Halfway through 2024 and after several huge developments, many upcoming DC and MCU releases look especially important. 2024 is a sparse year for comic book movies compared to preceding years. This is thanks to the genre’s two foremost franchises fielding the fewest movies in one year since their inception. For the MCU, this is largely thanks to the Writers’ Strike of Summer 2023 impacting production schedules, though this also ties in with new release plans. Meanwhile, the DCEU timeline released its last movie at the tail-end of 2023 before 2024 acts as a buffer between it and the new DCU.

Nevertheless, many developments have occurred throughout 2024 that have significantly impacted the importance of upcoming releases. DC Studios is still releasing titles in 2024 that sit outside of the DCU narrative in both animation and live-action, while the MCU timeline still has some shows and its only cinematic release of 2024 on the cards. Here is how some of these releases and beyond have been shaped in the last 6 months.

10

Avengers 5 Is Looking Even More Important After The MCU’s Shakeups

Slated For May 1, 2026

A huge question mark still hangs over Avengers: The Kang Dynasty now that its titular character will no longer be portrayed by former MCU actor Jonathan Majors. While Kang was initially regard as a well-received addition to the MCU, the critical failure of his cinematic debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has called the villain’s overall viability into question. The Multiverse Saga’s preoccupation with Thanos also certainly isn’t helping matters. Nevertheless, assuming Marvel Studios is still forging ahead with Kang as the Multiverse Saga’s big bad, several other surrounding circumstances have impacted the importance of the upcoming Avengers movie.

2023 was a disappointing year for the MCU overall, with two of its flagship characters starring in a historic box office flop. Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel are ostensibly integral to the new Avengers lineup, but it feels like they may have been pushed to the wayside as a result. Taken in tandem with Kang’s questionable fate, how Avengers: The Kang Dynasty will navigate these developments and stand any chance of raking in as much revenue as its predecessors is a more pertinent question than ever before – especially since there is currently still no confirmation about Kang’s MCU future.

9

Daredevil: Born Again Is More Crucial After Marvel’s Netflix Shows Have Become Canon Again

Slated For March 2025

2024 saw Marvel Studios definitively state that the Defenders Saga, which comprises the majority of Marvel’s Netflix shows, is officially MCU canon. This raises many questions surrounding the whereabouts of the Defenders throughout several pivotal MCU events, not least of which is the effects of the Snap and the Blip. It therefore falls on Daredevil: Born Again to answer them.

Shows like Echo and Hawkeye offered insight into what Daredevil and Kingpin have been up to in recent months in MCU canon. No mention, however, of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Punisher throughout any New York-based movie or show is conspicuous. Given Jon Bernthal’s Punisher is officially confirmed to be starring in the cast of Daredevil: Born Again, it’s possible that the other Defenders will join him. Regardless, Daredevil: Born Again needs to address their whereabouts, even if it is in passing.

8

Batman: Caped Crusader’s Trailer Promises A New Look On Batman: The Animated Series

Slated For August 1, 2024

J.J. Abrams’ first contribution to DC after several years of development hell will finally be released later this summer, and it looks promising. With the Executive Producer being joined by The Batman‘s Matt Reeves and the DC animation legend Bruce Timm, there is a high chance that Batman: Caped Crusader will stick the landing. This is backed up by the first look at the new animation, which is touted as the spiritual successor to Batman: The Animated Series.

Batman: Caped Crusader looks like a decidedly more mature rendition of Batman’s story that is already breaking several rules that its predecessor adhered to. Consequently, Batman: Caped Crusader looks a lot more exciting as it embraces the bleaker tones for which the live-action The Batman and Joker received so much praise. The recently released trailer shows exciting new takes on villains, plenty of no-holds-barred violence, and dramatic insight into a tone that marries well with Reeves’ Batman trilogy.

7

Superman Is Bringing Color Back To DC

Slated For July 11, 2025

When the DCU was announced, there was already an expectation that new co-CEO James Gunn would inject the unique flair for which he is known into DC’s cinematic offerings. Gunn’s superhero movies are among the most celebrated and contrast the bleaker tones of Zack Snyder’s quite substantially. When Gunn announced Superman and its comic book inspirations, therefore, an overhaul of DC’s overall style looked likely. Halfway through 2024, set photos of Superman in production have all but cemented this.

