Is it chaos at Marvel? Yes and no. Since Avengers: Endgame, the future of the MCU is far from clear. We can no longer count the number of projects promised to viewers that ultimately never saw the light of day. Just mentioning Blade is enough to convince us that life is no longer a bed of roses for Kevin Feige's company. Even the flagship productions, those dedicated to the Avengers, are affected by this game of musical chairs, which consists of postponing and moving films within the franchise's schedule. While the links between the films are close, and each proposal must introduce certain elements that will be developed in its successors, it's easy to understand why the multiverse saga increasingly resembles a huge tangle, for viewers but also, visibly, for the creatives in charge of its development. We're taking stock of all the films announced to date.
Fantastic Four — July 23, 2025 (Phase 6)
It's the summer blockbuster for Marvel, a period that was quite successful last year with the release of Deadpool & Wolverine in theaters. Six years after the acquisition of 20th Century Fox, the House of Ideas is finally giving itself the opportunity to take advantage of the return of the Fantastic Four to the fold. Unlike the X-Men, the studio is banking on a reboot from scratch. None of the actors from the previous adaptations will be invited; it's Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach who are leading this project. A new family that Marvel hopes will attract the attention of viewers who were not convinced by the previous films.
The story will evolve in a parallel dimension, inspired by the 60s. Sent into space for a mission, four scientists will be exposed to cosmic rays that will modify their bodies and give them superhuman powers. The main plot, however, should not evolve during this period but rather tell how, now that they have become the guardians of the Earth, they face the arrival of the most powerful enemy he has ever faced. Galactus, already invited for Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer by Tim Story, will represent a colossal threat to the blue planet. Matt Shakman, director of the WandaVision series, is also behind the camera and adapting a screenplay by Josh Friedman and Jeff Kaplan.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day — July 29, 2026 (Phase 6)
Four years after No Way Home, Peter Parker will be back in action. Sony Pictures and Marvel continue their collaboration around the Spider-Man with a fourth film starring Tom Holland. In front of Daniel Destin Cretton's camera, Peter Parker will face new challenges... on a street level, if rumors are to be believed. Indeed, after having bet heavily on the multiverse, the MCU wants to return to the character's origins by giving him more possible enemies than a spell opening the way to villains from all dimensions. Plot details remain secret, but the film's title emphasizes the desire for renewal for both entities.
Avengers: Doomsday — December 16, 2026 (Phase 6)
It took patience, but it's coming. First developed under the title Avengers: Kang Dynasty, before Jonathan Majors was ousted, Avengers 6 has been subject to numerous delays over the past few years. It was initially promised a 2025 release before the change of direction forced Kevin Feige to push back his film by a year. The return of Robert Downey Jr. was officially announced shortly afterward, with the actor abandoning Iron Man to play Doom, the iconic adversary of the Fantastic Four in the comics. Avengers: Doomsday was then promised for April 2026 before a final change so that the company finally bet on next December.
The film is expected to feature a large cast of characters and promises to be a film of superlatives. It will pave the way for Avengers: Secret Wars, the conclusion of the Infinity Saga and a reboot before a new phase and likely saga. So far, Kevin Feige has cultivated a sense of mystery about what the future holds for his heroes, but that hasn't stopped him from securing four films for 2028.
Avengers: Secret Wars — December 15, 2027 (Phase 6)
Like Endgame, Secret Wars bears the heavy responsibility of closing a painful chapter for the House of Ideas. Joe and Anthony Russo are expected to immortalize the biggest superhero movie ever made, at least in terms of characters and stakes. While we don't really know what this installment has in store, the narrative should take hold of certain elements mentioned in the glossy paper in an eponymous story arc. A massive war between the X-Men, the Avengers, the New Avengers, and the Fantastic Four is brewing.
New saga in 2028
To avoid giving the game away too quickly, and prematurely revealing the identity of those who will survive Secret Wars, Marvel is not saying what its future holds. Four films are nevertheless promised for 2028. The first is due out in February 2028, followed by another in May before successive releases in November and December 2028. This last project has just been made official, without its content being shared. Whether it's a simple postponement of the November release or a surprise project, it's still too early to say. We can already imagine that one of these films will be dedicated to the X-Men, who are due to make a triumphant return to cinemas after Disney's acquisition of Fox. Mickey has been preparing this introduction for a while, with the appearances of Professor Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness or the reunion of the superheroes in Deadpool and Wolverine.
Films in development limbo
In addition to these proposals whose release is assured, there are many promised projects that have not yet had the opportunity to materialize. This is particularly true for Blade, initially announced for July 2022, it passed through many hands until it disappeared from the Marvel calendar altogether. At present, its status is undetermined and it no longer seems to be a central priority for the giant. The same goes for Shang-Chi 2, which Daniel Destin Cretton is set to direct. This is also the case for Armor Wars, which was originally conceived as a series for Disney+ before becoming a film that would continue the Iron Man legacy. Since then, there has been radio silence for the film, which is supposed to feature Don Cheadle's War Machine.
Key Takeaways
- Fantastic Four: First Steps — July 23, 2025
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day — July 29, 2026
- Avengers: Doomsday — December 16, 2026
- Avengers: Secret Wars — December 15, 2027
- Untilted Marvel Movie — February 2028
- Untilted Marvel Movie — May 2028
- Untilted Marvel Movie — November 2028
- Untilted Marvel Movie — December 2028
- Blade — no date
- Shang-Chi 2 — no date
- Armor Wars — no date
- Nova — no date
- X-Men reboot — no date
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