Marvel Studios is pumping the brakes on its next superhero spectacle. Both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars have been pushed back seven months from their original release dates.
Avengers: Doomsday will now arrive on December 18, 2026, instead of May 1, while Secret Wars moves from May 7, 2027, to December 17 of that year. The move leaves Marvel’s traditional summer blockbuster slot wide open, with The Devil Wears Prada 2 stepping in to fill the May 2026 date.
Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are Marvel’s most ambitious undertaking since Endgame. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who helmed both Infinity War and Endgame (which happen to be Marvel’s two highest-grossing films), are returning to direct both movies back-to-back.
According to industry insiders, the delay stems from the “gargantuan vision” of two films that are being described as “among the biggest ever made.”
Doomsday will feature Robert Downey Jr.’s not-so-shocking return to the MCU, but this time as the iconic villain Doctor Doom rather than Tony Stark. The casting announcement at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 was seen as a major PR victory for a franchise that has struggled to recapture its Endgame magic.
In fact, Marvel had to pivot from its original plans. Doomsday was retooled from the scrapped Avengers: The Kang Dynasty after Marvel parted ways with Jonathan Majors following his assault conviction. This behind-the-scenes turbulence forced Marvel to completely reimagine its next phase, turning to familiar faces to reignite audience enthusiasm.
Given the Avengers title, the cast will be an ensemble that combines MCU veterans with newcomers from Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts, actors from the legacy Fox X-Men movies, and wildcards like Channing Tatum’s Gambit.
It’s a kitchen-sink approach that could either bring fans back to the franchise or overwhelm audiences who are already fatigued by superhero stories.
Disney CEO Bob Iger acknowledged during an investor call that Marvel had “lost a little focus by making too much.” After releasing only one film in 2024 (Deadpool & Wolverine), Marvel is deliberately spacing out its releases.
This year, Marvel has put out Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is coming next in July, but afterwards there will be an unprecedented full-year break before Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in July 2026, followed by another year-long gap between the two Avengers films.
Disney has quietly removed or swapped out several slots for “untitled Marvel” projects in 2026 and 2027, though three slots remain reserved for Marvel films in 2028. The status of anticipated projects like Armor Wars and the long-troubled Blade remains uncertain, while plans for Shang-Chi and Black Panther sequels remain vague.
The move to December won’t worry Disney executives too much, though. Spider-Man: No Way Home proved that Marvel films can dominate the holiday season, launching in mid-December 2021 to become the third-highest-grossing Marvel film of all time.
The holiday slot also gives Disney’s biggest franchises breathing room. The Mandalorian & Grogu, the first theatrical Star Wars film since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, opens on May 22, 2026.
One unlikely winner in this shuffle is Rockstar Games. With Doomsday out of May 2026, Grand Theft Auto 6, which is launching on May 26, 2026, and being heralded by Take-Two’s CEO as potentially the biggest entertainment launch ever, will face less competition for consumer attention and dollars.
In any case, no one wants to compete with GTA 6.
For now, the future of the MCU beyond Secret Wars remains a mystery. The specter of X-Men joining the MCU is a big deal, as fans are eagerly waiting to see how Marvel will incorporate the beloved mutant franchise.
Fortunately for Marvel, delaying the Avengers movies will buy the studio time to create a coherent vision for its next phase. It’s a double-edged sword, though, as it will also be under enormous pressure to deliver.
