Marvel Studios has confirmed a release gap that is unlike anything fans have seen before. After a seven-year break since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Doomsday will finally bring together heroes from across the multiverse, including the new Fantastic Four and the original X-Men. However, excitement now comes with frustration, because the wait for Avengers: Secret Wars will be far longer than expected.

What Caused the Year-Long Delay Between Doomsday and Secret Wars?

Disney officially cancelled its previously scheduled July 2027 Marvel movie, which had long been rumored to be either Doctor Strange 3 or a Shang-Chi sequel. With this cancellation, the studio has confirmed that there will be no MCU films released between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this will be the first time in Marvel Studios history that a full year separates two Avengers movies without any other theatrical MCU release in between.

The July 2027 date has now been reassigned to The Simpsons Movie 2. As a result, fans will face an unprecedented twelve-month wait for the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga.

How Does This Compare to Marvel’s Recent Release Issues?

This is not the only scheduling trouble the studio is dealing with. Marvel is already in the middle of the longest gap between MCU films during the Multiverse Saga era. There are 371 days between The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which arrives in July 2025, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. These long waits mark a significant change from Marvel’s earlier strategy of releasing projects at a rapid pace, as the studio navigates production shifts and creative retooling.

Why Is Disney Concerned About Marvel’s Reduced Output?

Reports suggest that Disney CEO Bob Iger is unhappy with the weak 2026 Marvel slate, which currently includes only two titles. Brand New Day and Doomsday are the only MCU films set to arrive that year. This is a sharp contrast to the period between 2021 and 2023, when Marvel released more than 25 live-action projects across theaters and Disney Plus.

The studio is now deliberately scaling back its output to improve quality and rebuild audience trust. In a recent earnings call, Iger emphasized that the company is “reducing output” to focus more on its strongest franchises.

What Can Fans Expect After Secret Wars?

Even though Phase 6 feels lighter compared to earlier phases, Marvel Studios has major plans after the Multiverse Saga ends. New heroes, fresh team formations, and possible “soft reboots” are expected to shape the next era of the MCU. Secret Wars is widely believed to reset the universe in a way that allows Marvel to launch a new long-term direction, potentially integrating characters from the Fox and Sony universes permanently.