Marvel Phase 4 or That time I skipped an entire phase of Marvel films

Comic-Con, it's a thing! This year Marvel announced their line up of films and shows for the MCU's forth phase, and it's just... kind of underwhelming. I don't know, maybe I'm a cynical asshole, but where are the big guns? These are all d-list characters, and their doesn't seem to much crossover movies either. I wish I was interested, but I just have this overwhelming feeling of meh.

Let's break down each upcoming installment and maybe I can figure out what isn't sticking for me.

May 2020: Black Widow

So we should've gotten this movie like 2 phases ago, and at this point I feel like it's too late. Black Widow is currently dead as of Endgame, so either this is a prequel and who cares, or they're undoing her sacrifice from Endgame which also sucks.

Fall 2020:Falcon and Winter Soldier (Disney+)

I do want to see a buddy cop team up story between these two. Though it's not enough for me to pay for Disney +. Also, it's not a Daredevil revival so who cares.

Nov 2020: The Eternals

This is a weird one. I feel like Marvel is just trying to make another Guardians of the Galaxy happen, but without understanding that the reason that movie worked was because James Gunn directed it. Eternals is being directed by, you guessed it, some unknown director who has done a couple indie movies. So get ready for another bland, soulless Marvel flick. Yes, people like the Neil Gaiman run, but I feel like the Eternals are just really obscure, and would be difficult to get right.

Feb 2021: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

It's weird to me that this one is a movie and not a Netflix series, but those are all in the garbage now, so yeah. I like Simu Liu in Kim's Convenience, but I don't know how he'll do in an action movie. I think my main want from this movie is some cool action scenes, but with another unknown director, and Marvel's track record of Winter Soldier having good action and that's it, I'm still pretty skeptical.

Spring 2021: WandaVision(Disney+)

This series has a terrible title. Vision is currently dead so I guess they're undoing that as well. Also this is another series that is not a revival of Daredevil so I don't care.

May 2021: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Um, sure? I like that they're just saying, "fuck it" with the titles. Apparently Scarlet Witch is in the one so it might be interesting. I think they said it's the scariest Marvel movie yet, but they also said that about the first Doctor Strange so who knows.

Spring 2021: Loki (Disney+)

This series is not a revival of Daredevil so I don't care.

Nov 2021: Thor: Love and Thunder

Taika Waititi is back for this one so it'll probably be fun. Also Natalie Portman is back and apparently we're getting Lady Thor, so I guess we'll see how she does when she has something to do. I like Ragnarok, but I hope they hire a cinematographer this time, because all of the shots are so bland and flat.

Summer 2021: What If...? (Disney +)

Sure, why not? This could be literally anything, so hopefully it's something interesting... like a Daredevil revival.

Fall 2021: Hawkeye (Disney +)

Yeah I guess that's fine.

At some point we're also getting Blade starring Mahershala Ali, which is good casting but that also means the Netflix shows are even further in the trash than we thought, as Ali played Cottonmouth in Luke Cage.

Marvel also mentioned that they do have plans for the X-Men and Fantastic Four and stuff like Black Panther 2 and Guardians 3 are coming further down the line.

I find it interesting that this is only stuff coming out within the next 2 years. I'm glad that Marvel isn't blowing their whole plans fo the next 5-10 years like hey usually do. I guess they learned from Inhumans that that was a bad idea. Also it's annoying to know what's coming out that far ahead, and I prefer things to be a surprise.

Overall I think I'm just kind of lukewarm on this announcement. There isn't really anything coming out other than Thor 4 that looks super interesting to me. Also Endgame was such a great finale, and Far From Home was such a disappointing followup, that I sort of want to take a break from Marvel movies for a while.

The shows are whatever to me. As you can probably tell I'm still salty that they cancelled Netflix's Daredevil, and there isn't anything coming out that looks like it will be of equal quality to me.

I don't know that I'll skip this entire phase, (other than most of the Disney+ shows) but I also won't be rushing out to the theatre to see any of these, like I normally would. I want a break from this franchise and these characters. I have the Infinity Saga, and I can enjoy just that. Do we really need this constant hype train? I sort of wish I was excited, but I feel more exhausted than anything. We got three MCU movies this summer, plus this phase 4 lineup and it's not even August.

Am I crazy? Does anyone else feel the same resounding meh? Let me know @duff_danny.