Marvel’s Kevin Feige Explains Phase 4’s Major Release Date Changes

Marvel Studios and Disney pushed back nearly every movie on the studio’s release slate Monday, setting in motion one of the most widespread release date changes since the onset of the pandemic. The delays this time around, however, aren’t necessarily COVID-related. In fact, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige has now confirmed they’re related to the production schedules on the various upcoming movies.

“It’s production shifts and changes, and because we have so many slots, we can just shift slots,” Feige told Variety’s Marc Malkin at Monday’s Eternals world premiere.

He added, “All the Marvel slots are the same, we’re just shifting when they’re coming out. And yes, Strange [in the Multiverse of Madness] has moved six weeks, so instead of there being three months between Marvel movies, there will be five months between Marvel movies and I think we can all handle that.

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Feige’s explanation matches up perfectly with the initial report from Deadline’s Anthony D’Alessandro.

“Exhibition, no need to be alarmed: This has nothing to do with a change in distribution strategy for these films, I’m informed,” D’Alessandro wrote Monday. “There’s no Disney+ theatrical day-and-date going on, nor are Disney execs immediately concerned about the future of the global marketplace. It’s all on account of a domino effect going on with production and filmmakers. Some titles are contending with finishing scenarios while others are in production. This is how Disney is solving it, and when you come to think of it, most of the dates were already reserved by the studio for Marvel fare; they’re just moving titles from one slot to the next.”

Instead of opening up in March, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness now opens up in the early May date previously held by Thor: Love and Thunder. That puts roughly five months between the Strange sequel and Spider-Man: No Way Home, which opens this December.

Marvel’s Eternals hits theaters on November 5th.

What delay are you rattled by most? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter to chat all things MCU!