For the movie business, 2020 has pretty much been a write-off. Since March, the theatrical industry’s been a virtual non-entity, and it doesn’t show any signs of improving in the near future. Warner Bros. have rocked the boat with the decision to send their entire slate of releases to HBO Max, which hasn’t gone down well with some of the contracted talent, but hopefully the rest of the major studios decide that the future of cinema still lies on the big screen.
Of course, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been enduring a drought the likes of which they’ve never experienced before, with Spider-Man: Far From Home the last new entry into the world’s biggest franchise. Phase Four still hasn’t kicked off yet, and we’re in the first calendar year in a very long time that none of the comic book outfit’s properties have been spotted at the multiplex, but that’s all set to change soon.
Following the series of massive announcements made at this week’s Disney Investor Day, 2021 is officially the biggest year in the MCU’s history by some distance, with four movies and six TV shows set for release. Things begin in January with WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier debuts in March, and Black Widow will finally arrive twelve months behind schedule in May, the same month that Loki lands on Disney Plus.
July then brings Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Chloe Zao’s Eternals is set for November, and Spider-Man 3 swings into theaters in December. What If…?, Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye have also been confirmed for 2021 debuts on the small screen but don’t have locked-in dates yet, and right now, it looks as though Kevin Feige and his team will be more than making up for lost time with an onslaught of Marvel Cinematic Universe content.