Summary
Marvel Studioshas shown no signs of slowing down since it capped off the Infinity Saga withAvengers: Endgame. Now that Disney+ is a part of Marvel’s strategy, the studio is releasing more content than ever before, which means it also has to get strategic with its release dates.
TheMCUis currently in Phase 5, which also happens to be mid-way through the Multiverse Saga. The studio has had some stumbling blocks of late, with films likeAnt-Man and the Wasp: QuantumaniaandThe Marvelsnot performing as well as intended, but that doesn’t seem to have slowed development on future MCU projects. Marvel Studios hasfilms planned as far ahead as 2028, but with each Saga of the MCU attempting to tell an overarching narrative, Marvel will need to be specific about where it places each of its films on its slate.
What Marvel Movies Are Releasing in 2026?
2026 is set to be a pivotal year for Marvel as the studio begins to enter the endgame of the Multiverse Saga. The studio will be coming off the back of three major releases in 2025, those beingCaptain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*,andFantastic Four: First Steps. Fantastic Fourin particular will be an important piece for the rest of the saga, as the movie introduces four major new characters who will be included in the nextAvengersfilms.
Beyond 2025, only three Marvel Studios films have been confirmed. Two of these are theAvengersdouble feature,Doomsday andSecret Wars, which will bring the Multiverse Saga to a close in a similar style toAvengers: Infinity Warand Avengers: Endgame. The last film confirmed on Marvel Studios’ calendar in 2025 isTom Holland’s fourthSpider-Manfilm, which only recently received its release date.
2026 will be a four-film year for Marvel, with two untitled Marvel Studios films sandwiching therelease dates ofAvengers: DoomsdayandSpider-Man 4. All of Marvel Studios 2026 movie release dates are as follows:
Marvel’s 2026 Slate Has One Important Free Slot
Looking at Marvel Studios’ year in 2026, it’s going to be an important one for the MCU. BothSpider-Man 4and the fifthAvengersfilms are highly-anticipated installments that will no doubt have major plot ramifications for the whole MCU. Marvel also has two untitled films on its slate for 2026, but one of them remains a super important part of the Phase 6 puzzle. The Untitled Marvel Studios Film which is set for release on May 19, 2025, will be one of only two MCU films released in betweenAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars. Along with Spider-Man 4, this means the November 2026 Marvel film could be crucial to how things play out in the remainder of the Multiverse Saga.
The Untitled Marvel Studios Film which is set for release on July 16, 2025, will be one of only two MCU films released in betweenAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars.
What Movie Should Marvel Release Before Avengers: Secret Wars?
IfAvengers: Doomsdayends with a cliffhanger like that ofAvengers: Infinity War, it means that whatever that November 2026 Marvel film is will either need to tread carefully or it could have major implications forAvengers: Secret Wars. When Marvel Studios releasedAvengers: Infinity War,it left the state of the MCU in disarray, with half of the Avengers, and the universe’s population, disintegrated in Thanos’ snap. This meant that none of theMCU movies released in betweenInfinity WarandEndgamecould meddle too much, lest they ruin the pay-off that was to come inAvengers: Endgame. Marvel chose two films to release during this time. One wasAnt-Man and the Wasp, which chronologically took place just before the events ofAvengers: Infinity War, leaving a post-credits scene to link Ant-Man’s story to the rest of the Avengers. The other film wasCaptain Marvel, which was an origin story for Carol Danvers taking place in the 1990s, thus avoiding any ripple effects on theInfinity Warstory.
Marvel Could Introduce A New Hero Prior to Avengers: Secret Wars
Marvel Studios may need to employ a similar tactic when it comes to its November 2026 release, and either tell a story adjacent to that ofAvengers: Doomsday,or take the chance to introduce a new hero in their own origin story separate from the events of the MCU at that spot in the timeline. One suggestion for this could beMarvel’s long-troubledBlademovie. The studio recently removedBlade’srelease date from its slate completely, after the film repeatedly failed to get off the ground, going through multiple directors and script rewrites. IfBladeis to be an origin story of the vampire hunter, it could easily exist away from the events of the MCU and serve as a good stopgap betweenAvengersfilms.
Alternatively, Marvel Studios could announce a pivotal film in that November 2026 slot, one that helps to expand on an event or character that is important inAvengers: Endgame, or one that will be important inAvengers: Secret Wars.Ant-Man and the Wasphelped to introduce theidea of the Quantum Realm, which was the key to reversing Thanos’ snap inAvengers: Endgame. Perhaps Marvel’s November 2026 film could do the same, and expand on a crucial plot point that will be useful for the Avengers inSecret Wars.
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.
