The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not stopping with Phase Six – Marvel’s future slate teases War Machine’s solo story, a third trip to Wakanda, a long‑gestating Blade reboot, a Shang‑Chi sequel and the long‑awaited arrival of the X‑Men.
These projects reflect both the ambition and the challenges of the post‑Infinity Saga era, from evolving Disney+ concepts into feature films to navigating creative resets and shifting release schedules.
This final part of my “Complete MCU Explained” series looks beyond Phase Six at the key announced or in‑development movies shaping the MCU’s next chapter.
While dates and details may shift, the projects below are at various stages of development and are expected to expand the Multiverse Saga – or kick off whatever comes next – through new characters, reboots and crossovers.
Armor Wars was first announced in December 2020 as a Disney+ series inspired by the classic Iron Man comic storyline, with Don Cheadle returning as James Rhodes/War Machine.
Yassir Lester was hired in August 2021 as head writer, and in September 2022 Marvel reworked the project from a series into a feature film, keeping Cheadle and Lester attached while pushing it further down the production slate.
Set after the events of Secret Invasion (2023), the story is expected to deal with Stark‑derived armor tech falling into the wrong hands, with Walton Goggins set to reprise his role as black‑market dealer Sonny Burch from Ant‑Man and the Wasp.
As of late 2024–2025, development has slowed and public updates have been sparse, with Lester noting that the project remains in development but its timing is uncertain – similar to the on‑again, off‑again trajectory of the Blade reboot.
Following the success of Black Panther and Wakanda Forever, Ryan Coogler and Kevin Feige discussed a potential third film as early as late 2022, with ideas for continuing Wakanda’s story after the Multiverse Saga.
By 2024, reports indicated Coogler had spoken with Denzel Washington about joining a third film, and longtime Marvel producer Nate Moore – who left Marvel in 2025 – was expected to return specifically to help produce this instalment.
In early 2025, Moore confirmed that Coogler would once again direct and that active development on Black Panther 3 would begin after Coogler completed work on his film Sinners (2025), suggesting the next Wakanda chapter will be part of Marvel’s post‑Phase Six roadmap.
Marvel Studios regained the film rights to Blade after the original New Line trilogy (1998–2004), with Kevin Feige confirming development of a new take once the character returned to the Marvel fold.
Mahershala Ali approached Marvel in 2019 about playing Blade, and the project was officially announced at SDCC that year with Ali in the lead; he later made a brief voice cameo in Eternals (2021).
The reboot has faced numerous delays, cycling through multiple creative teams and directors – including Bassam Tariq and later Yann Demange – as scripts were reworked and the start of production repeatedly pushed back.
By late 2024, Marvel removed Blade from its dated release schedule amid a strategy shift to fewer films per year, and trade reports described the project as delayed indefinitely while a new director and revised script are sought.
Despite the turbulence, Ali remains attached and industry coverage continues to frame Blade as an important, if currently stalled, piece of Marvel’s long‑term plans.
A sequel to Shang‑Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was announced in December 2021, with Destin Daniel Cretton set to return as writer‑director and Simu Liu expected to reprise his role as Shang‑Chi.
The follow‑up is expected to further explore the Ten Rings’ mysterious origins and Shang‑Chi’s role in the wider MCU, though story details and a release window have not been formally revealed.
In 2024, Cretton was tapped to direct Spider‑Man: Brand New Day, which became a higher priority on Marvel’s schedule, effectively pushing the Shang‑Chi sequel further down the line while remaining in active development.
When Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox closed, Kevin Feige confirmed at SDCC 2019 that “mutants” – including the X‑Men – would eventually join the MCU, with Marvel looking to differentiate its version from Fox’s long‑running film series.
By late 2023, Marvel began meeting with writers for an X‑Men feature, and in May 2024 Michael Lesslie entered negotiations to pen the script, later being confirmed as one of the writers helping define the MCU’s take on the team.
After positive responses to his work on Thunderbolts, Jake Schreier emerged as the leading candidate to direct the first MCU X‑Men film, with reports in 2025 and 2026 indicating he is now attached, working alongside writers like Lesslie, Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo.
As of 2026, the X‑Men film does not yet have a confirmed release date, but Marvel’s leadership continues to describe mutant integration as one of the biggest priorities for the post‑Multiverse Saga MCU.
- 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 4: The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Explained! (Multiverse Saga Begins)
- Part 5: The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Explained! (Multiverse Saga Peaks)
- Part 6: The Complete Marvel Cinematic Universe Explained! (Multiverse Saga Finale)
From Armor Wars and a third Black Panther to a troubled but still‑alive Blade reboot, a Shang‑Chi sequel and the long‑awaited X‑Men, Marvel’s post‑Phase Six slate shows an MCU in transition – balancing legacy characters with new directions and reboots.
As production dates, creatives and strategies evolve, these projects will help define what the MCU looks like after the Multiverse Saga, offering plenty of material for future deep‑dives on Cinema Awards Archive.
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