MCU Phase 5 and 6 comprise many new titles that could justify an existing fear. By Phase 4, the MCU has already introduced a host of different characters, many of them leading their own solo franchises. With the Multiverse Saga now in full swing, the MCU is only getting bigger, but it can only reach a certain point before it gets out of hand.
Marvel has confirmed several movies and shows that will shape the Multiverse Saga throughout Phase 5 and 6. Some of them will be direct sequels, like Avengers: Secret Wars; and others will introduce brand new MCU characters, including Wonder Man, Adam Warlock, and Namor. Even without all these new faces, there are lots of moving parts that make the Multiverse Saga more complex than the Infinity Saga.
Overcrowding the MCU after Avengers: Endgame has always been a possibility, and the increased number of yearly releases only s this concern. The MCU will soon be so crowded that two things could happen: either every title has to become a MCU superhero team movie, or many characters will have to remain off-screen for years between appearances. There's simply not enough time to devote to every character without congesting the cinematic universe.
The MCU’s Many New Characters Could Be A Problem
The MCU's Infinity Saga followed a core group of characters. The original Avengers returned to the big screen every one or two years, and their journey was parallel to the development of the saga. The same is expected to happen over the next few Phases with key characters like Kang the Conqueror and Doctor Strange, but this time, there will be so many new characters that the attention will likely be diffused. For instance, Sam Wilson barely got to take up the Captain America mantle at the end of 2021's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and it seems it will take three whole years to see him back in action in the Captain America: New World Order. Likewise, Young Avengers such as Kate Bishop and America Chavez were introduced early in Phase 4, but there are no clear opportunities for their return in several years. The only clear way to avoid such a big gap would be to include them in another character's movie or show, potentially stealing their spotlight.
Several Phase 4 post-credits scenes have established high expectations for heroes like Hercules, Clea, and Starfox, but if these set-ups aren't paid off soon, the hype will inevitably die out. The MCU can't simply forget about them, but filling each title with dozens of characters only for the sake of keeping them relevant doesn't seem like a viable option, either. Every new character that gets introduced requires a minimum of screen time, and each new movie only adds more characters into the mix for MCU Phase 5 and 6.
Movies like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever mitigate this problem with more than one starring hero, and the Multiverse Saga's well-planned layout provides reassurance. However, many characters can still run the risk to be left out of the game for a long while. Hopefully, the MCU Phase 5 and 6 continues to find creative ways to keep everyone active.
