Upcoming Superhero Movie Release Dates: From 2016 to 2020

Release Date: March 25, 2016

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Jason Momoa, Holly Hunter, Scoot McNairy, and Jeremy Irons

What We Know So Far: The follow-up to Man of Steel will see Superman and Batman going toe-to-toe, as Superman’s battle with General Zod resulted in very personal collateral damage for Affleck’s Bruce Wayne.  Batman has been described as grizzled, older, and more rough than we’ve previously seen him onscreen before, and the movie will act as a prequel of sorts to the rest of Warner Bros.’ DC Movie Universe—as the title suggests.  We already know that Cyborg (Ray Fisher), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) make their introductions here in some capacity, and we can also expect to get our first glimpse of Ezra Miller’s The Flash as well as any number of other DC superheroes within the context of the film as well.  The film will also deal heavily with the fallout from Superman’s destruction of Metropolis at the end of Man of Steel.

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Release Date: May 6, 2016

Directors: Joe Russo and Anthony Russo

Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman, Daniel Bruhl, Paul Rudd, Martin Freeman, Paul Bettany, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp,William Hurt, and Leslie Bibb.

What We Know So Far: Robert Downey Jr. is poised to co-star in the third Captain America entry as the film will be delving into the Civil War storyline of the comic books, which sees Cap and Iron Man become enemies after disagreeing about a new form of legislation that would require any and all beings with superhuman abilities to register with the government.  Since the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t have secret identities, their main point of contention in the film will be whether superheroes need government oversight.  The film is also said to continue the Winter Soldier storyline from the previous Captain America installment with Bruhl playing Baron Zemo, and Boseman will also make his first appearance as Black Panther.  Throw in the entire new Avengers team, the debut of Tom Holland as Spider-Man, and a few other MCU characters we haven’t seen in a while, and you’ve got yourself quite possibly the biggest Marvel movie yet.

Want to Know More?: Click here or watch our extended interview with directors Joe and Anthony Russo.

Release Date: May 27, 2016

Director: Bryan Singer

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult,Oscar Isaac, Evan Peters, Olivia Munn, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Rose Byrne, Ben Hardy, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Alexandra Shipp.

What We Know So Far: Described as an “extinction-level event”, the disaster sequel takes place in 1983 and will focus primarily on the X-Men: First Classcastmembers, wrapping up the trilogy arc that began with the Matthew Vaughn-directed prequel.  The mutants must join forces in order to battle the titular Apocalypse (played by Isaac), a mutant who has been around since the days of Ancient Egypt and was treated as a god at that time.  Apocalypse assembles his four horsemen, Magneto (Fassbender), Angel (Hardy), Storm (Shipp), and Psylocke (Munn), which once again pits mutants versus mutants as Singer also introduces the young versions of more familiar X-Men.

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Release Date: August 5, 2016

Director: David Ayer

Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman, Cara Delevingne, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jay Hernandez, Adam Beach, Jim Parrack, Scott Eastwood, Ike Barinholtz, Karen Fukuhara, and Viola Davis

What We Know So Far: The DC comic revolves around a group of anti-heroes who take on dangerous missions for the government in exchange for commuted sentences.  Smith is Deadshot, Robbie is Harley Quinn, Leto is The Joker, Courtney is Captain Boomerang, Kinnaman is Rick Flagg, Delevingne is Enchantress, and Davis plays Amanda Waller, who is essentially DC’s Nick Fury. This is Warner Bros.’ first non-Superman film in its new DC Movie Universe, and Ayer appears to be striking a much darker yet playful tone judging by the film’s terrific trailer.

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Release Date: November 4, 2016

Director: Scott Derrickson

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benedict Wong.

What We Know So Far: Marvel initially courted Joaquin Phoenix for the lead role in this new franchise, but as the time came to finally sign the contract Phoenix opted to walk away.  Cumberbatch eventually signed on, to be joined by Swinton as eventual mentor The Ancient One and Ejiofor as the villainous Baron Mordo. The comic adaptation will bring mysticism into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (described asMarvel’s Fantasia) as it tells the origin story of Stephen Strange, a former neurosurgeon and narcissist who is granted magical powers by a hermit called the Ancient One after his hands are seemingly irreparably damaged in a car accident.

