TheMarvel Cinematic Universewill have some heavy hitters in 2026, and among all the projects coming from the studio next year, there are four that I really cannot wait for. Last year was slow for the MCU. We have grown used toseveral projects coming up in rapid succession since the start of the Multiverse Saga. That led to issues, as some movies and TV shows could have used longer development pipelines before release. Thankfully, Marvel heard the feedback and made crucial changes. Now, I feel confident that most of theMCU’s 2025 movies and TV showswill succeed.
WhileCaptain America: Brave New Worldhas proved itself another divisive Multiverse Saga entry,Daredevil: Born Againis off to a solid start that paves the way for a new eraofMCU TV shows. I know that we still have a lot of exciting projects to come from the superhero giant before the year ends, as we are only in March, but I can’t help being excited about all that is to come in 2026. Of all the many live-action and animatedfuture Marvel projects, there are four that surpass all other 2026 releases by a landslide.
X-Men ‘97 Season 2
The Beloved Animated Series Continues The X-Men’s Return To Form
I enjoyed many of Fox’s X-Men movies. However, it was clear that by the end of its run, the franchise was running out of steam. That became abundantly clear by howX-Men: Dark PhoenixandThe New Mutantsfared badly at the box office and with critics. Thankfully, Marvel Studios now has creative control of the mutants, and with the first season of the animatedX-Men ‘97,Marvel showed that it understands these characters. One of my favorite aspects of the series was Wolverine’s role in it, which differed greatly from the Fox X-Men movies.
While Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is great, he became so big a star that characters like Cyclops and Storm had their roles reduced to make room for him.X-Men ‘97season 1 told an exciting story that put a new twist on classic X-Men comic book events while balancing most of its characters really well. Everyone had their moment to shine. After a shocking ending, I can’t wait to see how the plot ofthe X-Men being scattered through timewill be resolved. Also, with Apocalypse’s debut, the danger will grow, and Gambit’s teased return should prove itself an emotional storyline.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2
The MCU’s First 2025 TV Show Puts A New Spin On Marvel’s Best Live-Action Series
Charlie Cox’sDaredevil is one of the few MCU heroes who have been popping up in multiple projectsduring the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. That used to be a common part of the Infinity Saga, but with the high influx of new characters in recent years, it has become harder for Marvel Studios to bring back heroes as frequently as it used to. After cameos and supporting roles in multiple MCU projects,Daredevil: Born Againsees Cox return to a lead role, and with two episodes released so far, the MCU series is already a major hit.
All 7 MCU Movies & TV Shows Charlie Cox’s Daredevil Has Appeared In, Ranked
With Daredevil: Born Again’s release, Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock adds another MCU role to the movies and TV shows under his belt, with more to come.
The darker tone and heightened violence are very much in line with Netflix’sDaredevil, my favorite live-action superhero series of all time. To seeBorn Againgo down a similar path toDaredevilis very exciting. Season 1 is setting up an epic arc asMatt Murdock finds his way back to being Daredevil after a tragedy, and Wilson Fisk widens his reach now as the mayor of New York City. With the rest ofNetflix’s Defenders being rumored to return for season 2and the confirmed returns of Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, I can’t wait for it.
Jon Bernthal returns as the Punisher inDaredevil: Born Againseason 1. His story in the MCU series is tied tocorrupt cops who wear Frank Castle’s skull logo, and after his appearance in the show, Frank will get his own special. While any new Punisher project is exciting, especially one co-written by Bernthal himself, I have to say I’m disappointed he is not getting a full-on series. I seethe Punisher Special Presentationas setup forDaredevil: Born Againseason 2, which is why my excitement for it is not on the same level as other 2026 MCU projects.
Spider-Man 4
Tom Holland’s Peter Parker Must Go On After Suffering Many Losses
Spider-Man 4is one of my most anticipated MCU projects in years. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man franchise has only delivered exciting movies so far, andSpider-Man: No Way Homeperfectly set up a major status quo change for the hero. Peter Parker no longer has people to turn to. Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin killed Aunt May. Doctor Strange’s spell to save Earth-616 led to the world forgetting who Peter Parker was, so MJ and Ned no longer remember him. On top of it all, Peter has no money, living alone in a small apartment with a suit he put together.
Having finished high school, Peter can meet Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn in college, just like he did for the first time in the comics.
Spider-Man 4could be a reset for the Peter Parker franchise. Having finished high school, Peter can meet Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn in college, just like he did for the first time in the comics. AfterSpider-Man: No Way Homewas a major multiversal event with Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Men, as well as villains from their movies, I’m curious to see whether the new Spidey flick will be a multiverse tale or go for the street-level storyNo Way Homeset up so well. Given howSpider-Man 4releases between the next two Avengers movies, anything’s possible.
Avengers: Doomsday
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Finally Assemble In The Multiverse Saga
Finally, the 2026 MCU project I am most excited about isAvengers: Doomsday. There could not really be any other answer, as the Avengers movies have become the events the entire MCU builds up to. One of the main issues with the Multiverse Saga is how it has not had a single Avengers movie so far, with the last one being 2019’sAvengers: Endgame, an Infinity Saga release.Captain America: Brave New Worldended with Sam Wilson set on restarting the Avengers, and with Robert Downey Jr. returning to the franchise now as Doctor Doom, the movie will be huge.
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Avengers: Secret Wars
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Downey’s Doctor Doom performance and howthe villain takes over Kang the Conqueror’s roleare my two most anticipated aspects ofAvengers: Doomsday. That said, I love how the movie will finally solve the Multiverse Saga’s biggest issue. In a franchise that prides itself on characters interacting across projects, the MCU has not really had many exciting crossovers with the new players of the franchise.Avengers: Doomsdaycan put together very different characters, like Moon Knight, She-Hulk, Doctor Strange, Thor, and many more. It unites the old and the new for a major multiverse celebration that can elevate theMCU.
X-Men ‘97
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X-Men ‘97 is the direct continuation of the popular 1990s animated series X-Men: The Animated Series. Taking up where the third season left off, Marvel’s revival brings back famous mutants such as Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Beast, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, who fight villains like Mr. Sinister, the Sentinels, and the Hellfire Club.
Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again follows blind lawyer Matt Murdock, who uses his heightened abilities to pursue justice in New York. As he manages a bustling law firm, former mob boss Wilson Fisk navigates political ambitions, leading both men toward a confrontation as their pasts resurface.
Spider-Man 4 is the first sequel to the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland as the titular wall-crawler. After wiping his identity for the public’s memory in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker continues his crime-fighting adventures without the aid of Iron Man technology or the support of his former allies.
Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will bring together heroes, new and old, to face off against Victor von Doom - played by the returning Robert Downey Jr.. Avengers 5 will also mark the beginning of phase 6 of the MCU.
