The Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to bring a hoard of new entries into the MCU's extensive story, which will include sequels for already established heroes and origin stories for all-new personalities as well. The theatrical movies and Disney+ shows will start off in 2021 focused on classic heroes in projects like WandaVision and Black Widow before moving to origin stories like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, and Ms. Marvel.
Even with all of these new characters coming, plans are still being formulated for movies and shows that will come later in Phase 4, these include movies like Jon Watts' Fantastic Four, and Disney+ series like Samuel L. Jackson's Secret Invasion and Dominique Thorne's Ironheart. The best part about these early entries is that they will lay out teases and set-ups for what's coming later, just as the MCU has done in the past.
According to a new round of quotes, this will continue to be the case early in Phase 4.
NEWS
In a new interview with Deadline, Marvel Studios CCO Kevin Feige teased a potential set-up for the MCU's X-Men coming in WandaVision, which will begin premiering on Disney+ this week. Feige mentioned the progression of Teyonah Parris' Monica Rambeau from WandaVision to Captain Marvel 2, as well as Wanda moving on to team up with Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, when asked if WandaVision would be "a ramp to the revival of X-Men":
"In hindsight, in five years if when we’re talking about everything that’s happened, everything can be a ramp to everything, specifically though, yes, Monica in Captain Marvel 2 and specifically to Wanda teaming up with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."
WHAT THIS MEANS
Kevin Feige always has a master plan for the MCU's path and story, which he appears to have fully figured out with all the projects he's spoken on recently.
Especially considering that WandaVision will be the first entry of the MCU's Phase 4, its importance to the larger MCU continuity is growing with each new report. WandaVision is already rumored to connect directly into Spider-Man 3 by way of introducing the multiverse for the first time, and it was confirmed in 2019 to directly lead into the events of Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange sequel as Elizabeth Olsen co-stars in the movie.
It's still unclear exactly how the X-Men may rise to prominence from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but it certainly makes sense as a starting gate for Marvel's mutants. The multiverse is the easiest explanation for their arrival, and the film could also explore Wanda's potential origins as a mutant herself since that's how she started in the comics. No matter which direction Marvel Studios takes, it's exciting to know that the Disney/Fox merger is coming to life more fully in the near future.
WandaVision will release on Disney+ starting this Friday, January 15. Elizabeth Olsen is currently filming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which will release in theaters on March 25, 2022.
