Marvel has revealed the official release dates for some upcoming projects within the newest phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe at San Diego Comic-Con.BladeandThunderboltswill arrive during Phase 5 within the string of new releases from the studio. On the other hand,Fantastic Fourwill come later as the first film of Phase 6 within the cinematic universe.
Marvel StudiosannouncedBladeat Comic-Con 2019, where Mahershala Ali surfaced as the figure to play the half-vampire. The iconic character embodies the strengths of a vampire but none of the weaknesses that plague the horrific creatures. Ali is no stranger to the MCU, having appeared in the Netflix original seriesLuke Cageas the emblematic villain Cottonmouth. The Marvel film will officially arrive on July 16, 2025, and will introduce the character officially into the MCU.
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Bassam Tariq will directBlade, notably known for his 2020 filmMogul Mowgli. Veteran actor Delroy Lindo will be a part of the cast for the upcoming Marvel film, but his role is currently unknown. The brand-new narrative will also starAaron Pierre to star opposite Ali, but his role in the film lives in secrecy. Nothing about the film or Ali’s character has yet to surface from the studio, but audiences can hear Ali’s voice within a post-credits scene from Marvel’sEternals.
Marvel Studios also announced the release date forThunderbolts,which will arrive on July 10, 2025, and will serve as the final film for Phase 5 within the MCU. Jake Schreier will direct the upcoming film, but very little about the narrative is known.TheThunderboltsare known to be a team of villains masquerading as heroes, but it’s unclear which version of the team will enter the MCU. Several MCU characters have the potential to be in the film, but nothing official has surfaced. Many believe Baron Zemo, played by Daniel Brühl, will appear, but only time will tell what the brand-new team will look like in the MCU.
The highly-anticipated filmFantastic Fouralso received a release date from Marvel Studio. The film will arrive on June 25, 2025, and will be the first film to usher in Phase 6. The big secret that continues to surround the film is the cast, which still appears to be in the works. Rumors have surfaced thatJason Segel has been cast as The Thingand will appear in the new Disney Plus original seriesShe-Hulk,but the speculation is not confirmed. Marvel treated fans to a surprise appearance of Mr. Fantastic inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesswith John Krasinski playing the character, but it’s unclear if he will be returning to the iconic suit.
While announced, a great deal of context is still unknown about the upcoming projects, but at least audiences have an idea about when they’ll be able to dive into thesenew Marvel narratives. More information about each project should surface as their release dates creep closer into view, but the conclusion of Phase 5 and the beginning of Phase 6 appears set in stone. It’ll be interesting to see what these films add to the MCU and if Marvel will lay breadcrumbs about them in earlier works.
