10 Biggest MCU News Stories Of 2024

The MCU had a relatively limited release schedule in 2024, with Deadpool & Wolverine being the only film alongside a handful of Marvel Studios television shows. It had a rather successful year overall, though, with a number of revelations that occurred throughout the year that made the future of the MCU timeline look bright.

The MCU will really ramp up with Marvel’s 2025 releases, via a handful of films set to premiere throughout the year, and a significant slate of TV series to look forward to. Beloved actors and directors returned to the universe, records were broken, and nostalgic revivals showed what’s to come for Marvel Studios. Here are the ten biggest stories that happened for Marvel in 2024 and what it means for the future of this franchise.

10

Spider-Man 4 Release Date & Director

Spider-Man 4

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Tom Holland’s Spider-Man had a handful of major announcements in 2024. First, it was revealed that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton would be taking over for Jon Watts for Spider-Man 4. Jon Watts directed all three films in Holland’s original trilogy, but a new director holds promise in terms of bringing a fresh perspective in for the Spider-Man 4 story. Getting Shang-Chi’s director bodes well for Spidey’s action scenes especially, which are a crucial aspect of the hero’s on-screen appeal.

Doctor Doom, Tom Holland's Spider-Man unmasked, and Joseph Quinn's Human Torch

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Second was the announcement that the fourth Tom Holland Spider-Man film would be released on July 24, 2026. This places it between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, meaning that Spider-Man could have a significant role in either (or both) of those films. Spider-Man 4 was originally thought to be focused on street-level antics, but its release date seems like Sony and Marvel Studios may have bigger plans for the character.

9

Deadpool & Wolverine Breaks Box Office Records

Deadpool & Wolverine

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The third Deadpool movie was the only MCU film to release in 2024, and it exceeded all expectations, with Deadpool & Wolverine breaking numerous records during its theatrical run. Ryan Reynolds returned as Deadpool alongside Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, who originally walked away from the character after 2017’s Logan. It worked out beautifully for everyone involved, as Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most successful Marvel movies of all time.

Because of this resounding success, there is a very good chance both Reynolds and Jackman will return to their roles at least one more time.

The film’s success shows that audiences are still willing to show up for massive multiverse crossovers featuring decades of beloved characters throughout Marvel’s cinematic history. With only one film for the MCU in 2024, the expectations for Deadpool & Wolverine were high, but it was still hard to predict it would be as massive as it is. Because of this resounding success, there is a very good chance both Reynolds and Jackman will return to their roles at least one more time in the MCU.

8

X-Men ‘97 Successfully Revives The Classic Series

X-Men ’97

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X-Men ’97 might have been the most surprising project by Marvel Studios to release in 2024. There was always a solid chance that it was going to be good, but X-Men ’97 was amazing, with season 1 getting rave reviews from both audiences and critics alike. It successfully revived one of the best animated superhero shows ever, X-Men: The Animated Series, continuing on in superb fashion while also being a good jumping off point for fans who didn’t see the original series.

X-Men ’97 season 2 is currently in the works at Marvel Studios.

Perhaps the most important thing X-Men ’97 did was show how much potential the mutants have when it comes to the rich storytelling at their disposal. It was the first complete dive into the X-Men for Marvel Studios, which indicates that when the mutants are officially introduced into the main continuity, they will thrive.

7

Death Is Introduced

Agatha All Along

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Despite being a spin-off to Marvel Studios’ first television series, Agatha All Along had some big implications for the future of the MCU. Notably, Aubrey Plaza’s character, Rio, was revealed to be Death in the story. The character plays a huge role in Thanos’ motivation in the comics, so when she wasn’t part of the Infinity Saga, it was unclear if Death was ever going to show up in the MCU, given that she was sidestepped in favor of new motivation for the Mad Titan.

Thankfully, Agatha All Along dove fully into the magical side of the universe as well as exploring the character of Death, both detailing her work and her motivations. She could also be the key to the revival of Wanda Maximoff at some point in the future, as Death can resurrect characters at will in the comics, which is something that was only briefly hinted at during the series.

6

Marvel’s 2025 TV Slate Revealed

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Daredevil: Born Again, Ironheart, Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies & Wonder Man

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Marvel Studios had a relatively successful TV output in 2024, but 2025 looks to be more jam-packed than ever. In October 2024, Marvel announced that six TV series would be released in 2025, including three live-action projects and three animated ones. They are Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Daredevil: Born Again, Ironheart, Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies, and Wonder Man. With Marvel having previously stated they would be focused on quality over quantity for projects more actively going forward, it’s not clear if this larger slate will be a one-off for 2025, or reflects the overarching number of yearly projects going forward.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Marvel Zombies are not part of the main MCU continuity.

Still, there is a lot to be excited about for Marvel television in 2025, with each of these projects presenting an exciting way for the franchise to expand and explore new corners of its mythos. Daredevil: Born Again is the obvious standout that could be a true game changer for the MCU if it is well received in terms of viewership ratings and reviews. This is because the show is simultaneously a continuation of the Netflix series while also being a somewhat fresh start as part of the MCU and the first season to be produced by Marvel Studios.

5

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty Plans Scrapped

Avengers: Doomsday

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Kang the Conqueror was originally positioned as the Thanos of the Multiverse Saga – an overarching big bad that all the separate storylines would eventually lead to in spectacular fashion. However, Jonathan Majors’ legal charges, combined with Kang’s lackluster reception in Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, appear to have changed this plan.

