Like Doctor Strange himself, Marvel Studios has its eyes set on the future with tactically scheduled releases following the highly anticipated events of Avengers: Secret Wars, which is currently set to hit theaters in December 2027. At San Diego Comic-Con, the shape of the MCU’s next era emerged as Marvel Studios unveiled a tantalizing look at what’s in store for 2028 and beyond. Marvel has already locked in several major projects, including Black Panther 3 slated for Dec. 15, 2028, and the Ryan Gosling-starring Ghost Rider, which hits theaters sometime in 2028, while a few claimed slots in the theatrical calnedar remains a mystery.
Back in March, Marvel Studios confirmed four dates for upcoming MCU movies:
- May 5, 2028
- July 28, 2028
- May 4, 2029
- July 13, 2029
Marvel’s release calendar is always subject to change, but the studio’s plans after Secret Wars are becoming even easier to read following SDCC. The next era of the MCU won’t be built around the same heroes who carried the Infinity Saga, as X-Men and supernatural characters could be stealing the limelight soon.
Based on Marvel’s announced projects, Kevin Feige’s comments, and the studio’s current direction, here’s what Phase 7 might look like. Keep in mind that while the specific dates have already been booked by Marvel, these movies remain largely speculative.
1
Avengers: Secret Wars (Dec. 17, 2027)
In the wake of Doomsday, Marvel’s Secret Wars will drop the heroes into one of their most harrowing situations yet. Although nothing is confirmed yet, the story pulls from two of the most beloved storylines in the comics, which involve a full rewriting of the Marvel multiverse, typically at the hands of Doctor Doom. The multiverse essentially turns into “Battle World,” a massive planet that incorporates most of the Marvel pantheon into smaller kingdoms.
It’s ripe territory to lead into a full timeline reset, as most of the world as we once knew it is forgotten, and all that’s left is a world similar to the Void from Loki, a wastebin of multiverses. Exactly how the entire timeline will be reforged is anyone’s best guess, but it should lead to a clean restart with both new and returning characters for X-Men, Avengers, and the like.
2
X-Men (May 5, 2028)
The safest bet for the first major Phase 7 release is an X-Men film in some capacity. It’s inevitable, but also expected sooner rather than later. Marvel has spent years preparing audiences for the return of mutants, from Ms. Marvel revealing Kamala Khan’s heritage to Deadpool & Wolverine officially bringing the X-Men back into the fold.
Following Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, which are both set to include their own slew of Fox Universe X-Men, the studio has a rare opportunity to launch a completely new status quo, especially in the wake of a “full reset.” Introducing a new X-Men team would be the clearest way to signal that the MCU has entered its next era, and Feige hasn’t been afraid to highlight the future of the MCU being led by the mutants.
A solo X-Men movie has repeatedly been named as one of the most important projects to get out the door following the end of Secret Wars, so it only makes sense to kick Phase 7 off with a mutant-focused blockbuster. A summer release for an X-Men film also makes sense. Marvel has historically used its May slots for major franchise launches and event movies, and a fresh X-Men film is arguably the closest thing the studio has to a new Avengers-level centerpiece.
3
Ghost Rider (July 28, 2028)
The next major Phase 7 pillar appears to be Shawn Levy’s Ghost Rider, which Marvel has positioned as one of its biggest supernatural swings. Gosling’s involvement has only increased interest in Johnny Blaze’s return to the big screen, especially after Marvel spent years slowly building out its darker corner of the universe with shows like Moon Knight and Werewolf by Night.
Thus far, Marvel Studios has only slated Ghost Rider for a release sometime in 2028, but since the studio already has July 28 booked, that’s most likely when Ryan Gosling will make his debut. There aren’t any major story details available for this project yet, but the actor did approach Marvel with a specific vision for the role, so it could be a promising start for a character in the same way Deadpool was with Ryan Reynolds in the costume.
