For the first time in several years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is deviating from its usual release pattern, due to its plans for 2025. While MCU stories have taken place across vast and unique galaxies and universes, the franchise has generally stuck to certain established rules, both within its fictional world and in how it’s structured and released in the real world.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has faced some recent challenges, prompting significant changes to its upcoming movie plans as it looks to move in a new direction. One notable shift is a departure from a long-standing pattern the MCU previously followed when releasing films in the later part of the year.
2025 Marks The First Year Without A December Or Holiday Release For The MCU In A Long Time
The Marvel Cinematic Universe usually doesn’t stick to a strict release schedule, but for a long time, it’s been common for new movies or shows to come out in December or around the holidays. This is because many people have time off work or school during this period, giving them more opportunities to watch entertainment.
For the first several years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, movies typically came out between May and July. But things shifted in 2021. After theaters reopened following closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Spider-Man: No Way Home was released in December, marking a change in the usual release pattern.
Just before this, Marvel released its first show specifically set during the holiday season. The first season of Hawkeye takes place around the same time of year as its fictional New York City, giving the franchise another opportunity to engage with viewers during the holidays.
In 2022, Marvel continued this trend with The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, a Christmas-themed story where the team tries to figure out what Christmas is, as only Star-Lord understands the holiday. Marvel then released content in December 2023 and 2024 with the second and third seasons of What If…?.
2025 marks the first time since 2020 that Marvel hasn’t released a movie in December or around the holidays. This could be a sign that the studio is following through with plans to release fewer films each year. Despite this, the films scheduled after 2025 make this period particularly important for the franchise.
2026 & 2027 Are Set To Bring Back This MCU Trend In A Major Way
It appears there won’t be any major MCU releases in 2025. However, December 2026 and 2027 are now incredibly important months for the franchise. Avengers: Doomsday, originally planned for May, will now arrive on December 18, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars has been moved to December 17, 2027. These releases will mark key moments in the MCU’s overall story.
While the reduced content in 2025 is noticeable, it likely stems from the overall strategy for the franchise. The decision to release fewer projects each year means fewer things like holiday specials, and the conclusion of What If…? further reduced the amount of content available. It remains to be seen how Marvel plans to handle this situation in the future, and that will become clearer over time.
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2025-10-28 00:38