Marvel Phase 5 was never meant to end this way. Literally. The original plan was for Thunderbolts* to conclude this chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but thanks to some delays, new Disney Plus series Ironheart has become this era’s capper. And what a weird, ramshackle era it has been, one that has massively changed the direction of Kevin Feige’s superhero saga, just not in the way he first intended.
When Marvel Phase 5 was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, the MCU's new era was an extremely exciting proposition. Post-Endgame and with the pandemic ravaging its productions, Marvel’s output was floundering and directionless, and fans were growing impatient. Stepping onto the Hall H stage, Feige appeased the naysayers by giving a name to The Multiverse Saga, revealing everything coming in Phase 5, and announcing both a Fantastic Four reboot and two Avengers movies, The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.
