MCU Phase 5 and 6: movies and series in order - and which characters are coming to Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Marvel Studios has seen recording breaking success on the big, and small screen, creating blockbuster content for comic and movie lovers alike.

Avengers: Endgame, released in 2019, wrapped up a 10-year-long build-up across over 28 projects and three phases which is known as The Infinity Saga, and since then, fans have been wondering where the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going next.

At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2022  the industry titan confirmed it will not be slowing down. Marvel announced that  Phase four will conclude with the highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - and this is just the beginning of what is known as The Multiverse Saga.

With Feige at the helm, the production company also announced the latest roadmap for Phase five, and even surprised some fans by announcing titles for Phase six.

More information on the upcoming projects is expected to be released at the D23 Expo in September which will see the highly anticipated reveal of the cast of Fantastic Four.

With so many projects on the way, a boatload of new heroes and villains will be jumping from our favourite comic books to the big screen soon.

So, what are the new projects announced for Phase 5 and 6 - and which characters can we expect to see?

When is the D23 Expo?

The D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event will kick off Friday 9 September, the same day as Disney Plus day which will see Thor: Love and Thunder come to Disney+ for free streaming.

What is the line-up for Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 5?

The following projects having been confirmed for phase five:

• Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania - 17 February 2023
• Secret Invasion (TV Series) - Spring 2023
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - 5 May 2023
• Echo (TV Series) - Summer 2023
• Loki (TV Series) - Summer 2023
• The Marvels - 28 July 2023
• Ironheart (TV Series) - Autumn 2023
• Blade - 3 November 2023
• Agatha: Coven of Chaos (TV Series) - Winter 2023
• Daredevil: Born Again (TV Series) - Spring 2024
• Captain America: New World Order - 3 May 2024
• Thunderbolts - 26 July 2024

What is the line-up for Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 6?

The following projects having been confirmed for phase six:

• Fantastic Four - 8 November 2024
• Avengers: The Kang Dynasty - 2 May 2025
• Avengers: Secret Wars - 7 November 2025
• There are still eight titles yet to be announced for this phase, with the likes of the Young Avengers expected to fill the empty slots.

What new characters can we expect to see in the MCU?

Kang the Conqueror

Kang might just be the character with the most screen time in the upcoming projects. Played by Jonathon Majors (Da 5 Bloods, and The Harder They Fall), he made his debut in the Disney+ Series Loki, and is confirmed to appear next in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, starring alongside Paul Rudd.

Kevin Feige firmly put his faith in actor Jonathan Majors’ ability to portray the Conqueror, saying that there was "nobody’s shoulders I’d rather be putting the Multiverse Saga on than his."

Feige also hinted at "different incarnations" or "variants" of Kang appearing throughout the Saga.

"It’s really impressive what Jonathan Majors is able to do. And all the different incarnations, Variants, if you will, of Kang that we will see him do. It’s really pretty cool.”

Aneka

Aneka was confirmed to be making her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and will be portrayed by Michaela Coel (Chewing Gum, and I may destroy you).

Aneka is a highly trained warrior and combat instructor for the Dora Milaje and in the comics she eventually becomes captain of the guard intended to protect King T’Challa.

She has played an integral role in many storylines and is a love interest of fellow Dora Milaje warrior, Ayo, who featured in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier TV Series.

In the comics this warrior has battled against Namor, and alongside Spider-Man, Storm, The X-Men and the Avengers.

Cosmo the Spacedog

This character will make their MCU debut in human form in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3. Cosmo will be played by Borat 2 star Maria Bakalova (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies and The Bubble).

In the comics, the character is a telepathic Soviet dog and security chief of the space station Knowhere, which was first seen in Avengers: Infinity War, and later becomes a member of the Guardians of The Galaxy.

The High Evolutionary

After much speculation, The High Evolutionary was confirmed to make their debut in  Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.

The High Evolutionary is one of Marvel’s most notorious, and wild villains. In the comics, the character evolves from mad scientist Herbert Wyndham who aims to make the perfect evolved human.

