Marvel Studios just shook up its release schedule by delaying six upcoming movies from the MCU.
In the months and years following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, delays continue to be a regular part of the Hollywood equation.
This comes as Marvel Studios' release strategy continues to change, particularly as the studio deals with some backlash after the start of Phase 5 didn't meet the expectations MCU fans had set.
These delays started with The Marvels being pushed from July to November, which only became the first of a major round of changes to the timeline.
Marvel Studios Delays Six New Movies
A major news announcement from The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Marvel Studios will delay the releases of six upcoming movies in the Multiverse Saga, which comes amidst the ongoing writers' strike and other factors.
One other movie that faced a shift was Deadpool 3, although its release date was pushed ahead from November 8, 2024, to May 3, 2024.
All of the movies to have their release dates pushed, for various reasons, are listed below:
1.) Captain America: New World Order
Originally intended to be the penultimate film in Phase 5, Captain America: Brave New World will now release nearly three months after its original May 3, 2024 date on July 26, 2024. The Star-Spangled Man's fourth solo movie began filming at the end of March, leaving about 16 months between the start of production and its new release date.
To this point, it doesn't appear that Captain America 4 has seen any repercussions from the writers' strike, with the cast and crew still working hard to bring Sam Wilson's first solo movie to life. While it's causing some scheduling conflicts outside of the MCU thanks to WWE superstar Seth "Freakin" Rollins' inclusion in the movie, production looks to be moving along smoothly with plenty of work left to do.
2.) Thunderbolts
Only a few days after officially beginning production, Thunderbolts had its own shoot halted as Marvel looks to bring this classic team of anti-heroes/former villains into the MCU. The writers' strike took its hold on this movie quickly, forcing the highly-anticipated team-up movie to push its release date from July 26, 2024, to December 20 of the same year.
Star David Harbour commented on the delay on his off-time, only noting that filming had been halted without offering further comment at the time. There have also been rumors about the film's plot being majorly reworked, but with no specific details about what was going to happen originally, fans will have to wait to find out the true specifics until a later date.
3.) Blade
Almost no movie in the MCU's upcoming slate has gone through more issues than Blade, which was first announced as part of Phase 4 all the way back at San Diego Comic-Con 2019. Going through multiple directors and script rewrites, all while shooting dates continue to be pushed back, there have been times when it felt like Mahershala Ali's first MCU solo movie would never get off the ground.
After finally getting a release date set for September 6, 2024, this supernatural story now won't release in theaters until February 12, 2025, all while Marvel still waits to actually start getting cameras rolling. And with Ali reportedly expressing frustration with the production status for his MCU introduction, the hope is that all of the details will be ironed out in the near future so that Blade can get underway
4.) Fantastic Four
For all the hype that built up for Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four, it's almost no surprise to see this solo outing bumped to Marvel's premier release slot at the start of May, moving from February 12, 2025, to May 2, 2025. In years past, the month of May held releases for Iron Man, the first two Avengers movies, and most recently, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which should be a good sign for the MCU's first take on Marvel's First Family.
Currently, the studio is hard at work on one of the most eagerly-awaited casts in MCU movie history, although there haven't been any recent updates regarding when filming may begin. But once that cast is assembled, with WandaVision's Matt Shakman in the director's chair, all eyes will be on Marvel Studios as this franchise is rebooted for the first time in a decade.
5.) Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
With Fantastic Four taking the May 2, 2025 slot for the MCU, the only logical move to make next was pushing Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to May 1, 2026, which puts it in the same position on the calendar as all four of its predecessors. And even considering the unstable state of this movie that comes with Jonathan Majors' court case, Marvel fans are anxious to see how Earth's Mightiest Heroes will assemble again once that movie arrives.
Currently, early story details tease that the Avengers will take a wild journey through time and space chasing Variants of Kang the Conqueror, with rumors already hinting at a handful of Avengers that will be a part of the ride. And if this new outing lives up in any way to the four movies that already broke the box office, expectations should be high for what Avengers 5 will deliver.
6.) Avengers: Secret Wars
As was the case with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, it was almost expected that Avengers: Secret Wars would get delayed with any other release date changes that came before it. And with Marvel looking to give the sixth Avengers movie the same spotlight as those that came before it, pushing the sequel from May 1, 2026, to May 7, 2027, was a near certainty as the Multiverse Saga looks to meet its end.
Plot details for Avengers 6 are even less public than those for Avengers 5, although rumors have hinted that Marvel is looking to blow the door wide open with characters from across the greater Multiverse. But with the sequel now over four years away with its release coming in May 2027, there is still plenty of time to iron out all of the details for the blockbuster of all blockbusters in the MCU.
The MCU will return to theaters with The Marvels, which arrives on November 11.
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