Future of the MCU: What movie will bring Phase 4 to a close?
By Paul Zuniga
Currently, every fan’s focus is on the next Avengers film and how that’ll address the events of Avengers: Infinity War. Though the bigger concern should be what follows in Phase 4’s finale.
At the moment, all eyes are on the MCU. Because of the open-ended nature of Avengers: Infinity War, every fan wants to know what happens next. It’s a question worth answering and a lot of people have theories on what could be in store. Theories range from the typical like time-travel to more obscure narratives like technology that allows the Avengers to visit other worlds. They’re all theories worth acknowledging and deserve consideration but the Multiverse theory seems to carry the most weight. That said, there’s something more concerning than Avengers 4.
In case you haven’t been following along with Marvel’s plans for their cinematic universe, Phase 4 is about to begin. It’s still a year away but after Avengers 4, the MCU will cross over into the next phase of their cinematic universe. Where and when that’ll be is still up for debate but Doctor Strange 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will likely hold some clues.
Doctor Strange 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will kick off Phase 4
While we don’t know much about either of those films, Doctor Strange 2 will probably feature more characters of the magical persuasion. Remember, Dormammu and Mordo are still around and they’re not going to let go of their grudges against Strange.
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Additionally, characters like Nightmare and Mephisto are also rumored to have upcoming roles in the MCU. Word of the Ebony Blade’s existence in the MCU also hinted at the Black Knight’s appearance. With those facets being accounted for, it’s reasonable to assume the next big-bad will be magic based.
Whether it’s Mephisto, Nightmare, or Dormammu, they’re all in contention for the role as the new central villain. There is a chance none of them will be chosen but the odds are in favor of magical villains in Phase 4. That said, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is just as likely to introduce the villain of the next major team-up film.
Villains aside, the next major event in the MCU could hold go in any number of directions. The universe could expand towards the cosmic arena or possibly head deeper into the Multiverse. Whatever happens, it’s going to have to top the Avengers’ fight with Thanos. In lieu of that, here are a few good guesses towards what Phase 4 might have in store.
Inferno
During the Inferno event, it was Magik of the New Mutants who opened a door to Limbo, followed by a flood of demons invading Earth. Now, this would be difficult to see happening in the MCU but it could with one slight difference.
Rather than Magik opening the door to Limbo, having Nightmare or Dormammu opening a door to the Hell Dimension could work equally well. A few other changes would need to be made but an invasion of demons and supernatural monsters is feasible. Plus, elements of the supernatural have already been introduced on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. so there’s an in for other monsters, too. Of course, the logical choice would be Dormammu’s Mindless Ones.
Avengers / Defenders War
As it stands, there are no plans for the Netflix universe to crossover with the MCU, making it difficult to picture the Avengers in a fight with the Defenders. But, Phase 4’s end won’t happen until 2022 at the earliest. And at some point between now and then, things could change.
Assuming something does change, the Defenders could find themselves in the MCU. There, they’d most likely encounter the New Avengers. Their interactions would likely be cordial but there’s a chance the situation will turn hostile at a moment’s notice — if the Evil Eye enters the fold.
In the comics, it was the Evil Eye that set the Avengers and Defenders against each other. Neither team wanted the artifact for its power but they were all manipulated into seeking it out by Dormammu and Loki. Luckily, the two teams discovered Loki’s plan in time and joined forces to beat him and Dormammu.
Operation: Galactic Storm
Operation: Galactic Storm might seem like an odd way to go with the MCU but a galactic war is plausible. Said war wouldn’t feature the Shi’Ar like it did in the comics but another alien race could replace them, perhaps the Skrulls. They’ll make their first appearance in next year’s Captain Marvel movie and could potentially stick around until Phase 4. If so, a major battle in the stars could be what’s in store.
Additionally, Operation: Galactic Storm makes the most sense when we consider how much more exploration of the cosmos there will be. James Gunn confirmed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 would venture further into space, making it plausible for the Kree and Skrull homeworlds to be touched upon. In that scenario, all of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes could unite to deal with a threat equal to the one present in Operation: Galactic Storm.
The Infinity Crusade
While most fans expect the MCU to move away from the Infinity events after Avengers 4, the Infinity Crusade could happen further down the line. The reason is that when the Avengers’ fight with Thanos ends, the Infinity Gauntlet will still need to be dealt with. It could be given to someone worthy of wielding the Gauntlet but no one seems ready to handle such a power. And destroying the artifact isn’t an option. So, the only thing that can be done is to use the Gauntlet to create a being worthy of wielding it, similar to the Infinity Crusade.
In the comics, it was Adam Warlock who wound up with the gauntlet. Fortunately, Warlock did the only sensible thing and separated the good and evil aspects from his personality, leaving a completely logical being in its place. The downside to separating those aspects was that beings were formed from their existence; the Magus from evil and the Goddess emerged from the good. The Goddess, however, wasn’t all that good. She actually went on a maniacal mission to rid the universe of all evil, which didn’t go over too well with Adam Warlock. This inevitably led to Warlock teaming with Thanos and Earth’s heroes to stop her.
Assuming something remotely similar takes place, the conclusion of Phase 4 could see the Avengers come to blows with the Goddess. They’d need Adam Warlock’s help but it would make for an interesting fight nonetheless. And it would make sense to end Phase 4 with a massive cosmic battle. Hopefully, that is what takes place.
Avengers Vs. X-Men
Regardless of how unclear Fox’s deal with Disney / Marvel is, the X-Men are going to meet the Avengers at some point. These two teams will eventually cross paths but it won’t happen for some time. Since there are nine films slated to debut in Phase 4, any entrance by the X-Men would have to wait. Of course, the Phase 4 finale could introduce the X-Men.
Introducing the X-Men in the final film of Phase 4 would allow the mutant team to enter without upsetting Disney’s previous plans. Consider it, the last film of Phase 4 will presumably close out most of the MCU’s central storylines, wrapping up everything in a neat bow, leaving an opening for the X-Men.
Next: Which heroes will join New Avengers in Avengers 4?
As far as how an intro would go down is up for debate but it could happen one of two ways. Either, the post-credits could be used to shine a brief spotlight on the X-Men or they could enter the universe midway into the film. Personally, I’d like to see them dropped into the middle of the Avengers’ penultimate battle. That way, the Avengers, and X-Men would have to fight at least once, and of course, team-up in the end. The question is, what villain is capable of taking on both the Avengers and X-Men?