In 2024, Marvel Studios and Disney have plans to put out three MCU movies - but will they stick to their release dates with the current actors’ strike?
When the Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) went on strike in May after failed negotiations with the film studios, many film and television productions were upended. Then, SAG-AFTRA struck in July, putting over 16,000 actors into a state of work stoppage.
In the intervening months, an equitable deal was reached with the WGA, but SAG isn’t yet back to work, although negotiations are ongoing. Suffice it to say that a spanner has very much been thrown into Disney’s release plans for the foreseeable future.
All Three Marvel Movies Scheduled for 2024
There are currently three cinematic offerings slated to be released by Marvel Studios next year. And while it’s possible that nothing changes with the studios’ plans and all three get out on time, it’s most probable that at least one will be delayed due to the actors’ strike.
Ahead are those three films, along with their release dates, according to Disney’s official calendar:
Deadpool 3 - May 3, 2024
Deadpool 3 is set to bring Ryan Reynolds back with his most popular character, Wade Wilson. Also joining in on the fun will be Hugh Jackman reprising his beloved role of Wolverine from Fox's X-Men saga.
The threequel is set to hit theaters on May 3 for now, but unless the film studios and SAG-AFTRA come to an agreement on a new contract quickly, Deadpool 3 can wave goodbye to its prime summer release slot.
And that’s not to discount the possibility that the movie will suffer a pushback regardless. Roughly half of Deadpool 3 has been shot, and there simply may not be enough time to film the other half before the deadline even if an agreement is reached soon.
Captain America: Brave New World - July 26, 2024
Sam Wilson will once again strap into his high-tech flight pack, grab his vibranium shield, and step into the role of the MCU’s new Cap in Captain America: Brave New World. The film also stars the iconic Harrison Ford as Secretary Ross.
Currently, this fourth entry into the Captain America franchise will debut on July 26, but speculation persists that the film could actually move up and take Deadpool 3’s spot. If this were to happen, it would be because principal photography on Brave New World has been completed while Deadpool 3 still has several weeks to go.
Thunderbolts - December 20, 2024
Marvel might make its first foray into the coveted Holiday season release zone with Thunderbolts on December 20, 2024, with the Florence Pugh-led MCU installment seeing Yelena Belova fight alongside a ragtag group of other heroes and ex-villains.
Filming on Thunderbolts was to kick off in June, but Marvel Studios hit the pause button because of the WGA strike. So, it stands to reason that this film might get delayed into 2025 unless it gets fast-tracked.
What about Marvel’s Television Shows?
So, with Marvel Studios‘ film slate in flux, where do their television shows lie? The answer is “all over the place.”
Daredevil: Born Again is essentially starting over from scratch, there’s a fair chance that Wonder Man has been canceled mid-production, and Ironheart might not fly onto Disney+ until late 2025.
There have been other shifts too. But the plan ultimately seems to be one of taking more care in crafting these series for Disney+. This could be seen as a reaction to the recent miss of Secret Invasion, but it also has a lot to do with the new regulations won by the WGA in their new contract.
In any event, if projects are delayed, then they’re delayed. There’s nothing that consumers can do about that. But hopefully, fans’ patience will be rewarded in the long run.
