Marvel and Disney have greenlit a second season of ‘Wonder Man’.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley will return to star.
Show overseers Andrew Guest and Destin Daniel Cretton are also back.
Given that it was seemingly unceremoniously released in one batch on Disney+ back in January and didn’t seem to spur that much pop cultural awareness despite strong reviews, Marvel’s ‘Wonder Man’ series has scored a welcome second season renewal.
The show, which stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley and took a very different approach to superhero storytelling (more on that below), becomes one of the few Marvel Cinematic Universe series to land a second season, following the likes of ‘Loki’ and ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’
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Showrunner Andrew Guest and director/fellow executive producer Destin Daniel Cretton will both also return to guide the new run of episodes.
The show follows aspiring Hollywood actor Simon Williams (Abdul-Mateen), who is struggling to get his career off the ground. During a chance meeting with Trevor Slattery (Kingsley), an actor whose biggest roles may be well behind him, Simon learns legendary director Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić) is remaking the superhero film ‘Wonder Man.’
These two actors at opposite ends of their careers doggedly pursue life-changing roles in this film as audiences get a peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry.
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ has just returned to Disney+ for its second season, and fellow small-screen entry ‘Vision Quest’ (or whatever it ends up being titled) is due at some point this year.
Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
Preview:
Tom Holland has suffered a mild injury on the ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ set.
He had a fall while performing a stunt.
The movie’s release date is not affected.
It’s the sort of incident to generate a “Web-Slinging Menace Comes To A Sticky End” headlines on the front page of the Daily Bugle and for J. Jonah Jameson to hope the “vigilante” had some sense knocked into him.
But yes, Spidey, AKA Peter Parker, or rather Tom Holland, the actor who plays him in the MCU, has suffered a mild concussion after a stunt went wrong on the Pinewood, England set of new outing ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
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According to Deadline’s reporting on the accident, Holland was performing a stunt and had a fall. He was taken to a local hospital and examined but not admitted, with instructions to rest and recuperate.
Since the movie’s shooting schedule included a lot with Holland (naturally), director Destin Daniel Cretton and the Marvel team have opted to shut down shooting for a week to let the actor get better.
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Given that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Holland’s Peter–– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Who else will appear in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
Even with Peter’s changed situation, the likes of MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are still likely to return.
Yet with ‘Stranger Things’Sadie Sink’s casting earlier this year, that throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life?
Sink’s role being kept under wraps, and the studio will look to have it that way as long as possible.
Elsewhere, ‘The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas has also scored a role in the movie, but her character is also a mystery for now.
When will ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ be in theaters?
While you might think a production pause could have a knock-on effect to the movie’s release, we’re told that’s not the case and it’s on track to still arrive on July 31st, 2026.
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Movies and TV Shows Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
In keeping with much of the other new casting (more on that below), we don’t yet know what role Tillman will be playing –– whether it’ll be a Marvel character, someone new, or the usual MCU spin on someone from the comics.
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Given that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Holland’s Peter–– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Who else will appear in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
Even with Peter’s changed situation, the likes of MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are still likely to return.
Yet with ‘Stranger Things’Sadie Sink’s casting earlier this year, that throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life?
Sink’s role being kept under wraps, and the studio will look to have it that way as long as possible.
Elsewhere, ‘The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas has also scored a role in the movie, but her character is also a mystery for now.
(Left) Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Smart Hulk in Disney+’s ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.’ (Right) Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Preview:
Mark Ruffalo is aboard ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
Destin Daniel Cretton is directing.
Tom Holland is returning to star as the titular web-crawler.
Looks like Peter Parker has another patriarchal figure headed his way.
How the Hulk fits into the story remains to be seen –– with the likes of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher around, Peter will likely need some help. And who knows whether there will be some conflict between Peter and Bruce themselves before everything is resolved?
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Given that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Who else will appear in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?
Even with the spell affecting Peter, MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are still likely to return.
Yet with ‘Stranger Things’Sadie Sink’s casting earlier this year, that throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life?
Sink’s role being kept under wraps, and the studios will look to have it that way as long as possible.
