10 MCU Characters Missing From Marvel's Phase 4 (And Why)

Not only was Black Panther a critical and commercial success, but it also proved to be something of a cultural phenomenal back in 2018. Since then, Chadwick Boseman has returned as T'Challa in both Avengers movies, but one of the most obvious choices for the new face of the MCU moving forward is being benched in Phase 4.

In order to ensure that Black Panther II is as great as the first instalment, Ryan Coogler is being given plenty of time to work on the screenplay, hence why the movie won't arrive in cinemas until May 2022. That either puts it right at the very end of Phase 4 or the beginning of Phase 5, but it's clear now that T'Challa will be absent for most of, if not all, of this wave of stories.

There's a lot to address in Black Panther II, including what happened to Wakanda for the five years the hero was presumed dead. Rumours also continue to swirl that the likes of Doctor Doom and Namor the Submariner will make their respective MCU debuts here, so Marvel Studios giving other characters and stories room to breathe before delivering another game-changer with this sequel makes sense.