Disney said on Thursday that it has postponed the release of a number of Marvel Studios films, including the much-awaited Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Variety claims that Disney has entirely redesigned the 2026 and 2027 release schedule for Marvel Studios.
Both of the upcoming Avengers films are being delayed from several months to a year due to heightened competition, extra time for visual effects, and a December release date. Let’s dig into it.
How Long Were Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars Postponed?
Disney has rescheduled Doomsday from its initial May 1, 2026, release date to December 18, 2026. That means Doomsday is moving a little over seven months. The Devil Wears Prada 2 by Disney/20th Century will take the May 1st spot instead. Likewise, Secret Wars was supposed to be released on May 7, 2027, but fans must wait until December 17, 2027—an extra four months—to see the movie.
Other Marvel Schedule Changes
Disney also released updates on unnamed Marvel projects, according to Variety. A “Untitled Marvel” film that was originally scheduled for release on February 13, 2026, has been removed from the schedule. The November 6, 2026, and November 5, 2027, release dates of two additional “Untitled Marvel” projects have been rescheduled to “Untitled Disney” movies. That implies a non-Disney movie is taking its place.
Disney’s intention to redirect the studio’s superhero properties is hinted at by the changes made to Marvel Studios’ slate.
Disney CEO Bob Iger reportedly stated during an investor call that Marvel Studios has “lost a little focus by making too much” between its movies and Disney+ shows, according to Variety. , “By consolidating a bit and having Marvel focus much more on their films, we believe that will result in better quality,” Iger continued.
Why Did Marvel Delay the Next Avengers Movie?
What caused this change to happen? According to a Deadline insider report, there are two primary reasons:
“Insiders noted that these two films are among the biggest ever made, and the delays simply allow more time to execute on a gargantuan vision. Disney/Marvel elected for December dates, given the success they’ve had in the holiday corridor with titles like Spider-Man: No Way Home. Avengers: Doomsday is in production now.”
First, “executing” the concept might entail shooting and script problems, but it most likely implies spending time on visual effects, which Marvel has been criticized for rushing and undervaluing in many of its recent productions.
She-Hulk, rushed to finish the visual effects for its main character (the infamous clip of her sliding into the room), which has also drawn criticism for this, as have films like Thor: Love and Thunder and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Second, Marvel feels that many of their films perform best when released around December, with the exception of, uh, the final two Avengers films, Endgame and Infinity War, which were both released in April. Deadpool and Wolverine, their most recent megahit, came out in July. I don’t know how much this tracks.
Third, Marvel now faces serious competition from the recently released DCU, which may have begun as an animated film but will now fully introduce Superman this summer. In anticipation of this, marketing has been stepping up. The Fantastic Four, who will play a significant role in Doomsday, are introduced in Marvel’s major motion picture.
Marvel’s Biggest Release Gap Since COVID
With the June 25 release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps this year and the July 31, 2026, release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, there won’t be a Marvel film in theaters for about a year. This is the studio’s largest lapse since the COVID-related lull between Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019 and Black Widow in 2021.
Because of increased competition, more time for VFX, and a December release schedule both of the next Avengers movies are moving from several months to a year.
What do you think of the changes to the schedule?
