In an unexpected move, Avengers: Doomsday has had its release date delayed by Marvel from next summer.

The highly-anticipated new Avengers movie is currently in production, but we now won’t be seeing it in cinemas until 18 December 2026. Its follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars, has also been pushed back to 17 December 2027.

In Avengers: Doomsday’s place will be long-awaited sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2, which will now be unveiled in cinemas on 1 May 2026.

According to Deadline, the release date delays for both Avengers movies are to allow more time for production, with both movies reported “among the biggest ever made”.

It’s unclear at this stage whether Spider-Man: Brand New Day will move from its current release date of 31 July 2026 as a result of Avengers: Doomsday’s delay.

robert downey jr, doctor doom, san diego comic con

Jesse Grant//Getty Images

Related: All you need to know about the next Avengers movie

The last time a Spider-Man movie was released after a major Avengers movie was Spider-Man: Far From Home, which was heavily linked to the events of Avengers: Endgame.

If Spider-Man: Brand New Day is equally linked to what happens in Avengers: Doomsday, we might see a delay.

It’s also possible that the new Spidey outing is entirely separate to Avengers: Doomsday since Tom Holland wasn’t among the confirmed cast of the next Avengers movie. Marvel wouldn’t announce the delay – it’d be up to Sony.

spiderman no way home

Sony Pictures//20th Century Studios

Related: What’s happening in Marvel’s Phase 6?

The release date delay for Avengers: Doomsday coming during filming is another sign that Marvel is regaining its focus for its upcoming slate.

Earlier this month, Disney boss Bob Iger admitted that over Phase 4 and 5, the MCU was “making too much”. “By consolidating a bit and having Marvel focus much more on their films, we believe that will result in better quality,” he added.

Avengers: Doomsday is released in cinemas on 18 December 2026.

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Movies Editor, Digital Spy  Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor.  Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world.   After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.