Marvel’s Avengers movie franchise was born in 2008, when the company used a B-list character, Iron Man, to kick off what would become an epic, multi-billion-dollar superhero adventure. Acquired by Disney the following year, Marvel Studios rolled out its Avengers saga over the course of a decade, using three “phases” of story development across 22 movies. Each was linked by the infinity stones storyline—shiny gems with cataclysmic consequences.

Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home brought that saga to a close.

Now a new series of characters will take the spotlight, including Black Widow, a female Thor, and Shang-Chi.

No official announcements have been made regarding the 2022 movies beyond the holding dates; however, fans haven’t been left without clues as to which characters will be featured.

James Gunn has been secured as director (again) for a third Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and Spider-Man actor Tom Holland is contracted for another film following Far From Home. Fans can likely also look forward to a Black Panther sequel.

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