The entire Marvel Phase 4 slate has been hit by release date delays caused by the pandemic, and while we'll now be waiting that little bit longer to watch those movies in theaters, there are plenty of new TV shows coming to Disney+ this year and beyond. That's made it an exciting time to be a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, something WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier proved.
With that in mind, I've ranked these upcoming TV shows from least to most anticipated. This is just one person's opinion, of course, and we're sure you'll have your own which can be shared in the comments.
Marvel Studios is clearly determined to make an impact on the small screen, and while The Mandalorian has brought a lot of subscribers to Disney+, MCU content is likely going to be pivotal in getting them to stick around. Over the next few years, this shared world will be expanded in a major way, with new characters, stories, and fresh takes on many familiar faces.
To find out what ends up where on this ranking, simply click on the "Next" button down below!
10. Secret Invasion
We can't deny that Secret Invasion is putting together an amazing cast (Olivia Colman and Emilia Clarke are two of the latest additions), but we just don't know enough to get excited.
The title doesn't mean it will be anywhere near as grand in scale as the comic book event it's taken from, and while we love Ben Mendelsohn, we're not thrilled about Talos. That Skrull reveal in Spider-Man: Far From Home sucked, so we don't feel like we have a lot of reasons to be invested in him teaming up with Nick Fury to counter what will likely be an alien invasion of Earth.
Will big-name heroes have been swapped out by Skrulls or is this going to be as simple as Nick and Talos attempting to stop a "secret invasion" before it even gets started? This series could be amazing or thoroughly underwhelming, and right now, we're only excited about who it will star in lead roles.
9. Ms. Marvel
Kamala Khan being added to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is exciting for a long list of reasons, and we can't wait to see this character make a major impact in this shared world alongside Captain Marvel.
Marvel Studios released a brief featurette during Disney's Investor Day last year, but it didn't really do much to get us fully invested in how this story will play out on Disney+. Why not? Well, it's nothing to do with Ms. Marvel as a character (we're sure that side of things will be great), and more to do with whether Kevin Feige and company plan to explore her Inhuman backstory.
If that's glossed over because of Marvel Television's forgettable TV series, then it will take a lot away from just how thrilling it is to think about an Inhuman superhero being part of the MCU. We are looking forward to this one, but until more is revealed, it's not going to rank any higher than this, unfortunately.
8. Hawkeye
Hailee Steinfeld is an incredible addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and seeing her Kate Bishop in action moving forward promises to be a highlight of any number of upcoming movies and TV shows.
Clint Barton is a decent character, but not someone we're counting down the days to spending more time with. He's a good supporting player, but a lead? We're not 100% sold. If Hawkeye deals with the fallout from his stint as Ronin, then that should be a plus, while the concept of him passing the mantle could be a blast to watch unfold (even if it does feel that's all these shows are about).
We are looking forward to seeing how Yelena Belova factors into proceedings, while Madame Masque is an intriguing choice of big bad...assuming the rumours are true. We'll just have to wait and see.
7. Ironheart
Does the Marvel Cinematic Universe need another Iron Man? Nope. It could, however, benefit greatly from a fresh take on the Armoured Avenger: that, ladies and gentlemen, is where Ironheart comes in.
While we don't know how this version of the character will differ from the one in the comic books, or what Dominique Thorne is going to bring to the table, there are lots of reasons to be excited about where this series will take the character. Morgan Stark becoming the next Iron Man would be fun, but it's still too soon for that, and Riri Williams adds some much-needed diversity to proceedings.
There's more to this character than that (we are, however, excited to see her inspire a whole generation of young women), and it seems safe to predict that Ironheart will be key to Armor Wars and more. Tony Stark brought a lot to the MCU, but Riri is likely to put a whole new spin on the idea of "Iron Man."
6. Loki
Loki is either going to be amazing or...well, we're not sure. It does look like the series will follow the God of Mischief as he explores the Marvel Multiverse, and if that means he meets alternate versions of familiar faces (played by different actors), then it could make the show feels a tad cheap.
