Marvel’s Phase 4 Is Bigger Than Ever and It Kicks Off in July!
Callum Wilson
Implementation Coordinator
Off the back of Marvel’s near tear-jerking ode to the cinema last week, the hype has never been bigger for their next Phase of crowd-pleasing movies. After a Marvel-less year in 2020, the powerhouse studio is making up for lost ground in 2021, with not one, but four blockbuster movies in the space of only 6 months!
Here is the full rundown on the Marvel movies that can’t be missed in Phase 4:
Black Widow – Releasing July 8th, 2021
Phase 4 kicks off in just two short months with the long-overdue Black Widow solo film. Taking place after the events of Captain America: Civil War, the film will explore Natasha Romanoff’s past as a former KGB assassin and the broken relationships she left behind long before becoming an Avenger. The film is directed by Aussie Cate Shortland, with Scarlett Johansson returning for her 8th outing as the titular hero, this time support by David Harbour, Rachel Weisz and Florence Pugh.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Releasing September 2nd, 2021
A fan favourite since his comic book introduction in 1973, Shang-Chi will finally enter the MCU in 2021. A master of martial arts, this film will focus on the mysterious Ten Rings organisation, with Shang Chi forced to confront his own father, The Mandarin. Filmed in Australia throughout 2020, the film stars Simu Lui as Shang-Chi, with Awkwafina and Michelle Yeoh supporting.
Marvel’s Eternals – Releasing October 28th, 2021
Marvel’s 3rd film in 2021 may just be their most intriguing to date. While much of the plot of Eternals is being kept under wraps, we do know that the film will span over 7,000 years, focusing on an immortal race of aliens who have secretly lived on Earth and inspired many of the myths and legends in the MCU. Gemma Chan will lead an all-star cast that also includes Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Richard Madden. With Chloe Zhao directing, fresh off her Best Director Oscar win last month, the film promises to be a fascinating visual spectacle, the likes of which we haven’t seen yet in the MCU.
Spider-Man: No Way Home – Releasing December 26th, 2021
Audiences are in for a Christmas treat this year with one of the biggest films of the year set for Boxing Day. Spider-Man: No Way Home is the third entry in the latest Spider-Man franchise with Tom Holland and Zendaya return to lead the cast. This film has generated a lot of interest online as fans speculate how Jamie Foxx and Alfred Molina are returning as Electro and Doc Ock respectively from previous film iterations of Spider-Man. Rumours circulating of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s return as Spider-Man has only resulted in increased hype for this huge blockbuster.
Looking Further Ahead
The blockbusters don’t stop in 2021 though, with plenty more coming next year, including the return of some fan favourite MCU characters. Another 4 sequels are in the pipeline for 2022 including: a delve into the horror genre with Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (March 2022), a return to the hilarious comedy stylings of Taika Waititi in Thor: Love and Thunder (April 2022), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (July 2022) and the Captain Marvel follow up The Marvels (November 2022).