By Ryan Epps Published Jul 27, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT Analysis After years of multiverse setup, Marvel Studios is finally refocusing on its most important worlds
Marvel Tokon's beta was divisive: Players hate the PC port but love Magik Ubisoft's scraps Far Cry extraction shooter for 'really ambitious' open-world FPS, report says Why is T’Challa’s son so old in Black Panther 3? And what does that mean for Avengers: Secret Wars? Marvel’s Phase 7 movie slate is hiding in plain sight after SDCC Image: Disney Sign in to your Polygon.com account Like Doctor Strange himself, Marvel Studios has its eyes set on the future with tactically scheduled releases following the highly anticipated events of Avengers: Secret Wars , which is currently set to hit theaters in December 2027. At San Diego Comic-Con, the shape of the MCU’s next era emerged as Marvel Studios unveiled a tantalizing look at what's in store for 2028 and beyond. Marvel has already locked in several major projects, including Black Panther 3 slated for Dec. 15, 2028, and the Ryan Gosling-starring Ghost Rider , which hits theaters sometime in 2028, while a few claimed slots in the theatrical calnedar remains a mystery.
Back in March, Marvel Studios confirmed four dates for upcoming MCU movies :
Marvel’s release calendar is always subject to change, but the studio’s plans after Secret Wars are becoming even easier to read following SDCC. The next era of the MCU won’t be built around the same heroes who carried the Infinity Saga , as X-Men and supernatural characters could be stealing the limelight soon.
Based on Marvel’s announced projects, Kevin Feige’s comments, and the studio’s current direction, here’s what Phase 7 might look like. Keep in mind that while the specific dates have already been booked by Marvel, these movies remain largely speculative.
Image: Marvel Comics In the wake of Doomsday , Marvel’s Secret Wars will drop the heroes into one of their most harrowing situations yet. Although nothing is confirmed yet, the story pulls from two of the most beloved storylines in the comics, which involve a full rewriting of the Marvel multiverse, typically at the hands of Doctor Doom. The multiverse essentially turns into “Battle World,” a massive planet that incorporates most of the Marvel pantheon into smaller kingdoms.
It’s ripe territory to lead into a full timeline reset, as most of the world as we once knew it is forgotten, and all that’s left is a world similar to the Void from Loki , a wastebin of multiverses. Exactly how the entire timeline will be reforged is anyone’s best guess, but it should lead to a clean restart with both new and returning characters for X-Men, Avengers, and the like.
Image: Alex Ross/Marvel The safest bet for the first major Phase 7 release is an X-Men film in some capacity. It’s inevitable, but also expected sooner rather than later. Marvel has spent years preparing audiences for the return of mutants, from Ms. Marvel revealing Kamala Khan's heritage to Deadpool & Wolverine officially bringing the X-Men back into the fold.
Following Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars , which are both set to include their own slew of Fox Universe X-Men, the studio has a rare opportunity to launch a completely new status quo, especially in the wake of a “full reset.” Introducing a new X-Men team would be the clearest way to signal that the MCU has entered its next era, and Feige hasn’t been afraid to highlight the future of the MCU being led by…