Elsewhere, ‘The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas has also scored a role in the movie, but her character is also a mystery for now.
And thanks to the Reporter’s story, we also know that Michael Mando, the ‘Better Call Saul’ actor who cropped up in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ as Mac Gargan, the civilian version of Spidey villain Scorpion, so he’ll also be causing problems.
Finally, we got our first proper look at Holland in his new Spidey suit –– obligatory joke here about it being an official studio video and not a leak from the actor himself…
When will ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ be in theaters?
With cameras now rolling. ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ will swing into theaters on July 31st, 2026.
Thanks to some recent release date shuffles, the movie will be the next MCU entry, ahead of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which is now scheduled for December 19th, 2026.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Movies and TV Shows Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
(Left) Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios. (Right) Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
Preview:
Jon Bernthal is boarding ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
Destin Daniel Cretton is directing.
Tom Holland is returning to star as the titular web-crawler.
This casting is a happy full circle moment for Holland and Bernthal; the duo were working on the 2017 movie Pilgrimage when preparing to audition for their Marvel roles, and helped each other with their audition tapes.
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Given that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
Here’s what Holland said to The Hollywood Reporter about the movie:
“The first few meetings were about, ‘Why would we do this again?’ And I think we found the reason why.”
What is that reason? It’s only known to those involved with the movie right now and soon to anyone who talks to Tom Holland if his talent for divulging spoilers accidentally continues to hold.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Who else will appear in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?
Even with the spell affecting Peter, MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are still likely to return.
Yet with ‘Stranger Things’Sadie Sink’s casting earlier this year, that throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life?
Sink’s role is a mystery, one that Marvel and Sony will look to keep that way as long as possible.
But speculation has already begun, with a few potentials floating out there.
Sink could be playing Jean Grey, the hugely powerful mutant character from the ‘X-Men’ comics who has enjoyed a variety of storylines in the pages and on screens, including the memorable “Dark Phoenix” arc.
The X-Men, are, of course, the next big group for Marvel to incorporate into the MCU and we’ve already seen examples of them in the dimension-spanning likes of ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,’‘The Marvels’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ though none have been pointed up as the official versions of the characters to make the leap to Earth-616.
Using the new ‘Spider-Man’ movie to introduce one or more characters could work, as the Marvel team has a history of seeding new recruits in other movies.
But if the focus is more on Peter’s story, there’s a chance that Sink might be Gwen Stacey, another famous love interest for our hero, who has appeared in other Spider-stories. Another option is Felicia Hardy, AKA Black Cat.
And, of course, Sink’s red hair could make her a natural fit for classic Peter partner Mary Jane Watson, but with Zendaya’s MJ (albeit not using the same name) filling that role, it seems unlikely.
Elsewhere, ‘The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas has also scored a role in the movie, but her character is a mystery for now.
Bernthal has been the small-screen version of Marvel’s Frank Castle –– AKA vigilante character The Punisher –– since he showed up on the Netflix version of ‘Daredevil’ back in 2016.
Since then, he’s appeared in his own eponymous spin-off show, which ran on the streaming service between 2017 and 2019, then came a break until he was brought back in to the fold for this year’s Disney+ continuation series ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’
The story is under wraps for now, here’s what Brad Winderbaum, head of Marvel Television, told EW about it:
“It’s like a shotgun blast of a story, but also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story. It’s so exciting.”
A bigger question for The Punisher in the world of Spider-Man is how his grittier, more violent tone will fit with the family friendlier feel of Spidey and co.
When will ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ be in theaters?
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ will swing into theaters on July 31st, 2026.
Thanks to some recent release date shuffles, the movie will be the next MCU entry to follow ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’, which lands on July 25th.
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
Movies and TV Shows Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
‘Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink has joined ‘Spider-Man 4.’
Her role is a mystery for now.
Tom Holland is returning to star as the titular web-crawler.
While we’ve been waiting for a while for fresh news about the next ‘Spider-Man’ movie, it’s clearly starting to crank into gear, as the first new piece of casting news has dropped for ‘Spider-Man 4‘.
