Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4 kicks into high gear with the release of the 24th film in the MCU – Black Widow.
But Natasha Romanoff’s prequel solo adventure is just the first in 10 surprising new Marvel superhero films coming your way between now and 2023.
Join us as we preview these Phase 4 Marvel movies in order of their slated release date.
Release Date: 9 July 2021
Black Widow is the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will be Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow’s first solo adventure.
It’s a prequel, set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War and sees Black Widow on the run and seeking out loved ones to help her take on a new villain, Taskmaster.
BLACK WIDOW Cast
Joining Scarlett Johannsson’s Black Widow on this explosive adventure is a new team of allies from her past. Florence Pugh (Midsommar, Little Women) as Natasha’s fellow assassin Yelena Belova, Rachel Weisz (The Favourite, The Constant Gardener) as their mother figure Melina Vostokoff, and David Harbour (Hellboy, TV’s Stranger Things) as their father figure, Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian. Ray Winstone is starring as Dreykov, the head of the infamous Red Room, and it’s also rumoured that Robert Downey Jr. will make a brief appearance as Tony Stark/Iron Man.
BLACK WIDOW - What We Know
Release Date: 3 September 2021
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will introduce cinemagoers to Shang-Chi, The Master of Kung-Fu – a martial arts superhero as he goes up against über-baddy The Mandarin’s Ten Rings terrorist organisation.
For so many reasons, Shang-Chi will be an incredibly important movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Shang-Chi ANd The Legend Of The Ten Rings Cast
Simu Liu is playing Shang-Chi, while the role of The Mandarin (for real this time - Sir Ben Kingsley in Iron Man 3 was just an actor pretending to be the terrorist mastermind) has gone to acting legend, Tony Leung. The last member of the cast we know about for now is Awkwafina, but her role has yet to be revealed.
Shang-Chi ANd The Legend Of The Ten Rings - What We Know
Release Date: 5 November 2021
Eternals is the 26th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and introduces us to a god-like race of immortal aliens who have secretly lived on earth for over 7,000 years, and who come together again to battle their malevolent counterparts known as The Deviants.
Like Thor and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 1. before it, expect this super-ensemble introduction to tread new ground for the MCU and open up an unexplored direction for the franchise.
Eternals Cast
Richard Madden is all-powerful Eternal, Ikaris, while Angelina Jolie is stepping up as fierce-warrior, Thena. Gemma Chan plays the humanity-loving Sersi. Kumail Nanjiani is the cosmic energy-flinging Kingo, and Salma Hayek is playing Ajak, the Eternals’ wise, spiritual leader and healer.
Lauren Ridloff is the super-fast Makkari (and also the MCU’s first deaf superhero), Lia McHugh is Sprite, an ancient Eternal in the form of a child who can project lifelike illusions, and Bryan Tyree Henry is playing the MCU’s first openly gay superhero, Phastos – a super-intelligent Eternal who has secretly helped humanity make technological leaps over the centuries. Don Lee is Gilgamesh, the Eternals’ tank – super strong and capable of projecting an impenetrable exoskeleton on his body.
Last up, we have Kit Harrington as Dane Whitman/Black Knight, a super-skilled human swordsman, and Barry Keoghan as Druig, an Eternal with mind-control abilities who has distanced himself from the other Eternals and could possibly be the group’s foe in the film…
Eternals - What We Know
Release Date: 17 December 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the 27th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and is set to conclude the current Spider-Man ‘Home’ trilogy: begun with Spider-Man Homecoming and followed up by Spider-Man Far From Home.
Jon Watts is directing the world's favourite web-slinger for a third time.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Cast
Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), Zendaya (MJ), Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds) and Marisa Tomei (Aunt May) are all back, plus Benedict Cumberbatch will feature as Doctor Stephen Strange.
Even more intriguing than Strange’s appearance is the reappearance of two villains from pre-MCU Spider-Man films – Jamie Foxx’s Max Dillon/Electro is zapping in from 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, while Alfred Molina’s Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus has reached into 2021 from 2004’s Spider-Man 2 with his mechanical tentacles.
Spider-Man: No Way Home - WHat We Know
Release Date: 25 March 2022
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will be the second solo outing for the Sorcerer Supreme, played by Benedict Cumberbatch.
It’s also going to be a departure for the studio – a dark blockbuster with horror elements. We can’t wait.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Cast
Joining Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange is Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch whose Disney+ series WandaVision left Maximoff more powerful than ever and studying the ancient book of spells variously known as the Darkhold/Book of Sins/Book of the Damned. That’s… worrying.
