The decision to reduce the number of MCU releases in 2024 has proven to be a smart move, with Deadpool & Wolverine standing out as a significant improvement over its Multiverse Saga counterparts.
The film has had the chance to shine without being overshadowed by another rapid-fire franchise release.
The upcoming films on the MCU slate also appear to have benefited from this gradual reset, indicating that the MCU is finding its footing again after straying from the qualities that made its earlier films so successful.
This shift in direction came just in time, with Marvel Studios’ Head of TV, Streaming, and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, confirming in an interview that 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars will close out the current saga.
Winderbaum stated, “I think that’s [what] Secret Wars is going to be an amazing culmination to the saga. I think it’s going to make the journey feel like it was worthwhile.”
While the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga seems to be a definitive end, the future of the MCU beyond that is not as mysterious as the Secret Wars that will precede it. So, what comes next—or rather, what should come next?
What We Know for Certain About the MCU’s Future Plans
At the moment, the MCU has one ongoing project: Disney+’s Agatha All Along.
However, 2025 is approaching quickly, bringing with it several key releases that mark the next steps in the Multiverse Saga.
First, Captain America: Brave New World is set to hit theaters on February 14, featuring Anthony Mackie as the new Captain America in his first solo feature, alongside Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk making his debut in the MCU.
Then, on March 4, the Daredevil series Born Again will officially incorporate the Netflix Marvel characters into the MCU fold.
May will see the theatrical release of Thunderbolts, introducing another new team into the Marvel universe. These are the most concrete upcoming MCU projects, but after that, the future becomes less clear.
Fantastic Four: First Steps, slated for a July 2025 release, will reportedly be set in the 1960s, or perhaps on an alternate version of 1960s Earth somewhere in the multiverse.
It’s also confirmed that Robert Downey Jr. will return to the franchise, but this time as Doctor Doom, with expectations that he’ll appear in a post-credits scene before his main appearance in Avengers: Doomsday.
A fourth Spider-Man film featuring Tom Holland (and possibly Blade) is also in the works. And, as previously mentioned, the Multiverse Saga will culminate with Avengers: Secret Wars.
You’d Need the Time Stone To See Beyond Secret Wars
Beyond that, the future remains uncertain. Unless you’re Doctor Strange and still in possession of the Time Stone, it’s anyone’s guess what the MCU will look like after Avengers: Secret Wars.
Some speculate that the film could provide a way to consolidate the MCU back into a single timeline, which would simplify the increasingly complex multiverse.
There are also theories that it could set the stage for a new “Mutant Saga,” allowing the MCU to introduce its vast array of mutant heroes and villains in one cohesive narrative.
However, whatever Marvel’s plans may be, they are unlikely to be revealed anytime soon.
For now, the question of what will follow Secret Wars remains unanswered, leaving us to speculate on what should happen next.
Where Should the MCU Go After the Multiverse Saga?
Realistically, the MCU faces two possible paths forward: either continue building on the foundation of the first two sagas or start over.
The former option presents some challenges. First, even if the MCU reverts to a single, unified timeline, there’s still a vast and complex cinematic history to address, and it might be too late to neatly resolve the tangled web of the multiverse.
If audiences are already struggling to keep track of the current timeline, imagine the confusion of trying to explain how it’s all now consolidated into one, with some familiar elements still intact while others are not.
Secondly, Avengers: Endgame delivered such a spectacular conclusion to the Infinity Saga that the early films of the Multiverse Saga have struggled to escape its shadow.
While it seems like Marvel is aiming high with Avengers: Secret Wars, there’s no guarantee it can match—let alone surpass—the standard set by Endgame.
Attempting to stack a third saga on top of that would be a tall order. On the other hand, a reboot could clear the slate, allowing a new cast and creative team to reinvent the MCU from scratch, this time incorporating the entire roster of Marvel characters, including mutants, from the very beginning.
It would provide a definitive conclusion that leads to a fresh start, and in my opinion, that’s the best way forward. After all, how many times can you bring Robert Downey Jr. back, right?
