Fans will get the chance to see multiple timelines and universes under the Marvel umbrella in 2026, as upcoming projects will feature and explore a wide range of characters, worlds, and variants. Marvel has a massive 2026 slate that already kicked off with Marvel Studios' Wonder Man series on Disney+. By the end of 2026, nearly a dozen movies or TV shows will have been released.
Many of the projects that are scheduled for a 2026 release will be set in different universes. Even some of the titles under the Marvel Studios banner could explore multiple universes, meaning the possibilities are endless. From the main MCU universe to Nicolas Cage's Spider-Noir world, here is every Marvel universe fans can expect to see in 2026.
All 5 Marvel Universes To Be Explored in 2026
Alternate Spider-Verse Timeline (Spider-Noir)
Nicolas Cage's live-action Spider-Noir series will be released on May 27 and will be a solo outing for the Spider-Noir character that was originally introduced in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This Marvel universe will explore the 1930s, with most (if not all) episodes set in New York City.
As seen in the recently released trailer, this universe will include variants of Sandman, Electro, and more traditional Spider-Man villains. Technically, since Spider-Noir will be following Cage's Ben Reilly (who is going by The Spider instead of Spider-Man or Spider-Noir), it will be a continuation of the universe featured in Into the Spider-Verse.
However, this obviously will not take place in the same main universe as in that movie, where Noir crossed over into Miles Morales' world. So, this is both a new and a familiar universe at the same time.
MCU Timeline
The MCU has its own universe under the Marvel umbrella, and fans have been following that world and its characters since 2008. This timeline was brought back in 2026 in Wonder Man, but that is not the only title set in that universe.
For example, fans will also jump back into the MCU timeline in the currently-airing Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, the long-awaited Spider-Man: Brand New Day film, the Punisher Special Presentation on Disney+, VisionQuest, and Avengers: Doomsday.
It is important to note that some projects in the MCU timeline could explore other universes. For instance, Avengers: Doomsday is expected to showcase other Marvel universes, but fans don't know which timelines will make it into the final cut of that project.
One that has been confirmed, though, via the teasers released for Doomsday, is the Fox X-Men universe, as many characters featured in the Fox films are appearing in Doomsday.
X-Men '97 Timeline
X-Men '97 is set in its own timeline, meaning it is not connected to other universes like the MCU. Therefore, it will technically only be set in one universe, but there is a bit of a twist.
While X-Men '97 Season 2 will only feature one universe, it will explore different points in time within it. Season 1 ended with the heroes spread out across time. Some of them remained in the present, a few were sent far into the past, and a couple found themselves in a dystopian future.
Therefore, fans will get to see the past, present, and future of the X-Men '97 universe. Specifically, the past will feature characters like Professor X and Magneto as they are introduced to a younger version of Apocalypse. Viewers will find Jean Grey and Cyclops around 2,000 years in the future, where they have encountered Nathan Summers. Cable, Jubilee, and Sunspot remain in the present.
Spidey and His Amazing Friends Timeline
Spidey and His Amazing Friends is one of the most successful Marvel shows of all time and shows no signs of slowing down. The series began in its own unique universe, unconnected to anything else that had ever been created.
However, another series, Iron Man and His Awesome Friends, was recently released and takes place in the same timeline. In 2026, fans have already returned to the Spidey timeline with the January release of new episodes of Spidey and His Amazing Friends. Iron Man and His Awesome Friends episodes have also been released already in 2026.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Timeline
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2 will be released in 2026, meaning that fans will return to that universe within the calendar year. Like X-Men '97, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is set in its own universe and is not connected to anything else.
So, that show's version of Peter Parker is not the same Peter in the MCU and is unlike any other variant of the character from other projects. This timeline also includes classic Spider-Man characters like Harry and Norman Osborn, as well as villains like Tombstone and Scorpion.
