Apologies, Marvel fans but the wait for most of Phase 5 and Phase 6 just got a whole lot longer. Disney and Marvel Studios have announced new release dates for all of the previously announced Marvel Cinematic Universe movies that were already on the calendar. Save for Deadpool 3, all of them have been delayed. In some cases, quite significantly.
As mentioned, Deadpool 3 is the only movie to actually move up. The long-awaited sequel will now arrive in May 2024 as opposed to November. The movie has been filming for several weeks, with Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) and Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) set to star. Meanwhile, everything from Captain America: Brave New World to Avengers: Secret Wars has been delayed.
Here’s the new MCU Phase 5 and Phase 6 release calendar.
Captain America: Brave New World – Previously dated May 3, 2024, moves to July 26, 2024.
Thunderbolts – Previously dated July 26, 2024, moves to December 20, 2024.
Blade – Previously dated September 6, 2024, moves to February 14, 2025.
Deadpool 3 – Previously dated November 8, 2024 moves to May 3, 2024.
Fantastic Four – Previously dated February 14, 2025, moves to May 2, 2025.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty – Previously dated May 2, 2025, moves to May 1, 2026.
Avengers: Secret Wars – Previously dated May 1, 2026, moves to May 7, 2027.
Marvel Studios and Disney didn’t provide specific reasons for the delays. James Cameron’s Avatar sequels were also delayed though, it’s worth noting. Currently, the Writers Guild of America is on strike and has been for several weeks with no end in sight. As a result, work on movies such as Avengers: Secret Wars and Fantastic Four can’t easily continue. The strike almost certainly has a lot to do with it.
As for what comes next, Secret Invasion premieres on Disney+ on June 21. We’ve also got Loki season 2 and the Hawkeye spin-off Echo arriving on the streaming service later this year. On the film side, The Marvel’s is next up, with the Captain Marvel sequel arriving in November. Beyond that, Deadpool will be next up to bat given the recent shuffling of the release calendar. The other key thing is that Phase 6 of the MCU will now extend into 2027, far later than originally planned. What that does to the longer term plans Marvel Studios had remains a mystery.
The Marvels is set to hit theaters on November 10.
What do you think? Are you bummed about the delays? Which movie are you most excited about? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!