Comic book universes tend to go through massive reboots every few years, literally wiping out all of reality in favor of one that, say, erases post-WWII storylines that no longer make any sense, introduces a fascist Captain America, or makes it so Batman has somehow had four different sidekicks in about as many years, but so far only the X-Men movies have tried to overtly alter the continuity like that without completely abandoning what came before. After Avengers: Infinity War and its untitled sequel, though, the Marvel Cinematic Universe might give the whole reboot thing a try.
Speaking with Collider, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige talked a little bit about the future of the MCU, and for the first time in a while, it sounds like the studio doesn’t have a whole lot of concrete plans. Feige says that Infinity War has “a sense of a climax if not a conclusion” to the many stories the MCU has been telling, and he thinks that whatever comes after Avengers 4—the aforementioned untitled sequel—will be “very different.” Up until now, the MCU has been divided into numbered “Phases,” but Feige isn’t sure if there will be a Phase 4 after Avengers 4. In fact, he thinks “it might be a new thing.”
The Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 currently exist somewhere in that post-Avengers 4 mystery world, but it’s impossible to tell at this point what he means by “a new thing.” A lot of the key actors could be reaching the end of their contracts by that point, so a total refresh would be a good way to introduce younger legacy heroes who could be played by cheaper up-and-coming stars (like Tom Holland in Homecoming). Maybe the movies could introduce the Kate Bishop Hawkeye, let Sebastian Stan or Anthony Mackie take over for Captain America, or let a newer comic book hero like Ironheart replace Tony Stark. That’s all just speculation, but it’s clear that Feige and Marvel Studios are at least looking at their options.