Disney Announces Major Schedule Changes for Avatar, Marvel, and Star Wars Films

Walt Disney is changing the schedule for some of its biggest feature films. The last “Avatar” film will only be released in cinemas with a three-year delay, but a new “Star Wars” film will be added to the line-up. Review highlights include: «Moana» hits theaters on June 27, 2025, «Deadpool 3» was brought forward from November 8, 2024 to May 3, 2024 and an as yet untitled “Star Wars” film opens on December 18, 2026.

The third «Avatar» was postponed by one year to December 19, 2025, «Avatar 4» to December 21, 2029 (three years later) and «Avatar 5» to December 19, 2031 (three years later). The fourth part is currently being shot while “Avatar” is in post-production. According to this schedule, the final “Avatar” film will be released 22 years after the original 2009 blockbuster.

Other changes include a major reorganization at Marvel. «Captain America: Brave New World» is postponed from May 3, 2024 to August 26, 2024, which in turn is a postponement of «Thunderbolts» (originally: July 26, 2024) to December 20, 2024. «Blade» to February 14, 2025 (originally: September 6, 2024) and «Fantastic Four» is scheduled to hit theaters on May 2, 2025 (02/14/2025). «Avengers: Kang Dynasty» is postponed by one year from May 2, 2025 to May 1, 2026 and takes the place of «Avengers: Secret Wars» which will be postponed from May 1, 2026 to May 7, 2027.

With the additional “Star Wars” film in December 2026, two films will be released this year that take place in a galaxy far, far away. A separate “Star Wars” film has been pushed back from December 19, 2025 to May 22, 2026. Another “Star Wars” film is planned for December 17, 2027. Disney has yet to announce what any of these films will be about.

Production delays are one of the reasons behind the complete overhaul of the release schedule. Disney recently paused filming on “Blade” and “Thunderbolts,” impacting the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which are linked. As for «Avatar», the time between the sequels will be used for post-production and visual effects to further grow, develop and refine the various ecosystems in the vast world of Pandora.