When Nick Fury popped up at the end of Iron Man to tell Tony about the “Avengers Initiative,” we knew we were getting into something special. Through 22 movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe didn’t disappoint. However, its unparalleled popularity has made the MCU a victim of its own success. Fans had serious questions about how the franchise would continue without Iron Man and Captain America. Turns out those concerns were totally valid, as Phases 4 and 5 have felt unfocused and disconnected. The lack of cohesiveness has left many fans wondering where the MCU is going and what we can expect from Phases 5 and 6. The future of the MCU starts with an examination of the Multiverse Saga.
What is the Multiverse Saga?
We assume the Multiverse Saga is leading to some sort of multiversal war led by Kang and involving various heroes and villains. As Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness showed us, that can mean anyone from anywhere in time and space. The idea of different variants of familiar characters is really exciting. The problem is, the story hasn’t delivered so far, and we’ve gotten very few clues as to where it’s going.
Throughout the Infinity Saga, we never knew everything, but we were at least given breadcrumbs that allowed us to have fun speculating on wild theories. Instead of adding more context, each project in the Multiverse Saga seems to offer less direction. Sure, things have been derailed by the pandemic, Chadwick Boseman’s death, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes and Jonathan Majors’ legal issues, but there’s also a sense that this story feels a lot less focused than Thanos’ quest to “cure” the galaxy.
After the success of WandaVision, fans thought adding Disney+ series to the mix would help Marvel tell more detailed stories. Unfortunately, it feels like some of the TV series have muddied the waters instead of clearing things up. With the recent news that the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again is undergoing a complete creative overhaul, it seems like things are getting less stable, which is not what fans want to hear. Now there’s rumors that Sacha Baron Cohen will play a “Mystery Man” in Ironheart, and could turn out to be the villainous Mephisto.
Maybe this is headed somewhere interesting, but right now it feels like we’re trapped in an endless forest of setups with no payoffs in sight.
Is It Still Connected?
During Phases 2 and 3, Marvel boss Kevin Feige and many of the franchise’s stars went out of their way to remind us that “it’s all connected.” To their credit, it really was. Every movie had a piece, be it small or large, that was connected to one of the other projects. With very few exceptions, Phases 4 and 5 have not had that same connective tissue. When WandaVision led directly into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we were really hopeful about what the next chapter would offer. After that, we got a collection of stories that introduced awesome new characters, but didn’t give us any clue as to when or where we would see them again. Like me, a lot of fans have been not-so-patiently waiting for a hint about the sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Also, what was the point of Moon Knight, Eternals, or She-Hulk: Attorney at Law? If you’re just telling cool one-offs, that’s fine. Just let me know so I don’t expect something you’re not presenting.
Obviously, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had its story tragically changed. We never expected it to be a part of any ongoing arc. However, given Namor’s actions, I don’t see how producers expect any Black fans to be OK with him moving forward. WE WILL NEVER FORGIVE HIM! And that leads to more questions about Wakanda’s place in the upcoming arc.
Plus, if things weren’t already confusing enough you added a Skrull invasion on top of everything. Coming out of Secret Invasion, we don’t know who we can trust, or where Nick Fury stands?
Like I said, questions on top of questions, without any semblance of answers.
Phase 6 and Beyond
Looking ahead to the rest of Phase 5 and Phase 6, it appears we’re getting another weird collection of films and series that seemingly have no connection to one another. The Marvels; Deadpool 3; Captain America: Brave New World; Echo; Agatha: Daekhold Diaries; Ironheart; and Daredevil: Born Again feels like a mishmash of stories that don’t exactly lead to a multiversal war.
Honestly, I’m exhausted with trying to figure out if this is all going somewhere. I’m just going to turn off my nerd brain, and enjoy the ride. For their own MCU sanity, I suggest everyone else do the same.