Disney's Massive Release Date Shuffle Bumps 'Deadpool 3' Way Up And Puts Two Star Wars Movies In 2026 As 'Avatar 5' Moves To 2031

Yoooooo I'm gonna be into my 40s by the time we finally get a full-on resolution for the Avatar movies. Or at least we'll see the initial, unprecedentedly ambitious vision James Cameron has laid out. Good ol' Jim has even talked about training somebody to direct more installments of Avatar once he's finished with 'em. There may be more yet!! Having a little bit of an existential crisis over here NGL.

BUT AT LEAST before that, we'll have two Star Wars films in 2026 and one the following year. I assume, in some order, these are the Daisy Ridley post-Rise of Skywalker Jedi Academy flick, the James Mangold-driven origin of the Force story, and Dave Filoni's probable-epic crossover that'll close out the Mandoverse. 

I assume we'll get Filoni's first, followed by the post-TROS in December 20206, and Mangold's totally new part of the timeline the following year. Not too concerned about the shape Star Wars is in. Once Filoni drops Ahsoka on our heads in August, pretty sure we'll be back on target off a middling Season 3 of The Mandalorian.

Really interesting, though, is the updated Marvel Cinematic Universe slate — and how far up Deadpool 3 went:

Deadpool 3 is the only Marvel movie I'm truly fired up about among that bunch. At least for now. No offense to the others. Jonathan Majors' off-screen situation makes Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars dicier propositions than previously believed. Blade has already changed creative hands enough to where I feel like it's gonna not be a super original story. It'll likely go the way of the first Ant-Man, which was very good but not the intended vision of OG director Edgar Wright.

It'll be dope to see Harrison Ford take on the role of U.S. president/military commander Thaddeus Ross in Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts. Beyond that? Um. Yeah you're gonna have a hard time selling me on those. Love how Ford couldn't be less bothered about the nerdiness of it all (or he's just S Tier at playing coy).

Meanwhile, dubiously credible rumors have flown around that Best Actor On Planet Earth Adam Driver will be Reed Richards in the new Fantastic Four. Should that come to pass, inject it into my veins. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200. I'm there Day 1. Not getting my hopes up until that casting is confirmed. Whatever the case, I think that'll be cool to see Marvel's First Family finally done justice on the big screen. Pretty sure Kevin Feige will make sure that project delivers the goods no matter who rounds out the final ensemble.

Obviously the writers' strike is throwing a wrench into everything and causing production delays left and right. BUT MY GOODNESS. We're now about to get Deadpool 3 many, many months earlier than anticipated. Comedic genius Ryan Reynolds in the title role, starring opposite Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. One of the most iconic comic book characters of all-time, if not the most. 

…And the thing is, since Deadpool is so irreverent as a character, breaks the fourth wall and can make meta jokes about literally anyone or anything he wants, we're bound to have several surprises — including more X-Men cameos.

All I ask is that we get even the briefest glimpse of Channing Tatum as Gambit. Once upon a time, he was supposed to star in a standalone film. Development hell and Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox killed it. 

Tatum was (is) passionate about the character and I'd love nothing more than seeing it come to fruition, even if it's for like two minutes of screen time. 

So, long story short, we have more clarity on the future of Star Wars and let's hope Lucasfilm/Disney can hold down those release dates. I think that'll be plenty of time (seven years) between the polarizing Rise of Skywalker to where fans will want to see a galaxy far, far away on the big screen again. As for Avatar, well, we're used to pushed-back release targets. Sliding it all back a year seems like child's play at this point. Jim Cameron tends to deliver in these situations every single time. No reason to doubt him now.

Finally, the MCU. We need something different y'all. Deadpool 3 can be the catalyst for a new era. The Marvels looks better than I expected and Secret Invasion may be one of the better Disney+ series, but in terms of necessarily-italicized different? Nothing is going to shake up the often too-safe, cookie-cutter MCU like Ryan Reynolds' Wade Wilson.

Twitter @MattFitz_gerald/TikTok