophy of justice will most likely deliver some of the most intense and dramatic scenes the MCU has ever done.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
2’The Fantastic Four: First Steps'
Release Date: July 10, 2025
After so many failed attempts,The Fantastic Four: First Stepsfeels like Marvel’s final shot at doing justice to its first family. And even though the story is set in a separate universe, this will be the first time Reed (Pedro Pascal), Sue (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny (Joseph Quinn), and Ben (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) areofficially canon to the main MCU timeline. Plus,the big bad is none other than Galactus, and thankfully, he won’t be a giant space cloud this time around.
Fans are also eager to seetheintroduction of Franklin Richards, the son of Reed and Sue. In the comics, Franklin is one of the most powerful characters in existence, capable of creating entire universes from nothing.The movie will also explain thepost-credits scene fromThunderbolts*, where the Fantastic Four ship appeared in the mainline universe.First Stepswill reveal how the team ended up there and how their arrival connects directly to the events ofAvengers: Doomsday.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
1’Avengers: Doomsday'
Expected Release Date: June 02, 2025
This is the one everything has been leading to.Avengers: Doomsdaywillbring together nearly every major hero introduced during The Multiverse Saga. So far, the confirmed lineup includes Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) Avengers, Bucky’s (Sebastian Stan) New Avengers, the Wakandans, and even the originalX-Men. We’ll finally see how the multiverse threads fromLokiandMultiverse of Madnesstie together, andhow the X-Men are introduced into the main universe.
Plus, the movie promises some ofthe biggest character momentswe’ve all been waiting for. Much likeInfinity WarwasThanos' (Josh Brolin) movie,Doomsdaywill focus onRobert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. One of the most emotional scenes could be seeing Peter Parker come face to face with his mentor wearing a villain’s mask.We’ll possibly see Thor (Chris Hemsworth) reunite with Loki(Tom Hiddleston), who’s come a long way since his early days as a villain. Kamala (Iman Vellani) will probably meet the Avengers (and most likely spend half the movie trying not to pass out from excitement). We’ll likely get to see Sentry’s (Lewis Pullman) powers in full force. This movie is shaping up to be the perfect crossover event Marvel fans have been craving since the highs ofInfinity WarandEndgame.
