The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Four paralleled real-world global crises, according to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania screenwriter Jeff Loveness.
Loveness, who is also set to pen the script for Avengers: Kang Dynasty, discussed the impact of real-life concerns on the MCU's most recent slate of movies and TV shows in an interview with SFX. "Phase Four was almost this period of rebuilding, the calm after the storm of what happened in Endgame," he said. "Now it's almost a time of relative peace. But just talking for myself here, there's maybe this feeling in the world today... it's like elections are crumbling around the world, we're not doing enough on climate change, World War III could break out any minute. Things are relatively okay right now but we all feel like it could go real bad, real fast, a hundred different ways. And we're all kind of paralyzed by that because we have the feeling that maybe we're not ready for it."
Loveness' comments come after Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige recently offered his own insights into how the production company maps out its content. Feige explained that Marvel Studios employs a two-pronged approach to this process that takes into account what will work best for each individual project and for the wider MCU, as well. He added that the studio is "always using the comics and the 80-plus years of Marvel comic history as our guide of what general, long-term story we want to do."
Ant-Man 3 Screenwriter Teases the MCU Phase Five
That "long-term story" is heading in a dark direction if Loveness' SFX interview is anything to go by. The screenwriter warned that the MCU Phase Five, which kicks off with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, will test the mettle of the characters introduced in Phase Four. "Phase Four felt like the birth of new characters. You're giving everyone a little bit of a breath, you're broadening out the universe, you have fun Disney+ shows that are elevating characters. And now I think it's time to put the pedal to the gas again, and really take all these new characters that we like and throw them into the fire," he said.
Loveness also made it clear that overarching MCU Phase Five and Six villain Kang the Conqueror will play a pivotal role in challenging the shared universe's rookie superheroes. The scribe described Kang as "Thanos on an exponential level" and said the time-traveling baddie will make many of the MCU's costumed crimefighters doubt their abilities. At the same time, Loveness was also keen to emphasize Kang's humanity, which he said represents a stark contrast to the tremendous threat Kang poses.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty arrive in theaters on Feb. 17, 2023, and May 2, 2025, respectively.
Source: SFX