How Marvel Phase 6 Plans to Shatter Its 17-Year Movie Formula

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has changed the superhero genre with pride by expanding the comic book worlds on the big and small screens. The franchise had its Genesis with Iron Man (2008), and since then, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into a comic book superpower. Kevin Feige and his team are finally hitting the brakes. And thank god for that, because watching the MCU stumble through Phase 4 and 5 has been more painful than sitting through another CGI fest where the villain wants to destroy half the universe.

Marvel Phase 6 Plans To Bring Something New

Look, we need to talk about what Marvel’s doing with Phase 6, because honestly? It’s about time. The Marvel Cinematic Universe started as this scrappy underdog back in 2008 with Iron Man. Remember when superhero movies had stakes? When characters felt real? Those were simpler times, before Disney decided that more content automatically equals better content. 

Fast forward to today, and we’re drowning in a sea of Disney+ shows that half the audience forgot existed by the time the next episode dropped. Here’s the thing that’s been driving fans crazy for years: Marvel’s sacred formula has been more broken than a Windows Vista update. The interconnected universe that once felt magical now feels like homework. Remember when post-credit scenes were exciting Easter eggs instead of mandatory viewing to understand what the heck is happening in the next movie?

Phase 6 is shaping up to be Marvel’s “hold my beer” moment, but in a good way for once. They’re scaling back, which is shocking considering Disney’s usual approach of “if it makes money, make seventeen more.” With only four confirmed films, this phase looks leaner than Tom Holland after his Spider-Man diet regimen. The two upcoming Avengers movies, Doomsday & Secret Wars, are set to be the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga. After that, Marvel will be going full steam with an X-Men reboot. Farewell, 20th Century Fox Studios.

And honestly, it’s about time they wrapped this mess up. The multiverse concept has potential, but timelines can be challenging to keep up with. Who knew that having access to every reality could make storytelling feel so… mundane? The brutal truth is that Marvel oversaturated their market faster than a college freshman discovers energy drinks. Between theatrical releases, Disney+ series, animated shows, and whatever the hell happened with Eternals, audiences started suffering from superhero fatigue. And can you blame them?

Final Thoughts

Marvel’s betting everything on these final Avengers movies to stick the landing. If they pull it off, Phase 6 could be remembered as the course correction that saved the MCU. If they don’t? Well, let’s say Disney’s got plenty of other franchises to milk dry. Can the MCU pull this off? They can, and it’s reasonable to believe they will, considering their new approach. The Fantastic Four: First Steps did well with audiences and critics alike.

However, the real test isn’t whether Phase 6 can recapture the lightning-in-a-bottle success of Endgame – it’s whether Marvel can remember how to tell stories that make audiences care about what happens next. Because right now, most of us are just hoping they don’t screw it up worse than they already have.