Phase 4 was a dull period in the MCU, but the positive reception of upcoming projects gives hope that the franchise can restore its former glory.

Split image of Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) smiling in her living room in The Marvels (2023) on the left, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) gasping in Deadpool (2016) on the right (updated)

It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been in somewhat of a lull as of late, but the franchise may be finally getting exciting again at the perfect time. The MCU has had some solid releases in the last few years, such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the Loki series. However, negatively-received projects like Secret Invasion and box office bombs like The Marvels have well overshadowed the positives. Lots of general audiences have already lost interest in the franchise, as it seems unlikely that the excitement of the Infinity Saga will be replicated.

Marvel Studios seems well aware of their lull as they have already taken measures to improve their quality of content, such as slowing down their release schedule and dedicating a specific team to television. Since the Multiverse Saga has gotten off to such a rocky start, it is up to the remaining slated projects to pick up the pace. Luckily for the MCU, many highly-anticipated projects are dropping soon, and the franchise finally seems to be trending up for the first time in a while.

The MCU’s Newest & Upcoming Releases Are Garnering Significant Hype

Wolverine and Deadpool on the street in Deadpool & Wolverine's first trailer

In a first for the franchise in years, the MCU will only have one film in 2024. Though the release schedule is sparse, the project is one that has garnered plenty of excitement. If the high view count on the Deadpool & Wolverine trailers is anything to go off of, the film should do well at the box office. Deadpool & Wolverine will be Deadpool’s official introduction to the MCU, and Wolverine’s co-starring role means that the film can capitalize off of fans’ X-Men excitement that has grown thanks to X-Men ‘97.

Disney+ MCU shows have been hit or miss so far, but X-Men ‘97 has been very well-received among both X-Men fans and casual audiences. Capturing the nostalgia of the original animated series, the success of X-Men ‘97 season 1 means that there will be great anticipation for a future season 2 in the MCU. Among other upcoming slated projects, The Fantastic Four is also a bright spot for Marvel as the casting news has been positively received. With current and upcoming projects all garnering significant hype, there may be enough momentum to keep fans interested in the MCU.

A Few MCU Hits In A Row Can Make Avengers 5 Another Pop-Culture Event

Avengers working out the Time Heist in Avengers Endgame

The main reason why Avengers 5 and 6 haven’t been anticipated like the Avengers films of the Infinity Saga is because of the period of dull projects in Phases 4 and 5. However, the MCU just needs a few solid releases in a row for the franchise to regain hype. If Marvel Studios can produce some great projects in late Phase 5 and Phase 6 that prove that quality will be consistent, fans will likely start looking forward to Avengers 5 and 6 and the Multiverse Saga as a whole.

With the MCU’s current line-up of anticipated releases, future phases are being set up to avoid the mistakes of Phase 4 to keep the franchise relevant. The Multiverse Saga has been off to a shaky start because the projects so far have been anywhere from mediocre to blatantly negatively received. However, 2024 has been a great year for Marvel so far as X-Men ‘97 is a hit, and Deadpool & Wolverine is highly anticipated. If the MCU manages to keep this momentum going with their upcoming projects, it may just be what gets audiences talking about the franchise once more.