Credit: Marvel StudiosMarvel is approaching the most crucial moment in its history, and with another movie cancelled, just where is the billion-dollar franchise headed?
Marvel’s Upcoming Reset
Marvel Studios may have skipped out on San Diego Comic-Con this year, but that didn’t stop Kevin Feige from dropping some major hints about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Speaking with select members of the press, the studio president pulled back the curtain on where the ever-expanding superhero saga is heading.
Feige opened up about the challenges of navigating the streaming era and Marvel’s shifting strategy when it comes to big-screen storytelling. Among the biggest takeaways was the decision to move away from Kang the Conqueror (played by Jonathan Majors) and instead introduce Doctor Doom, who will be portrayed by Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr.
Looking ahead to the next Avengers films, Feige stopped short of calling the franchise’s direction a “reboot,” but he admitted that the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) could act as a soft reset. “Reboot is a scary word,” Feige explained in an interview with Variety. “Reboot can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Reset, singular timeline—we’re thinking along those lines […] X-Men is where that will happen next.”
That sentiment lines up with recent comments from Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors behind Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Earlier this year, the pair suggested that Doomsday and Secret Wars would open the door to a brand-new era of Marvel storytelling, rather than serve as a conclusion to the way their own films once did.
And while Feige didn’t spill every detail, he did confirm that a mysterious new superpowered figure will be stepping onto the MCU stage, though Marvel fans will need to wait to learn more. In the meantime, Tom Holland is suiting up again, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) swinging into theaters before Earth’s Mightiest Heroes reassemble.
With Doctor Doom rising, the X-Men looming, and a whole new timeline potentially unfolding, Marvel is gearing up for a future every bit as ambitious as its past.
Disney Replaces MCU Movie With The Simpsons
Disney is shaking up its theatrical calendar once again, this time handing over a prime summer slot to Springfield’s most famous family. The studio has announced that an all-new Simpsons movie will hit theaters on July 23, 2027, stepping into a date that had originally been earmarked for a Marvel Studios project.
Although the official title and storyline have yet to be confirmed, fans can expect the familiar voices of Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith, Nancy Cartwright, and Julie Kavner to return, along with regular cast members Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer, who lend life to multiple characters in the series. By pushing The Simpsons into a theatrical spotlight once more, Disney appears eager to expand one of the crown jewels inherited from the 20th Century Fox acquisition, signaling a renewed commitment to the animated juggernaut.
What Movie Did Marvel Cancel for The Simpsons?
Marvel Studios has a packed slate ahead, but some of its most anticipated projects are still finding their place in the ever-shifting release calendar, and these three movies could have been lined up for the now-replaced 2027 slot.
Shang-Chi 2
One of those is the sequel to 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Simu Liu is confirmed to return as the titular hero, with Destin Daniel Cretton expected again behind the camera, though his commitments to other Marvel projects have slowed progress; Cretton is currently working on the fourth Spider-Man installment, Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026).
While no release date has been locked in, the film was seemingly expected to land somewhere between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, giving Shang-Chi a pivotal role in Phase Six though that is now unlikely. Liu has reassured fans that the sequel is coming, even if details remain closely guarded. With The Simpsons Movie 2 now in July 2027, it seems Shang-Chi 2 may have been pushed further back on the burner.
Doctor Strange 3
Doctor Strange’s next adventure is reportedly in the works, though Marvel has yet to make an official announcement. Rumors suggest the Sorcerer Supreme could return to the big screen as soon as 2027, with filming potentially beginning the year before. Again, like Shang-Chi 2, that is now unlikely to be achieved.
The seeds for this story were planted at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, when Clea appeared to pull Strange into another dimension. With lingering questions about America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) and other mystical threats, a third outing for Benedict Cumberbatch’s sorcerer seems inevitable. Cumberbatch said earlier this year that he’d had discussions with Marvel about the direction of the third installment.
Blade
Then there’s Blade, which has endured one of the rockiest developments of any MCU project in recent memory. First announced in 2019 with Mahershala Ali set to play the Daywalker, the film has cycled through multiple writers, several directors, and even a shift in setting—from an earlier idea of a period piece to a story set in the present day. The constant retooling has left the movie without a firm release date, but Kevin Feige has made it clear Marvel isn’t moving forward until the script lives up to expectations. For now, Blade remains in development, waiting for the right creative team to bring the vampire hunter’s world to life.
Together, these three projects highlight the ambition and the challenges of Marvel’s current phase. With Shang-Chi preparing to return, Doctor Strange’s story poised to expand, and Blade’s long-awaited debut still in flux, the road ahead for the MCU promises plenty of surprises, just not all on a fixed timetable.
So far, only three movies are confirmed between now and 2028: Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday in July and December 2026, respectively, and Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027.
How do you feel about Marvel Studios most likely scrapping an anticipated sequel to release The Simpsons Movie 2? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!