Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Four
The fourth narrative phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, combining feature films, Disney+ series, animated projects, specials, and related tie-in material.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Four is a grouping of Marvel Studios productions that followed the conclusion of the Infinity Saga's central conflict in Avengers: Endgame and introduced the next broad storyline, later identified as the Multiverse Saga. It began with WandaVision in January 2021 and concluded with The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in November 2022, although Marvel Studios publicly described Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as the phase's concluding film. The phase was therefore defined both by its release sequence and by the way its projects expanded the MCU's storytelling format. Phase Four was the first MCU phase in which Marvel Studios television productions were integrated directly into the main franchise structure. The Disney+ series were developed under Marvel Studios rather than the separately operating Marvel Television division that had produced earlier MCU-related television programs. Their stories were designed to connect closely with the films, while also giving supporting film characters and newly introduced heroes substantially more narrative space. WandaVision continued the stories of Wanda Maximoff and Vision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier transferred the Falcon identity to Sam Wilson, Loki explored an alternate version of the title character and the branching timeline, and Hawkeye introduced Kate Bishop alongside Clint Barton. Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law added new protagonists, while What If...? expanded the franchise through animation and alternate realities. The film slate included Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Spider-Man: No Way Home was produced jointly by Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing; the other phase films were distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The films introduced new heroes, revisited established characters, addressed the consequences of the Avengers' earlier battles, and began making the multiverse a central organizing idea. The phase also expanded the MCU's use of shorter-form programming. Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special were marketed as Marvel Studios Special Presentations, while I Am Groot consisted of animated shorts. The projects were released across theatrical cinemas, Disney+, and, in the case of Black Widow, a simultaneous cinema and Disney+ Premier Access model. The COVID-19 pandemic caused extensive production and scheduling disruption, including the postponement of Black Widow and the movement of other releases. These changes contributed to a release order different from the one initially announced. Phase Four was commercially significant but also generated debate about the volume and consistency of Marvel Studios content. Its films earned more than US$5.7 billion worldwide, according to the referenced Wikipedia material, though no separately verified financial source is supplied here. The phase is notable for broadening the MCU's genres, distribution methods, representation, and use of television continuity, while leaving audiences with multiple post-credit and narrative threads leading into later phases.
History
Marvel Studios began planning the post-Avengers: Endgame period while the Infinity Saga was still being completed. By 2016, Disney had reserved release dates for untitled Marvel films in 2020 and 2021, although Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige remained open to changing the way the company grouped its productions into phases. The term Phase Four was in use by late 2018, as Marvel and Disney prepared to reveal the next group of projects after Endgame. A major structural change was the creation of Marvel Studios programming for Disney+. Disney had announced the streaming service as a new distribution platform, and Marvel Studios developed limited series centered on characters connected to the films. Unlike earlier Marvel Television productions, these series were overseen by Marvel Studios and were intended to share continuity, performers, and consequences with the theatrical universe. Feige described the programs as a way to develop characters on a larger scale than the earlier Marvel One-Shots and indicated that new television characters could later appear in films. At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2019, Marvel announced the first Phase Four slate: Black Widow, Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, and the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Loki, What If...?, and Hawkeye. At D23 the same year, Marvel added Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and a Black Panther sequel. Marvel Studios and Sony subsequently confirmed that they would continue their Spider-Man collaboration, adding Spider-Man: No Way Home to the period. The COVID-19 pandemic substantially altered the planned rollout. Black Widow was removed from the 2020 schedule, and the resulting changes moved Eternals, Shang-Chi, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, and other projects. Production interruptions also delayed The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. WandaVision consequently became the first released Phase Four series, and 2020 became the first year since 2009 without a Marvel Studios release. The pandemic also changed the placement of Julia Louis-Dreyfus's character Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, whose introduction occurred in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier rather than Black Widow. Marvel continued to expand the phase during 2020 and 2021, announcing or developing projects including The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, I Am Groot, Secret Invasion, Ironheart, Armor Wars, and later titles that were ultimately allocated to subsequent phases. In 2021, Black Widow adopted a hybrid release model with theatrical distribution and Disney+ Premier Access, while Shang-Chi was retained as a theatrical release. Werewolf by Night was later confirmed as a Halloween-oriented special and, together with The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, was marketed under the Marvel Studios Special Presentations label. By mid-2022, Feige said Marvel would clarify the larger direction of the franchise. At San Diego Comic-Con in July, Marvel identified Phase Four as the opening phase of the Multiverse Saga and stated that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would close the phase's film slate. The phase's final release was The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in November 2022. Its large volume of material prompted public discussion about quality, production capacity, and whether the MCU retained a sufficiently clear long-term roadmap.
