Even with its most populated content year in the rear view, Marvel Studios is snowballing its momentum into 2022. The Marvel Cinematic Universe kicks off the new year this Monday with the first full trailer for Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight and is expected to debut that series ahead of May's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Those two projects will precede at least six more movies and streaming shows scattered across the rest of the year.
While all of Marvel's 2022 theatrical releases have been set in stone in terms of release dates, their streaming projects remain up in the air. Fans can rest easy knowing Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, and I Am Groot will arrive in 2022, despite none of them having a confirmed premiere date.
Beyond the Disney+ shows confirmed for 2022, Marvel has a multitude of projects currently in production without any sense of when they will arrive. Among these developing shows is Samuel L. Jackson's Secret Invasion, which is currently filming. Secret Invasion's proximity to wrapping is unknown, but a new rumored debut window indicates it's getting close.
Secret Invasion Joins Marvel's 2022 Slate?
The shapeshifting takeover may be coming sooner than expected.
As evident by information on the Japanese branch of the Marvel website obtained and translated by The Cosmic Circus, Secret Invasion looks to be arriving on Disney+ in 2022. This comes alongside a "Marvel Studios' Hero Day" campaign launched by Marvel Studios Japan on January 16, which utilizes the tagline, "New projects one after another. The universe will expand even further."
While Secret Invasion is placed among confirmed 2022 projects, it is the only project to omit the year in its "coming soon to Disney+" label.
Another image on the Marvel Studios Japan website groups Secret Invasion with Moon Knight and She-Hulk, along with three films confirmed to arrive this year. This graphic once again uses the "new projects one after another, the universe will expand even further" tagline.
This image interestingly uses Secret Invasion, a show without a release window, rather than Ms. Marvel or I Am Groot, which have both been confirmed for 2022.
Four Live-Action Marvel Studios Shows in 2022?
Marvel Studios has significantly shaken up their 2022 slate since 2020's Disney Investor Day. Ironheart and Armor Wars were also once among the MCU's 2022 slate, but production delays and a re-ordered theatrical release schedule forced them to pivot to uncertainty.
Despite being made up of over a dozen franchises, the Marvel Cinematic Universe tells an overall linear story, making the release order of its various projects crucial. Dropping WandaVision ahead of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier didn't change the MCU's grand narrative, but a movie like Black Widow needed to arrive before Hawkeye in order to give context to Yelena Belova's appearance.
Ironheart's likely delay to 2023 makes sense considering leading star Dominique Thorne is making her first appearance as Riri Williams in November's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. There's no telling what particular projects lead into or build off of Secret Invasion, but it likely has ties to February 2023's The Marvels.
The first time a Marvel Disney+ show ties directly into a film comes this May, when events from Elizabeth Olsen's WandaVision are utilized in the context of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. If Secret Invasion does the same for Brie Larson's sequel, it needs to wrap up its run before February 17, 2023.
Considering Marvel spaced out WandaVision and Doctor Strange 2 by 14 months, it's safe to assume they would want to give their audiences ample time to see all of Secret Invasion by the time The Marvels hits theaters. This would make a late 2022 debut the most likely landing spot for Secret Invasion, with the potential for some back-half episodes to bleed into 2023.
Concerns for Ms. Marvel?
The omission of Ms. Marvel on the second graphic is an odd decision. Ms. Marvel has not only been confirmed for 2022, but it has a release window set for this summer.
That said, Kamala Khan's MCU debut is currently undergoing "substantial" reshoots. There's not telling whether these reshoots will be enough to push that series out of 2022, but it's noteworthy that Secret Invasion appears to be more of a sure release than Ms. Marvel.
Speaking of shows that need to premiere before a film, Ms. Marvel needs to drop before February 2023's The Marvels, as Iman Villani is confirmed to have a major role in Brie Larson's sequel. Unless these reshoots are to restructure the show's plot to place it after the events of The Marvels, the clock is ticking for the young Avenger's series to wrap production and release on Disney+.
Secret Invasion is currently filming.
MCU Writer, Editor, Podcaster
