I’ve tried to include release dates where I can, but as we know, these things can change on a dime (or be canceled as tax write-offs…), so everything below is subject to change until you are actually sitting down and watching it! And possibly even after that.
I also want to note that this is a big year for me personally, as we’re getting my two favorite Marvel properties (Fantastic Four and Daredevil) and one of my two favorite DC properties (Superman). (My other favorite DC property is Green Arrow, which has never been adapted, and also, there is no war in Ba Sing Se.) I’m cautiously optimistic, but emphasis on the “cautious,” so I thank you for your understanding in this trying time.
*Note: this roundup focuses on major U.S. releases*
Movies
Captain America: Brave New World (February 14)
The fourth Captain America movie, starring Anthony Mackie as Cap/Sam Wilson, has been the subject of controversy for some time since it includes the Israeli superhero Sabra, leading some to call for a boycott of all Marvel products. Further controversy arose a few months ago when it was revealed that the character is a product of Russia’s Black Widow program, which may mean she isn’t actually Israeli or Jewish in the movie (although her civilian name is still Ruth Bat-Seraph, and…that’s not a Russian name). It remains to be seen how the character will be handled and whether she—or the lack of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers—will affect the movie’s box office performance. It’s a shame because Mackie deserves a proper outing as Cap after the mediocre Disney+ show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier whiffed it. Happy Valentine’s Day to us?
Thunderbolts* (May 2)
There is a sort of “scraping the bottom of the barrel” kind of creation in the 17th year of the MCU that I’ve started calling Extruded MCU Product. There are movies and shows starring beloved characters or improving upon the MCU’s diversity that people are genuinely excited for, and then there is “How can we keep squeezing money out of this?” The Thunderbolts are a real Marvel Comics team—usually villains either pretending or genuinely attempting to make good, not unlike DC’s Suicide Squad—but was anyone really clamoring for a Thunderbolts movie? Still, I’ve been wrong before. I dismissed Agatha All Along as a shameless Product, and it was actually great. Plus, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes and Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova are always a delight. And the trailer looks pretty fun, so I guess we’ll see! (No, I don’t know why the title has an asterisk in it.)
Superman (July 11)
Has any superhero fanbase suffered as much as Superman’s when it comes to movie adaptations? From awkward Christopher Reeve sequels in the ’80s to the creepy Superman Returns to the many crimes of the DCEU, most of us have long since stopped believing that a man can fly. This reboot of the character—and the first movie in the “soft reboot” of DC’s cinematic universe—stars David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and is written and directed by James Gunn. Gunn has made a number of successful superhero movies and clearly loves the DCU, as evidenced by the number of cameos he’s cramming into this one (Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, Guy Gardner, Metamorpho, and more), but I’m unsure if his cynical sense of humor is going to be a good fit for Ma and Pa Kent’s little boy. Then again, it’s all uphill from Man of Steel.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25)
Okay, yes, Fantastic Four fans have suffered more than Superman fans. At least Superman fans got Reeve; the world has yet to see a good FF movie. This one stars Vanessa Kirby as the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as the Human Torch, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the Thing, and the internet’s boyfriend Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic. It seems to be set in a retro-futuristic 1960s (or “1960s-inspired”?) world, which is an interesting and potentially smart move, as the FF often feels like a very old-fashioned team. Matt Shakman as director also seems smart, since he produced and directed WandaVision, which employed retro-pastiche to great success. However, it’s unclear how they’re going to shoehorn the FF into the history of the MCU, and there’s always the risk that putting them in the past compounds the problem of them feeling irrelevant in the present. As with Superman, I’m keeping my expectations low and my hopes high.
Television
Despite the end of the long-running Arrowverse with the finale of Superman and Lois in December, DC has a number of shows already kicking around, mostly on Max. Season 5 of Harley Quinn is premiering on January 16, and season 2 of Peacemaker sometime in August. We can also likely expect new seasons of My Adventures with Superman and Batman: Caped Crusader, though Creature Commandos is a little bit more iffy since the first season premiered so late in 2024.
We will also probably get a second season of Sandman, though it’s unclear how involved Neil Gaiman has been in its production since the allegations about him broke; unlike Amazon Prime’s Good Omens, he hasn’t said anything about stepping away from the project.
On the non-DC-and-Marvel side of things (it does exist!), we may also see new seasons of One Piece and Gen V.
There are also six new shows coming to Disney+:
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (January 29)
Too impatient to wait for more Spider-Verse? This animated show offers yet another alternate version of Spider-Man, this one a Peter Parker who was mentored by Norman Osborn rather than Tony Stark. Spidey will be voiced by Hudson Thames, reprising his role from Marvel’s What If…?
Daredevil: Born Again (March 4)
This isn’t really a new show, so much as Netflix’s Daredevil being uncanceled and ported over to Disney+, presumably with somewhat less violence. Most of the major players from the original show are returning, including Charlie Cox as Daredevil, Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin, Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson, Jon Bernthal as Punisher, and Wilson Bethel as Bullseye. It’s unclear how closely it will follow the comics storyline of the same name, but I would watch this cast do literally anything, so I am seated no matter what.
Ironheart (June 4)
Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams, a genius inventor with a suit similar to Iron Man’s, debuted in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Her new show puts her on a collision course with the villain the Hood, played by Hamilton’s Anthony Ramos.
Eyes of Wakanda (August 6)
This animated series will star the Hatut Zaraze, Wakandan warriors, and was developed by Ryan Coogler, who wrote and directed both Black Panther movies. It seems to be mostly featuring new characters, expanding the Wakanda side of the MCU.
Marvel Zombies (October 3)
This animated series is a spinoff of What If…? and it’s about zombies. I…don’t have anything further to say about that, honestly.
Wonder Man (December, exact date TBD)
Our final Disney+ show of the year, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, a superpowered stuntman starring in a superhero TV show. This kind of self-referential comedy has the potential to be extremely funny in such a long-running universe; color me intrigued.
MCU fatigue or not, we clearly won’t be hurting for comic book adaptations on the big or small screens in 2025. What are you looking forward to the most? Let us know on social media!
