Disney has announced a slew of date shifts, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the release of highly anticipated films.
Some of the notable changes are attributed to the strike, with projects like Thunderbolts and Blade opting to wait it out before rolling cameras. The delay in script development has also affected the timeline for the new Avengers movies. Avengers: Kang Dynasty, originally slated for a May 2, 2025 release, has been pushed back an entire year to May 1, 2026. Similarly, Avengers: Secret Wars will now hit the screens on May 7, 2027, a year later than initially planned.
While 2023 seems relatively safe from these changes, the reverberations of the WGA strike and production halts are expected to be felt throughout 2024 and beyond. This has set off a domino effect of release date shuffling among major motion picture studios.
The reshuffling begins with the untitled Deadpool movie, now set to hit theaters on May 3 next year. Captain America: Brave New World, originally scheduled for May, has been pushed back to July 26, 2024. Thunderbolts moves from the same date to December 20, 2024, while Deadpool 3 has gained a vote of confidence, advancing from November 8, 2024.
Blade, the highly anticipated reboot, has shifted from September 6, 2024, to a Valentine’s Day release on February 14, 2025. Another Marvel property, Fantastic Four, has been pushed further to May 2, 2025.
James Cameron’s Avatar franchise has also faced delays. Avatar 3, initially slated for December 20, 2024, will now release on December 19, 2025. Consequently, Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 have been pushed back as well, with Avatar 4 shifting from December 18, 2026, to December 21, 2029, and Avatar 5 moving from December 22, 2028, to December 19, 2031. These schedule changes are primarily due to the WGA Strike, although the scripts for the Avatar sequels are already locked.
Even the Star Wars movies are not exempt from the reshuffling. One of the films, previously set for December 19, 2025, has been delayed to May 22, 2026. Additionally, a new untitled Star Wars project has been added to the lineup, scheduled for release on December 18, 2026.
Among the other announcements, the new live-action Moana movie starring Dwayne Johnson will now grace screens on June 27, 2025, a week earlier than its previous date of July 2, 2025. The upcoming Alien movie, currently shooting overseas, has secured the Disney RSVP date of August 16, 2024.
With these extensive release date changes, Disney is aiming to carefully navigate the challenges posed by the WGA Strike and ensure that their future films exceed expectations.
Sources: Deadline
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