Marvel Shakes Up Release Calendar with Major Avengers Delays
Disney's surprising decision to push back Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars means Marvel fans face a longer wait for the next superhero team-up. The studio announced last night that Doomsday will now land in theaters on December 18, 2026 (seven months later than planned), with Secret Wars following on December 17, 2027.
Amid the schedule reshuffle, one character generating particular buzz is Tom Holland's Spider-Man. The web-slinger's next solo adventure, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, remains locked in for July 31, 2026 - making it the first Marvel movie to hit screens after this year's The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The original plan would have seen Spider-Man sandwiched between the two Avengers films - a positioning that led many to assume Peter Parker would play a crucial role in the multiversal storyline. Now, with Brand New Day arriving before either Avengers installment, fans speculate this could signal a more street-level story for the Friendly Neighborhood hero.
Marvel enthusiasts are buzzing about how this changes Spidey's narrative possibilities. Instead of dealing with apocalyptic Avengers-level threats immediately after No Way Home (where the world forgot Peter Parker's identity), Brand New Day may explore a more personal journey for the character.
"This completely reshapes expectations for Spider-Man 4," one Reddit user observed. "The film no longer has to bridge the gap between two universe-shaking Avengers events."
Recent casting announcements seem to support the theory of a grounded New York story. Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear) reportedly joined the cast, with speculation suggesting she may play the mother of Miles Morales - the immensely popular alternate Spider-Man who may finally make his live-action debut.
The Ripple Effects Across the MCU
Disney's schedule changes extend beyond the Avengers delays. The studio removed a previously announced February 2026 Marvel film (widely believed to be the long-gestating Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali) and relabeled two November release slots as "Untitled Disney" projects.
The lighter release schedule may give Marvel Studios room to focus quality over quantity. For 2025, audiences can still expect The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July, along with Disney+ series Ironheart and Wonder-Man. The streaming service will also deliver the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, a Punisher special, and the newly-filming Vision Quest starring Paul Bettany.
While some fans express disappointment over extended waits for major team-up films, many Spider-Man enthusiasts welcome the changes. As one commenter put it: "This is the best possible news for a proper street-level Spidey story - exactly what we've been wanting since No Way Home."
