Disney Release Date Shuffle Upends Entire Marvel Slate, Sends Final Avatar Sequel To 2031

Big changes are afoot at Disney. It's been a hot minute since we've gone through a major theatrical release date shuffle, so clearly the powers that be decided to throw another curveball our way. Much of Marvel's slate of upcoming films and 20th Century Studios' "Avatar" sequels have been delayed significantly, but at least one mischievous and very meta Marvel hero is actually seeing his film's release pushed up by several months. Let's break it all down for the people.

Variety has the details on Disney's significant changes to its release calendar. Here are the highlights as they pertain to the Marvel movies:

• The freshly-retitled "Captain America: Brave New World" is no longer going to make its original May 3, 2024 release. Now, fans will have to wait until August 26, 2024 to see Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson take up Cap's suit and shield.
• But wait! That means "Deadpool 3" is free to move up from November 8, 2024 to May 3, 2024.
• The highly-anticipated "Thunderbolts" movie, scheduled to begin filming this month with an eye on a July 2024 release date but disrupted by the ongoing writer's strike, now moves to a prime holiday slot on December 20, 2024.
• The "Blade" reboot starring Mahershala Ali, which we previously reported was likely to shift dates as well, has been bumped back from September 6, 2024 to February 14, 2025.
• But what about "Fantastic Four?!," I hear the masses crying out. Previously dated for a release on February 14, 2025, it will now come to theaters on May 2, 2025.
• "Avengers: Kang Dynasty," currently the subject of controversy thanks to the assault allegations surrounding star Jonathan Majors, has been pushed back an entire year to May 1, 2026.
• That pushes "Avengers: Secret Wars" from May 1, 2026 to May 7, 2027.

Each Avatar film is an exciting but epic undertaking that takes time to bring to the quality level we as filmmakers strive for and audiences have come to expect. The team is hard at work and can’t wait to bring audiences back to Pandora in December 2025. pic.twitter.com/DrFX01qzTa

— Jon Landau (@jonlandau) June 13, 2023

Okay, got all that? Now let's move on to an even more eyebrow-raising development. There are few certainties in life: death, taxes, and James Cameron's "Avatar" sequels getting pushed back another year. And wouldn't you know it, but fans of Pandora are going to have to wait a little bit longer for the next movie and to see the entire saga finally come to an end — if it ever does, that is.

Variety reports that the next three "Avatar" sequels have all been pushed back by a full year. For those keeping track at home, that means the currently-untitled "Avatar 3," once optimistically scheduled to arrive on December 20, 2024, will now release in December of 2025. Extrapolating out with each sequel, "Avatar 4" is now set for December 21, 2029 with "Avatar 5" scheduled for December 19, 2031. Of course, that means the fifth and (presumably) final entry in this franchise will mark a mind-melting 22 years between the release of the original "Avatar" in 2009 and its final sequel. And, for those wondering, James Cameron will be 77 years young when "Avatar 5" finally arrives. If that doesn't get you thinking about your own mortality and that of Planet Earth overall, I don't know what will.

Meanwhile, if you want more alien-based shenanigans, the House of Mouse has given Fede Alvarez's new take on "Alien" a release date of August 16, 2024. The report indicates that the Marvel shakeup comes as a result of "production delays" — partly self-inflicted, as evidenced by the pause on "Blade" as the film underwent a creative overhaul, and likely as a result of the ongoing WGA strike. As for "Avatar," Cameron certainly won't begrudge any more time to get the overwhelming amount of visual effects work in top form for each sequel before release. Stay tuned to /Film for more updates.