Warning: This article may contain spoilers.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) officially began on May 2, 2008, with the release of the first Iron Man movie. In the 14 years, it’s been since Iron Man, the MCU has made 27 films, 17 television series and four phases and holds the highest-grossing box office franchises with over 25 billion dollars.
The MCU is currently in phase four of its overarching storyline. Currently, over the past year or so there have been four movies and six TV shows have made up phase four. In order of release, these movies and shows include WandaVision, The Falcon and Winter Soldier, Loki, Black Widow, What If…?, Shang-Chi, and The Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Hawkeye, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Moon Knight.
2022 still has lots in store for MCU fans including two new TV shows: Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk, along with three new movies: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Each phase of the MCU has had a main purpose of some sort. Phase one’s purpose was to introduce the main heroes. Phase two’s purpose was to take these characters they developed in phase one and connect them into an overarching storyline, setting the tone for future movies at the time like Infinity War and Endgame. Phase three’s purpose was the conclusion of the Infinity Stone Saga which had been developing ever since the fourth movie, Captain America: The First Avenger.
So far phase four’s main purpose has been to introduce a new era of superheroes with content such as Eternals, Shan-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, The Falcon and Winter Soldier and Moon Knight. Along with introducing new heroes, phase four will help close the chapter on some stories that were built upon from other phases such as Thor’s story with Love and Thunder.
As for the overarching story so far for the MCU currently both Iron Man and Captain America are dead (Chris Evans as Captain America isn’t exactly dead but his character is too old and won’t be part of the Avengers anymore) after defeating Thanos in Endgame. There is a lot of uncertainty about who will protect the earth after Endgame since three of the six original members of the Avengers are dead (Iron Man, Black Widow and Captain America).
With all these new movies and TV shows being released and all these new characters being introduced, there is a lot of speculation as to which villain Marvel will decide to be the new Thanos, the next big villain that will bring everyone together. Some people think that The Beyonder, who is considered to be the most powerful being in the multiverse, will be the next big villain. Others are speculating that Kang the Conqueror who was frequently an opponent of The Avengers and the Fantastic Four in the comics will become the next big villain.
Many Cabrini students who are big fans of the MCU are looking forward to this new era of marvel superhero movies and TV shows.
“I am a huge Doctor Strange fan and I look forward to seeing the Multiverse of Madness when it comes out,” Paris Hall, business major, said.
Writing major, Ethan Archambault who was a fan of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is looking forward to Ms. Marvel which starts airing on Disney+ on June 8, 2022.
