Disney has delayed several 2022 and 2030 film releases, including Black Panther 2 and Thor 2: Love and Thunder.
Monday's press release included an updated film release schedule up to 2028. The calendar includes several Marvel movies that were delayed by months, as well as untitled projects that were removed completely from the schedule.
These are the major updates:
Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness: May 6th, 2022 (previously date on March 25, 2022). Thor: Love and Thunder July 8th, 2022. Black Panther: Wakanda forever November 11, 2022. The Marvels February 17, 2023. (previously dat on July 8, 2022). Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania July 28, 2023. (previously dat on February 27, 2022).
Untitled Indiana Jones movie set for July 2022 will be moved to June 2023. A Marvel project, which was due in November 2023, has been moved one week. Avatar 2 and three sequels are still possible by the end 2022.
Disney did not give any explanation for the delays. However, they could have been related to vaccine mandates and mask changes in U.S theaters, as well as blockbuster big budgets not bringing in the same numbers during the pandemic. Even though Marvel's Black Widow, Shang-Chi, and the Legend of the Ten Rings did well, even one weak opening weekend could result in the company losing hundreds of millions. Cast and crew members are also at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 from large productions. This causes production delays that cost the studio as well as safe quarantining and treating patients.
