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Marvel Studioshas released over 30 films in the past two decades, spawning a cinematic universe that saw superhero films explode in popularity. But 2028 might be Marvel Studios' biggest year yet for a few reasons.
Marvel Studios has had some historic years since its inception. In 2012, Marvel Studios expertly pulled off a crossover five years in the making withThe Avengers, a film that culminated its first phase of projects in theMCU.In 2019, Marvel Studios had a record year at the box office, releasingCaptain Marvelwhich grossed over a billion dollars, followed byAvengers: Endgame, which became the highest-grossing filmof all time, at least for a while. 2021 marked Marvel Studios' biggest content year, in which it released four feature films (Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals,andSpider-Man: No Way Home), as well as five TV series on Disney+ (WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, What If…?, andHawkeye). The MCU shows no signs of slowing down, but 2028 will be a special year for its parent studio.
Marvel Schedules 3 Movies For 2028
While Marvel Studios' upcoming slate of movies through 2026 is fairly solidified, that hasn’t stopped the studio from looking forward by adding some unannounced titles to its calendar. Asreported by ComicBook.com, Disney has added three untitled Marvel movies to its release calendar in 2028. While exciting, this announcement also came with the downside ofMarvel’sBlademovie reboot being removed from the calendarentirely, likely due to its troubled development history.
The release dates of the new Marvel movies in 2028 are:
This release pattern is fairly standard for Marvel, with the studio often planting a flag around major holiday dates, such as May (Summer movie season) and November (Thanksgiving). While having three Marvel movies in one year isn’t too significant in itself, 2028 will be notable for another reason.
The MCU Celebrates 20 years
2028 is a milestone year for Marvel Studios as the studio celebrates its 20th anniversary. The first MCU film,Iron Man, was released in May 2008, followed shortly after byThe Incredible Hulkin June 2008. Marvel Studios' tenth anniversary in 2018 was marked by the release of three films:Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War,andAnt-Man and the Wasp.Black Pantherbroke a record for the studio, becoming the first superhero film to be nominated in the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards.Avengers: Infinity War, meanwhile, was the highest-grossing film of 2018.
Marvel Studios celebrated its 10th anniversary in several other ways as well. A commemorative photo book titledMarvel Studios: The First Ten Yearswas released in 2018,which compiled a complete guide to the studios' decade of films including photos and interviews. Another notable celebration was the release of a class photo that featured 80 ofMarvel Studios' stars and filmmakersgathered together in one photo, including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Tom Holland, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, and more. During the anniversary luncheon, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige toasted, saying “It’s been 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here’s to ten more.” This anniversary is coming up quickly, and if the tenth anniversary is anything to go by, 2028 will be an even bigger celebration for Marvel Studios.
Predicting Marvel’s 2028 Films
While the dates of the new Marvel Studios films have been announced, their titles remain a mystery. The majority of the studio’s upcoming slate has been revealed through to 2026 at this point. It includes the 2025 releases ofCaptain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, andThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.Avengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Warsare then set to release in 2026 and 2027 respectively. There are a few unannounced MCU films set to release before 2028 as well, which will likely includeTom Holland’s fourthSpider-Manfilm, and possibly aShang-Chisequel. As for what Marvel will save for its coveted 2028 slots, the studio has a few years to figure out, but there are some likely candidates.
The MCU’s X-Men Reboot
One project that has been confirmed to bein the works for the MCU is anX-Menreboot. Marvel Studios started to pave the way for this inDeadpool & Wolverine. Since Fox was acquired by Disney,Deadpool & Wolverinewas the first time the MCU was able to use characters from theX-Menuniverse, and it essentially served as a farewell to that saga of films. If the MCU’s next phase after the Multiverse Saga does end up becoming the long-rumored Mutant Saga, then a 2028 release for itsX-Menfilm would be a perfect time. It would give the studio a few years to introduce X-Men characters in solo films and the release of the team-up film would then culminate perfectly with the studio’s 20th anniversary, marking its new era.
Young Avengers
Another film that would be the perfect culmination of the studio’s efforts between 2018-2028 would be aYoung Avengersfilm. Marvel Studios has worked hard in its last few years of movies and Disney+ series to introduce the individual team members that make up the Young Avengers. Kate Bishop was a standout in 2021’sHawkeye, America Chavez was introduced inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,Kamala Khan led her own Disney+ series in Ms Marvel (and then held her own inThe Marvels),and Billy Kaplan (aka Wiccan) was just re-introduced inAgatha All Along.Marvel Studios hinted that a Young Avengers team-up may be coming in the future in the post-credits tease inThe Marvels,but 2028 seems like the right time to officially establish the next generation of young superheroes in the MCU.
MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a sprawling movie and television franchise that weaves together individual stories of superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and many more. The first film in the franchise, Iron Man, was released in 2008. The MCU has garnered critical praise and financial success, earning billions at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon.
