Disney CEO Bob Iger has revealed Marvel Studios‘ plan to cut down their yearly theatrical output to three releases or less and no more than two Disney+ shows.
Per Variety, Iger in a quarterly earnings call described the changes for the MCU as part of a larger strategy for Disney to create quality productions rather than overwhelming the audience with increased content.
“We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three,” Iger said. “And we’re working hard on what that path is.”
Iger added that Disney’s new quality-over-quantity plan is “particularly true with Marvel.” The MCU has come under fire in the past year for releasing lackluster movie and television projects. Much of the criticism has been directed at Marvel Studios’ practice of greenlighting projects with unfinished scripts, rushed VFX, and unbalanced tonal shifts. With the MCU currently in a creative-retooling phase, Iger shares hope that the next slate of projects will be a return to the quality-driven stories presented in the Infinity Saga.
“Overall, I feel great about the slate,” Iger said. “It’s something that I’ve committed to spending more and more time on. The team is one that I have tremendous confidence in and the IP that we’re mining, including all the sequels that we’re doing, is second to none.”
Marvel’s Phase 5 and 6 Releases
2024 will only see one MCU theatrical release with Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine set for release on July 26. But despite Iger’s comments, Marvel has four theatrical releases scheduled for 2025 and 2026. Among the 2025 slate includes Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, The Fantastic Four, and Blade. 2026 releases include Avengers 5 and four unannounced MCU projects.
On the Disney+ side, the only remaining 2024 release confirmed for the streamer is the Agatha series starring Kathryn Hann. Upcoming shows such as Daredevil: Born Again, Ironheart, and Wonder Man do not have official release dates.
