Marvel Studios has officially announced significant delays to two of its biggest upcoming releases, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Previously scheduled for May 1, 2026, Doomsday will now premiere on December 18, 2026, while Secret Wars has been shifted to December 17, 2027.
This announcement comes amid a series of recent underperformances for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), raising concerns about the overall health and direction of the franchise post-Endgame. Recent films like Thunderbolts and Captain America: Brave New World have struggled at the box office, with Disney openly reporting financial losses for the latter. Thunderbolts is expected to perform even worse, deepening worries among fans and investors alike.
Additionally, three untitled Marvel movies slated for 2026 and 2027 have been entirely removed from Disney’s release calendar, now only listed as “Untitled Disney” projects. These dates—February 13, 2026, November 6, 2026, and November 5, 2027—had previously sparked fan speculation about possible X-Men or Fantastic Four-related entries.
The delays are reportedly an effort to ensure that Avengers: Doomsday reaches the high standards expected from such a critical MCU installment. However, moving the film from the traditional summer blockbuster season to the competitive holiday period presents new risks, potentially affecting audience turnout and overall reception.
Fans have eagerly awaited another major Avengers event since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. With the release date for Doomsday now seven months later than initially planned, the anticipation—and pressure—surrounding the Russo Brothers’ latest directorial effort has intensified significantly. Marvel Studios is under immense scrutiny to deliver a film that lives up to fan expectations while re-energizing a franchise that many feel has lost its momentum in recent years.
As Marvel faces increasingly tough competition from high-profile releases such as James Gunn’s Superman and Jurassic World Rebirth, all eyes will remain focused on how well the studio navigates these challenges to reclaim its once-dominant box office position.