With the SAG-AFTRA strike officially over, Marvel Studios has announced new release dates for a number of its upcoming movies.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Deadpool 3 — which was previously dated for May 3, 2024 — will now release in theaters on July 26, 2024. Meanwhile, Marvel has delayed Captain America: Brave New World (formerly known as Captain America: New World Order) from July 26, 2024 to February 14, 2025. In turn, Blade has moved from February 14, 2025 to November 7, 2025. Finally, Marvel has delayed Thunderbolts from December 20, 2024 to July 25, 2025.
In light of these changes, Deadpool 3 is now Marvel’s only big-screen release planned for 2024. Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and Blade join Fantastic Four in 2025. (Marvel’s First Family’s upcoming reboot is currently set for or May 2, 2025 following numerous release date shifts of its own.) The studio’s current feature film slate wraps up with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars — which open on May 1, 2026 and May 7, 2027, respectively.
Outside the Marvel sphere, Disney has delayed its upcoming Lion King prequel film Mufasa: The Lion King from July 5, 2024 to December 20, 2024.
Which Marvel Studios movies were just delayed?
Director Shawn Levy’s Deadpool 3 sees Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) make the jump from 20th Century Fox’s X-Men universe to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Merc With a Mouth will be joined on this multiversal journey by none other than Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Deadpool 3 was in the middle of shooting when the SAG-AFTRA strike brought production to a temporary halt in July.
Meanwhile, director Yann Demange’s Blade sees Mahershala Ali take over the Marvel role made famous by Wesley Snipes. The long-gestating reboot has reportedly had a troubled development, with Michael Green most recently being brought on board to rewrite the script. Production was originally set to begin this summer before the since-concluded WGA strike delayed things.
Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts was hit with a very similar production delay amid the WGA strike. The upcoming team-up film features an ensemble cast of returning MCU stars — including Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, and more.
Finally, Julius Onah’s Captain America: Brave New World centers on Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who took up the mantle of Captain America in the 2021 Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Principal photography on Marvel Studios’ fourth Captain America film wrapped prior to the strikes, making the seven-month delay somewhat surprising.
Marvel Studios’ Deadpool 3 opens in theaters on July 26, 2024. Captain America: Brave New World opens on February 14, 2025 — followed by Fantastic Four on May 2, 2025; Thunderbolts on July 25, 2025; Blade on November 7, 2025; Avengers: The Kang Dynasty on May 1, 2026; and Avengers: Secret Wars on May 7, 2027.