However, we’re happy to report that Benedict Wong is back as Wong, Doctor Strange’s most trusted ally, as is Chiwetel Ejiofor as the much, much less trustworthy Mordo.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - WHat We Know
Release Date: 6 May 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder is the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will officially make Thor the first Marvel hero to have four solo films.
It reunites Chris Hemsworth with Thor: Ragnorok director Taika Waititi to tell a story inspired by the Marvel Comics series The Mighty Thor, by Jason Aaron and artist Russell Dauterman.
Thor: Love and Thunder Cast
Thor 4 will feature not one but two Thors. Naturally, Chris Hemsworth returns as the hammer-swinging Asgardian but he’ll be joined by Natalie Portman’s Dr Jane Foster who we last saw in 2013’s Thor: The Dark World. In the comic-books, Foster took on Thor’s powers and identity when Thor Odinson found himself unable to lift Mjolnir.
Tessa Thompson is returning as Valkyrie – who’s set on rebuilding Asgard and finding a queen to share the throne. Taika Waititi will return as fan favourite Korg, and Christian Bale will star as Gorr the God Butcher, a character who loathes uncaring gods and those who blindly believe in them. Meanwhile, Vin Diesel has revealed at least some of the Guardians of the Galaxy will be making an appearance in Love and Thunder. Intriguingly, it’s been confirmed that Russell Crowe will be making an appearance as the god Zeus.
Thor: Love and Thunder - WHat We Know
Release Date: 8 July 2022
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will be the second Black Panther film. Directed again by Ryan Coogler, it’s been rumoured that much of the film will take place in the Kingdom of Wakanda itself.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Cast
Letitia Wright (Shuri), Winston Duke (M’Baku), Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia), Angela Bassett (Ramonda) and Martin Freeman (Everett K. Ross) are all returning for the Black Panther sequel, while Danai Gurira (Okoye – the General of the Dora Milaje)’s return is yet to be confirmed.
Of course, with his untimely death in August 2020, T’Challa/Black Panther himself, Chadwick Boseman leaves an unfillable space. And while we don’t yet know who will take up the title of Black Panther – something T’Challa inherited from his father, T’Chaka – we do know that Marvel and Black Panther (and Wakanda Forever) director Ryan Coogler have ruled out recasting and digitally recreating T’Challa.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - WHat We Know
Release Date: 11 November 2022
The Marvels (former working title Captain Marvel 2) is the 31st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will be a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel.
The Marvels Cast
Brie Larson is back as Carol Danvers, former US Air Force fighter pilot turned Kree/Human superbeing and arguably the mightiest superhero in the MCU. Joining her and all grown up is Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau – S.W.O.R.D. agent and Danvers’ unofficial niece.
Newcomer Iman Vellani is playing Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, a massive Captain Marvel fan who acquires polymorph abilities – she can stretch her body and change its shape at will. Last up we have Zawe Ashton (Velvet Buzzsaw and TV’s Fresh Meat) who will be playing an as-yet undisclosed villain.
The Marvels - WHat We Know
Release Date: 17 February 2023
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is the 32nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will be the second Ant-Man and Wasp team-up adventure and the third Ant-Man film to be directed by Peyton Reed.
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania Cast
Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man) and Evangeline Lily (Hope van Dyne/Wasp) are back, of course, as are Michael Douglas (Hank Pym) and Michelle Pfeiffer (Janet van Dyne). We’re particularly excited to see Pfeiffer get a bigger role after her return from the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).
Meanwhile, Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang has been recast and will be played by Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu), and Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country, The Last Black Man in San Francisco) has been cast as – drumroll – major new villain in the MCU, Kang the Conqueror!
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania - WHat We Know
Release Date: 5 May 2023
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the 33rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will be helmed by James Gunn, who brought the previous two Guardians films to the big screen.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Cast
Happily, the entire extended Guardians family is back for Vol. 3. That’s Chris Pratt (Peter Quill/Star Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Vin Diesel (Groot), Karen Gillan (Nebula), and Pom Klementieff (Mantis). Sean Gunn returns, too, as Kraglin Obfonteri (Yondu’s second in command), as does Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha, high priestess of the Sovereign people.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - WHat We Know
Enjoy cinema for less and access to a host of exciting benefits!
With a myODEON membership you can enjoy a faster, better booking experience, pay less with our Saver ticket, receive exclusive member offers, and so much more.
Sign up for free