Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Six

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Six is a programming and story-cycle label used by Marvel Studios for the sixth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It follows Phases Four and Five and forms the final part of the Multiverse Saga. The phase is designed as a more concentrated continuation of the MCU's interconnected film and television narrative after Marvel Studios used the preceding phases to introduce characters, alternate realities, and several new production formats. The phase began with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, released in July 2025, and is scheduled to conclude with Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027. Its principal theatrical films include The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, and Avengers: Secret Wars. Blade was also moved into the Phase Six release slate during the scheduling changes that followed the 2023 Hollywood strikes, although its subsequent removal from Disney's release calendar left its eventual status unresolved. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a co-production between Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures and is distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing; the other Phase Six films are distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The television side of the phase uses several Marvel labels. Marvel Animation covers Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies, and the continuing animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Marvel Spotlight is used for Wonder Man, a comparatively standalone live-action project. Other live-action series are presented under the Marvel Television label, including the second and third seasons of Daredevil: Born Again and VisionQuest. The phase also includes The Punisher: One Last Kill, a Marvel Television Special Presentation, while the second and third seasons of X-Men '97 are released during the same broader Multiverse Saga period. Kevin Feige produces every Phase Six film. Spider-Man: Brand New Day additionally has Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, and Rachel O'Connor as producers, while Jonathan Schwartz is also a producer on Avengers: Doomsday. The phase features Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Several performers from earlier Marvel productions return for the Avengers films and related projects. Robert Downey Jr., previously associated with Tony Stark/Iron Man, was announced as playing Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Phase Six has been shaped by major creative and commercial recalibration. Marvel Studios reduced the planned release volume, spaced out Disney+ projects, revised several creative teams, delayed multiple films, and changed the planned Avengers storyline after Jonathan Majors's dismissal and the studio's decision to move away from Kang as the central antagonist. The phase therefore represents both the continuation of a long-running shared universe and a strategic effort to give fewer releases greater production attention and event status.

Marvel Studios began discussing MCU story plans extending well beyond the immediately announced films during the 2010s. The studio's public roadmap became more structured at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, when Kevin Feige announced projects that later evolved into several Phase Four, Five, and Six productions. Fantastic Four was formally confirmed in 2020, although its place in the MCU schedule changed several times before it became the opening film of Phase Six. During 2021 and 2022, Marvel Studios expanded its animated and Disney+ development slate. Marvel Zombies emerged from What If...? and was later announced as its own series. Wonder Man was developed from Destin Daniel Cretton's television agreement with Marvel Studios, while Marvel Studios and Sony began advancing another Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland. Marvel executives also held broader creative planning sessions for the next decade of MCU storytelling. Marvel formally defined Phase Six at its July 2022 Comic-Con presentation. The phase was announced as the final component of the Multiverse Saga, following Phases Four and Five. The initial plan placed Fantastic Four first and positioned Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars as the concluding films. The two titles drew on major Marvel Comics storylines involving Kang, multiversal convergence, and Battleworld, though Marvel Studios indicated that not every project would connect to the central multiverse plot in the same way. The slate then underwent repeated creative and scheduling changes. Jon Watts left the Fantastic Four film, with Matt Shakman taking over as director. The film's title, cast, setting, and release date were refined over several years, eventually becoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The 2023 Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes interrupted or delayed development and production, while Disney also sought to improve quality and reduce the volume of Marvel content. Wonder Man's production was halted during the writers' strike, and multiple theatrical release dates were pushed back. A major narrative change followed Jonathan Majors's legal case. Majors had been expected to portray Kang as the principal antagonist across the Multiverse Saga, especially in The Kang Dynasty. After his conviction and dismissal from Marvel Studios, the project was internally treated as Avengers 5 before being retitled Avengers: Doomsday. Doctor Doom became the announced central villain, and Robert Downey Jr. was cast in the role, despite his earlier MCU association with Iron Man. By 2024 and 2025, Marvel Studios was presenting Phase Six as a more focused slate. Disney announced a lower annual output of films and series, while Marvel continued to develop theatrical releases, Disney+ drama, animation, and special presentations. The phase began with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July 2025 and was scheduled to end with Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027. Its final shape reflects both the expansion of the MCU into multiple formats and a subsequent strategy of consolidation, delayed releases, and increased emphasis on major event projects.

• 2025

  Phase Six begins

  [1]Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Sixen.wikipedia.org

  The Fantastic Four: First Steps opened the phase in July 2025.

• 2024

  Avengers: Doomsday and Doctor Doom are announced

  [1]Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Sixen.wikipedia.org

  The former Avengers: The Kang Dynasty received a new title, and Robert Downey Jr. was announced as Doctor Doom.

• 2023

  Production and release plans are revised

  [1]Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Sixen.wikipedia.org

  The Hollywood labor disputes and Disney's quality-focused strategy led to production interruptions and significant schedule changes.