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It does not come, however, from either Disney, Marvel or Sony which tend to be tight-lipped when it comes to casting announcements for their big superhero projects, but instead from Deadline’s sources, which has heard that ‘Stranger Things’ star Sadie Sink will be joining the fourth outing of everyone’s friendly neighborhood web-slinger.
With Holland currently at work on Christopher Nolan’s ambitious adaptation of ‘The Odyssey’ (along with a starry ensemble big enough to fill a small theater), shooting for the next Spidey movie should kick off this year once the actor’s schedule is worked out.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Given that ‘No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
Here’s what Holland said to The Hollywood Reporter about the movie:
“The first few meetings were about, ‘Why would we do this again?’ And I think we found the reason why.”
What is that reason? It’s only known to those involved with the movie right now and soon to anyone who talks to Tom Holland if his talent for divulging spoilers accidentally continues to hold.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Holland also told Jimmy Fallon that the movie will be shooting this coming summer. Here’s what he had to say:
“Next summer, we start shooting. Everything’s good to go. We’re nearly there. “The project is super exciting.”
Who will appear in the new ‘Spider-Man’ movie?
Zendaya in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Though the game was changed considerably in ‘No Way Home’, we can’t imagine that the franchise would continue without Zendaya as MJ (Peter’s big love interest) and Jacob Batalon as Ned (his best friend). Surely a way will be found to have them remember him?
Yet Sink’s casting throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life, given the fallout of the mind-wiping spell.
As you might expect at this point, Sink’s role is a mystery, one that Marvel and Sony will look to keep that way as long as possible (executives are probably already looking for a spell to wipe Holland’s mind of plot details to help that).
But speculation has already begun, with a few potentials floating out there.
Deadline’s story mentions the theory that Sink could be playing Jean Grey, the hugely powerful mutant character from the ‘X-Men’ comics who has enjoyed a variety of storylines in the pages and on screens, including the memorable “Dark Phoenix” arc.
The X-Men, are, of course, the next big group for Marvel to incorporate into the MCU and we’ve already seen examples of them in the dimension-spanning likes of ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,’ ‘The Marvels’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ though none have been pointed up as the official versions of the characters to make the leap to Earth-616.
Using the ‘Spider-Man’ movie to introduce one or more characters could work, as the Marvel team has a history of seeding new recruits in other movies.
But if the focus is more on Peter’s story, there’s a chance that Sink might be Gwen Stacey, another famous love interest for our hero, who has appeared in other Spider-stories. Another option is Felicia Hardy, AKA Black Cat.
And, of course, Sink’s red hair could make her a natural fit for classic Peter partner Mary Jane Watson, but with Zendaya’s MJ (albeit not using the same name) filling that role, it seems unlikely.
Sink, of course, saw her career skyrocket after landing the role of Max Mayfield in Netflix monster hit ‘Stranger Things.’
The fifth and final season is headed our way later this year.
Here’s what co-creator and co-showrunner Ross Duffer said about post-production process at this year’s SCAD TVfest:
“We’re focused on visual effects sequences right now, which started back in January. It’s going well. We’re actually ahead of schedule, which is rare for us. I will say that it is coming this year. We’re definitely on target.”
In addition to that, Sink has the lead in post-apocalyptic musical drama ‘O’Dessa’ due in theaters on March 20th.
And before she starts work on ‘Spider-Man 4,’ she’ll be treading the boards on Broadway in the play ‘John Proctor Is the Villain,’ which opens April 4th.
When will the new ‘Spider-Man’ movie be in theaters?
‘Spider-Man 4’ (or whatever it ends up being titled –– we’d guess they may move away from the “home” branding of the previous three to potentially launch a new run of movies) will swing into theaters on July 31st, 2026.
That date, perhaps not-so-coincidentally, puts it in between the two new ‘Avengers’ movies, ‘Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars,’ so the events of the first may (depending on when both it and the new ‘Spider-Man’ entry occur on the timeline) impact the events of this movie.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Movies and TV Shows Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Preview:
The fourth, untitled MCU ‘Spider-Man’ movie lands in July 2026.