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Release Date: February 20, 2017

Director: Chris McKay

Cast: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis

What We Know So Far: The first of Warner Bros.’ series of sequels and spinoffs to The LEGO Movie is an animated Batman film with Arnett’s sad, dark caped crusader leading the way and LEGO Movie co-director Chris McKay taking the helm. Arnett will be joined by Arrested Development co-star Michael Cera as Robin and Zach Galifianakis as Joker, making this one of the most promising superhero movies on the slate.

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Release Date: March 3, 2017

Director: James Mangold

Cast: Hugh Jackman

What We Know So Far: Jackman has said time and again that he would only returnif the story is worth telling, but he and The Wolverine director James Mangold have been working on carving out the next Wolverine solo adventure, and now Jackman says this will be his last time playing the X-Men character. Patrick Stewart‘s Professor X will also have a significant role in the film, making it a sort of team-up film between the two as Jackman adds that the movie will explore their father-son relationship in greater detail than ever before. A fitting sendoff to Jackman’s Wolverine indeed, and one that could very well be R-rated.

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Release Date: May 5, 2017

Director: James Gunn

Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Kurt Russell, Pom Klementieff,Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Tom Flanagan, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, and the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel.

What We Know So Far: Not much as the film is firmly under wraps, but Gunn has previously said that Thanos may or may not appear, but he is most certainly “not the most important character”. The main crux of the story will involve the parentage of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, with the iconic Kurt Russell filling the mysterious role of Peter’s birth father.

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Release Date: June 23, 2017

Director: Patty Jenkins

Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Ewen Bremner, Saïd Taghmaoui, Elena Anaya, and Lucy Davis.

What We Know So Far: Gadot will make her first appearance as the character inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and will presumably appear in Justice League Part One and Justice League Part Two, but not before she gets her own standalone film.  This marks the first female-led superhero movie of the modern era, and it will fittingly be directed by a woman. However, while Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones veteran Michelle MacLaren was previously attached to direct, shedeparted over creative differences and Warner Bros. subsequently enlisted Monsterhelmer Jenkins, who herself was previously attached to Marvel’s Thor 2. Cast-wise, Pine is onboard to play Wonder Woman’s love interest Steve Trevor in what will hopefully be some fun gender reversal.

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Release Date: July 7, 2017

Director: Jon Watts

Cast: Tom Holland

What We Know So Far: Few thought it would ever happen, but Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios came to an agreement in which they will be sharing the character of Spider-Man, with the webslinger first appearing in an MCU movie (Civil War) before getting his own rebooted film. Marvel’s Kevin Feige is producing the picture, which is said to bring forth a younger Spidey who is still in high school. The Cabin in the Woods co-writer/director Drew Goddard was first rumored to take the helm, but Marvel eventually settled on Cop Car helmer Watts with Jonathan Goldsteinand John Francis Daley (Vacation) writing the script. And no, there will not be another origin story.

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Release Date: October 6, 2017

Director: TBA

Cast: TBA

What We Know So Far: Nothing, since this is a mysterious untitled film. There are a few possibilities, though. This could be the new release date for Gambit, given that that film was originally slated for October 2016, or this could be the release date Fox is holding for Deadpool 2. Or it could be a different Fox/Marvel movie altogether. But given that it’s not terribly far away, odds are it’s for a film already in development, meaning it’s probably Gambit or Deadpool 2.

Release Date: November 3, 2017

Director: Taika Waititi

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett

What We Know So Far: The title most likely refers to the event from Nordic mythology in which catastrophic destruction comes to Asgard, submerging the entire world underwater and killing nearly every god.  Or it could also refer to a cloned version of Thor that Tony Stark creates after Thor is presumed killed during the Ragnarok event.  Either way, Marvel says the “Norse End of Days” is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the studio plans to have filming underway by June 2016. They’ve tapped What We Do in the Shadows director Taika Waititi to take the helm, making for a very curious hire given his background in comedy.

