Marvel Studios is changing how it manages its small-screen storytelling. For the first time in the company's history, Marvel officially confirmed third seasons for multiple Disney+ series before their second seasons had even reached the public. This aggressive renewal strategy is a welcome change, distinct from the Infinity Saga, where television was often experimental or handled by outside divisions. In the Multiverse Saga, Marvel is leaning into long-term television commitments to provide stability for its narrative.
This new multi-season approach enables creative teams to map out character arcs over several years. By greenlighting Season 3 projects early, Marvel avoids the long production gaps that have previously frustrated fans. This strategy also allows the studio to integrate these shows more deeply into the larger MCU roadmap, treating them as essential pillars rather than one-off limited events.
This change also addresses the quality over quantity mandate that has been a focal point of Marvel's recent internal restructuring. By committing to three seasons upfront, the studio can treat these shows with the same level of long-term care as their theatrical trilogies. This allows for more organic world-building and ensures that showrunners aren't cramming too much plot into a single season out of fear it might be their last. Examining Marvel's slate, it is clear that the studio views television as a permanent home for its heroes rather than a temporary stopover.
Every Marvel Studios Disney+ Series Renewed for a Third Season
What If…?
The animated anthology series What If…? was the trailblazer for this new production model. Marvel Studios confirmed a third season for the show in July 2022, a move that came months before the second season even premiered. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel's Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, announced this during a dedicated Marvel Animation panel at San Diego Comic-Con, marking the first time an MCU series received a three-season order so far in advance.
This third and final season, which concluded its run on December 29, 2024, culminated the Watcher's journey with several high-concept alternate realities. Highlights included an episode where the Hulk took on a fleet of Mech-Avengers and an adventure where Agatha Harkness navigated a 1930s-style Hollywood alongside Howard Stark.
The season also featured a wild west team-up with Shang-Chi and Kate Bishop and the debut of Storm as the Goddess of Thunder. The series finale, titled What If... What If?, also featured a massive showdown where Uatu the Watcher faced judgment from his mentors, the Watchers.
X-Men ’97
The revival of the classic '90s animated series X-Men '97 became one of Marvel’s most critical successes. On October 11, 2025, during a panel at New York Comic-Con (NYCC), Brad Winderbaum officially announced that X-Men '97 was greenlit for Season 3. At the time, Season 2 was still in production with a Summer 2026 release window. Winderbaum was joined on stage by original series creators Eric and Julia Lewald, revealing that they joined the production as executive producers to maintain the show's authentic legacy.
The second season of the show will pick up after the Tolerance is Extinction finale, which left the X-Men scattered throughout time. The new episodes will follow Magneto and Professor X in ancient Egypt, while Cyclops and Jean Grey find themselves in a war-torn future alongside a young Nathan Summers.
A surprise teaser shown at NYCC confirmed that the legendary villain Apocalypse will play a central role as the primary antagonist of the second season. Furthermore, the Lewalds teased the introduction of other "X-teams" from the comics, expanding the show's scope beyond the core roster to include secondary squads like X-Factor, Team Future, Team Past, and Team '90s.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Even before Peter Parker’s newest animated adventure premiered in January 2025, Marvel Studios made it clear that Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was a long-term project. Confirmation for Season 3 came in January, during an appearance by Brad Winderbaum on The Movie Podcast. Winderbaum said that he had already read the scripts for Season 2 and was so impressed by the brick-by-brick world-building that the studio greenlit Season 3 before the public had even seen a single episode of Season 1.
The series reimagines Peter Parker’s origins in a branch timeline where Norman Osborn becomes his mentor instead of Tony Stark. Throughout the first season, Peter navigates high school life at Rockford T. Bales High alongside friends like Nico Minoru and Amadeus Cho while clashing with street-level villains, including Chameleon and Scorpion.
Season 2 is already slated for a Fall 2026 release and will delve deeper into Peter's sophomore year as he struggles with Norman’s increasingly dark influence and the introduction of other Marvel vigilantes like Daredevil. The long-term plan for Season 3 suggests a gradual transformation for the cast, potentially culminating in a full-scale clash between Spider-Man and the villainous Green Goblin.
Daredevil: Born Again
Perhaps the most anticipated television return in Marvel history, Daredevil: Born Again is also benefiting from this new long-term planning. Marvel confirmed Season 3 of the series on September 18, 2025, well ahead of the release of its second season. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios’ head of streaming, television, and animation, broke the news during an interview with IGN, stating, “We are greenlit for Season 3, and we start shooting next year.”
Ahead of Season 3, Season 2, premiering in March 2026, will center on Matt Murdock building a vigilante army to combat Wilson Fisk, who has used his position as Mayor of New York to outlaw superheroes via the Safer Streets Initiative.
The storyline draws from the Devil's Reign comic arc, featuring the return of fan-favorites like Karen Page, Foggy Nelson, and Bullseye, while also introducing Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones back into the fold. Season 3 is expected to film throughout 2026 and will likely explore the aftermath of the war in Hell's Kitchen.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
