Spoilers follow for Avengers: Endgame.

When it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe , the times they are a-changin'. We're living in a post-SDCC world which means for the first time fans have an idea of where the sprawling superhero franchise is headed after the triumphant, record-breaking, and climactic events of Avengers: Endgame.

Marvel Phase 4: Official Lineup 17 IMAGES

Loading

Loading

Loading

Loading

The twenty-second film in the MCU saw the death of the erstwhile leader of the Avengers, Tony Stark, and the retirement of his partner in superheroism, Steve Rogers. Directors the Russo brothers also killed Black Widow, sent Thor into space, left Hulk devastated by the death of Natasha, and reconnected Hawkeye with his family, essentially disbanding the core of the team that's been at the heart of the shared cinematic universe for the past decade. With Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes breaking off to star in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and Scarlet Witch (and Vision?) moving over to the WandaVision TV shows, we find ourselves in a phase completely devoid of the mega-franchise team on which the entire MCU has been built. But--hear us out--that might actually be a good thing.It would've been easy for Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to play it safe and present the world with nothing more than a bunch of standard sequels leading up to another Avengers style team-up. Instead, the man behind the MCU presented a statement of intent, one that says a lot about the future of the biggest franchise on the planet and why the lack of Earth's Mightiest Heroes is a blessing in disguise. It's no coincidence that as soon as the Avengers are out of the picture, the MCU is welcoming a whole new roster of unexpected heroes. In fact, after the safe and structured blueprint that made Marvel Studios the monolith that it is, the stage is set for a new age of experimental, eclectic, and unexpected characters.Though it's hard to imagine now, the MCU has always been taking a risk with the heroes at its core. Much of this was due to licensing issues stemming back to the days when Marvel sold off many of the film rights to their most famous characters. In 2019, it's strange to think of a time when few people outside comics fans knew who Iron Man or Captain America were, but in the early 2000s that was undoubtedly the case. The company managed to turn those second- and sometimes third-tier superheroes into the icons they are today, paving the way for the company to make the brave choices that they revealed during their Phase 4 panel at San Diego Comic-Con this month.One of the greatest joys of comic books as a medium is the unending possibilities and potential for new stories. Marvel Studios has touched on this with their sprawling franchise, but here they're finally offering up multiple stories that seem to stray from the straight-down-the-line superheroes we've come to expect. The roster for Phase 4 hints at that shift , one that's driven by the need to create something completely different from the Avengers and their legacy. The Eternals are a brilliant example , as the cosmic characters have a baffling backstory and make the Guardians of the Galaxy look positively mainstream. Created by the legendary Jack Kirby, the hard sci-fi heroes are some of the least recognizable characters in the Marvel canon… and yet they're getting their own film, which will be leading the way for the next phase of the MCU.There was a time when a Shang-Chi movie seemed impossible, not only because of incorrect institutional biases about blockbusters led by characters of color, but also because the pulp comic character has long been relegated to back issue bins everywhere. Now starring Simu Liu in the titular role, the film has quickly become among the most anticipated of Marvel's new slate. Ike Perlmutter, chairman and former CEO of Marvel Entertainment, once notoriously described female led superhero movies as "disasters" in leaked e-mails, but now we have a Black Widow movie starring some of the most exciting and unexpected actors in Hollywood.Even the two sequels that were formally announced seem different. The mind-bogglingly titled Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness , which teams the Sorcerer Supreme with Scarlet Witch, is another unforeseeable move that likely wouldn't have happened had the Avengers still been sharing the screen. And Thor: Love and Thunder will see Natalie Portman take on the titular role in a brave move echoing the popular Mighty Thor comic arc from Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman, and Matt Wilson. Beyond those films, there's also the promise of Blade, the Fantastic Four, and eventually, even the X-Men.Basically, the work that was put in on the first 10 years of the MCU was all building to this, a freedom from the boundaries and rules of the past, an ability to respect the legacy of the Avengers and the heroes who saved the universe from Thanos without living in their shadow. There are so many more stories to tell in the world of Marvel, and as the publisher celebrates their 80th anniversary, what better time to start paying homage to its immense and impactful past than by reimagining some of the lesser-appreciated characters for the future?What do you hope to see in Phase 4? Let's discuss in the comments!