2025 represents a pivotal year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), offering a trio of ambitious theatrical releases that mark the final stages of Phase Five and the launch of Phase Six.
With Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts (also known as The New Avengers), and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Marvel Studios is steering its multiverse-spanning saga into a new era of heroes, alliances, and existential threats.
This strategic lineup not only continues beloved character arcs but introduces key teams that will shape the future of the MCU.
The notable revelation that Thunderbolts will conclude by rebranding its ensemble as the New Avengers signals a seismic shift in the franchise’s team dynamics.
New Marvel Movies 2025
| Title | Release Date (US) | Format | MCU Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain America: Brave New World | February 14, 2025 | Theatrical | Phase Five |
| Thunderbolts (The New Avengers) | May 2, 2025 | Theatrical | Phase Five |
| The Fantastic Four: First Steps | July 25, 2025 | Theatrical | Phase Six |
Marvel’s strategy in 2025 involves uniting narrative and thematic threads across both big-screen releases and streaming content.
While this guide centers on theatrical films, Disney+ series such as Ironheart, Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies, and Wonder Man are expected to provide cinematic-scale moments and narrative connections crucial to the evolving Multiverse Saga.
Spotlight on Key 2025 Marvel Movie Releases
Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date: February 14, 2025
MCU Phase: Phase Five
Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) fully embraces the Captain America mantle amid rising global tensions. The plot follows his interaction with U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) and an international incident linked to the discovery of Adamantium on Celestial Island—created from the body of Tiamut (from Eternals). The Red Hulk (Ross) emerges as a formidable threat, and the film explores global power struggles and Sam’s internal conflict in filling Steve Rogers’ shoes.
Cast Highlights:
- Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America
- Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross / Red Hulk
- Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder
- Liv Tyler as Betty Ross
- Tim Blake Nelson as The Leader
- Cameo: Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes
Post-Credits Tease: A looming threat from another world, possibly a setup for Avengers: Doomsday.
Thunderbolts (The New Avengers)
Release Date: May 2, 2025
MCU Phase: Phase Five
A team of reformed villains is assembled for high-risk missions under Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Members include Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, U.S. Agent, and the unstable powerhouse Sentry (Lewis Pullman). The climax sees the team face the unleashed “Void” in NYC, followed by a public rebranding as the New Avengers—a title revealed in the end credits.
Cast Highlights:
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes
- Wyatt Russell as John Walker
- Lewis Pullman as Sentry / Void
- David Harbour as Red Guardian
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina de Fontaine
Post-Credits Tease: A “4” symbol on an interdimensional craft—setting up The Fantastic Four‘s entrance into the primary MCU timeline.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Release Date: July 25, 2025
MCU Phase: Phase Six
Set in a retro-futuristic 1960s-inspired universe, the Fantastic Four operate in a timeline initially disconnected from the main MCU. The story follows Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben four years after their transformation, as they confront the cosmic threat of Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). Sue’s pregnancy adds emotional depth to the narrative. This is Marvel’s formal integration of the team into the Multiverse Saga.
Cast Highlights:
- Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards
- Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm
- Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm
- Ralph Ineson as Galactus
- Julia Garner as Silver Surfer
- Rumored: Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne
Marketing Notes:
- First teaser dropped: February 4, 2025
- Themes of legacy, family, and cosmic horror dominate the tone.
- Doctor Doom’s shadow may loom, with hints pointing toward his presence in Avengers: Doomsday.
The New Avengers & the MCU’s Future
The “New Avengers” revelation in Thunderbolts serves as a foundational pivot for the MCU’s next chapter.
This new team, composed largely of morally ambiguous or reformed characters, suggests Marvel’s growing interest in darker, more complex storytelling.
Their trajectory is expected to intersect with multiversal threats—possibly alongside or against the Fantastic Four in future films like Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
This new lineup also sets the tone for exploring power dynamics, government manipulation, and the ethical costs of heroism.
By departing from the clean-cut hero archetype, the MCU in 2025 is evolving into a more layered and unpredictable narrative landscape.