Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two

Phase Two
Packaging for the "Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection" Blu-ray box set
Based onCharacters published
by Marvel Comics
Produced byKevin Feige
StarringSee below
Production
company
Distributed byWalt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Release date
2013–2015
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
BudgetTotal (6 films):
$1.179 billion
Box officeTotal (6 films):
$5.269 billion
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Phases

Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a group of American superhero films produced by Marvel Studios based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. The MCU is the shared universe in which all of the films are set. The phase began in 2013 with the release of Iron Man 3 and concluded in 2015 with the release of Ant-Man. Kevin Feige produced every film in the phase. Joss Whedon served as a consultant on all films as well as writer and director of the crossover film Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).

The films star Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man in Iron Man 3, Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor: The Dark World (2013), Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man in Ant-Man. Downey, Hemsworth, and Evans returned to star in Age of Ultron. Evans has the most appearances in the phase, starring or making cameo appearances in four of the films.

The six films of the phase grossed over US$5.2 billion at the global box office and received generally positive critical and public response. Marvel Studios created two short films for their Marvel One-Shots program—Agent Carter and All Hail the King—to expand the MCU, while the feature films received tie-in comic books and some received tie-in video games. Another video game, Lego Marvel's Avengers, adapts the story of multiple films in the franchise. Phases One, Two, and Three make up "The Infinity Saga" storyline.