As the Coronavirus known as COVID-19 continues to sweep the globe, the entertainment industry is being hit hard. Think of a movie or TV show you're excited about, and chances are it's either not coming out when it was supposed to, or production on it has been delayed thanks to the pandemic.
Earlier today, Disney and Marvel Studios finally confirmed that Black Widow is no longer set to arrive in theaters (which are now all closed) on May 1st. Instead, it's coming...well, we don't know!
We know you guys are concerned about what happens next (or doesn't, in this case), so we're now taking a look at more upcoming superhero movies and TV shows which look set to be delayed thanks to COVID-19. Exploring their planned release dates, when they're supposed to start/finish shooting, and more, we also attempt to figure out when we'll potentially end up seeing them.
So, to take a look at the projects likely to be delayed next, simply click the "Next" button down below.
10. The Falcon And The Winter Soldier
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is supposed to debut on Disney+ this August, but the production was recently forced to leave Prague due to Coronavirus concerns, and reliable sources have noted that there's still a lot from the first few episodes which Marvel Studios needs to shoot.
That means the show is far from complete, despite being right around the corner.
At this point, you would think that principal photography would have been completed, but a TV series is a different beast to a movie, and Disney isn't planning to release all episodes in one go. So, with scenes still needing to be shot and work currently on hold for the foreseeable future, it's highly likely that the first MCU adventure coming to the small screen will have to be pushed back.
9. Wonder Woman 1984
Warner Bros. recently went to great lengths to promote the fact that Wonder Woman 1984 is going to be released on June 5th by marking the fact it's 84 days away from hitting theaters.
However, with everywhere from AMC to Odeon to Regal Cinemas to Cineworld closing their doors across the globe for an indefinite period, the studio is unlikely to have anywhere to screen the sequel! Right now, it's all about flattening the curve, and that's going to a lengthy process.
It would be nice to think that everything will be back to normal by June, but there's a reason governments are trying to suppress this pandemic until the summer. With Disney postponing every single film coming out in May, studios making similar decisions for that month and June feels inevitable.
8. Morbius
Right now, Morbius seems relatively safe. After all, it's set to be released in July, and that feels like a very long time away right now. In a perfect world, life will start returning to normal by then, but there's no guarantee, and President Donald Trump has already warned that restrictions could be in place right through the summer.
Reshoots were recently completed on the SUMC movie, and chances are it is now in the post-production phase; the question is, are editors and VFX artists currently able to work on it?
That's another big mystery, but if it is pretty much ready to go, Morbius seems like a good fit to follow in the footsteps of Trolls World Tour and The Invisible Man by heading straight to Digital platforms. Sony Pictures probably won't be happy with that, but it's a viable option if theaters are still closed then.
7. Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
We finally got some good news earlier today when Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton confirmed that he's tested negative for the Coronavirus.
Unfortunately, that will make no difference to the production as it's been put on an indefinite hold in Australia. Right now, it's just two weeks, but if studios don't anticipate theaters being open by the end of May, chances are they won't be able to continue shooting between now and then.
With Shang-Chi currently scheduled for release next February, a delay like this will almost certainly result in that release date being forced to change as a rushed blockbuster is never good.
6. WandaVision
Like The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, WandaVision reportedly has scenes left to shoot in Atlanta, but with so much of that taking place in a studio in order to replicate those classic sitcoms, it's not outside the realm of possibility that this one is further along than most of us would think.
After all, it's already been brought forward to 2020 from 2021, so could it move up and take the place of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier? Honestly, we doubt it, especially as the nature of the Marvel Cinematic Universe means these stories all tie together and WandaVision probably references the events of the series that precedes it.
If the first of these Marvel TV shows coming is delayed, it's inevitable that the second will be as well to avoid them clashing.
5. Eternals
Marvel Studios hasn't revealed a new release date for Black Widow, and as much as we'd like to see it on Disney+, that sadly doesn't make sense for a long list of reasons (mostly financial).
With that in mind, it taking Eternals' place in November is a strong possibility. With the summer looking grim, standard reshoots and test screenings will not end up being able to take place, and that puts Eternals in jeopardy, even though principal photography on the project recently wrapped up.
As we mentioned, Shang-Chi is supposed to be coming next February, but perhaps Eternals can now take its place, even if that is a risky month to debut a blockbuster such as this one.
4. Spider-Man 3
Tom Holland recently confirmed that shooting on the next Spider-Man movie will begin in July, but for the reasons we've already covered here, that's a date which could be off-limits to Sony.
Recently, Uncharted's start date was pushed back by six weeks, and that could lead to scheduling conflicts for the actor (something tells us Spider-Man 3 will be a bigger priority for the studio).
Regardless of what they're hoping to start work on, Spider-Man 3 could find itself pushed back to a Fall start date, and that might be problematic for fans excited to see that cliffhanger resolved.
3. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Sam Raimi recently replaced Scott Derrickson as the director of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but with an expected start date of the summer, the fate of the Sorcerer Supreme's sequel is as every bit as mysterious as the movie's plot right now.
The trades recently revealed that Marvel Studios personnel are currently working "remotely" on the Disney+ TV shows in pre-production, so we can safely assume that's the case for their movies too. However, being ready to shoot isn't really the same as actually being able to!
As a result, Shang-Chi moving into its prime May slot honestly wouldn't shock us at this moment.
2. The Batman
Warner Bros. recently hit the pause button on a slew of upcoming movies, including Fantastic Beasts 3, The Matrix 4, and sadly, The Batman. Right now, it's a two-week hiatus, but with the production based in the UK (where the Coronavirus is really starting to ramp up), work starting again after the period is doubtful.
On the plus side, The Batman's release date is way off - June 2021 - so even a sizeable delay in production might not cause too many problems for the studio.
Once again, the main issue here is when it will be safe for work to commence on films such as this, but if Matt Reeves can handle a quick turnaround in the post-production phase, it could be safe. If not, then it slipping into the Fall is something we'll just have to come to terms with.
1. Loki
Loki has only recently started shooting in Atlanta, and while it has a vague premiere date of "Spring 2021," any sort of lengthy delay is definitely going to put that at risk.
The benefit to Marvel Studios only releasing one episode at a time on Disney+ is that they can work on later instalments while the first one airs, but depending on how the land lies later this year, that could be a risky prospect (the finales of shows like Supergirl and Supernatural, for example, could air long after they were meant to).
Right now, the God of Mischief's first solo show could potentially meet its planned debut on Disney's new streaming service, but don't be surprised if it ends up slipping into the summer!