MCU Phase 6 Will Break a Record Nobody Saw Coming

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for raising the bar, but with Phase 6, it’s about to do something no one expected — shatter its own record for the shortest time between phases.

While the MCU has been known to leave months (and sometimes years) between the ending of one phase and the start of another, that tradition is about to change in 2025. The finale of Phase 5 and the kickoff of Phase 6 will be separated by just a handful of days.

From Ironheart to The Fantastic Four in Just 10 Days?

Marvel recently confirmed that Ironheart, starring Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, will premiere on Disney+ June 24, 2025. Meanwhile, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the highly anticipated reboot introducing Marvel’s First Family, hits theaters July 25, 2025 — only 31 days apart.

That alone sets a new franchise record. The previous shortest gap between phases was 84 days, between The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (ending Phase 4) and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (starting Phase 5).

But the actual gap might be even shorter than 31 days.

Ironheart will reportedly debut with three episodes at once, and if Marvel follows its usual weekly release format after that, the final episode would land around July 15, 2025. That puts the true gap between phases at just 10 days.

That would be unprecedented.

How the MCU Has Handled Phase Gaps Before
Here’s a look at how long fans had to wait between previous MCU phases:

• Phase 1 to 2: 364 days
  (The Avengers to Iron Man 3)
• Phase 2 to 3: 294 days
  (Ant-Man to Captain America: Civil War)
• Phase 3 to 4: 564 days
  (Spider-Man: Far From Home to WandaVision)
• Phase 4 to 5: 84 days
  (Guardians Holiday Special to Quantumania)

Now, Phase 5 to 6 could be just 10 days apart.

This change reflects Marvel Studios’ evolving approach to interconnected storytelling. With Disney+ now fully integrated into the MCU release model, Marvel has more flexibility in how it bridges films and series across phases.

What This Means for the MCU Going Forward

This tighter transition may not just be about breaking records. It’s also about momentum. After a few years of uneven releases and shifting priorities due to pandemic delays and studio restructuring, Marvel appears to be streamlining its narrative arcs. A seamless handoff from Ironheart to The Fantastic Four could signal a more tightly woven storytelling strategy for Phase 6 and beyond.

Fans won’t have to wait long to see how Riri Williams’ story connects to the rise of the Fantastic Four. With Galactus, Doctor Doom, and Avengers-level threats on the horizon, this shorter wait may actually reflect how rapidly the MCU is gearing up toward Avengers: Doomsday.