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Release Date: January 12, 2018

Director: TBA

Cast: TBA

What We Know So Far: If the Untitled Fox/Marvel film dated for October 2017 is either Deadpool 2 or Gambit, then this is probably the other of the two. Or it’s possible this is a placeholder for an X-Force movie, although that would be a terribly quick turnaround given that Ryan Reynolds is likely due to focus on a Deadpoolsequel first and foremost. Whatever the case, between X-Men and Deadpool Fox’s Marvel universe has been well established, and these dates for untitled Fox/Marvel films signal the studio is bullish on expanding the universe as quickly as possible.

Release Date: November 17, 2017

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, and Amy Adams.

What We Know So Far: Warner Bros.’ Justice League film is so big that they’re releasing it in two parts, two years apart.  Thus far the only confirmed castmembers are Cavill as Superman, Affleck as Batman, and Adams as Lois Lane, but expect to see Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, Ezra Miller’s The Flash, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Ray Fisher’s Cyborg, and maybe even a new Green Lantern team up.  Therumored villain for the two-part Justice League adventure is Brainiac, who apparently is summoned to Earth by the distress beacon that Superman set off during Man of Steel.

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Release Date: February 16, 2018

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Chadwick Boseman

What We Know So Far: The comics character will make his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, but he gets his own feature film not long after. 42star Chadwick Boseman will be filling the role of the powerful native of Wakanda, an African nation that is isolated from the rest of the world.  Marvel says the crux of the film will be how this isolationist nation meets the world, so expect some friction. Selma director Ava DuVernay came close to signing on, but ultimatelyopted not to helm the film over concerns her artistic voice would be lost in the final product. Subsequently, Marvel hired Joe Robert Cole—who came up through the Marvel Studios writing program—to pen the script, and finally nabbed Creedand Fruitvale Station helmer Ryan Coogler to fill the director’s chair.

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Release Date: March 16, 2018

Director: Seth Grahame-Smith

Cast: Ezra Miller

What We Know So Far: Miller will first make an appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and will likely be part of the Justice League Part Oneensemble. And after tasking Phil Lord and Chris Miller with penning a treatment only to see them head off to direct the Han Solo Star Wars film, the studio subsequently tapped Seth Grahame-Smith to make his directorial debut on the superhero picture. Grahame-Smith penned the novels Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, as well as the screenplays for Vampire Hunter and Dark Shadows, but he’s only directed a couple of episodes of an MTV series before. Warner Bros. was no doubt impressed with his work as a producer on the LEGO Batman film, but landing the job of writer and director The Flash is a huge vote of confidence.

Release Date: May 4, 2018

Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: Marvel is finally tackling the Infinity War storyline, and it’ll take two films to tell it.  The main antagonist will be Thanos (played by Josh Brolin), and the movie will no doubt unite many, many characters from the MCU.  Moreover, Marvel adds that Avengers: Infinity War Part I is the beginning of the culmination of everything that has come before.  Captain America: The Winter Soldier andCaptain America: Civil War directors Joe and Anthony Russo have been tapped to direct both parts of Infinity War, which will be shot at the same time during one long production beginning in late 2016. Moreover, they’ll shoot the entire movie using IMAX’s brand new digital cameras, meaning the whole film will be shot in IMAX. This two-part epic has been described as “the end of the Avengers team as we know it,”acting as a culmination of everything Marvel Studios had done since Iron Man. No pressure.

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Release Date: July 6, 2018

Director: Peyton Reed

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, and Michael Douglas.

What We Know So Far: Nothing, beyond a title and release date. But the title suggests that Evangeline Lily’s Wasp will be the co-star of this film and not just the “female lead”, making this Marvel Studios’ first release in which the heroine is in the title.