Superman set photos reveal a Man of Steel clad in vibrant colors and surrounded by off-piste heroes like Mister Terrific flying around with a jetpack. The images exude the levity for which Gunn is known and promise to balance out the overtly grim tones that currently pervade nearly every other DC movie, including The Batman and Batman: Caped Crusader. On the other hand, the costumes seen on the Superman set have sparked lively debate about their quality, which may have put Gunn’s DCU in a shakier position than before.

6

Thunderbolts* May Be More Important Than First Thought

Slated For May 2, 2025

The Thunderbolts* movie cast comprises a lineup of morally gray supporting characters and erstwhile minor villains. Bucky Barnes aside, the star power pales in comparison to the kind of team-up movie that the MCU is accustomed to with the Avengers. This puts Thunderbolts* in a precarious position as the MCU struggles to spotlight new or understated heroes in the Multiverse Saga, as demonstrated by the subpar performance of productions like Black Widow – a movie that stars three of the six confirmed Thunderbolts members.

That was until Marvel Studios made a simple yet effective move during spring 2024: affixing a mysterious asterisk to the title. Thunderbolts* is now a hotbed of speculation as fans debate what it could mean – something which Kevin Feige himself helped to stoke by remaining decidedly coy about the conspicuous addition. Fan theories now posit that the asterisk is hiding pivotal developments (such as the MCU’s Dark Avengers) that the eponymous team could never have carried on their own merits, making Thunderbolts* one of the most exciting upcoming MCU movies for the enigma alone.

5

The Fantastic Four Might Be The MCU’s Most Consequential Non-Avengers Movie

Slated For July 25, 2025

One upcoming movie that was never going to struggle to stoke excitement was the MCU’s take on Marvel’s first family. The Fantastic Four is already under pressure as fans look to Marvel to work its magic and reinvigorate a Marvel movie franchise that was failed by less competent studios. Following a string of suboptimal MCU installments, that pressure is even more intense – but 2024 has seen several developments for The Fantastic Four that may have catapulted it into being one of the most consequential movies of the Multiverse Saga.

Doctor Doom’s inexorable ties to The Fantastic Four and the events of the Secret Wars run of comics meant that audience discussion naturally veered in this direction in terms of fan hopes. What wasn’t expected, however, was the arrival of Galactus, a villain that is in dire need of cinematic redemption and whose impact in terms of power levels is hard to overstate. Furthermore, clues from promotional images heavily suggest that the movie is going to take place in another universe to Earth-616, covering new ground while also heavily implying that The Fantastic Four might host one particularly cataclysmic incursion.

4

The Rumored Avengers 6 Reboot Looks More Prudent Than Ever

Slated For May 7, 2027

Avengers: Secret Wars is currently the most far-flung movie on the MCU’s confirmed release slate. Story details are therefore decidedly sparse aside from the certainty that it will round out the Multiverse Saga and at least be inspired by the Marvel Comics run of the same name. Yet both of these factors lend credence to rumors that emerged in 2023 that it will precede a soft reboot of the entire MCU, a notion that bears more weight in 2024 than ever before.

Part of the reason recent MCU movies appear to have been less dependable is that casual audiences are somewhat overwhelmed by the increasing number of must-watch productions to keep abreast of the wider narrative. This is supported by the fact that the highest-grossing movies of the Multiverse Saga star heroes who have been present since the MCU’s earliest days, including Thor, Spider-Man, and Doctor Strange. Starting from square one in a rebooted saga is therefore imperative if the MCU hopes to refresh its cinematic efforts with audiences that feel less pressure to catch up on a mountain of movies.

3

The Authority Can Take The DCU In A Totally Fresh Direction

Release Date TBA

While Superman looks like it will deliver a decidedly more unorthodox cinematic depiction of the iconic hero, this still doesn’t detract from the fact that he and his supporting characters are as omnipresent as ever in DC media. Regardless of its quality, Superman still contributes to a pervasive sense of predictability that threatens the superhero genre as a whole. The Authority – a morally gray team of superheroes that have yet to debut in live-action – is poised to assuage this.

The Authority is one of the more off-piste movies on the DCU’s release slate. Along with characters like Booster Gold and Swamp Thing, the team will help the DCU hit the ground running with characters that offer something fresh for casual cinema-goers to sink their teeth into. With 2024 being so replete with live-action Batman villains and animated Batman and Superman characters, something new in the form of The Authority feels especially important to help prove there is so much more to DC for the franchise to explore.

