Disney Shuffling Release Dates for Marvel Movies and More

Strike delays mean that some big tentpoles are moving back, and the studio is moving some of its giant movies around the calendar. Get ready to wait!

The ongoing writers’ strike (and potential action from other guilds such as the actors’ union) is having a major impact on studio output. And Disney is not immune to changes in schedule. The company has announced that it is moving the release dates for a lot of its big upcoming movies, and that means we’ll all have to be patient when it comes to the likes of Marvel, James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ and the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy.

MCU shifts

Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios' 'The Falson and the Winter Soldier' exclusively on Disney+.

Marvel, of course, has been delaying some of its films’ production and that is having a domino effect for the highly connected cinematic universe, which relies on films to set up the next entries. Lest the tapestry all unravel, that means moving some movies back.

‘Captain America: Brave New World’ is moving to August 26th next year, which pushes ‘Thunderbolts’ to December 20th, 2024, ‘Blade’ to February 14th, 2025, and the still in-development ‘Fantastic Four’ to May 2nd, 2025.

And because there is only so much space on the calendar (and Disney seemingly already takes up a third of it), that means the next giant, phase-ending team-up movies are also on the move. ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ will be bumped back a year, to May 1st, 2026, inheriting the release date for follow-up ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’, which itself is headed to May 7th, 2027.

It's not all delays for the MCU, though; ‘Deadpool 3’, which is in production, will move up from its original November 8th, 2024, date to May 3rd of that year.

Deadpool & Wolverine

"Come together."

Not Yet RatedJul 26th, 2024

Third entry in the "Deadpool" franchise. Plot TBA. Read the Plot

More ‘Avatar’ delays

'Avatar: The Way of Water' will be available exclusively to purchase on Digital March 28th.

Though James Cameron’s movies would seemingly not be impacted by a writers’ strike since their scripts are essentially finished, the series can’t avoid the release date shuffle.

That means ‘Avatar’ fans, already well used to the waiting game, will see their patience tested further, since ‘Avatar 3’ has moved to December 19th, 2025, ‘Avatar 4’ to December 21st, 2029, and ‘Avatar 5’ all the way to December 19th, 2031! which means the apparent final movie will land 22 years after the original 2009 film.

Avatar 3

Not Yet RatedDec 19th, 2025

The third entry in the Avatar franchise. Read the Plot

New ‘Star Wars’ movie dates

(L to R) Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Daisy Ridley at Star Wars Celebration 2023.

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi

Not Yet Rated

Set during the "Dawn of the Jedi" era, 25,000 years in the galaxy's past and described as a "Biblical epic" about "the dawning of the Force". Read the Plot

Live-Action 'Moana' and more

Dwayne Johnson announces live-action 'Moana.' Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios.

There are also dates on the calendar now for films that didn't have them previously –– the live-action ‘Moana’ is set to surface on June 27th, 2025, while Fede Álvarez’ movie set in the ‘Alien’ universe is arriving on August 16th next year. Espionage thriller ‘The Amateur’, starring Rami Malek, is set for November next year.

Moana 2

Not Yet RatedJul 10th, 2026

Showtimes & Tickets

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical “Moana 2” takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely... Read the Plot

Frustration ahead for film fans, then, but hopefully the movies will be worth the wait.