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Release Date: July 13, 2018

Director: TBD

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: 20th Century Fox hasn’t confirmed what this film is just yet, but it’s probably the X-Men spinoff New Mutants that Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) is attached to write and direct after he completes The Stand. Simon Kinbergand Lauren Schuler Donner are producing.

Release Date: July 20, 2018

Director: TBD

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: Phil Lord and Chris Miller are writing the treatment and producing this movie, but since they’re now knee-deep in developing their next directorial effort—the young Han Solo Star Wars movie—they likely won’t be tooinvolved in this once a director comes onboard. It’s still unclear how this film fits in with Sony and Marvel’s standalone live-action film, but upon announcing it, Fox made clear that it exists “independently” of the live-action franchise. Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal are producing.

Release Date: July 27, 2018

Director: James Wan

Cast: Jason Momoa

What We Know So Far: Momoa will first make an appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and will likely be part of the Justice League Part Oneensemble. Warner Bros. has enlisted Furious 7 and The Conjuring helmer James Wan to direct.

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Release Date: March 8, 2019

Director: TBD

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: Marvel’s first female-led superhero film will revolve around the most powerful character in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.  This iteration of Captain Marvel will focus on the character of Carol Danvers, whose adventures are earthbound but whose powers are based in the cosmic realm. Joss Whedonwanted to introduced the character at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, but Marvel didn’t want to bring Captain Marvel into the MCU fully formed without first telling her origin story. Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) and Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy) are writing the screenplay.

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Release Date: April 5, 2019

Director: TBD

Cast: Dwayne Johnson

What We Know So Far: Making his superhero movie debut, Dwayne Johnson opted to take on the role of the villainous Black Adam in this DC comics adaptation.

Release Date: May 3, 2019

Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: The conclusion to the epic Infinity War storyline will close out Marvel’s ambitious Phase Three with a bang.

Release Date: June 14, 2019

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, and Amy Adams.

What We Know So Far: As with Part One, the only confirmed castmembers are Cavill, Affleck, and Adams, but we can expect to see the rest of the DC ensemble appear in the second half of Justice League. Brainiac is rumored to be the villain, but it’s unclear if his reign of terror will continue through Part Two or if he’ll be vanquished in Part One. Rumor has it that Warner Bros. plans to introduce Darkseid as the Big Bad after Brainiac, with Green Lantern popping up to warn the Justice League team of his existence. This will likely happen either at the end of Part One as a teaser for Part Two, or at the end of Part Two as a teaser for some future Justice League film.

Release Date: July 12, 2019

Director: TBD

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: Another comic property that will push the reach of the Marvel Cinematic Universe further outward, Inhumans will introduce dozens of new characters to the MCU.  In the comics, they are a race of superhumans whose origins lie in the war between the alien Skrull and Kree races. The existence of Inhumans has been first introduced on ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

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Release Date: April 3, 2020

Director: TBD

Cast: Ray Fisher

What We Know So Far: Fisher will first be introduced in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and then will play a role in the two Justice League films.

Release Date: June 19, 2020

Director: TBD

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: This will be a reboot of the Warner Bros. franchise so Ryan Reynolds is not expected to reprise his role—plus he’s also busy being Deadpool for Marvel. Green Lantern is rumored to make his first appearance at the end of either Justice League Part One or Justice League Part Two when he warns the team that Darkseid is on his way to bring destruction to Earth. But the title of the reboot suggests this will be a team-up film featuring two Green Lanterns. Tyrese Gibson has been openly campaigning for one of the roles.

Release Date: TBD

Director: Doug Liman

Cast: Channing Tatum, Lea Seydoux

What We Know So Far: Tatum has been keen on playing the X-Men mutant for a while now, and 20th Century Fox finally pulled the trigger on a standalone movie for the fan-favorite Cajun. Production had initially been slated to begin Fall 2015, but when it was pushed back to early 2016, director Rupert Wyatt abruptly dropped outdue to personal reasons. Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) is set to direct, and while producer Simon Kinberg told us the film will be a heist picture and a “sexy thriller”, the film was pulled from its October 2016 release date and is now listed as TBD.

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