Marvel’s Big Year: What to Expect from the MCU in 2025
Marvel’s Comeback Season
After a relatively quiet 2024, where Deadpool & Wolverine stood as the only MCU theatrical release, Marvel Studios is set to come back in full force in 2025. This year marks a crucial transition as the studio moves toward the climactic events of Avengers: Secret Wars.
While fans have expressed concerns about recent MCU films struggling to recapture the excitement of the Infinity Saga, Marvel’s 2025 lineup aims to course-correct with a mix of legacy heroes, fresh faces, and long-anticipated characters finally making their debut.
Here’s a deep dive into the confirmed films that will set the stage for Phase Six and beyond.
The Full List of MCU Films Releasing in 2025
1. Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date: February 14, 2025
After stepping up as the new Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) now faces his toughest test yet—a world that isn’t fully ready to accept him as Steve Rogers’ successor.
Story & Themes:
- Unlike previous Captain America films that focused on superhuman threats, Brave New World is expected to lean into political intrigue, espionage, and moral dilemmas.
- Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (Harrison Ford), now President of the United States, could be setting up government-controlled superhuman policies that challenge Sam’s ideals.
- The story will reportedly explore the legacy of the Super Soldier Serum, and what happens when those in power attempt to weaponise heroes for political gain.
Villains & Key Players:
- Giancarlo Esposito debuts as Sidewinder, leader of the Serpent Society, a covert group of mercenaries specialising in black ops and assassination missions.
- Tim Blake Nelson returns as The Leader, continuing a 16-year-old storyline from The Incredible Hulk (2008). His gamma-mutated intellect could pose a significant threat.
- Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) officially takes over as the new Falcon, bringing high-tech aerial combat into the mix.
- Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), one of the original Super Soldiers, may play a mentor role, adding emotional depth to Sam’s journey.
- Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) makes a long-overdue return, possibly connecting the film to The Hulk storyline that Marvel has been slowly revisiting.
Why It’s a Must-Watch:
If Brave New World follows the intense, grounded storytelling of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it has the potential to be one of Marvel’s strongest solo films in years.
2. Thunderbolts*
Release Date: May 2, 2025
For the first time, the MCU is fully embracing its antiheroes, assembling a team that walks the line between heroism and villainy. This is Marvel’s answer to Suicide Squad, but with a roster of deeply established characters and a larger MCU connection.
The Roster:
- Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) – The new Black Widow, stepping up as a reluctant but deadly leader.
- Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) – The Winter Soldier, grappling with his violent past and uneasy alliances.
- Red Guardian (David Harbour) – The Russian super-soldier, bringing humour and brute force.
- John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell) – A disgraced Captain America substitute, still proving his worth.
- Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) – A wildcard with quantum-phasing powers that make her a stealth asset.
- Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) – Now free from her former mind control, but still a lethal mimic-based fighter.
- Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) – The shadowy manipulator pulling the strings.
Rumoured Wildcards:
- Lewis Pullman is heavily rumoured to play The Sentry, a Superman-level powerhouse with an unstable dark alter ego known as The Void.
- Daniel Brühl’s Baron Zemo could make an unexpected return, either as an ally or a secret puppet master behind the team’s mission.
Plot & Themes:
- The Thunderbolts are sent on a government-sanctioned black ops mission, but are they really the good guys?
- Moral dilemmas, shifting alliances, and a darker, grittier tone make this film a drastic departure from traditional MCU team-ups.
Why It’s a Must-Watch:
With a conflicted team dynamic, brutal action sequences, and potential for betrayals, Thunderbolts could reshape the MCU’s approach to morality and power.
3. The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Release Date: July 25, 2025
At long last, Marvel’s First Family is officially joining the MCU. This is the third live-action attempt to bring the Fantastic Four to the big screen, but this time, Matt Shakman promises to do justice to Marvel’s most beloved superhero team.
The Retro-Futuristic Setting:
- Unlike previous adaptations, this version of the Fantastic Four will be set in a 1960s-inspired sci-fi world, embracing a retro-futuristic aesthetic.
- Speculation suggests the team could originate from an alternate universe or a pocket dimension, explaining their absence in the main MCU timeline—until now.
Confirmed Cast:
- Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) – A genius scientist who is brilliant yet emotionally flawed.
- Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm (Invisible Woman) – The true strategist and powerhouse of the group.
- Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm (Human Torch) – A reckless, thrill-seeking hothead.
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm (The Thing) – A tragic but lovable powerhouse.
Villains & Cosmic Expansion:
- Ralph Ineson plays Galactus, the planet-devouring force, setting up a major cosmic expansion in the MCU.
- Julia Garner’s Shalla Bal (Silver Surfer) suggests a different take on the herald of Galactus, possibly introducing complex moral conflicts.
- Doctor Doom? Rumours swirl that Victor Von Doom will be introduced via a post-credit scene, setting him up as a long-term MCU villain.
Why It’s a Must-Watch:
This movie could be Marvel’s biggest sci-fi adventure yet, setting the groundwork for multiversal conflicts and the long-awaited X-Men introduction.
What These Films Mean for the MCU’s Future
Each of these films plays a crucial role in setting up the next era of the MCU:
- The Multiverse & Cosmic Expansion: Fantastic Four will likely introduce Galactus, the X-Men, and major cosmic threats that reshape Marvel’s storytelling.
- Superhero vs. Antihero Conflicts: Thunderbolts introduces a darker, morally complex MCU, where the lines between hero and villain are blurred.
- Phase Six Setup: Brave New World and Fantastic Four set the stage for Avengers: Secret Wars, laying the groundwork for multiversal battles and ultimate showdowns.
If Marvel delivers on its ambitious storytelling goals, 2025 could mark the beginning of a new golden age for the MCU.
Are you ready for what’s next? Because at Ster-Kinekor, we reckon Marvel’s about to change the game - again.
