The missed opportunities in MCU Phase 5, including Secret Invasion and The Marvels, could have been better served with more nuanced tweaks and a more cohesive storytelling approach.
The MCU's Phase 5 has been a rollercoaster ride, with exhilarating highs and devastating lows. However, Marvel's missed opportunities throughout the year have left the narrative feeling disjointed and incomplete. As the MCU embarks on its next chapter, with more characters and stories introduced than ever before, it is crucial for Marvel to find opportunities to balance the ambitious scope of the Multiverse Saga with the need to provide a satisfying experience for viewers.
While it can be argued that hindsight provides valuable insights into the MCU's path, some of the missed opportunities for improvement within the Phase 6 narrative can be quite frustrating, particularly when slight alterations could have made a significant difference. Unfortunately, 2023 presented some unfortunate circumstances that impacted the MCU's record, including its biggest-ever cinematic flop and worst-rated MCU show. Despite the few confirmed titles set to conclude Phase 6 on a high note, the likelihood of MCU Phase 6 fully rectifying the missed opportunities of Phase 5 diminishes with each passing year.
"Release Date: June 21, 2023 Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Emilia Clarke, Cobie Smulders, Olivia Colman, Christopher McDonald, Carmen Ejogo, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Martin Freeman, Don Cheadle Seasons: 1"
Instead of a sprawling espionage series featuring Marvel's biggest players, Secret Invasion primarily revolved around the deaths of Maria Hill and the revelation that Rhodey was a Skrull impostor "for a long time." Fury's insistence that he should be the one to face Gravik and to not involve any superheroes was also proven to be false. Instead, he sicked Super-Skrull G'iah on Gravik while he high-tailed it back to Sabre, abandoning the now even more imperiled Skrulls once again.
The inconsequential conclusion of Secret Invasion was compounded by the subsequent release of The Marvels, which downplayed the events that transpired on Earth in the film. The inexplicable absence of Fury's wife, Varra, was a significant element that was left unaddressed, as she was last seen insisting on coming with him to space in Secret Invasion. Despite featuring Fury prominently in a starring role, Marvel struggled to justify including significant connections to Secret Invasion in its MCU lore.
Stephen Yeun was a valuable addition to any project at the moment, but the rumor that he would be cast as Sentry stoked anticipation for the upcoming MCU project significantly. Sadly, it was confirmed in early 2024 that Yeun was no longer involved in the project due to delays spurred by the SAG-AFTRA strikes. His casting as Sentry was met with widespread approval, though now Marvel will have to rely on the star power of the current cast and a potentially re-cast Sentry.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was the movie that kicked off MCU Phase 5, only to fumble the ball. Criticisms of the movie were leveled at its tonal inconsistency, gratuitous CGI, and a plot that saw the Multiverse Saga's arch-villain and supposedly Thanos-level threat bested by one of the Avengers' least threatening members. With very little mention of Kang the Conqueror until that point, it fell to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania to establish why Kang should be feared. However, it failed to properly establish why Kang should be feared, as the movie focused more on the MCU's established characters and storylines rather than introducing Kang as a significant threat.
Loki's presence in the main MCU timeline has been significantly reduced, as he is now primarily serving as a unifying force for the TVA. His farewell to his TVA friends in the Loki season 2 finale was a poignant and definitive moment, leaving a profound impact on viewers. However, the notable absence of Thor throughout Loki's adventures in the TVA carries a heavy sting, hinting at the possibility that he may return in a future project. The absence of Thor's formidable presence diminishes the significance of Loki's demise and leaves fans with a sense of bittersweet closure.
Release Date November 5, 2021 Director Chloé Zhao Cast Angelina Jolie , Lia McHugh , Haaz Sleiman , Salma Hayek Pinault , Dong-seok Ma , Zain Al Rafeea , Harish Patel , Richard Madden , Brian Tyree Henry , Jashaun St. John , Lauren Ridloff , Kit Harington , Kumail Nanjiani , Ozer Ercan Runtime 157 minutes
Jonathan Majors played every Kang variant in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (February 2023).
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania quickly established the fact that the true threat of Kang the Conqueror stems from the countless Kang variants that have banded together as the Council of Kangs. Except, unlike Loki variants who took on myriad forms - including an alligator - Kang's variants were all played by Jonathan Majors. While Marvel is no stranger to a re-cast (nor is it universe-breaking), it's hard to ignore how much more explicable a re-cast Kang would be if any of the variants that appeared in this scene were played by someone else.Like it or not, the prospect of Deadpool 3 being the first R-rated MCU movie has sparked much excitement. The novelty of featuring the gratuitous violence for which the Merc with a Mouth is known in an otherwise largely family-friendly franchise is a novelty that shows Marvel isn't afraid of getting its hands dirty. However, given the focus of the MCU, it would have been greater to give greater focus to Cassie Lang and Kamala Khan. Both characters have strong and distinct personalities that could have been explored in more depth.
While the MCU is diligently assembling the core members of the Young Avengers movie, they remain overshadowed by their seasoned veterans. Despite captivating moments in movies like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels, respectively, the spotlight has progressively shifted away from these characters, leaving it uncertain when they will receive the same level of prominence as their more experienced counterparts.
One of the riskier moves that Marvel has made with MCU Phases 4 and 5 is not featuring an Avengers movie. This has led to a sense of disjointedness among the main stars of the climactic team-up, with the MCU having struggled to regain the same level of audience attention that they once had.
Key Release Dates Deadpool 3 Release Date: 2024-07-26 Captain America: Brave New World Release Date: 2025-02-14 Marvel's Fantastic Four Release Date: 2025-05-02 Marvel's Thunderbolts Release Date: 2025-07-25 Blade (2025) Release Date: 2025-11-07 Avengers: The Kang Dynasty Release Date: 2026-05-01 Avengers: Secret Wars Release Date: 2027-05-07