• 2023

  Kang-centered plans are reconsidered

  [1]Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Sixen.wikipedia.org

  Following Jonathan Majors's dismissal, Marvel Studios changed the direction of the planned fifth Avengers film.

• 2022

  Phase Six is formally announced

  [1]Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Sixen.wikipedia.org

  Marvel Studios announced Fantastic Four as the first Phase Six film and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars as the planned concluding films.

• 2019

  Fantastic Four enters Marvel Studios development

  [1]Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Sixen.wikipedia.org

  Marvel Studios publicly identified a Fantastic Four film as a project in development.

A high-profile, interconnected entertainment slate positioned as the concluding phase of the MCU's Multiverse Saga, combining theatrical event films with Disney+ series and animation.

• Feature film · 2025

  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

  The opening Phase Six film follows the Fantastic Four in a retro-futuristic world inspired by the 1960s. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm must confront Galactus, a cosmic planet-devouring entity. The story is set on Earth-828, an alternate universe distinct from the MCU's primary Sacred Timeline.

• Feature film · 2026

  Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  The fourth MCU Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland follows Peter Parker as he continues protecting New York City anonymously while investigating a powerful new threat. The film is a Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures co-production and is distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing.

• Feature film · 2026

  Avengers: Doomsday

  The fifth Avengers film, originally announced under a Kang-centered title, was reworked and renamed after Marvel Studios dismissed Jonathan Majors. It features Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom as a major antagonist and includes Robert Downey Jr. in the role.

• Feature film

  Avengers: Secret Wars

  The planned concluding film of Phase Six and the Multiverse Saga draws its title from major Marvel Comics storylines involving multiversal convergence and Battleworld.

• Animated series · 2025

  Eyes of Wakanda

  An animated Marvel Studios miniseries associated with Wakanda and presented as part of the Phase Six television slate.

• Animated series · 2025

  Marvel Zombies

  An animated Marvel Studios series developed from the zombie concept introduced through What If...? and released on Disney+.

• Live-action series · 2026

  Wonder Man

  A live-action Disney+ series centered on Simon Williams and released under the Marvel Spotlight label, which Marvel uses for more standalone stories.

• Live-action series · 2026

  Daredevil: Born Again

  The second and third seasons continue the Marvel Television series featuring Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil. The production underwent a creative overhaul and was reorganized into shorter seasonal installments.

• Live-action series · 2026

  VisionQuest

  A planned Disney+ spin-off from WandaVision focused on Vision and intended to complete a loose trilogy with WandaVision and Agatha All Along.

• Television special · 2026

  The Punisher: One Last Kill

  A Marvel Television Special Presentation starring Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher and scheduled for release during Phase Six.

• Animated series · 2026

  Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season two

  The second season of the animated Spider-Man series is scheduled alongside Phase Six and continues the multiverse-era animation slate.

• 2023

  Jonathan Majors legal case and dismissal

  Jonathan Majors faced assault-related legal proceedings and was later convicted. Marvel Studios dismissed him in December 2023, forcing a major change to the Multiverse Saga's planned Kang-centered storyline and contributing to the retitling of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty as Avengers: Doomsday.

  Source

• 2023

  Marvel content-volume and quality concerns

  Disney executives acknowledged that the rapid expansion of Marvel films and Disney+ series had diluted focus and attention after several underperforming releases. The company responded by reducing output and spacing projects further apart.

  Source

Read more

• 2025

  Delay the two concluding Avengers filmsOther

  Background

  Disney sought additional time for production and completion of the large-scale crossover films.

  Action taken

  Avengers: Doomsday was moved to December 18, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars was moved to December 17, 2027.

  Aftermath

  The phase's conclusion shifted from the earlier 2025 and 2027 scheduling plans to a later holiday release cycle.

  Source

• 2023

  Reduce Marvel release volumeStrategy

  Background

  Disney and Marvel executives expressed concern that frequent film and streaming releases had weakened audience attention and contributed to uneven performance.

  Action taken

  Disney planned fewer Marvel films and series each year and sought to give each title more time for development and promotion.

  Aftermath

  Several Phase Six projects were delayed, rescheduled, or given more narrowly defined release windows.

  Source

• 2023

  Rework the central Avengers antagonistOther

  Background

  Jonathan Majors's dismissal made the announced Kang-centered direction for the fifth Avengers film impractical.

  Action taken

  Marvel Studios retitled the project Avengers: Doomsday and shifted attention toward Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr.

  Aftermath

  The change substantially altered the anticipated narrative route into Avengers: Secret Wars.

  Source

• 2022

  Define Phase Six as the final Multiverse Saga phaseStrategy

  Background

  Marvel Studios wanted Phases Four, Five, and Six to form a connected saga involving alternate realities and converging storylines.

  Action taken

  The studio announced Phase Six as the concluding phase of the Multiverse Saga and placed two Avengers films at its end.

  Aftermath

  The phase became the framework for coordinating theatrical films, Disney+ series, animation, and special presentations.

  Source

1. 1Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Sixen.wikipedia.org