Various performances are coming in Phase 5 and beyond of the MCU, where viewers can look forward to seeing new MCU characters. Phase 4 was completed with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and The Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special. Phase 5 has kick-started with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Due to the high expectations Avengers: Endgame left spectators with and the fact that the MCU will make a massive start in Phase 4. Still, it struggled to live up to expectations from fans and critics, who questioned its overall quality compared to previous phases. Yet, despite much criticism, Phase 4 developed the franchise’s superhero world into a large universe by introducing new MCU characters.
In Phase 4, viewers saw some top-notch performances from new MCU characters such as Elizabeth Olson in WandaVision, Oscar Isaac in Moon Knight, Tenoch Huerta and Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Phase 5 will also bring the same performance to the big screens and the OTT platform. Phase 6 will finally be reuniting the fan-favourite superhero team, the Avengers. It’s interesting that although much about what will happen in the MCU has been disclosed, there are still many unanswered questions. The Fantastic Four have created great curiosity among audiences, and new rumours and leaks are circulating daily like wildfire. The good news is that there will be plenty of fresh stories to look forward to while fans wait for that announcement.
The cast of Agatha: Coven of Chaos is diverse, which makes it more exciting. After Scarlet Witch is assumed dead in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it will serve as a second season of Wanda-Vision with Agatha Harkness, played by the endearing and engaging Kathryn Hahn, getting free from her mystic prison in Westview. Many fans were surprised by the announcement of this show, but it has the potential to play a major part in the long-running MCU. Agatha: Coven of Chaos offers the opportunity to see Hahn’s villainous Agatha’s transformation into a hero or, at the very least, an anti-hero. Fans can’t wait to find out what happens next.
With Agatha: Coven of Chaos, a majority of the WandaVision cast will be back, but they will also be joined by new MCU characters. In particular, Broadway icon and three-time Tony Award winner Patti Lupone, Sasheer Zamata from SNL and Woke, and the funny Aubrey Plaza from The White Lotus are all marking their debut in the MCU. Although their roles are currently unknown, what makes it interesting is the humorous and distinctively skilled actors will be collaborating, especially considering that it’s for an MCU series that many people weren’t expecting. This shows that the MCU’s future holds a lot of promise.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law brought new elements to the MCU’s dynamic. The series also gave a glimpse into future events for Hulk by introducing his son Skaar and hinting at Samuel Sterns’ long-awaited return, this time in the role of The Leader. Tim Blake Nelson made his debut as Samuel Sterns in The Incredible Hulk. Now, sixteen years later, he is making a comeback in Captain America: New World Order, which is rumoured to be a political thriller. It will be pretty interesting to watch how he handles the role now that it has been so long, especially because he will be the main antagonist rather than a supporting character.
Nelson can do a lot to make The Leader stand out because he is a fantastic actor who is well-known for roles in films like Holes, Watchmen, and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. The Hulk and The Leader deserve to face off against one another in a true Hulk movie, so hopefully, he won’t be back for a one-time appearance. It’s intriguing to think about how Nelson, Thunderbolt Ross, and the other characters in the film’s diverse ensemble would come together. Harrison Ford will play the new Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America: New World Order after William Hurt sadly passed away.
Hugh Jackman is coming back to play his iconic role as Wolverine in Deadpool 3, likely a crossover from Fox’s X-Men universe to the MCU with Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool. Given that Jackman has been playing Wolverine for nearly 20 years, diehard fans are undoubtedly familiar with him. Nonetheless, the character might discover something intriguing and interesting due to the new settings. Jackman’s Wolverine will be bringing his rage and intensity to MCU, whether he stays for simply Deadpool 3 or continues for Avengers: Secret Wars and beyond. That will be fascinating to watch.
Although Logan, directed by James Mangold, gave a satisfactory conclusion to the character’s journey, Hugh Jackman announced Wolverine’s return in Deadpool 3. Hugh decided against being a superhero shortly after, and he accepted the offer to star in Shawn Levy’s film instead. This gave all Marvel fans hope that he may come back, and it did. For the first time since he first put down the claws following 2017’s Logan, Jackman is aiming to get back into peak superhero shape. So both he and co-star Ryan Reynolds have already been seen hitting the gym in anticipation of their upcoming MCU film.
The most eagerly awaited movie is Marvel’s Blade. Fans are eager to witness the famous vampire hunter in comic book history return to the big screen, especially with two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali playing the lead. Blade’s production took a halt when director Bassim Tariq stepped down from the film in September. The movie ended up being postponed until September 6, 2024, from its initial release date of November 3, 2023. Even if it was simply his voice in one of Eternals’ post-credit scenes, Ali had already made his MCU debut as the vampire hunter. At the Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, Kevin Feige revealed that an MCU revival of Blade was in the works. The confirmation came with the announcement that Mahershala Ali, who portrayed another MCU character called Cottonmouth in Luke Cage, would take up the titular role, having suggested the idea to Feige in the first place.
