Disney announces Avatar sequels delayed, Marvel movie reshuffle and two Star Wars movies in 2026
Disney has announced sweeping changes to its release schedule over the next few years, with the planned Avatar sequels delayed, all announced Marvel movies reshuffled and that audiences will get three Star Wars films in two years.
Starting with Star Wars, Disney has delayed the film originally scheduled for December 19, 2025 to May 22, 2026.
It also introduced a new Star Wars film to the calendar, to come out on December 18 2026, taking Avatar 4’s old release date.
Another Star Wars film will hit cinemas December 17, 2027.
Disney hasn’t revealed the titles or plots of these films yet.
Three Star Wars films were announced at Star Wars Celebrations earlier this year, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold and Dave Filoni.
It’s likely these will be the films released on those dates.
Marvel’s film schedule has been completely changed.
Deadpool 3 will take the place of Captain America: Brave New World on May 3, 2024.
Captain America: Brave New World will now be moved to July 26, 2024, Thunderbolts’ old date.
Thunderbolts will take Avatar 3’s old release date of December 20, 2024.
Blade has been pushed to February 14, 2025, a date that was occupied by Fantastic Four.
Fantastic Four has moved to May 2, 2025, where Avengers: Kang Dynasty used to be.
Avengers: Kang Dynasty won’t release until May 1, 2026, a date previously held by Avengers: Secret Wars.
It’s also three weeks before Disney’s next untitled Star Wars film, the first time the movies from the behemoths will be in kissing distance from each other.
Avengers: Secret Wars has been delayed to May 7, 2027.
Avatar’s sequels have also been delayed.
Avatar 3 will now release on December 19, 2025, a delay of only one year and taking over a release date previously held by Star Wars.
Avatar 4 has seen a sizable delay of three years, from December 18, 2026 to December 21, 2029.
Avatar 5 also vacates its previous date of December 22, 2028, and makes its way to December 19, 2031.
In regards to Disney’s other franchises, the Alien movie produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Fede Alvarez will open on August 16, 2024.
A live-action Moana movie will be released on June 27, 2025.
Jon Landau, producer on the Avatar films, commented on Twitter the Avatar delays would allow the post-production and visual effects department to continue expanding the world of Pandora.
“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.”
