Avengers Delayed: Marvel Pushes Doomsday and Secret Wars to December 2026 and 2027

Marvel fans, you might want to mark your calendars—and then mark them again. Disney has just reshuffled its upcoming release schedule, and two of the biggest Marvel titles, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, have been officially delayed.

These aren’t small delays either. Both films are getting bumped from their original summer blockbuster slots to December releases. It’s a strategic move by Disney, but one that leaves fans with a long wait before Earth’s Mightiest Heroes return to the big screen.

Let’s unpack what this means for Marvel’s timeline and what we can expect from these mega movies.

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When Are Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars Releasing Now?

Originally, Avengers: Doomsday was set to premiere on May 1, 2026. But that’s no longer the case. The new release date is December 18, 2026, pushing it back by about seven months.

Following the pattern, Avengers: Secret Wars is also moving. It was supposed to arrive on May 7, 2027, but it will now hit theaters on December 17, 2027.

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This marks the first time the Avengers films will land in the holiday season. Marvel seems to be following the playbook that worked so well for Spider-Man: No Way Home, which launched in December 2021 and grossed a whopping $1.9 billion globally.

Curious About What’s Coming Next? Here’s What to Expect

With the new schedule, only two Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films are officially slated for 2026: Avengers: Doomsday and Sony’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day. That’s a huge slowdown, especially considering Marvel’s earlier pace of releasing multiple films a year.

There’s also a long gap between major titles. After The Fantastic 4: First Steps drops on July 25, 2025, we won’t get another Marvel movie until Spider-Man 4 hits on July 31, 2026. That’s more than a full year without a theatrical MCU release—the longest stretch since the pandemic-era break between Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and Black Widow (2021).

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This gap signals a shift in Marvel’s strategy. During a recent investor call, Disney CEO Bob Iger explained the studio had been trying to do too much. By scaling back and focusing more on fewer, bigger movies, Iger believes the result will be stronger storytelling and better fan engagement.

Why the Delays Could Actually Be a Good Thing

As frustrating as delays can be, this might be exactly what the MCU needs. With fans feeling a bit overwhelmed by the mix of streaming series and rapid-fire movie releases, slowing things down gives these blockbuster events room to breathe.

Both Doomsday and Secret Wars are set to be massive, high-stakes team-up films with huge ensemble casts. We’re talking multiverse-level storylines, the return of legendary heroes, and even bigger surprises.

One of the biggest reveals? Robert Downey Jr. is back—but not as Tony Stark. Instead, he’s playing the role of Doctor Doom, one of the most iconic villains in Marvel history. That twist alone is enough to stir up major buzz.

The cast is packed with returning legends like Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen from the X-Men films, plus characters from Thunderbolts and Fantastic 4: First Steps. Marvel is bringing its universe together in a way that rivals the hype of Avengers: Endgame.

Want the Inside Scoop on Marvel’s Next Phase?

With so much changing in Marvel’s movie roadmap, it’s easy to lose track of what’s still coming. Here’s what we know:

• Several previously scheduled “Untitled Marvel” projects were removed or renamed by Disney. The dates of Feb. 13, 2026, Nov. 6, 2026, and Nov. 5, 2027 have either been dropped or converted to “Untitled Disney” films.
• Marvel still has placeholders set for 2028 on Feb. 18, May 5, and Nov. 10.
• Titles like Armor Wars and Blade have been confirmed but don’t have official release dates yet.

With this trimmed-down schedule, Marvel appears focused on delivering higher-quality stories that build up excitement rather than burning fans out.