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Why Marvel/ Disney Won’t Announce Any Phase 4 Plans

If there is one thing that Marvel Studios and Disney knows how to do, it’s get people excited for films that are nowhere near their release dates. Take for example 3 years ago when Marvel unveiled all their entire Phase 3 plans (ie: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians 2, Black Panther, etc). Or you could take the more recent news that Disney is planning an additional Star Wars trilogy before their current trilogy has even released its second feature. So why – oh why – have neither dropped any hints about what’s coming in Marvel Phase 4?

Well, in an interview with Collider, Feige revealed that no Phase 4 announcements will be made until AFTER the “Infinity Saga” is concluded. Now some fans might find this annoying; but it actually makes a lot of sense. Sure Marvel Studios gave away the entire Phase 3 plan several years ago, but they are in a very different place right now. Considering recent developments, as well as where the MCU is currently and as a whole, one could understand Marvel and Feige’s thought process.

Fear Of Phase 4 Spoiling Infinity War:

As we know, Infinity War – and Avengers 4 to an extent – is going to be a strongly connected yet separate adventure for our heroes. Originally they were called Infinity War Part 1 and Part 2, but due to the drastic difference the Russo Brothers plan to bring to each –and gap in release dates – they decided to rename Part 2. If they’re keeping the name of Avengers 4 secret to avoid any Infinity War spoilers, you can be sure other film titles beyond Avengers 4 could spoil it as well – and potentially more. Remember that title reveals aren’t just ‘new Captain America movie’ but rather “Captain America: Insert Title Here”. Depending on the full name of that title, fans would be able to not only tell if Cap dies in the Infinity Saga but also who he passed his shield onto – Bucky or Falcon. Additionally, a set of Phase 4 titles including an entirely new roster of heroes could mean that we lose a LOT of the old Avengers.

Why Marvel/ Disney Won’t Announce Any Phase 4 Plans
Image: MCU

New Possibilities To Play With:

Speaking on a new roster of heroes, it’s important to remember that Disney and Fox have been having on again, off again talks in regards to Marvel reclaiming many of their old properties. If this deal gets worked out – like how Sony and Marvel worked out one for Spider-Man – could Phase 4 deal largely with setting up some Fox characters? This doesn’t necessarily have to be the X-Men or Fantastic Four, but rather additional heroes and villains tied to those entities. For example, with Phase 4 looking to expand the “Cosmic Marvel Universe”, would Marvel be more interested in buying back the rights to Galactus, Kang the Conqueror or Annihilus of the Negative Zone as the next big bads after Thanos?

What’s Their Larger Plan? Phase 4 or Phase 4-6:

Though beyond Spoilers and potential deals, there is one final logical reason Marvel could be holding off on revealing anything; and it comes down to one simple question: What will the MCU organizationally look like after the Infinity Saga ends? The MCU has been slowly building up to Thanos and Infinity War since Phase 1. In many ways, these Phases have been a super-contained Trilogy. So what’s after Phase 3? Are we really looking forward to Phase 4 or are we really wondering what will happen in Phase 4 – 6? Will Phases be more self-contained now or will they continue with a 3 Phase storyline? And again, WHO can cast a larger shadow than Thanos? This is again where we come back to the potentiality of reacquiring some rights. Kang and his time traveling could be an amazing story to slowly set up over Phases 4 and 5 with a final confrontation coming in Phase 6.

Without Marvel knowing everything they CAN work with, it makes sense for them to focus more on the present and finish telling this epic tale they started. And with the stories they do know, it’s probably best not to spoil those too soon. But how do you want to see Phase 3 conclude and Phase 4 begin? We haven’t even begun to talk about what such a Disney/ Fox deal could mean for successful Fox Marvel movies like Deadpool! Sound off in the comments below!

Why Marvel/ Disney Won’t Announce Any Phase 4 Plans
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