- 2022
Phase Four becomes the opening of the Multiverse Saga
[1]Marvel confirms that Phases Four, Five, and Six form the Multiverse Saga and identifies Wakanda Forever as Phase Four's concluding film.
- 2022
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special closes the release period
[1]The Disney+ special is released in November and is described by James Gunn as an epilogue to Phase Four.
- 2021
WandaVision launches Phase Four
[1]WandaVision becomes the first released Phase Four project and the first Marvel Studios Disney+ series in the main MCU rollout.
- 2020
Pandemic causes major schedule changes
[1]COVID-19 production shutdowns and cinema closures force Marvel, Disney, and Sony to revise the phase's release calendar.
- 2019
Initial slate announced at San Diego Comic-Con
[1]Marvel announces five films and five Disney+ series as the initial Phase Four lineup.
- 2018
Phase Four terminology enters use
[1]Marvel is reported to be using the Phase Four label for its next group of MCU productions.
- 2016
Marvel reserves post-2019 release dates
[1]Disney schedules several untitled Marvel Studios films for 2020 and 2021, beginning the formal planning of the post-Infinity Saga period.
Products and positioning
A connected, cross-platform superhero entertainment franchise positioned as the next chapter after the Infinity Saga, with stronger integration between theatrical films, Disney+ series, animation, and event specials.
Feature film · 2021
Black Widow
A spy-action film focused on Natasha Romanoff's past, her fractured family relationships, and a conspiracy connected to the Red Room. It revisits a character previously established in the Avengers films and is set largely before her final appearance in Avengers: Endgame.
Feature film · 2021
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
An origin story introducing Shang-Chi, who confronts his father's criminal organization and the legacy of the Ten Rings. The film broadens the MCU's mythology through martial-arts action, family drama, and new supernatural elements.
Feature film · 2021
Eternals
A cosmic ensemble film about immortal beings who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years. It explores their divisions, obligations, and relationship to the emergence of a threat affecting the planet.
Feature film · 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home
A multiverse-focused Spider-Man film in which Peter Parker seeks help after his identity becomes public. The story brings together characters and villains associated with different Spider-Man continuities and was produced by Marvel Studios with Columbia Pictures.
Feature film · 2022
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
A supernatural multiverse adventure following Doctor Strange as he confronts threats involving alternate realities and Wanda Maximoff. Its story is directly connected to developments in WandaVision and helps establish the multiverse as a major Phase Four concept.
Feature film · 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder
A Thor adventure involving Jane Foster's transformation into a version of Thor, the return of Valkyrie and Korg, and a conflict with the god-killing Gorr. It continues Thor's post-Endgame storyline while retaining the comedic and cosmic tone of earlier entries.
Feature film · 2022
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
The concluding Phase Four film follows Wakanda as it responds to the death of T'Challa and faces pressure from the underwater kingdom of Talokan. The film introduces Shuri's succession as Black Panther and develops the wider political consequences of Wakanda's technology.
Disney+ series · 2021
WandaVision
A limited series centered on Wanda Maximoff and Vision in an unusual suburban reality shaped by grief, memory, and powerful magic. It expands Wanda's character and directly establishes story material used in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Disney+ series · 2021
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
A limited series pairing Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes as they confront political and personal consequences after the Avengers era. It follows Sam's decision about the Captain America legacy and introduces developments involving international security and government authority.
Disney+ series · 2021
Loki
A time- and reality-spanning series focused on an alternate Loki created by the events of Avengers: Endgame. Its exploration of branching timelines and the Time Variance Authority makes it one of Phase Four's clearest links to the Multiverse Saga.
Animated series · 2021
What If...?
An animated anthology narrated by the Watcher that examines alternate outcomes for familiar MCU events. It demonstrates Marvel Studios' use of animation to explore parallel realities without following the continuity of the primary live-action timeline.
