New information regarding Marvel Studios’ and Star Wars’ upcoming Disney+ lineup showcased what's hitting the service in 2023 and possibly hinted at which shows are delayed.
For a while, fans have come to expect quite a few Marvel Studios and Star Wars projects on Disney+ over the course of a year. For both franchises, 2022 brought with it three live-action series each.
Audiences are currently expecting at least another three for both of them in 2023, with four from Marvel.
New Shows Confirmed for Disney+ in 2023
As part of Disney’s Q1 2022 Earnings Presentation, the company released a chart detailing its next "key" upcoming releases in 2023, including seven Disney+ projects from its Marvel and Star Wars brands.
Disney made sure to point out that the chart's "list is not exhaustive," meaning that there may be additional series premiering later in 2023 that simply weren't included in the list.
So which seven Marvel and Star Wars Disney+ projects can fans expect next, and which others may still release in 2023 despite missing from the list?
Confirmed Series
The Mandalorian Season 3
Fans are less than a month away from the return of Din Djarin and his little green friend.
The third season is set to premiere on March 1 and will see the show dive deeper into Mandalorian lore. It might even feature the first look at Star Wars: Rebels’ Sabine in live-action.
Star Wars Visions Season 2
The animated anthology series was a unique move by Lucasfilm. While it may not have landed for everyone, those who did enjoy it immediately fell in love.
The show’s second season is set to drop on May 4, and this time around, its animation style will be more globally inspired—and not just strictly anime.
Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion is expected to be the next Marvel Studios Disney+ project to air. While no specific release window has been given, we have a decent idea of when it may premiere.
The project did have to go through some seemingly intensive reshoots, which might be a factor in why it’s taking so long to have a release date announced.
Odds are the Samuel L. Jackson-led show will premiere sometime after Mando’s third season ends.
Loki Season 2
The first season of Loki not only ended on a massive cliffhanger, but its story set the stage for the entire Multiverse Saga.
The second season, which is set to arrive at some point this summer, will undoubtedly further explore the concepts it introduced in its freshman run.
Hopefully, this includes more Kang.
X-Men ‘97
Marvel has generally been tight-lipped on X-Men '97, so it's almost surprising to see it mentioned here while several others were not.
The show, which is set to premiere in Fall 2023, is a revival of the popular animated series from the '90s and seems to be a direct continuation of that show’s story.
Ahsoka Season 1
Based on the various rumors floating around, Ahsoka seems like it’s easily going to be one of Lucasfilms’ biggest and most important endeavors.
Alongside being about Ahsoka Tano herself, the show will act like a sequel to the animated Rebels series. It’ll see the return of Hera, Sabine, and Ezra alongside their big bad, Grand Admirable Thrawn.
Skeleton Crew
The earnings report seems to confirm that the surprise show from Spider-Man’s Jon Watts, Skeleton Crew, will indeed make it into 2023.
While nearly all the plot details are unknown, rumor has it that the series might have some unexpected connections with both The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
It’s likely that the project could pull a Book of Boba Fett and get its premiere right at the end of January, leading into the new year.
'Missing' Shows That May Still Release In 2023
So what about those key projects missing from the above earnings chart that still have a decent shot at premiering in 2023?
Echo
Rumors of Echo’s delay have persisted for some time now, so its push further down the timeline is likely not a surprise to most.
The real question is, why the notable delay? Was there a quality issue? After all, Marvel Studios seems to be going through some big changes after the wider reception to Phase 4.
Hopefully, by the time Alaqua Cox’s solo debut hits the streaming service, the final product will be more than worth the wait.
Ironheart
While Ironheart isn’t on the list like Echo, there haven't been any rumors about a delay—so by all accounts, it’s still expected to drop in Fall of this year.
When it does land, it’ll be a big deal. The show will see Riri using her technology to go up against magic, and she’ll even be going up against the devil himself.
What If...? Season 2
Season 2 of What If…? is nowhere to be found. Originally it was meant to debut early this year. Yet the promo from above doesn’t mention it, and there’s been no word about it for a long while.
The silence is certainly strange, especially given how confident the studio seemed about the show at San Diego Comic-Con 2022—having shown off the whole first episode.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year
When this project was first announced, it led to lots of continuity confusion. Thankfully, that’s all been resolved. However, narrowing down a release window for the series has not.
The show reportedly went through some development issues behind the scenes. Hopefully, whatever may have happened won’t affect the final product.
I Am Groot Season 2
While the first season of baby Groot’s adventure wasn’t the most integral part of the MCU, they were, at the very least, fun.
With how short and concise the installments are, it’s hard to imagine a long turnaround. Fingers crossed that they get released before the year’s out.
A Busy Year for Marvel & Star Wars
Hopefully, more information about these projects will start hitting the web sooner rather than later so that audiences know when exactly to expect them.
One reason why both Marvel and Lucasfilm might be shy about giving exact dates is to avoid disappointing fans with delays. The lack of commitment also gives the companies plenty of wiggle room if anything comes up that requires a big shift behind the scenes.
Marvel Studios' next Disney+ series is set to be Secret Invasion, which does not currently have an exact release date. For the galaxy far, far away, The Mandalorian’s third season premieres on March 1.