Tom Holland is starring.
Destin Daniel Cretton is in the director’s chair.
With ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ gobbling up huge amounts of money back in 2021 (an even more impressive achievement given that audiences were still wary of movie theaters during the ongoing COVID pandemic), you knew that Sony and Marvel were not going to just give up on future installments of the web-slinging franchise, even if it represented the end of star Tom Holland’s then-current contact.
And now, per Sony, we have news that the fourth film –– whose title we have yet to learn –– will be in theaters on July 24th, 2026.
What’s the story of ‘Spider-Man 4’?
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Given that ‘No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
“The first few meetings were about, ‘Why would we do this again?’ And I think we found the reason why,” Holland told the Reporter previously about the fourth movie. But that actual reason has yet to be divulged (and with Holland not currently doing press, we’ll have to wait until he does before any details emerge accidentally).
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Holland also recently told Jimmy Fallon that the movie will be shooting next summer.
Here’s what he had to say:
“Next summer, we start shooting. Everything’s good to go. We’re nearly there. “The project is super exciting.”
That makes sense given the new release plan and will make it the second confirmed MCU release for 2026 after ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ in May.
Zendaya in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Though the game was changed considerably in ‘No Way Home’, we can’t imagine that the franchise would continue without Zendaya as MJ (Peter’s big love interest) and Jacob Batalon as Ned (his best friend). Surely a way will be found to have them remember him?
What movies will the new ‘Spider-Man’ film be up against?
While the latest Spidey outing has its release date to itself, Holland may face competition –– from himself. He’s reportedly aboard the next Christopher Nolan film, which is scheduled to land on July 17th, 2026, so one week before the fourth ‘Spider-Man’ entry.
Could we be looking at the next “Barbenheimer” with a Double Holland coincidence? Only time will tell…
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Preview:
‘Shang-Chi’s Destin Daniel Cretton is in talks for ‘Spider-Man 4’.
Tom Holland is back as the title character.
Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers will once more write the script.
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ proved that even as the film industry recovered from the pandemic, audiences were still eager to embrace superhero movies if they were done well.
It earned almost $2 billion at the box office and ranks as one of the more successful MCU entries, produced as usual alongside Sony Pictures.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Given that ‘No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
“The first few meetings were about, ‘Why would we do this again?’ And I think we found the reason why,” Holland told the Reporter previously about the fourth movie. But that actual reason has yet to be divulged (and with Holland not currently doing press, we’ll have to wait until he does before any details emerge accidentally).
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
(L to R) Zendaya and Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Though the game was changed considerably in ‘No Way Home’, we can’t imagine that the franchise would continue without Zendaya as MJ (Peter’s big love interest) and Jacob Batalon as Ned (his best friend). Surely a way will be found to have them remember him?
What else has Destin Daniel Cretton being doing in the MCU?
If his name is familiar, that’s because Cretton has already found Marvel success with ‘Shang-Chi’, which introduced the titular character, played by Simu Liu, to cinema audiences.
Obviously, this impacts forward movement on a ‘Shang-Chi’ sequel, but perhaps it means Liu will get his chance to show up again before an ‘Avengers’ movie.
(L to R) Zendaya and Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
‘Loki’s Michael Waldron will write the script for Marvel’s ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’.
He previously wrote ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ for the studio.
Destin Daniel Cretton recently dropped out of directing ‘The Kang Dynasty’.
Michael Waldron is quickly becoming a go-to writer for Marvel. Which isn’t too surprising, since he launched and ran (alongside director Kate Herron) the first season of ‘Loki’, which became one of the most successful Marvel/Disney+ series to hit small screens.
For his latest assignment, he’s going to write the script for the company’s ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ (assuming it keeps that title; more on that below).
That, in turn led to the company hiring Waldron to write ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’, which is following ‘The Kang Dynasty’.
In addition to his MCU duties, he’s also set up a wealth of other projects (all being kept quiet for now) via a big deal between Marvel/20th Television and his production company, Anomaly Pictures.