Disney+ series · 2021
Hawkeye
A holiday-season action series pairing Clint Barton with aspiring archer Kate Bishop. It addresses the consequences of Barton's violent Ronin period and establishes Bishop as a new generation of MCU hero.
Disney+ series · 2022
Moon Knight
A supernatural series introducing Marc Spector and his alternate identities, including Steven Grant and Mr. Knight. Its Egyptian mythology and psychological framing give Phase Four a largely self-contained character story.
Disney+ series · 2022
Ms. Marvel
A coming-of-age superhero series about Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American teenager and enthusiastic Captain Marvel admirer who develops powers and becomes Ms. Marvel. It introduces a younger hero with a strong connection to the wider MCU.
Disney+ series · 2022
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
A legal comedy series following Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who gains Hulk abilities. It combines courtroom stories with superhero comedy and brings together several established MCU characters in a television format.
Marvel Studios Special Presentation · 2022
Werewolf by Night
A Halloween-themed black-and-white special introducing Jack Russell as Werewolf by Night and bringing a horror-oriented tone to the MCU. It was marketed as one of Marvel Studios' Special Presentations.
Marvel Studios Special Presentation · 2022
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
A holiday special centered on the Guardians of the Galaxy as they attempt to create a memorable Christmas for Peter Quill. It was released as the final Phase Four project and described as the phase's epilogue.
Animated shorts · 2022
I Am Groot
A collection of short animated stories featuring Baby Groot. The shorts extend the Guardians-related side of the MCU through brief, largely self-contained comic adventures.
Brand decisions
2022
Define Phase Four as the beginning of the Multiverse SagaStrategyBackground
Marvel Studios needed to clarify how the post-Infinity Saga projects related to one another and to future phases.
Action taken
At San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel grouped Phases Four, Five, and Six under the Multiverse Saga and identified Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as the Phase Four film finale.
Aftermath
The multiverse became the principal connective framework for later MCU planning, while some Phase Four projects remained comparatively standalone.
2021
Adopt a hybrid release model for Black WidowOtherBackground
Continuing pandemic conditions and uncertainty around cinema attendance affected the planned theatrical rollout.
Action taken
Disney released Black Widow in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on the same date.
Aftermath
The decision made Black Widow the phase's principal example of a simultaneous theatrical and streaming launch, while Shang-Chi was retained as a theatrical-only release.
2020
Reorganize the release calendar during the COVID-19 pandemicOtherBackground
Cinema closures and production shutdowns made the planned 2020 release of Black Widow and the original Disney+ schedule impractical.
Action taken
Disney, Marvel Studios, and Sony moved multiple films and series, while attempting to preserve important continuity and avoid major spoilers.
Aftermath
WandaVision launched the phase instead of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Black Widow eventually adopted a simultaneous theatrical and Disney+ Premier Access release.
2019
Integrate Marvel Studios Disney+ series into MCU continuityStrategyBackground
Marvel Studios wanted Disney+ programming to deepen stories from the films and provide a larger role for supporting characters.
Action taken
The studio placed Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios in direct oversight of the series and designed them to share continuity, actors, and future consequences with the films.
Aftermath
Phase Four became the first MCU phase to combine a substantial slate of Marvel Studios television, theatrical films, animation, and specials.
Recent events
- 2022
Marvel Studios identifies the Multiverse Saga[1]
Other
Marvel described Phases Four, Five, and Six as the Multiverse Saga during its San Diego Comic-Con presentation.
- 2022
Phase Four concludes with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and a later holiday-special epilogue[1]
Product generation
Marvel presented Wakanda Forever as the concluding film of Phase Four, while James Gunn described The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special as the phase's epilogue.
- 2021
Black Widow moves to a simultaneous theatrical and Disney+ release[1]
Product launch · Other
Black Widow was moved to July 2021 and released in cinemas and on Disney+ with Premier Access.
- 2020
COVID-19 pandemic disrupts Phase Four production and release schedules[1]
Other
The pandemic halted or delayed production and led Disney, Sony, and Marvel Studios to repeatedly rearrange the release order.
- 2019
Marvel Studios announces the initial Phase Four slate[1]
Other
Marvel Studios unveiled five films and five Disney+ event series as the initial Phase Four program at San Diego Comic-Con.
- 2019
Additional Disney+ series and Black Panther sequel added to the phase[1]
Product launch
Marvel announced Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and the next Black Panther film at D23.
Sources1 sources
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