The latest reports regarding the Marvel Studios schedule had raised alarms among fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There were reports of a delay in the start of filming for Avengers: Secret Wars, a detail that was particularly concerning given the tight schedule between this film and its predecessor, Avengers: Doomsday.
The reason for this concern is simple: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 18, 2026, while Secret Wars is scheduled for December 17, 2027. Barely twelve months separate both releases, a very narrow margin to complete a production of the magnitude expected for the second installment.
Part of Secret Wars may have already been filmed
However, new information shared by James Mack suggests that this delay might not be what it seems, at least not in the sense that many feared. According to this version, a considerable part of Avengers: Secret Wars may have already been filmed simultaneously with the shooting of Doomsday.
If this data is confirmed, the official start of production in January would fall within Marvel Studios' normal planning, without posing a real threat to the December 2027 release date.
The theory makes sense if one considers that brothers Joe and Anthony Russo are directing both films, which are conceived as two parts of the same grand story, with a shared cast of enormous proportions. Taking advantage of sets, actors, and sequences during the filming of Doomsday would allow for gaining valuable time for Secret Wars.
This possibility is not new. During the summer, rumors already circulated about a possible overlap between both productions, so the current information would fit with those previous leaks.
The key role of Avengers: Doomsday
If Marvel has truly used the filming of Doomsday to get a head start on scenes for Secret Wars, the studio would have much more room for maneuver than it seemed at first. It would not just be about set preparation or technical tests, but actual footage already filmed.
This detail would completely change the interpretation of the alleged delay.
Added to this is another relevant fact: Marvel Studios currently has no other MCU film scheduled for theatrical release between Doomsday and Secret Wars. Everything indicates that the studio seeks to keep the public's attention focused on this large-scale conclusion throughout that year of waiting.
Will the December 2027 date be maintained?
With Marvel Studios, there are never absolute certainties until a film actually reaches theaters. The studio's recent history has been marked by date changes and unexpected script twists.
Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU playing Doctor Doom, while Chris Evans and Tom Hiddleston will also be part of Doomsday, even though Avengers: Endgame seemed to have definitively closed their respective stories.
Even with those precedents of surprises, for now, there are no solid indications pointing to a real delay in the release of Avengers: Secret Wars.
If part of the film is indeed already shot, the start of the next phase of production in January ceases to be a race against time. It remains one of the most ambitious and complex projects Marvel Studios has ever faced, but the situation seems to be more under control than the first reports suggested.
The studio needs Secret Wars to work. Everything points to this film being the conclusion of years of multiverse storylines, returns of historical characters, and crossovers between realities that the MCU has been developing for some time.
Before that, it will be Avengers: Doomsday that sets the course for this story. But if the Russo brothers were already filming fragments of the next chapter while shooting this first installment, Marvel Studios could have more of an advantage than was thought just a few months ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Avengers: Doomsday released?
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for theatrical release on December 18, 2026.
When will Avengers: Secret Wars hit theaters?
The scheduled release date for Avengers: Secret Wars is December 17, 2027.
Is it true that the filming of Secret Wars has been delayed?
According to recent reports, there would technically be no real delay, as part of the film would have been shot at the same time as Avengers: Doomsday, within the usual planning of Marvel Studios.
Who is directing Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars?
Both films are directed by brothers Joe and Anthony Russo.
Which actors are returning to the MCU in these films?
Robert Downey Jr. returns playing Doctor Doom, while Chris Evans and Tom Hiddleston are also part of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday.
Will there be another Marvel movie between Doomsday and Secret Wars?
No. Marvel Studios has no other MCU theatrical release scheduled between the launch of Doomsday and that of Secret Wars.
