Much like the Moon, Marvel is starting a new phase

Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe begins today with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, officially kicking off the next part of Marvel’s ongoing “multiverse saga.”

And it’s not just a phase, mom – ever since Marvel released its first movie in 2008 (Iron Man), all of its content has been divided into phases. Each one includes a group of several movies and TV shows that can be enjoyed as standalone pieces, but also build upon each other with overlapping characters and plot points.

Phase 5 is smack dab in the middle of what Marvel calls its “multiverse saga,” which also includes Phases 4 and 6. Here’s what it entails:

• Marvel Studios over the next 20 months is scheduled to release seven TV seasons and five more movies (besides Ant-Man), concluding with a Blade reboot in September 2024 starring Mahershala Ali.
• This phase will also see the formal introduction and development of a Thanos-like major villain called Kang the Conqueror, who’s played by Jonathan Majors (👆on the right).

So far, though, Phase 5 is off to a rocky start. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania currently has a 48% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, good for the second lowest-rated Marvel project ever (after Eternals). Though it does seem moviegoers are liking it more – the film has an 85% audience score.

+Dive deeper: As Marvel gears up for its new phase, rival DC Studios is doing the same.