For Ali, the MCU is a really interesting endeavour, but Blade is the ideal role for him. Moreover, his Blade will be fundamentally different from Wesley Snipes’ and play a significant part in the MCU’s evolving supernatural storylines. Blade will now be directed by Yann Demange from a script by Michael Starrbury. The movie has begun filming, according to Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, and is now being shot in Atlanta.
Phase 5 will carry on with the Disney Plus series Secret Invasion following the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Secret Invasion is the most significant MCU show in 2023, with a talented cast from Samuel L. Jackson to the debut of Academy Award winner Olivia Colman. Yet, Emilia Clarke’s MCU debut may be the most eagerly awaited of them all. Emilia Clarke is well-known among geeks thanks to her appearances as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, Sarah Connor in Terminator Genisys, and her brief appearance as Qi’ra in the Star Wars universe.
The show will present Clarke (Abigail) in a new light because it is reportedly based on the psychological spy-thriller genre. In Marvel Comics, Abigail was fathered by an alien and raised by a human mother on the planet Axus. Later she joined S.W.O.RD, a section of S.H.I.E.L.D., after working as a special agent for the US government. Since Abigail Brand is a mutant and therefore associated with the X-Men, her future in the MCU has the potential to become more of a mainstay. Fans can expect Emilia Clark’s Abigail to have a pivotal part in the show and the MCU’s future as an ally to Fury and Talos in Secret Invasion.
The main antagonist of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will be Chukwudi Iwuji’s High Evolutionary, who made his announcement in character and costume in the halls of San Diego Comic-Con. Iwuji is ideal for bringing the brilliant and cruel scientist to the big screen, offering a type of Shakespearean portrayal as a Marvel villain, given his experience on the stage. The High Evolutionary will be essential to Rocket Raccoon’s story’s conclusion, which may result in his demise as it has been stated that he is the character’s creator.
Iwuji is remembered for his prior work with James Gunn in the DCU as Clemson Murn in Peacemaker. Gunn approached Iwuji about portraying the MCU villain as they were filming because of what he could contribute to the part. High Evolutionary stands out when compared to other villains from previous Guardians of the Galaxy and Gunn films. Surprisingly, despite his extraordinary powers, he may be the most relatable and real character, and it is what makes him so terrifying and threatening. It is rumoured that Iwuji will be crucial to end the story of the Guardians of the galaxy. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 releases in theatres this May, and the early trailers have presented it as an emotionally sweeping last adventure for the MCU’s cosmic defenders.
Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have eagerly anticipated Adam Warlock’s debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 because he is an important figure in the comics. The character was originally hinted at in a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 post-credits scene. Director James Gunn has stated that he will have an important role in the MCU, and it will be intriguing to see how he fits into the Multiverse Saga. The Marvel casting of Warlock, though, was genuinely surprising. The 2013 comedy We’re The Millers marked Will Poulter’s breakout performance, for which he received the BAFTA Rising Star Award. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ayesha, the leader and High Priestess of the genetically modified alien species known as the Sovereign, created Warlock to destroy the Guardians.
His major dramatic roles in The Maze Runner trilogy, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, and most lately, Dopesick, for which he received an Emmy nomination, prove his exceptional abilities in acting. Poulter’s role as Adam Warlock is significantly different from his past roles, and he is unlike anybody else in the Marvel Cinematic Universe right now. Fans would like to know how strong Adam Warlock will be, how Poulter will make him more than just a cosmic deity, and what Adam Warlock’s potential destiny beyond Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the Multiverse Saga may be.
In the season finale, Kang the Conqueror was revealed to be the strings behind the Time Variance Authority (TVA). Fans were undoubtedly familiar with the man who was referred to strangely as “He Who Remains” (right down to the show’s credits) as the iconic Marvel Comics villain even though the name Kang was never mentioned, other than a nod to the character saying he’s been dubbed “a conqueror.” When Majors play Kang, he can also play any of his several variants, and each one will let him perform uniquely. There is a tonne of opportunities here, and it will be fascinating to see how they all pan out.
Majors has had a soaring rise in recent years, appearing in films such as Lovecraft County (for which he received an Emmy nomination), The Harder They Fall, Devotion, Magazine Dreams, and, shortly, Creed III. Majors is relentless and gives each character their complete attention, giving them all tension and strength while ensuring that they are all unique. His time in the MCU has the potential to propel him to new heights, and Kang could surpass Thanos as the most recognisable villain.