Disney has revealed a new release schedule, delaying the arrival of many highly anticipated blockbusters.
US media have reported that several of its highly anticipated Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar sequels are included.
Producer Jon Landau tweeted that the developers of the Avatar sequels needed additional time to finish their work.
Disney has not provided an explanation for the holdups.
The decision was made while the Hollywood writers’ strike continued, which some feared would lead to production halts and delay movie releases.
“Movies like this can’t be made without scripts (despite what some critics might say), and with writers not currently working on them, things have to be delayed,” states the media website Gizmodo.
The science fiction film series Avatar, which is set on the made-up moon of Pandora, is the biggest event on the calendar, and it was only revealed on Tuesday. Update: Avatar 3 will now be released on December 19, 2025, a year later than originally planned. Dates for Avatar 4 and 5 have been pushed back many years to December 21, 2029 and December, 2031, respectively.
The Associated Press stated that James Cameron, who released the original Avatar in 2009, has expressed doubt about returning to helm the sequels. Cameron, who is 68 now, will be 77 in December 2031.
“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,” tweeted Avatar producer Jon Landau.
The release dates of the Star Wars movies are also a major priority. One installment was moved from its original December 2025 release date to May 2026, and a second was added for December 2026. Since 2019, Disney has not released a Star Wars film.
Most Marvel programs have also been rescheduled, with Avengers: Kang Dynasty, among the most anticipated, being moved from May 2025 to May 2026.
Most Marvel films have also been pushed back by a few months from their original release dates. After “Thunderbolts” in December 2024, “Blade” in February 2025, and “Fantastic Four” in May 2025, the release dates for “Captain America: Brave New World” have been pushed back to July 2024 from May 2024.