The Multiverse Saga encompasses Phases Four, Five and Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, expanding beyond theatrical releases to include Disney+ series, special presentations and animated projects that further interconnect the MCU. Phase Four launched this ambitious era with multiverse storytelling, new heroes and more diverse representation than ever before.
Phase Four’s films – from Black Widow to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – explore a post‑Endgame world dealing with loss, legacy and the consequences of the Blip, while beginning to tease the larger multiverse conflicts of the coming phases.
This guide focuses on the seven Phase Four films and continues my “Complete MCU Explained” series from the Cinema Awards Archive YouTube channel.
Phase Four’s film slate includes Black Widow, Shang‑Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Spider‑Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Below, we continue the overall MCU numbering with entries 24–30, covering each movie’s story focus, reception and box office performance.
Black Widow (2021) is a superhero film based on Marvel’s Natasha Romanoff, directed by Cate Shortland from a screenplay by Eric Pearson. It is the 24th film in the MCU and the first theatrical entry of Phase Four.
Mostly set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, the film follows Natasha on the run as she is forced to confront her past as a Russian spy and the “family” she left behind, while bringing closure to her story after her sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame.
Filmed across locations in Norway, England, Budapest, Morocco and the U.S. between May and October 2019, Black Widow was delayed multiple times from its original May 2020 date due to the COVID‑19 pandemic and eventually released with a hybrid theatrical and Disney+ model.
The movie broke several pandemic‑era box office records and grossed over $379 million worldwide, with critics praising its action, tone and performances – particularly Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh – while noting it arrived later than many fans had hoped.
Johansson later filed a lawsuit over the simultaneous streaming release that was settled in 2021, in a case widely watched across the industry.
Shang‑Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) is based on Marvel’s Shang‑Chi and is the 25th MCU film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton from a screenplay he wrote with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham.
The film follows Shang‑Chi, who has built a quiet life in San Francisco under an alias, as he is drawn back into the orbit of his father Wenwu – leader of the Ten Rings organization – and into a conflict involving his sister Xialing and a mythical village tied to their family’s past.
Shang‑Chi is Marvel Studios’ first film with an Asian director and a predominantly Asian cast, and it was widely praised for its representation, martial‑arts‑inspired action and Tony Leung’s nuanced performance as Wenwu.
It grossed over $432 million worldwide, becoming one of 2021’s top‑performing films despite pandemic constraints, and set several box office records for a Labor Day opening.
The film received multiple accolades and an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects, and a sequel is in development.
Eternals (2021) is based on Marvel’s race of the same name, directed by Chloé Zhao, who co‑wrote the screenplay with Patrick Burleigh, Ryan Firpo and Kaz Firpo. It is the 26th film in the MCU.
The film introduces the Eternals, a group of immortal beings who have secretly lived on Earth for thousands of years, and follows them as they reunite to face their ancient enemies, the Deviants, while grappling with revelations about their true purpose.
Eternals grossed around $402 million worldwide and received several awards and nominations, but became the first MCU film to receive notably mixed reviews, with criticism focused on its pacing and dense exposition.
Nonetheless, some critics praised its ambitious themes, diverse ensemble and Zhao’s visual sensibility, even if they felt it did not fully match expectations set by her earlier work or previous MCU entries.
Spider‑Man: No Way Home (2021) is the third MCU Spider‑Man film and the 27th entry in the franchise, directed by Jon Watts and written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. It continues the Sony–Marvel collaboration on the character.
After Peter Parker’s identity as Spider‑Man is exposed at the end of Far From Home, he turns to Doctor Strange to cast a spell that will make the world forget who he is. When the spell goes wrong, the multiverse cracks open, bringing villains – and eventually allies – from other Spider‑Man realities into the MCU.
The film received positive reviews and became a global phenomenon, grossing about $1.921 billion worldwide. It was the highest‑grossing film of 2021, the highest‑earning Spider‑Man film, and at the time one of the top‑six highest‑grossing films ever, while also setting pandemic‑era box office records.
No Way Home earned an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects and was celebrated for its crowd‑pleasing multiverse crossovers and emotional payoffs to decades of Spider‑Man storytelling. An extended cut, The More Fun Stuff Version, was released theatrically in 2022.
A follow‑up, Spider‑Man: Brand New Day, is scheduled for release in July 2026.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) is the sequel to Doctor Strange (2016) and the 28th MCU film, directed by Sam Raimi and written by Michael Waldron.
The film follows Doctor Strange as he protects America Chavez, a teenager with the ability to travel between universes, from the Scarlet Witch, whose grief‑driven quest for her children threatens the stability of the entire multiverse.
It received generally positive reviews for Raimi’s horror‑tinged direction, visual inventiveness and performances, even as some viewers debated the handling of certain characters and plot choices.
Multiverse of Madness grossed roughly $955–956 million worldwide, ranking among 2022’s top box office performers and significantly out‑grossing the original Doctor Strange.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) is the fourth Thor film and the 29th MCU entry, directed by Taika Waititi, who co‑wrote the screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.
As Thor attempts to find inner peace after the events of Endgame, he is drawn back into battle when Gorr the God Butcher begins a crusade to eradicate gods. Thor joins forces with Valkyrie, Korg and his former love Jane Foster, who now wields Mjölnir as the Mighty Thor.
The film drew mixed reviews, with praise for its light‑heartedness, performances (especially Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale and Natalie Portman) and some action sequences, but criticism for tonal inconsistencies, over‑reliance on jokes and uneven visual effects. Many viewed it as a step down from Ragnarok.
Despite the divided reception, Love and Thunder grossed about $760.9 million worldwide, making it one of 2022’s highest‑grossing films and the second‑highest earner in the Thor franchise.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) is the sequel to Black Panther (2018) and the 30th film in the MCU, once again directed by Ryan Coogler, who co‑wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole. It serves as the final film of Phase Four.
The story follows Wakanda as it mourns King T’Challa’s passing and faces new geopolitical and undersea threats, with Shuri and other leaders fighting to protect their nation’s future while grappling with grief and legacy.
Wakanda Forever received generally positive reviews and grossed about $859.2 million worldwide, becoming one of 2022’s top‑grosser and a major late‑pandemic release.
Angela Bassett’s performance and the film’s handling of loss and cultural identity were especially praised, with the movie earning multiple awards and nominations, including five Academy Award nominations (winning for Costume Design), BAFTA and Critics’ Choice recognition, Golden Globes and SAG nods.
A third Black Panther film is in development as the Wakanda corner of the MCU continues to evolve.
- The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Explained (In One Video)
- Part 1: The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Explained! - The Infinity Saga
- Part 2: The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Explained! - The Infinity Saga!
- Part 3: The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Explained! - Epic Infinity Saga Climax
- Part 5: The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Explained! (Multiverse Saga Peaks)
- Part 6: The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Explained! (Multiverse Saga Finale)
- Part 7: Marvel Cinematic Universe's Epic Movie Lineup!
Phase Four marked a transition period for the MCU – moving beyond the Infinity Saga into stories grappling with the aftermath of the Blip, introducing new heroes and diving deeper into multiverse concepts that will define the rest of the Multiverse Saga.
From the grounded spy drama of Black Widow to the cultural impact of Wakanda Forever and the multiverse event of No Way Home, these films broadened the franchise’s scope while setting up conflicts and characters that will shape Phases Five and Six.
If you enjoyed exploring the complete timeline of Marvel’s Phase Four, don’t forget to:
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