Latest research in Multicast Routing Protocols in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) focuses on developing secure, reliable, and energy-efficient communication frameworks for group-based data transmission in highly dynamic wireless environments. Recent works propose zone-based secure multicast techniques that enhance scalability and stability through hierarchical zone management and group key distribution, effectively mitigating attacks and link failures. Deep learning-driven approaches, such as DLSMR, integrate artificial intelligence for adaptive route selection and proactive detection of wormhole and blackhole attacks. Emerging frameworks like DTN7-based publish/subscribe multicast models combine delay-tolerant and named data networking concepts to achieve higher delivery ratios and lower latency under frequent topology changes. Comparative studies highlight that integrating trust management, clustering, and energy-aware mechanisms significantly improves multicast performance in MANETs. Overall, current research trends emphasize the evolution of multicast routing toward intelligent, secure, and QoS-optimized solutions that ensure efficient group communication in next-generation mobile ad hoc networks.