That's just an assumption, though, and looking beyond that, we're pretty sure this series is going to be a fun ride. Tom Hiddleston is clearly having a blast as Loki, while Owen Wilson could very well end up stealing the show. Throw in rumours about everyone from Lady Loki to Throg, and Kid Loki, and this is a series that's shaping up to be every bit as intriguing as WandaVision.
It feels like the trailers have barely scratched the surface of what's to come, and we just hope Marvel Studios is able to pull off what looks set to be a very weird, complicated premise for a TV show.
5. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Look, we know next to nothing about this one-off special, though it has been confirmed that James Gunn will shoot it while cameras are rolling on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 later this year.
Following this team of A-Holes over the holiday period could and should be a delight, especially if it involves Star-Lord attempting to bring his fellow heroes up to speed with what Christmas means. It may seem premature to place this so highly, but the quality of the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies speak for themselves, and we're sure Gunn has something special planned.
With a kick-ass soundtrack and big budget visuals, we have a feeling the special will blow us all away.
4. Armor Wars
Armor Wars will star Don Cheadle as War Machine, and...that's pretty much all we know right now. There are clues to be found by looking at the comic books, though, and while this is a story that probably should have been told when Tony Stark was still alive, it doesn't necessarily need Iron Man to work.
It's easy enough to imagine Ironheart being thrown into the mix, while a show like this is perhaps the most perfect place for Sam Rockwell to finally return as the wonderfully weird Justin Hammer.
More War Machine should be fun, and seeing a bunch of Tony Stark's closest allies (Rescue, perhaps) blasting into action to try and protect Iron Man's tech is a story with plenty of potential. This could be a good place to make use of Arno Stark, though we'd obviously love to see an A.I. Tony as well.
3. What If?
When What If? was first announced, we couldn't help but wonder "why bother?" As fun as it is to explore the Marvel Multiverse in an animated series, what does a show like this bring to the Marvel Cinematic Universe beyond revealed what would happen if certain characters took on other mantles?
Well, with recent merchandise leaks, it's starting to look like there will be much more to this show than we first suspected. These alternate versions of familiar faces may ultimately come together to form a group dubbed the "Guardians of the Multiverse," an undeniably intriguing and fun concept.
The Watcher putting together a team of heroes from another world could mean What If? has more consequences for the MCU than we first thought, and might make this a series that has ramifications for live-action projects. Either way, the footage we've seen has us super excited to see more from it.
2. She-Hulk
Tatiana Maslany has been cast as Jennifer Walters in She-Hulk, while we know Tim Roth will be making his long-awaited return as Abomination. If that means this version of the Jade Giant throws down with The Incredible Hulk villain, then the series is going to be worth the entry fee alone.
Mark Ruffalo is also back as The Hulk (we're curious to see where his story goes next after using the Infinity Stones), and rumour has it that Jennifer will be a lawyer specialising in superhuman law.
She-Hulk's live-action debut is long overdue, while comments from Kevin Feige have pointed to the series being comedic in nature with a runtime similar to WandaVision's. Clearly, it's going to be unique, and that alone is reason enough for us to be excited to see where this hero's story goes.
1. Moon Knight
Oscar Isaac may have been wasted in the Star Wars sequels, but he showed heaps of charisma and has a string of impressive credits to his name (we're obviously not counting En Sabah Nur).
Casting the actor as the unhinged Marc Spector is a genius move on Marvel Studios' part, while the fact Ethan Hawke has signed up to also star in the series point to this being a project that Kevin Feige and company are taking seriously. Moon Knight has all the makings of someone who could be a major player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially with Isaac in the role.
We're hoping this really pushes the boundaries of Disney+'s family-friendly rating, while also taking a deep dive into both the mystical side of the hero's powers and what it means to be a street-level vigilante. If that leads to cameos from Daredevil and The Punisher, then all the better.