Credit: Inside the MagicDisney+ history is set to be made this year.
Disney+ employs a strategic approach to releasing Marvel and Star Wars TV shows, focusing on weekly episode drops typically scheduled for Wednesdays. This method maintains viewer engagement over extended periods, encouraging ongoing subscriptions and active social media discussions.
By spacing out these high-profile releases, Disney+ ensures a steady stream of content, maximizing viewer interest and maintaining momentum year-round. Although, not all are well-received (read: The Acolyte).
Integrated storytelling, particularly within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, creates a cohesive narrative experience that encourages fans to follow TV shows and movies. Tie-ins with merchandise and Disney park attractions further amplify the excitement around new releases.
During the first season of Loki, Disneyland Resort debuted a new Variant of Tom Hiddleston’s character related to the episode. As such, park guests got to experience the likes of Time Variance Authority (TVA) Loki and President Loki while at Avengers Campus.
This week, Deadpool and Wolverine arrived at Disney California Adventure Park to celebrate the release of Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) movie.
Disney+, which currently has around 153 million subscribers (4 million down on the previous year), is known for altering its release tactics to better suit target audiences and cater to demand.
Initially, original streaming shows like The Mandalorian, WandaVision, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier debuted on Fridays, but following a successful shift with Loki to Wednesdays in mid-2021, the schedule was permanently changed.
While this was the norm for over two years, an alteration came with Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Ahsoka series from Dave Filoni, which debuted in August 2023. Instead of a midnight ET release, Disney opted to bring fans a prime-time viewing experience, launching the series on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET. Now, history is set to be made again with Jac Schaeffer’s upcoming Agatha All Along series.
When is Agatha All Along coming to Disney+?
Jac Schaeffer returned to create Agatha All Along, initially titled Agatha: House of Harkness—and then Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, and Agatha: The Lying Witch with Great Wardrobe…
Agatha All Along will premiere with two episodes on September 18, 2024, and will debut at a completely new time: 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday nights, as confirmed by The Direct.
As the outlet wrote: “This indicates that episodes of the upcoming MCU series will be released weekly on Wednesday evenings — a first for the franchise on Disney+.”
The later primetime slot will cater to its target audience much better, and judging by how popular Hahn’s Agatha Harkness and how beloved the Scarlet Witch franchise of characters already are, this will likely be an important launch for the studios and a key indicator of how successful this historic new slot could prove.
Kathryn Hahn returns as Agnes, also known as the sorceress Agatha Harkness. She is joined by Joe Locke (Heartstopper), who plays a character called Teen but is expected to be a Variant of Wanda Maximoff’s son, Billy Kaplan/Wiccan, Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) as Rio Vidal, and Patti LuPone (Beau Is Afraid) as the 450-year-old Sicilian witch Lilia Calderu.
LuPone recently (and unexpectedly) confirmed to Deadline that Agatha All Along is also a musical after rumors floated last year, with Kathryn Hahn explaining the series to be “hilarious and deep.”
Related: Marvel Cuts MCU’s ‘Captain America 4,’ Reveals Instant Replacement
It is uncertain whether Elizabeth Olsen will reprise her role as Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, in the series. She was last seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), where her character met a tragic end. The Witches’ Road will also feature in the new Disney+ series, paving the way for Wanda to be resurrected.
Marvel and Disney+
Marvel’s slate of Disney+ shows features a diverse array of characters and storylines, each crafted by talented creators within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Jac Schaeffer’s WandaVision and Malcolm Spellman’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier kicked off the MCU’s television expansion. Spellman is also one of the pens behind the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World (2025).
Michael Waldron brought Loki to life, while Jonathan Igla created Hawkeye. What If…? was the brainchild of A.C. Bradley and Jeremy Slater crafted Moon Knight. Bisha K. Ali created Ms. Marvel, and Jessica Gao brought She-Hulk: Attorney at Law to the screen. The latter is perhaps the most divisive of Marvel’s streaming run.
Kirsten Lepore created I Am Groot, while Kyle Bradstreet was behind Secret Invasion. Marion Dayre developed Echo, and Chinaka Hodge created Ironheart, which is still to be released on the streamer but is expected in 2025.
Similarly, Daredevil: Born Again, which Matt Corman and Chris Ord originally created before Marvel’s TV overhaul, is also on the slate for next year. Dario Scardapane is now boarded as showrunner for Daredevil’s official MCU transition, with Loki Season 2 directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead leading the series’ directing team.
Related: Report: Marvel Changes ‘Avengers,’ Officially Finds Kang the Conqueror Replacement for the MCU
As for Armor Wars, the Yassir Lester-created series starring a returning Don Cheadle was eventually retooled into a feature film. Its current release date and place in the remaining Phase Five and Six is unknown.
It’s not over for the WandaVision storytelling sequence quite yet, either. It was recently shared that Terry Matalas would resurrect the Vision series starring Paul Bettany. It is expected to air in 2026, but more information will likely arrive during Marvel Studios’ return to San Diego ComicCon and Kevin Feige’s much-anticipated Hall H presentation.
What is your ideal release time and schedule for a new Disney+ show? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!