Chukwudi Iwuji (Peacemaker, and The Split) will play the character at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.

Namor

Namor is a long-awaited addition to the MCU, with fans going as far to hope that the trembles mentioned under Wakanda in Endgame, were his debut.

However, fans were given confirmation and a full look at the live-action version of the character in the emotional Black Panther: Wakanda Forever teaser trailer.

Namor has frequently faced off against Wakanda in the comics and is often seen as a grey character who can be a villain or hero. The character is one of the comics’ oldest characters, making their debut in 1939 for comic book packager Funnies Inc.

The iconic character will be played by Tenoch Huerta (Narcos: Mexico and The Forever Purge.

M.O.D.O.K

M.O.D.O.K.; an acronym for Mental/Mobile/Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing.

The first MODOK was George Tarleton, an American technician working for A.I.M, the villainous company at the centre of Iron Man 3.

The character has battled everyone from villains like Namor the Sub-Mariner to Doctor Doom, and has fought against our favourite heroes such as Hulk and Ms Marvel.

He is expected to first appear in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.

Adam Warlock

Adam Warlock was first confirmed in a post-credit scene following Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, 2017.

He is a genetically perfect being and is created by the Sovereign race at the end of the Guardians sequel.

In the comics the character is a hero but has fought against the likes of Thor throughout his journey.

One of Warlock’s closest associates is the Guardians, and Pip the Troll who made his debut alongside Eros (portrayed by Harry Styles) in the Eternals.

Will Poulter (We’re the Millers and The Maze Runner) will portray the character Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.

Daredevil

Daredevil made his MCU debut briefly in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The character previously appeared in the Netflix series Daredevil.

The show ran for three seasons and was a fan favourite, bringing much disappointment when it was cancelled.

However, following Vincent D’Onofrio’s return to the Kingpin character in Hawkeye, fans quickly began to speculate that we may see Daredevil again, and they were right.

Cox’s next confirmed appearance will be in She-Hulk, in his comic book yellow and red suit, the character is likely to appear in Echo alongside Alaqua Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio before the return of his own show Daredevil: Born Again in 2024.

Charlie Cox (Stardust, and Glorious 39) will return to play the iconic character.

Echo

Maya Lopez AKA Echo, made her MCU debut fighting against Hawkeye in his TV Series. She is the adoptive daughter of Kingpin.

Lopez is one of few deaf comic characters, and only the second deaf character in the MCU. She possesses photographic reflex and superhuman physicality, as well as being a prodigy and master combatant.

In the comics, she has frequently fought against Daredevil but is a well known heroine and an integral part of the street-level fights in Marvel, meaning we may see her alongside Spider-Man and Moon Knight.

Echo is portrayed by Alaqua Cox.

RiRi Williams/Ironheart

RiRi Williams will make her MCU debut in the upcoming Black Panther sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Fans were treated to their first official look at the character in the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever teaser trailer which dropped in Hall H at San Diego Comic Con 2022.

The genius can be seen hammering a heart out of metal, a touching tribute to Tony Stark’s Iron Man who can be seen in the first Iron Man creating his suit in a similar fashion.

Few people will know Riri Williams, but they will have heard of the inspiration: Tony Stark. The upcoming Disney+ show has said to be setting up Williams as the MCU’s new Iron Man.

Iron Heart is set to be played by Dominique Thorne.

Stinger/Cassie Lang

Cassie Lang has been in the MCU since the first Ant-Man movie came out in 2015. However, the character’s superhero alter-ego Stinger will be making her debut in the upcoming third Ant-man movie.

The addition of yet another young superhero adds to rumours of the Young Avengers movie being announced at D23, where Stinger will fight alongside the likes of Kate Bishop from Hawkeye and Ms Marvel’s Kamala Khan.

The character was portrayed by Emma Fuhrmann in Endgame and will be portrayed by Kathryn Newton in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.