Disney is shaking up its release calendar, adding a new “Star Wars” movie and “Moana” live-action adaptation to the schedule and delaying the next three “Avatar” movies by a year. At this rate, the fifth trip to Pandora will be released in 2031. That’s in eight years, for anyone who wants to know the math.
Among the highlights of the overhaul: A live-action “Moana” will be released on June 27, 2025; “Deadpool 3” moved up from Nov. 8, 2024, to May 3, 2024; an untitled “Star Wars” movie is debuting on Dec. 18, 2026; “Avatar 3” has shifted to Dec. 19, 2025; “Avatar 4” to Dec. 21, 2029, and “Avatar 5” to Dec. 19, 2031. Based on this timeline, the final “Avatar” movie is coming 22 years after the original 2009 blockbuster.
Related Stories
VIP+Reality Check: Summer Hot Streak Won’t Dig U.S. Box Office Out of Deep Hole in 2024
Tyler Perry Calls Out 'Highbrow' Critics of His Films: 'Who Are You to Be Able to Say Which Black Story Is Important?'
Other changes include a massive Marvel reshuffling. “Captain America: Brave New World” is moving from May 3, 2024, to July 26, 2024, which in turn is delaying “Thunderbolts” to Dec. 20, 2024, “Blade” to Feb. 14, 2025, and “Fantastic Four” to May 2, 2025. “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” is getting pushed back an entire year, from May 2, 2025, to May 1, 2026. It’s taking the place of “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which is jumping from May 1, 2026, to May 7, 2027.
Popular on Variety
With the addition of a “Star Wars” film in December 2026, it means that two movies set in a galaxy far, far away will be released in that year. A separate “Star Wars” movie has been pushed from Dec. 19, 2025, to May 22, 2026. Another “Star Wars” film is set for Dec. 17, 2027. Disney hasn’t clarified the premises of any of those installments.
Elsewhere, the new “Alien” movie, produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Fede Alvarez, will open on Aug. 16, 2024.
Production delays and the ongoing WGA strike are part of the reason behind the total overhaul of the release plan. Disney recently paused filming on “Blade” and “Thunderbolts,” which led to a ripple effect on the rest of the interconnected Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In regards to “Avatar,” the space between the sequels will allow the post-production and visual effects department to continue expanding, developing and refining the different ecosystems across the vast world of Pandora.
“Each ‘Avatar’ film is an exciting but epic undertaking that takes time to bring to the quality level we as filmmakers strive for and audiences have come to expect,” producer Jon Landau wrote on Twitter. “The team is hard at work and can’t wait to bring audiences back to Pandora in December 2025.”
Each Avatar film is an exciting but epic undertaking that takes time to bring to the quality level we as filmmakers strive for and audiences have come to expect. The team is hard at work and can’t wait to bring audiences back to Pandora in December 2025. pic.twitter.com/DrFX01qzTa
— Jon Landau (@jonlandau) June 13, 2023Read More About:
Jump to CommentsMore from Variety
Fox Surprises Comic-Con Attendee With $3,000 Prize at ‘Universal Basic Guys’ Panel
Life After ‘Deadpool’: Summer Movies Resurrection Begs Rethink of Long-Term Box Office Outlook
How Lisa Vanderpump and Gordon Ramsay Set Aside Their Egos to Decide Whose Competitor Won ‘Food Stars’ Season 2’s $250,000 Prize
MLB All-Star Game 2024 Livestream: How to Watch The National League vs. American League Online Free
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Underscores MCU’s Much-Needed Evolution
Most Popular
Australian Breakdancer Goes Viral as Sport Makes Its Olympic Debut
Robert Downey Jr. Turned Down Iron Man Cameo in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ After Reading Scene; Writers Also Had an Idea to Bring the Six Original…
Olympics Closing Ceremony: All the Highlights as Paris Hands Over Games to L.A., From Phoenix Rocking Out to Tom Cruise’s Epic Stunts
Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and Red Hot Chili Peppers to Perform at Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony (EXCLUSIVE)
Box Office: ‘It Ends With Us’ Scores $50 Million Opening Weekend, ‘Borderlands’ Flops With $8.8 Million
Tom Cruise Jumps Off Stade de France and Skydives to Hollywood Sign at Olympics Closing Ceremony, Handing Over Games to L.A.
Inside the Olympics Closing Ceremony: Performances by Phoenix and Air, a ‘Science-Fiction’ Theme and More (EXCLUSIVE)
‘Frozen 3’ Gets Icy First Look, Coming in 2027
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Crosses $1 Billion at Global Box Office
‘Lilo & Stitch’ Live-Action Remake Gets First Look at CGI Stitch and 2025 Release
Must Read
- TV
COVER | ‘SNL’ Rising Star Marcello Hernández Is Using His Charisma to Conquer Comedy
- TV
COVER | Sadie Sink Found Her Voice Thanks to ‘Stranger Things’ and Taylor Swift
- TV
How Stephen Curry Got a Sitcom: Adam Pally and Ego Nwodim Talk 'Mr. Throwback’
- Music
Lauryn Hill Says U.S. Tour Was Called Off Due to Low Ticket Sales
Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Variety Confidential
ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXN%2Fjp%2BgpaVfo7K4v46doKymla56tMDAq2SwmaKoeqWxy5qwrGWdlr%2B3sctmmK%2BZpJa%2Fbr%2FEqqyepF2nsq2xwKycZpyRqbK0eZBram5uZGeAd3%2BO