4
Black Panther 3 (Dec. 15, 2028)
Black Panther 3 is already set for Dec. 15, 2028, continuing Marvel’s tradition of placing major Wakanda stories in the holiday season. Ryan Coogler is returning to helm the next installment, which also gives Marvel one of its most reliable creative partnerships moving into the post-Secret Wars era. With the Avengers landscape changing, Wakanda could become one of the MCU’s most important political and technological powers, and it’s hard not to be excited to see Denzel Washington as the antagonist.
The story is supposed to follow a young Prince T’Challa II, played by David Jonsson, in a coming-of-age tale as he eyes the throne of Wakanda. It’s unclear how Washington might fit into the premise, but it’s sure to be exhilarating.
5
Shang-Chi 2 (May 4, 2029)
Moving into 2029, it’s tough to chart where Marvel might land next, but the strongest candidate to fit here would have to be Shang-Chi 2. By 2029, it will have been nearly eight years since Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, making its highly sought-after sequel long overdue. Shang-Chi remains one of Marvel’s most successful yet underutilized new heroes, and bringing him back into the MCU would help Phase 7 build out the new status quo of the MCU.
Director Destin Daniel Cretton and star Simu Liu have previously confirmed that the sequel is still in active development, and the recent Doomsday trailer makes it look like Shang-Chi will have a significant role to play in the movie.
6
Fantastic Four 2 (July 13, 2029)
Marvel’s First Family is likely to become one of the MCU’s most important franchises after 2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which managed to rake in roughly $520 million globally. Depending on how these characters fare in Secret Wars, a direct sequel could strike a nice balance as earthbound heroes face cosmic threats. It’s a solid movie to slot in after two relatively grounded heroes like Black Panther and Shang-Chi, but it’s so far out that it can realistically be anything that fits under Marvel’s Phase 7 strategy.
7
Other Possibilities
There are still plenty of other possibilities for the unclaimed dates, as well. A new Deadpool spinoff, an X-Force project, or even another major solo hero, like Blade (arisen from the dead) or Thor 5, could slot into one of these dates.
Stephen Strange is another option. The Sorcerer Supreme has become one of Marvel’s most important connective characters, and after years of dealing with incursions, alternate realities, and the consequences of the Multiverse Saga, a third movie could finally tell a more focused story with the character — one that actually takes its horror to the extreme. Rumors have been circulating since early 2025 that Doctor Strange 3 is in early development with Benedict Cumberbatch set to return to the titular role, but it all depends on how things shake out in the fallout of Secret Wars.
However, given that Ghost Rider will be released sometime in 2028, Marvel could try a Midnight Sons team-up movie featuring Strange alongside Ghost Rider, Blade, Moon Knight, and other darker heroes. That would give Marvel a new ensemble franchise without immediately needing another Avengers-level threat. Admittedly, though, this kind of film might slot better in September or October, dates that aren’t currently earmarked under Marvel’s plan.
With the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy complete and The Marvels floundering at the box office, the studio needs a new cosmic hero capable of carrying that part of its universe. Thor and Doctor Strange could potentially fit that role, but Marvel needs a hero that can capture all sides of its cosmic pantheon in a new and interesting way without feeling forced. A Nova film, which was just officially announced at the end of SDCC, would allow the studio to rebuild its cosmic mythology from the ground up and potentially set the stage for larger stories like Annihilation or War of Kings, but where exactly it fits in Marvel’s timeline is hard to know.
Those films set a nice balance for Marvel’s Phase 7 slate, offering a good mix of earthbound stories while widening the scope to include mystical and cosmic forces in equal measure. There’s always room for a bit of change, but these films seem the most likely to follow Secret Wars and succeed at the box office.
After the chaos of the Multiverse Saga, Marvel’s Phase 7 slate appears to be moving toward a simpler structure, rebuilding around the strongest corners of its fantastical world, including the mutants, supernatural heroes, Wakanda, and cosmic wanderers. The next era of the MCU might not be about expanding outward, but about finally giving its biggest characters room to breathe.
Leave a Reply