Marvel's Phase 6 TV slate will fix one major issue fans had with the MCU's Phase 4 and 5 streaming output. Since Avengers: Endgame, the MCU journey has been full of ups and downs. For every Deadpool & Wolverine or Agatha All Along, there are just as many Secret Invasions or Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumanias to lessen any major success the franchise has had. This roller coaster ride of quality has had plenty to pin its lackluster quality on, but one major complaint for years has been the length of particular projects post-Infinity Saga (specifically regarding episode count).
One of the biggest issues fans had with the MCU's Phase 4/5 (which recently ended with the release of Disney+'s Ironheart series) was the reduced episode counts of some of its biggest series. During Phases 4 and 5, the franchise went from eight episodes a season, which was typical, to six or sometimes even less. This meant shows like Loki Season 2, Secret Invasion, and Echo were trimmed down compared to those before them, leaving fans wanting more in many cases.
Thankfully, it has been confirmed that Phase 6 will fix this major issue with Phases 4 and 5 by restoring extended episode counts.
The first three live-action series shows set to debut in this new phase of MCU storytelling (Wonder Man, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, and Vision Quest) will all have eight-episode seasons when they debut on Disney+ over the next 18 months.
This is a far cry from the six, six, and five-episode seasons of the Secret Invasion, Loki Season 2, and Echo, which kicked off Phase 5's TV slate back in 2023.
This new eight-episode initiative to start Phase 6 will allow each series more time to breathe (something fans have wanted) and offer a more appropriate single-season episode count than some previously released titles.
Marvel Studios' Phase 6 of the MCU is set to kick off on Friday, July 25, with the theatrical release of Matt Shakman's Fantastic Four: First Steps. The new MCU film will kick off the last chapter of the franchise's ongoing Multiverse Saga, which is set to include six TV series (at least announced so far), potentially two special presentations, and four movies (including two new Avengers films).
Why Did Marvel Studios Change Its TV Strategy?
One of the most frustrating things for MCU fans coming out of Phase 4 and into Phase 5 was the studio's decision to make its streaming shows even leaner. Now, looking back at the results, this move resulted in shows that wrapped up too fast, missing much-needed time to explore its characters and world further.
Ultimately, these shorter episode counts were thanks to sweeping changes happening at Marvel Studios (and the entertainment industry at large) at the time.
The end of Phase 4 and Phase 5 was released shortly after the streaming bottom fell out in the industry, and Hollywood began to realize the financials behind a streaming-focused feature. This led to tighter TV budgets at Marvel Studios, which (in some cases) bore out in reduced episode counts.
This is not to say Marvel/Disney has 100% figured out its streaming finances in the time since, but the brand has undergone a creative overhaul to better fit the realities of the modern TV and movie business.
Now, according to Marvel Studios Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation Brad Winderbaum, the studio is focusing much more on the "traditional style" of making television, only producing shows centered around characters that are ready-made "for multiple seasons [of TV]."
This differs from the 'seeing our movies and TV series as equals' model that the MCU has worked under since Disney+ launched in 2019.
