In a new video, Benedict Cumberbatch gave a production update about Avengers 5, addressing fans' lack of information about the upcoming movie.
The MCU has had to drastically shift plans for Avengers 5 — first called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty — following delays, strikes, and the movie's originally planned star, Jonathan Majors, being found guilty of assault.
Still, the movie is actively developing, and actors like Cumberbatch are excited to return to their roles for the next installment in the Avengers franchise.
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Doctor Strange Actor Gives Avengers 5 Update
In a video reflecting on his past roles for the Still Watching Netflix YouTube channel, Benedict Cumberbatch not only once again confirmed his involvement in the next Avengers movie but also revealed a window for when it will begin filming.
At timecode 4:10 in the video, Cumberbatch talks about how he is "very much looking forward" to playing Doctor Strange again in Avengers 5.
He revealed that he will be working on the movie "next year:"
"I'm very much looking forward to Avengers next year, which is cooking up a storm."
Last July, Cumberbatch revealed that he would be involved in Avengers 5. He said the plan was to film “next year” — as in 2024. Those plans seem to have changed, as the movie will be shot in 2025.
Avengers 5 Developments Ahead of Filming
The change from having Avengers 5 film in 2024 to 2025 makes sense in the larger context of the MCU in 2023 and 2024.
The writers' and actors' strikes in 2023 delayed the production of many films and shows, including those in the MCU.
During and after the strikes, Marvel delayed almost its entire slate of upcoming projects, including shifting Avengers 5's release date from May 2025 to May 2026.
On top of this, the movie's expected star Jonathan Majors (Kang the Conqueror) was found guilty for assault after a Spring 2023 arrest, and Marvel subsequently fired him.
By the time he was fired, Majors had already appeared as Kang multiple times in the MCU, but his biggest project was still on the horizon—Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
A few months after Majors was found guilty, Disney stopped referring to the movie as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, sealing the fate of the once-anticipated Kang-centric movie.
With Majors out of the picture, Marvel either needed to reshape the story of Avengers 5 or recast the role of Kang. Yet the possibility of a recast is still up in the air, and little is known about the movie's plot and script.
Avengers 5 is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