2

The Pressure Is On For Ironheart To Prop Up The Young Avengers

Slated For 2025

The Young Avengers are currently in a more tumultous place than their older predecessors were starting out in the 2010s. Despite her boundless charisma and likability, Ms. Marvel starred in the least-watched MCU show and lowest-grossing MCU movie before she started forming the Young Avengers in earnest in the post-credits scene of The Marvels. Other prospective team members are also struggling to make their mark as they appear in cameos or as supporting characters, leaving it up to one Young Avengers candidate to make a significant splash.

Riri Williams, AKA Ironheart, starred in one of the more successful movies of the Multiverse Saga, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as a supporting character. Her upcoming solo show, Ironheart, is also rumored to star Sacha Baron Cohen as Mephisto – suggesting it may contain some major plot moments for the franchise. After The Marvels failed to stick the landing, there pressure is on Ironheart to drum up enthusiasm for the team in which she will likely play an important role.

1

Deadpool & Wolverine Might Save The MCU

Slated For July 25, 2024

It is no secret that the MCU has faced a more complicated situation in the wake of the year that hosted its worst-rated movie, worst-rated TV show, and lowest-grossing movie in short order. The MCU’s only cinematic release of 2024, Deadpool & Wolverine, is therefore burdened with the responsibility of turning things around for Marvel Studios. Now, just weeks before its release, this prospect is looking especially possible for the film.

Deadpool & Wolverine has already been breaking records as its first trailer became the most-watched trailer of all time, coinciding with DC‘s Joker: Folie à Deux beat Barbie to be Warner Bros’ most-watched trailer in 24 hours. Record-breaking first-day ticket sales have also added to the notion that Deadpool & Wolverine is on course to become the MCU’s next billion-dollar movie, something which couldn’t come at a more crucial time. With Marvel’s new resolve to focus more on quality over quantity, Deadpool & Wolverine is better placed than ever to provide a turning point for the MCU.

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  Marvel Cinematic Universe

  The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.

  Created by

  Kevin Feige

  First Film

  Iron Man

  First TV Show

  Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

  Cast

  Robert Downey Jr.
  , Chris Evans
  , Scarlett Johansson
  , Samuel L. Jackson
  , Jeremy Renner
  , Chris Hemsworth
  , Mark Ruffalo
  , Edward Norton
  , Paul Rudd
  , Tom Holland
  , Tom Hiddleston
  , Anthony Mackie
  , Cobie Smulders
  , Brie Larson
  , Chadwick Boseman
  , Sebastian Stan
  , Chris Pratt
  , Dave Bautista
  , Zoe Saldana
  , Bradley Cooper
  , Vin Diesel
  , Pom Klementieff
  , Josh Brolin
  , Karen Gillan
  , Clark Gregg
  , Paul Bettany
  , Don Cheadle
  , Benedict Cumberbatch
  , Evangeline Lilly
  , Simu Liu
  , Aaron Taylor-Johnson
  , Angelina Jolie
  , Kit Harington
  , Salma Hayek
  , Richard Madden
  , Barry Keoghan
  , Gemma Chan
  , Ma Dong-seok
  , Brian Tyree Henry
  , Kumail Nanjiani
  , Lauren Ridloff
  , Lia McHugh
  , Jonathan Majors

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  DC Universe

  The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.

  Created by

  Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson

  First Film

  Man of Steel

  First TV Show

  Peacemaker

  Cast

  Henry Cavill
  , Ben Affleck
  , Gal Gadot
  , Ezra Miller
  , Ray Fisher
  , Jason Momoa
  , Amy Adams
  , Jesse Eisenberg
  , Laurence Fishburne
  , Jeremy Irons
  , Will Smith
  , Jared Leto
  , Margot Robbie
  , Joel Kinnaman
  , Viola Davis
  , Jai Courtney
  , Jay Hernandez
  , Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
  , Cara Delevingne
  , Chris Pine
  , Robin Wright
  , Zachary Levi
  , Dwayne Johnson
  , Amber Heard
  , Patrick Wilson
  , Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
  , Mark Strong
  , Asher Angel
  , Jack Dylan Grazer
  , Djimon Hounsou
  , Mary Elizabeth Winstead
  , Jurnee Smollett
  , Rosie Perez
  , Ella Jay Basco
  , Ali Wong
  , Ewan McGregor
  , Idris Elba
  , John Cena
  , Michael Keaton
  , George Clooney
  , Xolo Mariduena

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