Phase 4 of Marvel
MCU movies have been put out in phases since the beginning.
Phase 1 - an introduction to the main characters:
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Iron Man (2008)
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The Incredible Hulk (2008)
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Iron Man 2 (2010)
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Thor (2011)
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Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
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Marvel's The Avengers (2012)
Phase 2 - the aftermath of the Avengers and questioning heroism:
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Iron Man 3 (2013)
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Thor: The Dark World (2013)
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
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Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
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Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
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Ant-Man (2015)
Phase 3 - the aftermath of the Avengers and questioning heroism:
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Captain America: Civil War (2016)
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Doctor Strange (2016)
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
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Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
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Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
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Black Panther (2018)
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Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
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Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
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Captain Marvel (2019)
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Avengers: Endgame (2019)
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Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
Phase 4 - New beginnings and redefining superheroes
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Wandavision (TV series) (2021)
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The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TV series) (2021)
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Loki season 1 (TV series) (2021)
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Black Widow (2021)
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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
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Eternals (2021)
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Hawkeye (2021)
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Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
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Moon Knight (TV show) (2022)
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
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Ms Marvel (TV show) (2022)
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Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
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She-Hulk (TV show) (2022)
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
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The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (TV special) (2022)
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Secret Invasion (TV show) (TBC)
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Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
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The Marvels (2023)
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Echo (TV show) (2023)
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Fantastic Four (TBA)
Although Phase 4 is about new beginnings in new ways, it does not simply apply to the storyline. Marvel is taking a new route by using phase 4 to focus on Diversity. Diversity is seen in nearly every production that was aired since 2021.
Black Panther
Black Diversity
Although not quite part of Marvel's Phase 4, Black Panther is a major step in diversifying the productions. Black Panther is the first black lead superhero in the MCU. It is a movie not only about the African-American experience intertwined with White American stories, but a movie solely centered around the black narrative. In Hollywood, black people are usually portrayed as savage, chaotic, or from the wrong side of the tracks, but this movie refreshingly flips to a more refreshing and celebratory stance. Wakanda is a thriving metropolis of vibranium-powered futuristic skyscrapers, and advanced technology. It's a land of black freedom, diversity, and protected from outside forces. Within this fictional nation of Wakanda, it celebrates traditional African society, African-American politics, and the power and beauty of black women. The rivalry between Killmonger and T'Challa offers fulfillment for all types of black viewers, as it is a movies about what it means to be black in America, Africa, and the world in general.
Marvel spent more money on this film than its others. Kevin Feige explains the budget to Vulture: “It’s a big story that deserves to be told in a big way, for all of the cultural and political reasons that people talk about.” In addition, Black Panther is one of the first big budgeted movies, not only superhero movies, to have an African-American director and a predominately black cast.
T'Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, is first seen in Captain America: Civil War. In Black Panther, he is sheltered from racism with his isolated and royal upbringing. The villain, Erik "Killmongor" Stevens, having Wakanda connections, had the opposite childhood. Because he is also a black male, it avoids the black versus white theme.
The late Chadwick Boseman, embodying black excellence, left a legacy that changed cinema for all audience.
Women
In Black panther the is a big presence of powerful women. One of the Wakanda defense forces is made up of female's only. In addition, the main character's sister is the brains behind all vibranium technology. All the women fight to protect their nation and stand up for what they believe in.
Endgame
One scene in Marvel's Endgame gives a glimpse into what is seen later in Phase 4. In the final battle against Thanos and his army, all heroes from the MCU gathered together to beat him. Although this unity displays the theme of togetherness, there is one part where all the women fight together, showing they do not need the mens help. It was an inspirational scene to advocate for women.
WandaVision
Offscreen Diversity
Jac Schaeffer, The showrunner for WandaVision, pushed for a more diverse group of writers with majority being female. Four of the eight writers of Wanda Vision are women, and when including executives, assistants, and Schaeffer herself, the Writer's room has a female majority. This turnout was supported by Marvel.
“I felt incredibly strongly that we needed women and people of color and people of all backgrounds and perspectives in the room,” -Jac Schaeffer.
Onscreen Diversity
WandaVision puts women center stage in every way. The hero, villain, secondary hero, and sidekick are women. With this production, Marvel tackles an unprecedented motif by catering to the Female Gaze. While there have been strong female leads, most superhero movies focus on the appeal to the Male Gaze. Looking back, female heroes are staged in objectifying and revealing shots, underlining the sexual aspect, and the 'scantily clad' women. For example, Wonder Woman lies under the Male Gaze, with Gal Godot's beauty exemplified and creating the untouchable quality in battle. The Female Gaze appeals to the female audience, aiming to avoid objectifying women, and instead, humanizing. WandaVision does just that through it's female characters:
Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen)
In the show, Wanda, the main character, uses her powers to create a sitcom like world, a recreation of her deceased love, and make believe children. She has total control of the town and her creations. This presents Wanda as a future villain, due to her manipulation and hostage taking of an entire town. Powered by her grief over Vision's death, Wandas emotions allow the show to explore themes that are more feminine, such as motherhood and romance. However, because her grief and trauma makes her more powerful and unstoppable, Marvel sends a message that love is not a weakness, and that women are not defined by the trauma they face. The anti-hero complex that people can sympathizes, gives a deep, moral dilemma, which is usually only seen in male roles in Marvel.
