This year’s historic Hollywood strikes may be over, but their impact is still being felt at Marvel.
Since the debut of Iron Man in 2008, comic book movie fans have grown accustomed to the superhero studio releasing multiple new films each year.
For example, three Marvel movies were released in 2018 with three more following in 2019.
No Marvel films were released in 2020 as the Covid pandemic closed cinemas worldwide. However, four films were then released in 2021: Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Both 2022 and 2023 saw the release of three Marvel films, respectively. However, the usually packed release schedule has been left looking bare in the wake of the strikes.
Marvel’s only release of 2024 will be the Ryan Reynolds-starring Deadpool 3, which is slated to arrive in cinemas on 26 July.
Two more films had originally been penciled in for next year but have since been delayed. Captain America: Brave New World, which will see Anthony Mackie pick up the Captain’s famous shield, has moved to February 2025. Meanwhile, antihero team-up Thunderbolts has moved to July 2025.
Lonely road: Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in ‘Deadpool 3’— (Marvel)
While Deadpool 3 will represent the only chance to see Marvel heroes on the big screen next year, the studio is expected to release several new shows on streaming service Disney+.
They include Echo, a new series based around Alaqua Cox’s character who was first introduced in 2021’s Hawkeye. That will debut on 9 January.
It’s also expected that Agatha: Darkhold Diaries will arrive on streaming before the end of the year. The series will see Kathryn Hahn reprise her witchy role from the popular WandaVision.
Marvel have also annouced a slate of animated series, including the Black Panther-inspired Eyes of Wakanda, an X-Men revival known as X-Men ‘97 and young Spider-Man series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Outside of the impact of the strikes, Marvel have also been dealing with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania star Jonathan Majors’ recent assault conviction. The studio’s forthcoming fifth Avengers film has been renamed as a result.
While Marvel’s output does seem to be slowing, The Independent culture writer Ed Power wrote about why snobs who look forward to the day the Marvel Cinematic Universe implodes should be careful what they wish for: “Hollywood’s next generation of blockbusters could make Thor look like Taxi Driver by comparison.”
