Marvel Studios is preparing for a major overhaul of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, setting the stage for what appears to be a fresh beginning after nearly two decades of interconnected storytelling.
As Phase Five nears its conclusion, the franchise is at a crossroads. Despite Captain America: Brave New World (2025) crossing the $400 million mark at the global box office, its performance remains underwhelming compared to past MCU hits. Meanwhile, Thunderbolts* (2025) is gearing up to close out the phase, as Marvel looks ahead to its next evolution.
The past few years have been anything but smooth for the once-dominant franchise. Phase Four, launched during the pandemic, saw both triumphs and struggles. While Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) became a $1.953 billion sensation, the sheer volume of content—bolstered by Disney+ originals like WandaVision—left audiences fatigued and yearning for the more focused storytelling of the pre-Avengers: Endgame era.
Phase Five continued to struggle. While Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) shattered expectations, becoming one of the highest-grossing MCU entries ever thanks to Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s return, other projects stumbled. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) and The Marvels (2023) posted some of the lowest returns in franchise history, while Captain America: Brave New World faced its own challenges, from production woes to casting controversies.
Even Thunderbolts* saw lukewarm anticipation—until Marvel Studios dropped a striking, A24-inspired trailer that reignited excitement. However, the real game-changer looms in Phase Six, with the arrival of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) and the return of Robert Downey Jr., not as Tony Stark, but in a major role as Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom.
Directed by Matt Shakman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps will introduce Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch. Set to hit theaters in July 2025, the film paves the way for Avengers: Doomsday (2026), which will unite Earth’s Mightiest Heroes against a formidable new adversary.
Downey Jr.’s return was confirmed at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, where Marvel also announced that the Russo Brothers would helm the next Avengers saga. Having previously directed Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), Anthony and Joe Russo described their new MCU films as the start of something new rather than the end of an era.
“What’s compelling about these two new Avengers movies is they’re a beginning. It’s a new beginning,” the Russos told Omelete.
“So we told an ending story, now we’re going to tell a beginning story, and then who knows where we’ll go from there,” they added. “Maybe there’ll be another five years, but I think we just needed that time and perspective to figure out where it needed to go next, and the only thing that brought us back was the right story.”
As The Direct noted, this marks a distinct shift from previous Avengers arcs, with Phase Six seemingly operating as a reset rather than a culmination of a saga.
Last week, Marvel Studios unveiled an extensive live stream, confirming over 20 cast members for Avengers: Doomsday, with more names expected to be revealed. The current lineup includes Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom, Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Kelsey Grammer as Hank McCoy/Beast, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops, and Chris Hemsworth as Thor.
Also joining are Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau/Gambit, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon, Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Rebecca Romijn as Raven Darkhölme/Mystique, Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X, Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler, Letitia Wright as Shuri/Black Panther, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/Thing.
Rounding out the roster is the team from Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts*: Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost, Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent, and Lewis Pullman as “Bob”/Sentry.
Further solidifying this transition is Spider-Man 4, the first post-Avengers: Doomsday film. At CinemaCon, Tom Holland discussed his return as Peter Parker in the newly titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings). The film will explore Parker’s journey following the world’s erasure of his identity, aligning with what former Spider-Man director Jon Watts once described as an extended origin story.
Holland, currently filming Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (2026), echoed the Russo Brothers’ sentiments about reinvention, telling CinemaCon attendees via video chat that the film is a “fresh start” for the character.
“I am so sorry I can’t be with you. I am halfway around the world shooting a movie,” Holland said via Variety. “I know we left you with a massive clip hanger at the end of No Way Home, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a fresh start. It is exactly that. That’s all I can say.”
Additionally, rumors suggest Stranger Things star Sadie Sink has been cast as a Multiversal version of Mary Jane Watson, further supporting the idea of a bold new creative direction. In Marvel Comics’ “The Amazing Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (2008) arc, MJ played a pivotal role, making Sink’s rumored involvement a logical choice.
With all the pieces coming together for Phase Six, it’s evident that Marvel isn’t just closing a chapter—it’s redefining the MCU from the ground up. And with both the Avengers and Spider-Man franchises leading the charge, the next era of superhero cinema is about to begin.
How do you feel about these fresh starts for the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Let us know in the comments below!
