Marvel Studios keeps adding new players to the board. It seems that with every new MCU project, a bunch of new heroes, villains, and supporting characters are incorporated into Marvel’s grand tapestry of storytelling.
This has been made quite a bit easier with the addition of Disney+’s MCU shows. With the ability to produce these series, the studio’s storytelling ability increased exponentially, and it’s been able to cover a lot more ground than if it was merely releasing two or three films a year.
With the MCU’s Phase 4 coming to a close with November’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, it’s a good time to reflect on everything that this set of movies and series has given the fans while also looking forward to Phase 5 which kicks off in earnest in 2023.
Now, Marvel has revealed which exact heroes will supposedly be taking the spotlight in Phase 5.
MCU Top Phase 5 Heroes Confirmed
According to a new post from the official Disney website in Latin America, several MCU heroes will have more prominence and importance placed on them than some of their heroic colleagues.
1.) Kate Bishop
Clint Barton’s young protégé, Kate Bishop, first seen in the Disney+ series Hawkeye possesses archery skills on par with even Barton himself. She was last seen joining Clint and his family for some much-deserved Holiday festivities.
2.) Maya Lopez
Also introduced in Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye is Maya Lopez aka Echo. The deaf leader of the Tracksuit Mafia has a checkered past that will surely be explored further in her forthcoming 2023 solo series on Disney+.
3.) Ms. Marvel
Jersey City teenager Kamala Khan has a love for all things superheroic and idolizes Captain Marvel. Kamala is in possession of a mysterious bangle of possibly alien origins and just so happens to be the MCU’s first confirmed Mutant. She’ll next be seen in The Marvels.
4.) Daredevil
The Man Without Fear himself, Matt Murdock, otherwise known as the blind vigilante Daredevil, has most certainly been making his presence known in the MCU. After a quick cameo in the latest Spider-Man film, Matt will jump into a couple of Disney+ shows before landing in his own 18-episode Disney+ series titled Daredevil: Born Again.
5.) Ironheart
Riri Williams is the only one on this list that fans have yet to be introduced to. The genius twentysomething, played by Dominique Thorne, will make her debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where she will construct her very own Iron Man-style suit. 2023 will also see the premiere of the character’s solo series Ironheart.
Bonus: Captain America (Sam Wilson)
None other than the MCU’s new Captain America, Sam Wilson, seems to be listed as a sort of bonus entry. Sam officially took up the star-spangled mantle in 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to stop a nefarious group called the Flag Smashers. Cap’s story will carry forward into Captain America: New World Order, due out in 2024.
How Will the MCU Continue To Expand?
As mentioned above, the addition of Disney+ content to the MCU has kicked things into overdrive. Phase 4 may only last two years, but over a dozen individual projects will be released within that time span.
And it’s not just the series that contribute to this total. There are short films (e.g. Marvel’s I Am Groot) as well as upcoming holiday specials centering on Werewolf by Night and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Knowing who to look out for in Phase 5 should only add to fans’ excitement. The characters above were all well-received by audiences, and some, like Daredevil, have viewers absolutely clamoring to see more of them.
The next phase of the MCU looks bright and will begin early next year when Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion arrives on Disney+.
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