Theatrical Release Dates of "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Avengers: Secret Wars" Have Been Pushed Back!

Marvel fans need to brace themselves now: the theatrical releases of "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Avengers: Secret Wars" have been postponed! Both movies have been pushed back by six months: "Doomsday" will now be released on December 18, 2026, and "Secret Wars" on December 17, 2027.

The reason for this is probably that the productions are simply too big. The two film productions are reportedly among the biggest ever. Filming of "Avengers 5" began at Pinewood Studios in London in April. The original theatrical release date would have allowed a year to complete the film. Too little time for a film of this size with an elaborate post-production.

What does the delay mean for "Spider-Man 4"

What this means for "Spider-Man 4: Brand New Day" remains unclear: Tom Holland's film was meant to be released 3 months after the new Avengers film. Allegedly, it is set at the same time as the events of the big event movie, which would explain why Spider-Man might not be involved. However, if "Brand New Day" keeps its release date at the end of July 2026, this could have an impact on what is shown in it – and what is not.

Meanwhile the postponement of "Doomsday" to December ensures a genuine movie party that month: the release schedule also includes "Shrek 5" , "Ice Age 6", "Jumanji 4", "Dune 3" and Robert Eggers' "Werwulf". Incidentally, the original slot for "Avengers 5" will be taken by "The Devil Wears Prada 2".

What is known about "Doomsday"?

Cast of Avengers 5

Part of the cast of "Doomsday" has been known since March. Marvel announced numerous cast members in a large livestream event. Here we give you an overview of who has already been confirmed.

• Chris Hemsworth as Thor
• Tom Hiddleston as Loki
• Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier
• Ian McKellen as Magneto
• James Marsden as Cyclops
• Anthony Mackie as Captain America
• Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
• Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic
• Channing Tatum as Gambit
• Paul Rudd as Ant-Man
• Rebecca Romijn as Mystique
• Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman
• Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
• Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom
• Sebastian Stan as Bucky
• Joseph Quinn als Johnny Storm/Human Torch
• Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler
• David Harbour as Red Guardian
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing
• Letitia Wright as Shuri
• Wyatt Russell as John Walker
• Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor
• Kelsey Grammer as Hank McCoy/Beast
• Lewis Pullmann as Robert Reynolds/Sentry
• Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres
• Winston Duke as M'Baku
• Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost

You'll notice that some of the well-known Marvel stars are missing from this list – for example Benedict Cumberbatch or Elizabeth Olsen. But it doesn't have to stop there: The cast is reportedly not yet complete. We expect a few more well-known names to be announced.

Plot

The plot of "Avengers: Doomsday" is currently still being kept under wraps. Only a few details are known. However, the antagonist has been known for a while: Doctor Doom. You can find out all the other details, rumors and theories in our big film preview!

Behind the scenes

Anthony and Joe Russo will once again be responsible for directing the two upcoming "Avengers" films. Directly after "Doomsday", they will also shoot "Secret Wars". Few directors enjoy such a high level of trust, both from fans and from Marvel executives. The brothers have already proven their skills in the Marvel cosmos on several occasions. With "Captain America: The Winter Soldier", they were able to impress with their first film in the MCU. This was followed by "Captain America: Civil War", which pitted central characters from the MCU against each other. Their last MCU films to date are "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame". Both were a worldwide cinema event and concluded the popular Infinity saga.

The next Marvel film: "The Fantastic Four: First Steps"

Next up for Marvel is "The Fantastic Four: First Steps". The film is set in a retro-futuristic world of the 1960s. The Fantastic Four have to face the mighty Galactus and his herald the Silver Surfer. But they must also balance heroism and family – a challenge that becomes more personal than they anticipate.

This time, "The Last of Us" star Pedro Pascal embodies Mister Fantastic. The cast also includes "Mission: Impossible" actress Vanessa Kirby as the Invisible Woman, "Stranger Things" actor Joseph Quinn as the Human Torch and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing. Julia Garner slips into the role of the Silver Surfer. The theatrical release is near: "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" awaits superhero fans in theaters starting July 25, 2025.