At San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige announced a swath of new Marvel movies and shows, outlining much of Phases 5 and 6 for his company.
With ‘Loki’s first season dropping the first breadcrumbs about the multiverse-spanning villain Kang (played by Jonathan Majors in the show and ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’), the plan was to build him up as the next big bad to follow Thanos.
That whole connected storyline was to have concluded in ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ in 2025 and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ in 2026.
It wasn’t long after that that Destin Daniel Cretton was announced as director for ‘The Kang Dynasty’ as part of his big overall Disney/Marvel deal in the wake of ‘Shang-Chi’ doing well.
Now, though, after some release date shifts for both ‘The Kang Dynasty’ (to 2026) and’ Secret Wars’ (moving to 2027), Cretton has stepped away from the director’s chair for the former movie.
Cretton will focus on other projects in the pipeline, including an in-the-works ‘Wonder Man’ TV series for Marvel and Disney+ and a potential ‘Shang-Chi’ sequel.
Marvel has been wrangling over how to deal with the Jonathan Majors situation. With the actor involved in a thorny legal issue, he’s not exactly someone the company’s parent Disney is looking to be in business with.
Jeff Loveness, who had been on board to write ‘Kang Dynasty’ was reportedly let go from the company at some point before Cretton left the movie.
Thanks to the multiverse idea, there is scope for the studio to pivot away from him, while there are plenty of other villains who could conceivably threaten the group of heroes. And with Waldron aboard, it appears that Kevin Feige and co. are looking for consistency between the two giant movies that wrap up Phase 6.
When Will ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ Be in Theaters?
Currently ‘The Kang Dynasty’ is set for release on May 1, 2026, with ‘Secret Wars’ due on May 7, 2027.
Marvel Studios’ ‘Avengers: Secret Wars.’
Other Movies Similar to ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty:’
At San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige announced a swath of new Marvel movies and shows, outlining much of Phases 5 and 6 for his company.
With ‘Loki’s first season dropping the first breadcrumbs about the multiverse-spanning villain Kang (played by Jonathan Majors in the show and ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’), the plan was to build him up as the next big bad to follow Thanos.
That whole connected storyline was to have concluded in ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ in 2025 and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ in 2026.
It wasn’t long after that that Cretton was announced as director for ‘The Kang Dynasty’ as part of his big overall Disney/Marvel deal in the wake of ‘Shang-Chi’ doing well.
Now, though, after some release date shifts for both ‘The Kang Dynasty’ (to 2026) and’ Secret Wars’ (moving to 2027), the word has arrived via Deadline that Cretton has stepped away from the director’s chair for the former movie.
Between this news and rumblings about the future of Kang as a whole, it’s looking increasingly likely that Marvel might be moving away from the character altogether.
Talking on the House of R podcast, writer Joanna Robinson (who has plenty of Marvel sources having written a huge book on Marvel’s movies to date), mentioned that ‘Quantumania’ screenwriter Jeff Loveness, who had been on board to write ‘The Kang Dynasty’ was no longer working for the studio? The reason –– he’d been deep in planning the Kang storyline, but the studio appeared to be moving away from the whole idea.
It’s far from a giant shock, though, since Marvel has been wrangling over how to deal with the Jonathan Majors situation. With the actor involved in a thorny legal issue, he’s not exactly someone the company’s parent Disney is looking to be in business with.
Thanks to the multiverse idea, there is scope for the studio to pivot away from him.
Simu Liu in Marvel Studios’ ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.’
Yet unlike Loveness, Cretton is staying on Team Marvel.
He’s been busy working on the ‘Wonder Man’ series he co-created with Andrew Guest, which has been delayed because of the actors’ strike. Now that is back in action, and he can dedicate more of his time to it.
Plus, Cretton remains attached to make the ‘Shang-Chi’ sequel, though that has no official release date yet.
From the sounds of it all, this is another wrinkle for Marvel, but the studio is naturally staying tight-lipped on its plans, so nothing is official until actual announcements.
Marvel Studio’s ‘The Multiverse Saga.’
Other Movies Similar to ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty:’
