MCU Phase 4 is but a dim star shining on the horizon now. With just one more project left to be released – The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which lands on Disney Plus on November 25 – it’s also time to wave goodbye to the latest and somewhat divisive phase in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Still, there’s plenty to look forward to (and look back fondly on) as Marvel’s Phase 4 slate draws to a close. Below, you’ll find tons of information on the upcoming Guardians Holiday Special, plus full reviews for every Marvel film and Disney Plus series that’s been part of the Disney subsidiary’s latest slate of projects.
You’ll also be able to read up on the release dates for every Marvel Phase 5 and Phase 6 film and Disney Plus show that’s been announced so far. So, while MCU Phase 4 is about to ride off into the sunset, this guide’s job isn’t done yet.
Here, then, is everything we know about the final moments of MCU Phase 4.
MCU Phase 4 release dates
There’s only one MCU Phase 4 project left before Marvel’s current slate ends. That’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which rounds out Phase 4 on Friday, November 25.
As for all the previous MCU Phase 4 films and shows that have been released, check out our spoiler-free reviews of each below:
Upcoming MCU Phase 4 films and TV shows
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Release date: Friday, November 25
A Holiday Special that’ll be under 40 minutes long (according to director James Gunn (opens in new tab)), this MCU Phase 4 project will likely evoke the notoriously bad Star Wars Holiday Special from 1978, of which Gunn is a fan.
Its first teaser arrived on October 25 and revealied what its story is. Basically, Star-Lord is sad because the Gamora he knew is dead and the one who’s now alive in the MCU (thanks to Endgame’s events) doesn’t know who he is. So Drax and Mantis decide to kidnap his favorite actor – Kevin Bacon – to cheer him up. Expect plenty of slapstick moments and other comedy-imbued events to play out. The TV special comes with a soundtrack (expertly compiled by Gunn, as always), too, which you can already listen to on Spotify (opens in new tab).
The main Guardians cast all feature, it’s going to be canon in the MCU – it’s set before the third Guardians movie and after Thor 4 – and Gunn has called it the “greatest thing I’ve ever done (opens in new tab). More recently, Gunn revealed he wrote the special in a few hours (opens in new tab) and didn’t even ask Kevin Bacon to appear before he was written into the script (opens in new tab).
There are rumors of wild cameos, including Mark Hamill appearing as Santa Clause (opens in new tab). Cosmo the Dog, a sentient canine, will also make their MCU debut before co-starring in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3. Lastly, there is a post-credits scene (opens in new tab), but don’t expect it to include any major character reveals, according to Gunn (opens in new tab).
Gunn has confirmed it’ll be the epilogue to MCU Phase 4 (opens in new tab), so don’t expect the Guardians Holiday Special to kickstart Phase 5. And speaking of…
Marvel Phase 5 and beyond
Marvel revealed its entire slate of Phase 5 movies and TV shows at Comic-Con 2022, as well as confirming the first three (or four, depending on where Deadpool 3 fits in) projects that’ll make up Marvel’s Phase 6 slate.
Check out every confirmed Phase 5 and Phase 6 project below:
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (February 17, 2023)
- What If…? season 2 (TV show, early 2023)
- Secret Invasion (TV show, spring 2023)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (May 5, 2023)
- Echo (TV show, mid-2023)
- Loki season 2 (TV show, summer 2023)
- The Marvels (July 28, 2023)
- Ironheart (TV show, late 2023)
- X-Men ’97 (animated TV show, late 2023)
- Agatha: Coven of Chaos (TV show, late 2023/early 2024)
- Daredevil: Born Again (TV show, early 2024)
- Captain America: New World Order (May 3, 2024)
- Thunderbolts (July 26, 2024)
- Blade (September 6, 2024)
- Deadpool 3 (Phase 5 or Phase 6 movie, November 8, 2024)
- Spider-Man: Freshman Year (animated TV show, 2024)
- Marvel Zombies (animated TV show, 2024)
- Fantastic Four (Phase 6 movie, February 14, 2025)
- Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (Phase 6 movie, May 2, 2025)
- Avengers: Secret Wars (Phase 6 movie, May 1, 2026)
For more Marvel-based content, read our Marvel movies in order guide. Alternatively, find out where we ranked every MCU film to date and which Marvel villains we think are the best (and worst) ones in the MCU so far.