Kevin Feige, producer and president of Marvel Studios, even stated that Wanda will be the strongest hero in the MCU.
Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris)
Monica, a S.W.O.R.D agent in the show, is another main woman appealing to the Female Gaze. She is also faced with grief , but similarly to Wanda, Monica is not set back by her grief, instead it motivates her to dive deeper into her work and passion, to fix the spell of the sitcom world, while making sure Wanda is spared. The intelligence she has in the show, and her bravery, Monica's angle cultivates powerful moments in where she pushes through the aggressive and impulsive nature of her male colleague, using her emotions and instincts to force her way into the hex, adopting her own power.
Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hanh)
This character began as the harmless nosy neighbor, Agnes, but later was revealed to be Agatha Harkness, a witch obsessed with Wanda's power, who messes with Wanda's fantasy world. Towards the end of the show, Agnes is revealed as the villain. Continuing with the theme of emotional baggage as strength in woman, Agatha was shunned by her coven in the Salem Witch Trials era. Agatha is one of the few female villains in the MCU.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Black Diversity
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier focuses on capitalism, nationalism, redemptions, and most importantly racism. The show is about Sam Willson (Anthony Mackie), the best friend of Captain America, after Captain America hands over the reigns and shield to Sam, and Bucky Barns(Sebastian Stan), another friend of Cap, looking for redemption. Sam deals with the reality of being a black man who is handed the mantle of the star spangled superhero at a time where of race is front and center of national conversation. The first two episodes tries to tell a story about Blackness in America through Sam, and his family's background, in an attempt to teach the audience about anti-black discrimination. The big, obvious racial conflict seen in the show, is that the government announced John Walker (Wyatt Russell) as the country's new Captain America, promoting the idea that Captain America is and will be white, but Sam is the hope that it is not race that makes Captain America great, but his passion and fighting for what he believes in, for the good.
"The episode ends with the reveal that the government lied to Sam, and used Steve Rogers’ shield to create a new, white Captain America — after Sam had publicly set that mantle aside. That felt pointed to me…"
The director of this show the first female director to tackle an action based production in the MCU. Director Kari Skogland wanted to show audiences that female filmmakers can direct a thrilling and suspenseful action sequence just as well as men.
Women
Shang-Chi: and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi is a mainly Asian cast with a Japanese- American as its director, Destin Daniel Cretton. Featuring its first Asian-American superhero, Shang-Chi/Shaun, played by Simu Liu, Marvel tries to portray and celebrate Chinese culture in its traditional and mystical natures. Simu Liu was not the only Asian actor that gave a great performance, rather Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, and Menge'er Zhang helped to make the movie a true homage to Chinese-American life. There is a specific scene in the movie where a character, Jon Jon, welcomes Katy, the lead's best friend, to a fight club in Mandarin. Because she was born in America and did not grow up speaking the language, she did not understand. In response, Jon Jon says, " No worries, I speak ABC." This was an 'inside joke' for Asian Americans, because ABC stands for "American Born Chinese." The subtle signals to all levels of Asian Americans in this films is what makes Shang-Chi a great and diverse movie. In fact, being released during a time of anti-Asian racism makes the movie more meaningful.
Eternals
Eternals, directed by Chloe Zhao, a Asian Woman and award winning director, was significant to Marvel. The Eternals are the most diverse team of superheroes, made by the Celestials, aka space gods, to carry out their plans. These Eternals are portrayed as a family first and foremost, which is why the fact that they are a diverse bunch makes a difference. The multi-racial group and cast consists of Black, Latino, South Asian, East Asian, and mixed-race actors. In fact, one of the mixed race actors is Lauren Ridloff who is deaf, and plays a deaf character. The film also introduces the first official LGBTQ superhero in Marvel, Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry, who is shown kissing his husband.
Click the star to see the cast interviewed about their experience and thoughts on the diversity of the movie.
Moon Knight
In the tv show, Moon Knight, the main character (Oscar Isaac), has Dissociative Identity Disorder. In addition to that, the show adds and highlights a religion, Judaism. In episode 5 it shows some of Marc Spector/Steven Grant's (the main character and his alternate personality), background, specifically his childhood and religous background, and how it led to his D.I.D. Unlike Hollywood's usual references to Judaism, such as a Magen David necklace, and a Kippah, Moon Knight adds the Jewish ritual of a Shiva. When Marc syas he can't go to his mother's Shiva (Jewish funeral), it makes the audience understand that he is Jewish. This casual reference is to appeal to the Jewish audiences. However, the significance of this added diversity is debated, since Marc is affected by his Judaism and it is not meaningful to him, some people think that it isn't meaningful to the show.
Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez)
America Chavez (Miss America) is the first Latinx superhero of MCU. She has super-strength, speed and can travel through the multiverse. In addition, one scene shows that she has two moms. Simply visually, America represents the Latino and LGBTQ communities, but if you look closer she represents the changes in America. Her name and wardrobe (red, white, and blue, stars and stripes), poses a connection with the America. She shows that the world is changing. Just like Marvel, America is accepting more diversity. Hispanics, Gays Lesbians, Blacks, and more does not separate a person from being American, and I think that is what America Chavez is subtly portraying in this movie. In the movie she struggles with her powers, but when she trusts herself and accepts herself, she becomes just what is needed to save the day. This is what America needs, acceptance and trust to make the world a better place.
