Is the Delay of Avengers: Doomsday a Blessing in Disguise or a Major Setback?

It might be disheartening that the release of Avengers: Doomsday has been postponed from May 1, 2026, to December 18 of the same year. However, this delay could potentially have some positive reasons, as it’s moving both the upcoming MCU team-up and the subsequent Avengers: Secret Wars film about seven months, thereby expanding the Multiverse saga.

The exact cause behind the delay of Avengers 5 was not mentioned in the recent announcement, however, there are speculations that it might have been shifted due to a few possible reasons as the production for the grand Robert Downey Jr.-led film is picking up speed in London, England.

The film titled “Avengers: Doomsday” is poised to kick off a two-part series, known as the “Avengers Duology,” which will conclude the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Multiverse Saga. This is expected to be followed by next summer’s release of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Under the direction of Joe and Anthony Russo, who brought us “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” the upcoming film “Doomsday” will feature a thrilling team-up between established Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) characters such as Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. Newcomers to the franchise, including the Fantastic Four and some legacy X-Men characters, will also join forces with these heroes in a battle against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom that promises to be an epic Multiversal showdown.

Why The Avengers: Doomsday Delay Is a Good Thing?

Time To Get Avengers 5 Right

In essence, the primary advantage of promoting “Avengers: Doomsday” as Marvel Studios and Disney plan to do so, is that it allows the creative team additional time for development.

The collaboration on this grand ensemble wasn’t initiated until early April, giving approximately one year for filming, editing, and creating visual effects (VFX). Although it was feasible, it would have been an arduous undertaking that could potentially lead to a hasty or subpar output.

Moving the release date of “Doomsday” from May to December provides the Russos and their team of thousands with additional time, offering them a chance to catch their breath and meticulously fine-tune the movie’s visual and auditory elements, ensuring it shines brightly on the big screen when it eventually premieres.

A Spidey-Sized Opportunity

One advantage of the “Doomsday” delay for the Marvel Studios team is that it allows them to incorporate a specific web-slinging hero into the multiverse storyline of their upcoming film.

Previously, there was growing doubt that Tom Holland’s portrayal of Spider-Man (who had been a significant character in the Avengers following the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019) would contribute significantly to the upcoming movie due to his busy schedule filming Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan’s film, The Odyssey.

Moving the release date (of Doomsday) might create an opportunity for Holland’s Spider-Man character to join the movie, giving him time to fit this role amidst his other cinematic obligations in production.

Letting Another Disney Blockbuster Breathe

The release of the movie “Avengers: Doomsday” might not solely be motivated by creative considerations. There could also be significant financial advantages for Marvel Studios’ parent company, considering the timing. It’s worth noting that just three weeks after the planned May 1, 2026 release date of “Avengers: Doomsday,” the first Star Wars film in seven years, titled “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” was initially slated for a theater release on May 22, 2026.

Some fans feared that the release of “Avengers” might harm the business of the new Star Wars film, potentially leading to its failure (and potentially the downfall of the franchise). At this moment in time, Star Wars is facing a delicate situation, and “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is meant to be its cinematic renaissance, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the sci-fi brand.

If an Avengers movie was still playing at that moment, it might have drawn attention away from the current Star Wars production, much like some speculate that Solo: A Star Wars Story’s struggles in May 2018 were partly due to its release being close to Avengers: Infinity War.

Why The Avengers: Doomsday Delay Is a Bad Thing?

December Is Unproven for the Avengers

Pushing a cinematic juggernaut like Avengers 5 isn’t always a walk in the park with daisies, as it carries its own set of potential pitfalls for both the studio and the film itself. For instance, the release of Avengers: Doomsday is facing one challenge due to the delay – December is an untested territory for the Avengers franchise.

Up until now, every “Avengers” film (“The Avengers”, “Age of Ultron”, “Infinity War”, and “Endgame”) has been released in either April or May. Disney has traditionally utilized this release window to kick-off their summer blockbuster season, but they won’t be able to do so with the premiere of “Avengers: Doomsday”.

It’s important to note that Disney/Marvel haven’t always shied away from releasing their big hits at the end of the year. In fact, almost every Star Wars film since Disney took over has been released around then, and Marvel Studios’ blockbuster “Spider-Man: No Way Home” followed suit in 2021. Now, they’re putting an Avengers movie in the holiday season to see if audiences are just as eager for it during the winter months as they are in the early spring.

A Sign of Potential Production Struggles

An additional concern about the delay of “Avengers: Doomsday” could be a sign that the production might be facing issues. Although there’s been no news indicating trouble for the movie, it’s worth considering as Marvel pushes its release date by over six months.

As Deadline’s report suggests, the delay might have been to allow The Russo Brothers and Marvel Studios team to fully realize an ambitious concept. However, this could also be a public relations phrase concealing a more significant problem in the production process or the overall narrative of the project.

It’s important to note that this is purely speculative, as there’s no concrete evidence to suggest that the removal of “Doomsday” from the Disney slate was due to any particular reason. Unlike other Marvel Cinematic Universe projects like the cancelled “Blade” film or “Armor Wars”, which have faced delays for specific reasons.

Reworking Spider-Man 4

When considering the drawbacks of the delayed release of the Avengers, it’s important to remember that its new date might cause other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, particularly the highly anticipated Spider-Man: Brand New Day, to be rescheduled or rearranged to fit this change.

Regarding Spider-Man 4, contrary to expectations that it would be moved due to delays, it’s still scheduled for release on July 31, 2026. This indicates that filming may commence this year, followed by a release the next year as initially planned.

Placing Spider-Man 4 ahead of Doomsday would significantly alter the storyline and may necessitate revisions in the script to ensure its coherence within the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s sequential narrative.

A Longer Phase 7 Wait for Fans

In simpler terms, if Avengers 5 is postponed, it unintentionally pushes back the highly anticipated Phase 7 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well.

Ever since Marvel Studios unveiled their upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) schedule, culminating with Avengers: Secret Wars, fans have been eagerly waiting to learn what follows next. Many speculated that popular titles such as the MCU’s X-Men film and Black Panther 3 would be part of the narrative following Secret Wars, but it seems those have been slightly postponed along the way.

This implies that since Doomsday and Secret Wars are being delayed past their initial dates, the subsequent Marvel Studios movies that were supposed to follow these events in the post-Phase 6 storyline, which many speculate may form part of the Mutant Saga, will also be released later than originally anticipated.

2025-05-25 19:05