Currently, Marvel Studios has at least 12 more movies planned for the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn make their MCU debuts as Marvel’s First Family in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, brought together in the Marvel Studios’ reboot to battle Ralph Ineson’s Galactus, who threatens their entire world. First Steps sets up some of the franchise’s most exciting upcoming projects, paving the way for many more movies to release in the MCU’s future.
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Right now, there are only three more MCU movies that have scheduled release dates, culminating in 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, which will conclude the Multiverse Saga. However, there are at least five more projects that have been confirmed to be in development by Marvel Studios, and more that are in the pipeline, but are yet to be officially confirmed. Among them, the likes of Blade, Doctor Strange 3, and Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot are especially exciting, but the future is looking bright for the MCU across the board.
12) Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)
Destin Daniel Cretton was announced to be replacing Jon Watts as the director of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in October 2024, with a release date of July 31, 2026, confirmed. Tom Holland will be returning as Peter Parker’s Spider-Man in a grounded storyline leading on from the world forgetting him at the end of 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Jon Bernthal will be joining Holland, the latter playing Frank Castle’s Punisher in his first feature film appearance, and Brand New Day is expected to kick-start a new trilogy for the MCU’s wall-crawler.
11) Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026)
At 2024’s San Diego Comic-Con, the Russo brothers were confirmed to be returning to Marvel to direct Phase 6’s Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel. These crossover events have already been confirmed to feature at least 27 major MCU characters, and more are expected to join them. This includes Robert Downey Jr., who will be returning to the MCU to portray supervillain Doctor Doom. Doomsday is speculated to be exploring incursions and multiversal devastation, featuring heroes from a variety of realities coming together to battle Doom, and setting up an even more dramatic story in 2027.
10) Avengers: Secret Wars (December 17, 2027)
2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars will mark the culmination of six packed years of stories in the MCU, leading on directly from the battle against Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. The Phase 6 movie will be inspired by both 1984’s and 2015’s Secret Wars events from Marvel Comics, and the latter ended with a reboot of the Marvel Universe’s continuity. Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently confirmed that Avengers: Secret Wars would also reset the MCU, establishing a single clear timeline which will explain the introduction of mutants, the integration of the Fantastic Four, and the end of confusion in the MCU.
9) Armor Wars (TBC)
While Avengers: Secret Wars is the final MCU movie that actually has a scheduled release date, there are many more that are in development at Marvel Studios. This includes Armor Wars, which started production as a Disney+ TV series but was reworked into a movie in September 2022. Don Cheadle is expected to return as Rhodey’s War Machine, headlining his first MCU movie, but news about the project has been scarce in the last few years, especially after the disappointing reaction to Rhodey being replaced by a Skrull in 2023’s Secret Invasion. It’s unclear what will come of Armor Wars.
8) Black Panther 3 (TBC)
Following rumors and speculation, Black Panther 3 was confirmed to be in development at Marvel Studios in March 2025. Ryan Coogler will be returning to direct the threequel, which has been confirmed to be introducing Denzel Washington to the MCU. Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Danai Gurira, and more will likely return, and Black Panther 3 will mark producer Nate Moore’s final project for Marvel Studios. The movie will surely be informed by the events of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, which will see the Wakandans take on Doctor Doom alongside the MCU’s other heroes.
7) Blade (TBC)
Few Marvel Studios projects have had as tumultuous production periods as the MCU’s Blade reboot. After going through two directors and a handful of writers, the development of Blade seems to now be on the right track, with Feige confirming that the project will have a modern-day setting, despite early drafts delivering more of a period piece. Blade will star two-time Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali as the titular Daywalker, Eric Brooks, following his voice debut in Eternals’ post-credits scene. After being removed from the MCU’s schedule in October 2024, it’s unclear when Blade will release.
6) Shang-Chi 2 (TBC)
In April 2024, Simu Liu confirmed that a sequel to 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is in development at Marvel Studios. However, Destin Daniel Cretton’s work on Wonder Man and now Spider-Man: Brand New Day means it may be some time before Shang-Chi 2 hits theaters. Luckily, we’ll get more Shang-Chi and ten rings action in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, which could set up the perfect story for Liu’s next MCU solo movie, especially since Feige has recently confirmed that solo characters such as Shang-Chi will be a huge priority for the MCU going forward.
5) Doctor Strange 3 (TBC)
A third solo movie featuring Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange hasn’t been officially confirmed by Marvel Studios, but Cumberbatch himself has heavily teased its development. “They are very open to discussing where we go next,” Cumberbatch revealed to Variety in January. “Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving? He’s a very rich character to play.” After 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a sequel could better explore Charlize Theron’s Clea, while grounding Strange after Phase 6’s multiversal adventure.
4) Scarlett Johansson’s MCU Movie (TBC)
Back in November 2021, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Scarlett Johansson would be working with Marvel Studios to develop a new, top secret movie. Even after her lawsuit against Disney following Black Widow’s release, this movie is still expected to be in development, though it hasn’t been revealed exactly what story or character this will explore. Johansson was recently given an executive producer credit on 2025’s Thunderbolts*, which she disputed, while her own MCU project – not Black Widow-related – is also still in the works, but little is known about it.
3) Deadpool & X-Men (TBC)
Following the huge success of 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, which brought Ryan Reynolds’ Merc-with-a-Mouth into the MCU and became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, it was inevitable that more Deadpool-related projects would be developed for the MCU. While a straight-up sequel doesn’t seem to be planned, Reynolds is developing a project focusing on Deadpool and a few members of the X-Men – presumably the new, upcoming X-Men team of the upcoming. This project hasn’t yet been officially confirmed, and is still in its very early stages, and Avengers: Secret Wars’ reset may dictate what direction it takes.
2) The Fantastic Four 2 (TBC)
Back in June, unsurprisingly, Variety reported that a sequel to The Fantastic Four: First Steps is planned at Marvel Studios. The sequel has the potential to take one of Marvel’s empty release slots in 2028, which would make sense given Marvel’s commitment to First Steps and because the team will be a priority in the MCU’s future. Following First Steps, Doomsday, and Secret Wars, the Fantastic Four will join the MCU’s newly-reset continuity, setting up wild and massive storylines for their live-action future. First Steps is expected to be a hit for the MCU, making the development of sequels inevitable.
1) X-Men (TBC)
One of the most exciting movies coming up in the MCU’s future is Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot. The mutant team previously had a lengthy career in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise, but Marvel Studios is expected to deliver a more comic-accurate, colorful, and youthful version of the team. Thunderbolts*’ Jake Schreier has now been confirmed to be directing the much-anticipated X-Men reboot, with a script penned by The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes scribe Michael Lesslie. The new X-Men team will be completely recast with younger stars who will be able to grow and develop over many years, setting up a very exciting future for the MCU.
Marvel Studios has empty release date slots on February 18, May 5, November 10, and December 15, 2028, though one or two of these may change, given Marvel’s new focus on quality over quantity. Kevin Feige recently confirmed that Marvel is currently planning at least seven years ahead to 2032, suggesting there are many more movies and TV shows in early developmental stages that haven’t yet been announced. Since Marvel has recently been earning back its stellar reputation, the future is looking bright for the MCU.
Which upcoming MCU movies are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments!
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Image courtesy of Marvel Studios.