It wasn’t until the reveal that Avengers: The Kang Dynasty would become Avengers: Doomsday that Marvel’s intentions for the character were finally shown.

It wasn’t until the reveal that Avengers: The Kang Dynasty would become Avengers: Doomsday that Marvel’s intentions for the character were finally shown. This feels like it may well have brought in the end of Kang’s story in the MCU, as the universe prepares for Doctor Doom’s arrival in Avengers: Doomsday (and possibly The Fantastic Four: First Steps) before finishing the saga with Avengers: Secret Wars.

4

Russo Bros Returning To The Avengers

Avengers: Doomsday & Avengers: Secret Wars

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San Diego Comic Con 2024 was a massive moment for Marvel, as a number of announcements that affect the overall narrative were made. After revealing that Avengers: Doomsday would be the fifth Avengers film, it was announced that the Russo Brothers would be returning to direct it. Not only that, but they will also be directing Avengers: Secret Wars, the grand culmination of the Multiverse Saga.

Robert Downey Jr. revealing himself to be Doctor Doom at SDCC

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The Russo Brothers have had massive success with the MCU – arguably the most success of any other directors working in the universe. They directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. The Russo Brothers have proven that they are capable of directing these massive ensemble pieces, and it must be a relief for Marvel Studios to finally pin down who would be directing these films, as it seemed to largely be undecided for most of the saga.

3

The MCU Finds Its Fantastic Four

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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The Fantastic Four have been trying to have a great movie for over three decades at this point, with Fox attempting to successfully launch the franchise several times. After Disney bought out the studio, it was only a matter of time before Marvel’s first family finally showed up. In 2024, Marvel Studios officially announced the cast for the film as well as a couple of other characters that could have major implications for the MCU as a whole.

The cast for The Fantastic Four: First Steps is incredibly impressive, with Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. They have also cast for Silver Surfer and Galactus, with Julia Garner and Ralph Ineson taking on their respective characters. The Fantastic Four: First Steps needs to be a great movie, and all signs point to that being a possibility.

2

Wiccan Officially Joins The MCU

Agatha All Along

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Despite initially seeming like one of the more low-key releases for Marvel in 2024, Agatha All Along introduced a couple of characters that will likely have a larger impact on the overall universe. The biggest is arguably the return of Billy Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch’s son who first appeared in WandaVision. This time, he is officially back as Wiccan after his soul took over the body of William Kaplan following William’s death.

Scarlet Witch in WandaVision and Agatha from Agatha All Along

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Like Billy, Scarlet Witch’s other son, Tommy, was also missing after the events of WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Billy’s entire journey in Agatha All Along is him trying to figure out where Tommy is, and after finally bringing him back to life, Billy and ghost Agatha head out to find him. Once Tommy and Billy reunite, they can eventually go on to join the Young Avengers, which Marvel Studios has been building since Phase 4 began.

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Robert Downey Jr. Cast As Doctor Doom

Avengers: Doomsday

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Finally, Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige dropped a bomb on San Diego Comic Con 2024 by revealing that Robert Downey Jr. would be returning to the MCU in a vastly different role than his tenure as Iron Man. He was announced to be playing Doctor Doom, arguably the greatest Marvel villain of all time. It was a shocking casting choice that could pay off big time for the MCU.

Both praise and skepticism erupted following the announcement. Fans of Robert Downey Jr. and Tony Stark seemed to be happy he is back, but others questioned how he could be playing Doctor Doom and how that could affect his ultimate end as Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame. Either way, it was definitely the biggest piece of news that Marvel dropped in 2024, and his appearances in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are going to be massive.

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MCU Franchise Poster

Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.

Created by

Kevin Feige

First Film

Iron Man

Upcoming Films

Deadpool & Wolverine
, Captain America: Brave New World
, Thunderbolts*
, Blade (2025)
, The Fantastic Four: First Steps
, Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
, Avengers: Secret Wars

First TV Show

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Upcoming TV Shows

Agatha: Coven of Chaos
, Ironheart
, Daredevil: Born Again
, Wakanda
, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
, Marvel Zombies
, Wonder Man
, Vision Quest

Cast

Robert Downey Jr.
, Chris Evans
, Scarlett Johansson
, Samuel L. Jackson
, Jeremy Renner
, Chris Hemsworth
, Mark Ruffalo
, Edward Norton
, Paul Rudd
, Tom Holland
, Tom Hiddleston
, Anthony Mackie
, Cobie Smulders
, Brie Larson
, Chadwick Boseman
, Sebastian Stan
, Chris Pratt
, Dave Bautista
, Zoe Saldana
, Bradley Cooper
, Vin Diesel
, Pom Klementieff
, Josh Brolin
, Karen Gillan
, Clark Gregg
, Paul Bettany
, Don Cheadle
, Benedict Cumberbatch
, Evangeline Lilly
, Simu Liu
, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
, Angelina Jolie
, Kit Harington
, Salma Hayek
, Richard Madden
, Barry Keoghan
, Gemma Chan
, Ma Dong-seok
, Brian Tyree Henry
, Kumail Nanjiani
, Lauren Ridloff
, Lia McHugh
, Jonathan Majors

TV Show(s)

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
, Agent Carter
, Inhumans
, WandaVision
, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
, Loki
, What If…?
, Hawkeye
, Moon Knight
, Ms. Marvel
, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
, Secret Invasion
, Marvel’s Echo

Expand

See at Amazon

See at Target

See at Walmart

Upcoming MCU Movies

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