Back in 2008 when the firstIron Mandebuted, few would have guessed thatMarvel Studios' cinematic offerings would form into the media juggernaut that continues to draw huge audiences even 14 years later. Sure, there was that end credit stinger with Nick Fury that forever doomed uninterested dates to stick around for every movie’s entire runtime forever more. But at the time, that felt like more of a fun hint at the next movie than anything else.
So it’s almost surreal to see how meticulously planned out the wholeMarvel Studiosfranchise is at this point. Some might argue that things aren’t quite as set in stone this far in advance as the folks in charge seem to claim, but according tostudio boss Kevin Feige, nothing is unaccounted for. That’s why, when recently asked about the next “phase” of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and shows, he didn’t just coyly allude to the writing process for the near future. He straight-up confirmed that he and the rest of the higher-ups know exactly where things are going from here.
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In a recent interview with Total Film magazine, Feige spoke about the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward now that phase 4 of the seemingly endless story stream is nearing its end. “I think there have been many clues already, that are at least apparent to me, of where this whole saga is going,” Feige offered. “But we’ll be a little more direct about that in the coming months, to set a plan, so audiences who want to see the bigger picture can see a tiny, tiny, tiny bit more of the roadmap.” It looks as thoughMarvel Studios has a clear goal in mindfor where the current overarching themes will ultimately end up, but will it be as universe-shaking as theInfinity Warsaga?
That currently has yet to be seen. But Feige did hint that whatever is coming has been planned for quite some time. “As we’re nearing the end of Phase 4, I think people will start to see where this next saga is going,” he said, seemingly suggesting that particularly eagle-eyed fans might be able to figure out some of the franchise’s future story beats based on tidbits found inrecent Marvel Studios showsand films. It will be interesting to see all the speculation videos and articles that spawn from this, that’s for sure.
It may be worth noting how many of the recent offerings in Marvel Studios' lineup appear to be much more standalone entries than their predecessors. Unlike productions such as theCaptain Americamovies andLoki, others likeMoon Knightand thehonestly pretty darn greatMs. Marvelfeature much more focused and intimate storylines with little to no effect on the larger MCU pantheon. Granted,Ms. Marvel’s hero is a massive Captain Marvel geek, but it can still easily be enjoyed while knowing nothing about Brie Larson’s hit film.
What’s important to know here is that things are about to start becoming clearer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the next ultimate climax is just around the corner. It took 10 years to get fromIron MantoEndgame, so there’s still plenty of time left for these new stories and characters to stew before becoming the next big theatrical event.
