The MCU’s well-oiled machine just hit a slight speed bump, shifting the timeline for its third saga. Marvel Studios recently adjusted its post-Secret Wars schedule, effectively removing the initial February 18, 2028, release date from the slate. This slot was originally reserved for Black Panther 3, but the sequel has reportedly been pushed back five months to July 28, 2028. Because the February date is no longer in play, the third saga is now expected to commence on May 5, 2028, with a currently unannounced mystery project taking the lead. This shuffle officially delays the start of the next chapter by nearly three months.
The Multiverse Saga is set to reach its grand finale with Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027. While the first film in the MCU’s next chapter was supposed to premiere just about 2 months after, Marvel Studios' readjustment means fans will have to wait a little longer. The new roadmap now features five confirmed release dates across 2028 and 2029. The updated calendar for the 3rd Saga currently looks like this:
- May 5, 2028
- July 28, 2028
- December 15, 2028
- May 4, 2029
- July 13, 2029
Confirmed Projects Happening in the MCU's 3rd Saga
Black Panther 3
Black Panther 3 is the most concrete entry on the list of Phase 7 projects. Ryan Coogler is attached to write and direct the threequel, continuing his run as one of the few MCU filmmakers to build a trilogy. Oscar winner Denzel Washington is confirmed for an undisclosed role, after he let the news slip himself during press for Gladiator II in late 2024.
Letitia Wright's Shuri and Winston Duke's M'Baku are both expected to return, with both characters playing major roles in Avengers: Doomsday as well, setting the stage for whatever direction the franchise takes next. No plot details have been revealed, but the film is expected to be among the first projects out of the gate in Phase 7 as it takes the July 28, 2028 slot.
X-Men
Marvel Studios' first proper X-Men movie is one of the most anticipated projects in the entire MCU. Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier is confirmed to helm the film, with Hunger Games writer Michael Lesslie writing the script. Story details are tightly guarded, but Cyclops and Jean Grey are expected to be the face of the team, with characters like Gambit, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Beast, and Angel potentially rounding out the roster. Mr. Sinister is reportedly under consideration as the primary villain.
This movie will arguably be the most important film of the next saga. Avengers: Doomsday will see several Fox-era mutants, including Ian McKellen's Magneto, Patrick Stewart's Professor X, James Marsden's Cyclops, Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler, Rebecca Romijn's Mystique, and Channing Tatum's Gambit, making their MCU-proper debut.
Doomsday and Secret Wars will be a transition into the Mutant Saga. Since this next phase of the MCU is expected to center on the X-Men, a 2028 release for their debut feels like a natural fit. The December 15, 2028, slot currently stands as the most likely candidate for the mutants to take the spotlight.
Shang-Chi 2
A sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is still alive. Simu Liu confirmed that the project remains in development, and director Destin Daniel Cretton, who has been focused on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is now free from that commitment. With Wonder Man also behind him, the path is a bit clearer now. Liu will next appear in Avengers: Doomsday, which could provide the springboard the sequel needs.
No plot details are confirmed, but questions surrounding the Ten Rings signal, Xialing's criminal empire, and what attracted the signal into space remain unanswered. All of that unfinished business gives the sequel plenty of material to work with.
Armor Wars
Few MCU projects have had a longer road than Armor Wars. Originally announced as a Disney+ series in 2020, the Don Cheadle-led project was repurposed into a feature film in 2022, with Cheadle still attached as James Rhodes and Yassir Lester still on board as writer. The story draws from a classic Iron Man comics run written by David Michelinie and Bob Layton, centered on War Machine grappling with Stark technology falling into the wrong hands.
No director has been publicly announced, and the project has been unusually quiet since its format change. But it remains in official development. Given how much the project has struggled, it's hard to tell how soon it'll happen, but Phase 7 is its likely destination.
Blade
Few MCU projects have had a more turbulent path than Blade. Announced at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019 with Mahershala Ali attached, the film went through multiple writers, two directors, and a couple of release dates before Disney pulled it from the 2025 schedule entirely.
Kevin Feige confirmed in July 2025 that Ali remains attached and the project is still in development, with the story now set in the modern day after an earlier period-piece direction was abandoned. Ali himself has been vocal about his readiness for the project. However, despite all the uncertainty, the project hasn’t been officially cancelled and could happen in the MCU's 3rd saga.
Rumored MCU Projects That Could Feature in Saga 3
Doctor Strange 3
Benedict Cumberbatch has all but confirmed he is returning as Stephen Strange in a third solo film, and there are strong reasons to believe it will surface in Phase 7. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ended with Strange and Charlize Theron's Clea stepping into a portal to confront the Dark Dimension, leaving that story completely unresolved.
Strange is notably absent from the confirmed Avengers: Doomsday cast, which adds more mystery around when and how he resurfaces in the MCU. However, a recent photo shared by Robert Downey Jr. has many believing he will partake in the crossover.
Thor 5
Chris Hemsworth confirmed during an appearance on the Smartless podcast that he and Marvel have plans for Thor after Avengers: Doomsday. The likely place for Thor to appear again after Doomsday and Secret Wars is Thor 5. The film is likely to land in Phase 7, in the 2028-2029 window. Thor: Love and Thunder left several unresolved story arcs, including the introduction of Brett Goldstein's Hercules, Jane Foster, and Heimdall residing in Valhalla, that Thor 5 could explore.
Fantastic Four 2
The Fantastic Four: First Steps was a great film and did decently at the box office, so a sequel is not out of place. Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach will, of course, return if a second film is greenlit. It also won’t be much of a surprise if director Matt Shakman returns. It'll be interesting to see the direction the film takes now that the Fantastic Four are confirmed to be in Earth-616.
Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool/X-Men Team-Up 
Following the $1.3 billion success of Deadpool & Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds is reportedly developing a Deadpool and X-Men team-up film. The project is separate from the standalone X-Men reboot with Jake Schreier. Some speculation points toward the project being an X-Force film, a concept that was in development at Fox before the Disney acquisition shelved it.
Midnight Sons
Marvel's supernatural corner has been slowly taking shape, and Midnight Sons is the project expected to bring it all together. Rumored characters include Moon Knight, Ghost Rider, Werewolf by Night, Elsa Bloodstone, and Man-Thing, with reports suggesting Ghost Rider could lead the team. Marvel confirmed Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight will return in future MCU projects, strengthening the case for his involvement here.
Young Avengers
Marvel Studios has been laying the groundwork for a Young Avengers project since Phase 4, introducing Kate Bishop in Hawkeye, Cassie Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Kamala Khan in Ms. Marvel.
The most obvious indication came in The Marvels, when Kamala directly reached out to Kate Bishop, teasing a formal team-up. It has been reported that a Young Avengers series will not move forward until after Avengers: Secret Wars. This means it's likely to happen in the MCU's 3rd saga.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
