Avengers 5 & 6 Delay: Bad News for Marvel Fans Eager for Doomsday & Secret Wars!

It seemed too good to be true! When Marvel Studios rolled out a significant portion of its cast in a live-streamed video last March, watched by 275 million viewers, “Avengers: Doomsday” had somewhat reassured fans about the film’s potential. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the film will mark the grand return of Robert Downey Jr., this time as the villainous Doom. This came at a time when the MCU was experiencing a dip in its box office allure. Optimism was high when production started a few weeks later, just a year before the film’s planned release.

What might have been a bit too optimistic was the schedule for a movie promising rich action and special effects, given the superhero powers involved. Thus, it’s only somewhat surprising to learn that Disney and Marvel have decided to delay the release of the next Avengers installments, “Doomsday” and “Secret Wars,” by seven months. Originally set for release on April 29, 2026, and May 5, 2027, they will now debut on December 16, 2026, and December 15, 2027, respectively.

The official reason for these delays has not been communicated, but the choice of dates marks a novelty for Marvel, seizing a time slot previously reserved for post-trilogy Star Wars, James Cameron’s Avatar films, and last year’s “Mufasa.” While it would have made sense to delay them by a year, Disney opted to split the difference, making the next Avengers movies holiday releases to maximize their box office potential during the festive season.

Is “Spider-Man 4” Also Facing Delays?

While “The Fantastic Four” is set to release on July 23 this year, the future lineup of the MCU is a bit unclear. The spring slot vacated by “Doomsday” will not be filled by another Marvel movie (a first for the House of Ideas!) but by “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” and there’s already speculation about the fate of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” If rumors that its storyline is directly tied to the events of the upcoming Avengers are true, the film starring Tom Holland may no longer be able to premiere in July 2026 as initially planned.

We can thus expect more shifts in the schedule. And the revelation of the identity of the mysterious Marvel movie slated for July 2027, which has not shifted despite various changes? The most likely option would be “Doctor Strange 3,” but we might have to wait until San Diego Comic-Con to find out. And perhaps get a first glimpse at “Avengers: Doomsday,” frustrating as it may be to realize we have to wait even longer to see it in theaters.