Disney and Marvel Studios have a grand new plan for Phase 7 of the MCU that will undoubtedly fix some of the major issues many had with Phases 4-6. After so much success and fan support during the first three phases of the MCU, many turned their back on the franchise following Endgame for a few specific reasons.
Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that Disney and Marvel Studios have a specific plan that will put the MCU back on track, fixing many of the problems that have occurred over the past five years. The new plan includes cutting back on releasing so many projects every year, instead taking a "less is more" strategy by putting more focus on fewer projects.
During Disney's Q2 earnings call that took place on May 6, 2025, Iger revealed that there will be a maximum number of films, live-action TV shows, and animated TV shows that Marvel Studios can release within a calendar year.
Specifically, Iger revealed that Marvel Studios would "slowly decrease volume" for Phase 7 (which will kick-off in 2028 following the December 2027 release of Avengers: Secret Wars) to attempt to fix the major issues that were present during Phases 4-6:
"We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three. And we’re working hard on what that path is."
So, the plan heading into Phase 7 is that fans will receive, at most, three MCU films, two live-action Disney+ shows, and two animated series every year.
It is worth noting that Marvel Studios isn't only planning on decreasing its yearly volume, but also changing the structure of its Disney+ releases. For example, moving forward, Marvel Studios wants to focus more on creating shows that will run for multiple seasons as opposed to primarily releasing limited series.
The company has already gone through a major change in its television department, moving away from its original plan to not include a showrunner for each of its Disney+ titles. However, that has now changed, and Marvel is taking a more traditional approach to developing TV shows for the streaming platform.
So, this new plan to decrease volume across theatrical and television releases means that the franchise is continuing to address problems it has had in the past, and is now working hard to fix them.
It is worth noting that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige already revealed in November 2024 that the company was planning on returning "back to a normal pace" after the end of Phase 5. According to Feige, "normal" consisted of two films and three TV shows per year, which would mean Marvel Studios would be releasing five total projects every year.
Iger's statement (three films, two live-action shows, and two animated shows) indicates that Marvel Studios will release seven total projects per year. It is safe to assume the amount could fluctuate year to year.
For example, one year could see the release of six total projects while another year could include five. The main point of Iger and Feige's comments is that Marvel Studios will not push out as many projects as possible. Instead, the company will plan releases on a deeper level and be more strategic so that fans can enjoy what is being released.
How Will Decreasing Volume Fix Marvel's Recent Issues?
Addressing an issue and coming up with a plan to fix it is a great step for Marvel Studios to take. In this instance, the company understood that it was simply releasing too many projects every year, which was negatively impacting the franchise as a whole and its core fanbase.
At times, Phases 4-6 felt extremely oversaturated. For example, four films and four Disney+ shows were released in 2022 alone, which just seemed like too many. Just one year later, five shows and three movies premiered, leaving the same bad taste in the mouths of many fans.
It was recently revealed that Kevin Feige even said himself that watching MCU projects had begun to feel more like homework than doing something entertaining.
Due to Feige's comments and Iger's new plan, it is clear that Marvel Studios and Disney know something needs to change. Marvel Studios is far too profitable and, at the same time, expensive, for it to become a liability.
Since there is a specific plan in place, and the development process of the Disney+ shows has changed, it at least seems as though Marvel Studios is heading in the right direction.
Phase 7 (find out which projects will be in Phase 7 here) will be the first full phase where fans will feel these effects in every project, which will also be the first phase in an entirely new saga (for reference, Phases 4-6 were the Multiverse Saga).
The most likely scenario is that Phase 7 will kick off the Mutant Saga, and since the X-Men and mutants are so well-known and are being incorporated into the MCU more and more, it seems like Marvel Studios and Disney are making the right decision by getting their issues figured out before that saga begins.
