The first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have now been rebranded as the Infinity Saga. Although it started slowly back when Marvel was building its universe one film at a time, an overarching narrative was eventually established in the form of the Infinity Stones and the Mad Titan, Thanos. The multi-colored gems were introduced throughout multiple films, while Thanos made sporadic appearances that culminated in him becoming the ultimate villain.
However, now that Thanos has been defeated and the Infinity Stones put back in their proper place, what comes next? For the first time in a very long time, we have no idea what the overarching storyline of Phase 4 of the MCU will be.
But actually, maybe we do. The past few weeks have brought news and official confirmation about what fans can expect in upcoming Marvel productions. And perhaps there is enough there to deduce that, moving forward, the studio is building a different kind of long-term villain.
Currently, we know very little about the MCU's Phase 4 other than the slate of movies and Disney+ television series that comprise it. Still, with plenty of these projects currently in production, we might have gotten a hint as to what Marvel is planning. It all begins with photos that recently surfaced from the set of the upcoming Loki television series, which will see Tom Hiddleston return to the role of the Asgardian God of Mischief. The set pictures revealed the presence of the Roxxon Energy Corporation, whose name can be seen on both a bus and a shopping cart.
In the comics, the Roxxon Energy Corporation first appeared in 1974. A multinational business run by a multitude of crooked and evil businessmen, and even outright villains, its dubious practices and dark agendas have often led to confrontations with some of Marvel's biggest heroes.
Actually, Roxxon was teased in the MCU before. In fact, the company name appeared in all three Iron Man films, but nothing came of it -- yet. The return of the conglomerate's name, after last being seen on the big screen in 2013, is perhaps telling in and of itself. But that may not be all.
It was recently revealed that Christian Bale will play an "otherworldly" villain in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder. There has yet to be any confirmation of the identity of the character Bale will play, but the most popular theory is that he will bring the villainous Dario Agger to life in the MCU. Agger is a human who was cursed to become a Minotaur, and he just so happens to be the CEO of Roxxon Energy Corporation.
Of course, the identity of Bale's character is still just a theory for now, but it's certainly possible. If that is the case, then it would mean Marvel's Phase 4 has two ties to Roxxon. Who's to say there won't be more? Roxxon may not ever become a threat as big as the Mad Titan, but it could be built up over several movies and television shows to reveal that the corporation presents a massive threat to the world.
It would surely be a different villain than Thanos. Instead of just one person, as a company, Roxxon is a widespread idea that can't just be punched into submission. It would be a different challenge for whichever Avengers are left, and it would also prove to be relevant to our current socio-political climate, which is largely run by large, multinational corporations.
The next entry in the MCU will be Black Widow. Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha, Florence Pugh stars as Yelena, David Harbour as Alexei aka The Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz as Melina. The film opens on May 1, 2020.
Disney+'s Loki arrives in 2021, and Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters Nov. 5, 2021.