Marvel Studios has pushed “Avengers: Doomsday” to Dec. 18, 2026. The film was initially set to be released on May 1, 2026. The studio also pushed “Secret Wars” to Dec. 17, 2027. That film was initially set to be released on May 7, 2027.
“Doomsday” and “Secret Wars” are two of the biggest movies Marvel Studios ever made, according to an insider. An “Avengers” movie is a massive undertaking, and the new date simply gives the team more time.
The shift helps the production schedules for both “Avengers” movies. “Avengers: Doomsday” is in production now and the December date is one Marvel Studios likes as it’s the same weekend that “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was released.
As previously reported, Marvel Studios scaled back their overall slate and are spacing out their projects so that they have room to breathe.
Marvel stunned audiences with its first cast reveal back at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024, announcing Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the franchise — this time as Doctor Doom.
Then, the studio announced a deep bench of Avengers set to take him on in a very long livestream on March 26. You can see the full list here, though it seems Marvel may not be done just yet (after all, as TheWrap exclusively revealed, Chris Evans is supposed to return as well).
The “Avengers” series stands as the only franchise to date with three films that have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide before inflation adjustment, with 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame” grossing a then-all-time record of just under $2.8 billion worldwide.
While it is unclear whether “Doomsday” will reach those vaunted heights given the inconsistent audience reception of MCU films since “Endgame,” but its move to the holiday season will very likely signal a major shift in release dates from other studios. Prior to this shift, Disney had set “Ice Age 6” for release on December 18, 2026, and that film will likely move in the weeks ahead.
Other films set for release on December 18 include Warner Bros./Legendary’s “Dune Messiah,” Denis Villeneuve’s final planned film in his adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic. Sony also has a planned new installment of its rebooted “Jumanji” series set for release the week prior.
Films with a possible chance of staying put include Universal/DreamWorks’ “Shrek 5” on December 23 and Focus Features’ “Werwulf” on Christmas Day. While “Shrek 5” faces major competition, it’s worth noting that “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” legged out to a respectable $480.4 million worldwide in winter 2022 against competition from the $2 billion-plus Disney release “Avatar: The Way of Water,” and it is possible that “Shrek 5” could perform similarly or better with families and nostalgic millennials during the holiday season.
“Werwulf,” meanwhile, is the next film from “Nosferatu” director Robert Eggers, following that film’s Christmas Day release where it became one of Focus’ highest grossing films with $181 million worldwide. Unlike the other wide holiday releases, “Werwulf” will be catering to horror fans rather than four-quadrant audiences and thus could still find holiday legs in the shadow of “Avengers: Doomsday.”