Maybe you’ve been at the edge of your seat all year waiting for the next installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or perhaps you’ve never seen a Marvel production at all. Either way, we are all in for a massive treat with the announcement of Marvel Studios’ Phase 4 film lineup. 

After 13 years and 23 movies, Marvel Studios kicked off Phase 4 this year with a bang–with their first MCU production for the small screen, “WandaVision.” In case you didn’t know, Marvel Studios divides the MCU timeline into stages called “phases,” such as the aforementioned Phase 4, which signal a focus on a new overarching story. Following “WandaVision” was the release of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” again bringing Marvel fans to the small screen to watch the adventures of Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson in a post-Endgame world. However, Marvel Studios is now rapidly approaching their first film of Phase 4. To celebrate, they released a video sharing sneak peeks of upcoming MCU projects. 

The video begins with a series of clips from past MCU movies, as Stan Lee’s voice echoes above. “That world may change and evolve, but the one that will never change – we’re all part of one big family.” It then delves right into a new clip from “Black Widow,” generating excitement for the movie, which will finally be released in July after over a year of delays. Next up is footage from “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” another highly anticipated movie slated for release this September. 

What comes next is arguably the most exciting part of the video: a first look at “Eternals.” The clip is short–about ten seconds long–but gives us a peek of the heroes in action, lined up to face an unknown threat. “Eternals” is also a part of this year’s lineup of fall movies and features an all new team of immortal beings who have been forced out of hiding following the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” Afterwards is a rapid series of eight title cards for the newly announced and upcoming movies. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (yes, that is the official title, despite the prank pulled by the actors earlier this year!) is the year’s final movie listed for December 2021, set to continue Spider-Man’s story, following the treacherous (and torturous for fans) cliffhanger left in the previous installment. 

Marvel then throws fans directly into 2022 with another whopping four movies set for release. The year starts off in March with “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” which will draw on plot threads left dangling from “WandaVision” and star Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, and pull in new comic fan-favorite character, America Chavez (played by Xochitl Gomez). 

Next flashes the title card for “Thor: Love and Thunder,” which was originally confirmed back in 2019. Then, two new sequel titles were announced: “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (July 2022) and “The Marvels” (November 2022), the sequel to Captain Marvel. “Black Panther: WF” will not recast the character of King T’Challa after Chadwick Boseman’s passing, but will instead honor the legacy of the vibrant world of Wakanda. Meanwhile, “The Marvels” brings together heroes Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau (with her newfound powers!), and Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, who will be debuting in her own show in 2021 prior to the movie’s release. 

And as though two years of planned content was not enough, Marvel also takes us through  movies in 2023 and beyond. “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantummania” is set to be released on February 17, 2023, with Kathryn Newton joining the original cast as a grown up Cassie Lang (Ant-Man’s daughter). Soon after, on May 5, we’ll see the return of the Guardians in “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3” (perhaps joined by Thor?). Lastly, Marvel Studios teased the “Fantastic Four” remake to be released sometime during or after 2023. They announced last year that “Fantastic Four” would be gracing the big screen once again, but now it is doubly confirmed! 

It is certainly an excellent time to be a Marvel fan. Keep your eyes peeled for more announcements regarding Phase 4, and see you at the theater!