It’s been over a month since Marvel Studios appeared on stage at San Diego Comic-Con. They took Hall H and SDCC by storm as they discussed a record of 18 projects throughout future MCU Phase 5 and Phase 6. And as Phase 4 comes to a close with the upcoming premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we look ahead toward the future of the Multiverse Saga.
But with 12 projects scheduled for release in Phase 5, many wonder what characters will be at the forefront of this new Phase. According to a report by the Marvel Insider on the official Latin American branch of the Disney Site, Marvel Studios has already listed which characters will carry prominent roles for the upcoming projects in Phase 5. [Editor’s note: The official Disney site has since removed their report, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true!]
Kate Bishop
Kate Bishop made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut last year during the Disney+ series Hawkeye. Portrayed by Hailee Steinfeld, the character obtained great praise from fans for her portrayal of the character, and many wonder what the future holds for her.
Although Kate Bishop has not yet been confirmed to be appearing in any currently slated Phase 5 projects, it’s interesting that this report lists her as one of the characters that will have a prominent role in the upcoming Phase.
There have been rumors that Bishop could potentially have a role in Captain America: New World Order. But it’ll be interesting to see how Marvel plans to map out Kate’s story for Phase 5. The report also notes her role as a member of the Young Avengers in the comics.
With the seeds already set in place in Phase 4, we have yet to see if Marvel will seek to execute the Avengers Initiative once more for the Young Avengers.
Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel
Kamala Khan made a significant impact with her MCU debut earlier this year. Portrayed by newcomer Iman Vellani, her debut was praised by many fans for her incredible coming-of-age story and her fantastic portrayal of Ms. Marvel. Her first season ended on a massive cliffhanger, with Kamala Khan and her idol, Carol Danvers (portrayed by Brie Larson), switching places.
This means that while Danvers is in the Khan household on Earth, Kamala is most likely somewhere in the universe. We’ll have to wait until the premiere of The Marvels to see how the story pans out from there and how it connects to Monica Rambeau (portrayed by Teyonah Parris), who was last seen in WandaVision, recruited by a Skrull sent by Nick Fury.
How Kamala’s story will be one of the prominent ones to watch in Phase 5 remains to be seen. However, we have yet to see how Marvel plans to answer the question regarding Kamala’s mutant origin. Perhaps Phase 5 could have Kamala’s focus be on that as we spread out into the potential debut of more mutants in the coming years.
Maya Lopez / Echo
Portrayed by Alaqua Cox, the antagonist turned protagonist in Maya Lopez will be stepping into the focus of Phase 5 with her Disney+ series, coming Summer next year. The show will explore Lopez’s origin story as Echo tries to reconnect with her Native American roots in her hometown. The series will feature the return of Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin.
Echo is also expected to feature Charlie Cox returning as Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil. Many rumors have swirled regarding the series’ plot, focusing on how the series might lean more towards supernatural aspects as Moon Knight did rather than be more street-level than Hawkeye. So we’ll have to wait and see how this story plays out.
Matt Murdock / Daredevil
Speaking of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, one of the most highly anticipated characters by fans is, without a doubt, Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil. Following his first appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Matt Murdock has been busy as of late. He’s scheduled to appear in several projects, including She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Spider-Man: Freshman Year, Echo, and his spinoff series; Daredevil: Born Again.
Multiple rumors have pointed in the direction of the main casts of the Netflix Daredevil series, as well as most of The Defenders potentially returning to play a part in Matt’s story. Without a doubt, Murdock will be one of the key players in Phase 5, with Marvel potentially seeking to adapt some form of the Devil’s Reign storyline.
Riri Williams / Ironheart
Part of Marvel’s focus for Phase 5 seems to be on developing the future generation of heroes of the MCU. This certainly seems to be the case with Riri Williams, aka Ironheart.
The character will make her MCU debut in the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever film later this year. She will also have her Ironheart spinoff series coming to Disney+. She may also appear in the upcoming Armor Wars series, which is not yet slated for either Phases 5 or 6. Dominique Thorne will portray Riri Williams.
Sam Wilson / Captain America
Lastly, but certainly not least, Sam Wilson will have one of the more prominent roles in the upcoming Phase as he comes into play as the new Captain America of the MCU. Post The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie will return to portray the character for Captain America: New World Order.
However, it is essential to note that while it is only confirmed that Wilson will appear in this film, it does not limit this character from returning to another project next year. The report recommends fans be caught up with Sam Wilson’s story for the start of Phase 5.
It is worth noting there was a rumor of Sam Wilson, among a whole plethora of Marvel characters, potentially appearing in Secret Invasion. Although whether or not that rumor turns out to be true remains to be seen.
MCU Phase 5’s focus on street-level stories
A common point with nearly all of these characters is that their origins and adventures usually focus on street-level stories in the MCU rather than mystical or cosmic stories. It’s somewhat relieving to have Marvel return to stories that can feel relatable to a certain degree following a year of multiversal and supernatural adventures.
However, the bigger question concerning the article is why exactly does Marvel list these characters as the ones that will carry a prominent role in Phase 5? It can’t be simply because of their solo spinoff status. Otherwise, characters like Loki, Agatha Harkness, and the Guardians of the Galaxy would fit on this list.
One of the more probable causes can be each of these characters’ potential to crossover into another project. Much like Matt Murdock is scheduled to appear in at least three other projects besides his solo spinoff, other characters could do the same.
Echo could easily reappear in Daredevil: Born Again. Captain America could make a brief appearance or cameo in Secret Invasion alongside Kamala Khan before the premiere of their respective movies. Kate Bishop could try forming her team of Young Avengers, given that she’s their current leader in the comics, and she could try to recruit Kamala, Williams, and Elijah by the time Captain America: New World Order premieres in 2024. But that’s a speculative space for another time.
But what do you guys think? Do you agree with Marvel’s picks for the character at the forefront of Phase 5? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
Be sure to recap on all the latest announcements from Marvel Studios at SDCC to prepare for D23!
