MCU Phase 4: WandaVision to Wakanda Forever
Phase 4 is seventeen titles, from WandaVision (2021) to the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022). It is the first phase to mix films, series and specials, and it opens the multiverse.
Updated October 2026
There is a lot here and it is the first place where skipping gets tempting. What If...?, Moon Knight and the Holiday Special are marked optional. WandaVision, Loki and No Way Home carry the most weight for what follows.
Phase 4 titles
- WandaVision (2021)Wanda is living inside a sitcom she did not mean to make. A grief story in disguise, and a link to Doctor Strange 2.
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)Sam and Bucky wrestle with Steve's shield and with who should carry it.
- Loki, Season 1 (2021)A Loki variant is pulled out of time and into the TVA. The multiverse becomes a plot driver.
- Black Widow (2021)Natasha's own story, set between Civil War and Infinity War. That is why it sits after Civil War in story order.
- What If...? (2021)Optional. Animated alternate-reality tales. Fun, but safe to skip if you want to stay on the main line.
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)A martial arts story that links back to the Ten Rings organisation from Iron Man.
- Eternals (2021)Immortal heroes who have quietly watched over Earth for centuries. Widens the cosmic history.
- Hawkeye (2021)Clint passes the bow to Kate Bishop over the holidays. A lower-stakes series.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)The multiverse breaks open around Peter. Works best if you have seen Far From Home.
- Moon Knight (2022)Optional. A man with several identities and an Egyptian god problem. Mostly stands alone.
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Strange and a young traveller cross universes to escape a threat. Best after WandaVision.
- Ms. Marvel (2022)A teenage fan becomes a hero in Jersey City. Connects to Captain Marvel and sets up The Marvels.
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)Thor tries to find his place while a god-killer hunts the gods. A comic, mostly standalone chapter.
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)A lawyer with Hulk powers who talks to the audience. A comedy that touches the Hulk's wider story.
- Werewolf by Night (2022)A black-and-white monster special. Short, self-contained and easy to fit in.
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)Wakanda mourns its king and faces a new underwater nation.
- The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)Optional. A short seasonal special with the Guardians. Pure fun, safe to skip.