Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is currently slated to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.
This comes after the movie was originally given a release date of May 2, 2025 but was ultimately delayed alongside a series of changes for Marvel’s overall slate.
Development on the project has come to a halt as the writers of Hollywood have had to put their pens down and close their laptops due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania scribe Jeff Loveness is currently writing Avengers 5 with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton set to direct.
Marvel’s faith in Loveness has reportedly been questioned as of late, however, with some insiders claiming they have heard the writer was pulled off the project.
That has not been confirmed by Marvel Studios, but given the mixed reception to Loveness’ last MCU effort, Quantumania, it would not be all that surprising.
Given these rumors – and the ongoing strikes in Hollywood – The Kang Dynasty’s release date remains in a state of flux.
Even though the studio already delayed it a year, release dates across Hollywood are fluid, meaning Avengers 5 could get punted even further if work on the film cannot start any time soon.
Who Is Cast in Avengers 5?
Currently, only one actor has been confirmed to appear in Avengers 5.
Seeing as his name is in the title, Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror will be the big bad of the upcoming Avengers film, as he sets the seeds for the Phase 6-closer in Avengers: Secret Wars.
The blockbuster has actually been described by writer Jeff Loveness as “a Kang movie:”
“That’s at least how I’m trying to write him. And, you know, we’ll see how the structure changes and how the flow works, but like, he’s got to be his own hero, and especially Kang the Conqueror and Ant-Man thought he was. Or, maybe he wouldn’t use the word ‘hero,’ but he’s on a crusade and he’s doing it for a reason. So secretly, it is a Kang movie, but, of course, you have to keep the forward gas going with the Avengers. But yeah, in the back of my mind it’s a Kang movie.”
But despite Kang’s confirmation for the film, Majors’ involvement remains up in the air. The actor is in the middle of an ongoing legal dispute, with his future in the franchise being in question.
As of June 2023, Marvel Studios was “discuss[ing] potential options going forward” (per insider Jeff Sneider):
“I’ve heard that Marvel hasn’t made any decisions regarding Jonathan Majors but they’ve met with or spoken to his agent to discuss potential options going forward.”
So depending on the findings of the court, Majors’ version of the character may not even make it into The Kang Dynasty with a recast maybe happening instead.
Other than Majors, one can assume who else will pop up in the super-powered epic. Seeing as it is an Avengers movie, Marvel’s A-team of heroes will surely be there, with the likes of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man all headlining the team.
Marvel Studios has spent the last few years seemingly introducing audiences to the next generation of MCU Avengers, so they will likely all appear in the movie as well. This list includes Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi, Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, Hailee Steinfeld’s Hawkeye, and Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, amongst new heroes yet-to-be-introduced like the Fantastic Four.
While saying how excited Loveness was to write for Pugh’s Marvel character in the Avengers film, he also let slip that “Letitia Wright” is another actor he can’t wait to see, seemingly confirming her involvement as well:
“I can’t say specifically. I think I’d get in trouble. I gotta get better at talking to the Internet. But just, characters that we like, I mean, I think we’re excited for the actors more than even the characters right now. Because, we have this really good crop of performers. We got Florence Pugh, and Jonathan Majors, and Letitia Wright. We’ve got such a deep bench of really good actors. Everyone’s gonna get their chance to shine. I can’t say who. I can’t say when they will shine. But I think we’ve got a deep bench and it’s fun to finally put everybody into the game.”