Marvel Cinematic Universe Bigger Than Ever in 2021

No other film franchise has come close to the scope and magnitude of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With 22 movies telling an interconnected story, the MCU has pulled off a stunning media legacy. With Kevin Feige at the helm, the first three phases of the MCU were riddled with re-castings, director turnover, and legal battles. Still, fans were blown away. After the blockbuster of all blockbusters, Avengers: Endgame put a serious period at the end of a 10-year-long run-on sentence, critics wondered what could possibly come next. Well, strap in – 2021 is the start of something big.

Marvel (not Just a) Cinematic Universe

Last year, the Disney+ streaming service launched, giving viewers access to the entire Disney library. Aside from movies and older TV shows, Disney promised new original content would come soon. So far, The Mandalorian has been the only original show worth talking about. The Mandalorian is a Star Wars entity, but its high-production quality has Marvel fans anxious for what’s to come.

WandaVision

Step into Phase 4 with the highly anticipated WandaVision. It premieres exclusively on Disney+ next month with a six-episode arc. The series follows Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlett Witch in a reality-bending story as she struggles with her identity. There is heavy speculation as to Wanda’s involvement in the introduction of mutants to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Disney’s recent acquisition of FOX, the MCU now has the rights to the X-Men. In the comic books, Wanda is both a mutant and an Avenger.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Following on the heels of WandaVision is The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The story follows Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes as the struggle to fill the void in a world without Captain America. Both Sam and Bucky have worked side by side with Cap. Sculpted as a spy thriller, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier promises an action-packed show filled with bromantic rivalry.

Loki

Villains typically don’t last very long in the movie biz. They emerge. They shock. They awe. And they are vanquished. Unless they’re Loki. Loki was an antagonist in all three Thor movies, the first Avengers movie before finally, finally meeting his ends in Avengers: Infinity War. A year later, Avengers: Endgame comes out and fans of the god of mischief were happy to see Loki weaseled his was out of trouble again. The first Marvel villain to get his own title, Loki stars in a Disney+ original starting in May.

A Theater Near You (Hopefully)

What will the movie theater experience be like in the future? Who knows, but the MCU hasn’t given up hope. Disney is always the force to be reckoned with at the box office and, if all goes to plan, 2021 will have three installments of the MCU in theaters.

Black Widow

Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanov, aka the Black Widow, has been with the MCU since practically the very beginning. Yet, despite not having her own movie, Romanov developed from a sexy/badass side secondary character to an integral part of the MCU’s heart. She was one of the few Avengers without powers or advanced tech, and still, she held her own against aliens and killer robots. Following her unfortunate demise in Endgame (if that’s a spoiler, that’s your fault), fans were excited to see the character get her own movie. The movie takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War.

Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings

The premise for a Shang-Chi movie or show has been discussed in one way or another since the 80s. In fact, Bruce Lee inspired the martial arts expert/hero, and Stan Lee wanted Lee’s son, Brandon, to portray the hero. Flash forward to 2021, Shang-Chi will be the first Asian to lead an MCU film with the real Mandarin as the antagonist. Not the imposter

Eternals

Like Black Widow, the Eternals movie was supposed to release in 2020, but COVID-19 had other plans. This film is a new story for the MCU and many fans. Following the lead of Guardians of the Galaxy, Eternals takes fans beyond the earthly-grounded stories. The story follows a group of ancient aliens who helped mold history as they are forced to the forefront.

Spider-Man 3

There is much buzz about the third installment of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Recently confirmed – Alfred Molina from the Tobey Maguire series and Jamie Foxx from the Andrew Garfield series joined the upcoming film cast. Adding to that, the all but confirmed rumors of Maguire and Garfield themselves joining alongside Holland, the movie looks to do their own version of a Spider-Verse.

Marvel Beyond 2021

Kevin Feige spoke about 25 titles coming to MCU between now and 2024. Phase 4 promises to be the most ambitious phase of the MCU yet.

Here is a list of all the upcoming titles

• WandaVision (Disney+) (January 2021)
• The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+) (March 2021)
• Black Widow (Movie) (May 2021)
• Loki (Disney+) (May 2021)
• Eternals (Movie) (November 2021)
• Untitled Spider-Man (Movie) (December 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (Movie) (May 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (Movie) (July 2022)
• Captain Marvel 2 (Movie) (November 2022)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (Disney+) (Winter 2022)
• What If…? (Disney+)
• Hawkeye (Disney+)
• She-Hulk (Disney+)
• Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (Movie) (2023)
• Moon Knight (Disney+)
• Secret Invasion (Disney+)
• Ironheart (Disney+)
• Armor Wars (Disney+)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Movie)
• I Am Groot (Disney+)
• Fantastic Four (Movie)
• Blade (Movie)

As of yet, there is no official word as to when the X-Men will join the MCU, but one must imagine, their debut will be set up with these titles.