Marvel Studios loves to cloak its releases in as much secrecy as possible, as traditionally the fandom’s excitement for each new MCU entry is rabid enough to do the marketing department’s job for them. Sometimes, though, it just leads to endless chaos, as has been the case with Agatha All Along. 115l73

That’s right, friends ⏤ we have another show title in the mix after being given no less than half a dozen possibilities over the time span of what feels like five years. Since being announced in summer 2022, the WandaVision spinoff for Kathryn Hahn’s fan-favorite sorceress Agatha Harkness (not many characters can kill an adorable puppy and still be beloved — kudos to Hahn for that one) has gone by a total of five titles so far. The show was initially subtitled House of Harkness before morphing into Coven of Chaos and then the strangely CW-sounding Darkhold Diaries before veering into murky The Lying Witch With Great Wardrobe waters.

So is Agatha All Along the final, official, no-going-backsies title, or is Marvel pulling another fast one on us?

Disney has revealed the actual Agatha title, so everyone pretend to be shocked 31n5l

When the titles kept changing as much as WandaVision changed genres per episode, Marvel detectives started wondering if there was a bigger game being played here. Some theorized that all these titles were actually deliberately misleading so that the ultimate title could be revealed as Agatha All Along, a reference to the anti-villain’s absolute earworm of a theme song. Many also predicted that these were actually episode titles as opposed to the overall show title, which some thought would turn out to simply be Agatha.

Well, it looks like we were right about Marvel playing a trick on us. On May 14, 2024, the studio finally unveiled the official title, confirming that it’s Agatha All Along ⏤ which we should have known all along. Back in September 2023, Variety‘s intel suggested that this game of title musical chairs was all part of the plan, saying the changes were “more a suggestion that Agatha is up to her old skulduggery” than an indication of indecision on Marvel’s part. So while Marvel had no doubt been hoping that the reveal of a simple Agatha title would create a viral moment as everyone slapped their foreheads and went “of course!,” we can officially confirm that this has been even more of a duh moment, as Agatha All Along is both perfect and the most sensical.

As it happens, Agatha has taken so long to get here that we’re pretty sure we’ve worked out all the little surprises the show has in store, from Joe Locke’s secret character to Aubrey Plaza’s villain. Even so, let’s keep the hype high for what is sure to be Marvel’s biggest live-action streaming series of the year. After all ⏤ anything can happen when Agatha’s involved.

As Marvel also announced, Agatha All Along arrives on Disney Plus Sept. 18.

Madame Web might be the most embarrassing superhero movie bomb in… forever, but you can’t deny that it’s made a much bigger impact on the world than most middling Marvel films. It’s been roasted on SNL, got namedropped at the Oscars, and it may just have killed off an entire cinematic universe.

But, before we get to that, Disney Plus has just dropped a rib-tickling gag that would’ve been a whole lot funnier if we hadn’t already seen the punchline coming a year ago…

Agatha was Agatha all along… Well, duh 646743

The final — and we mean it this time — title and logo for the WandaVision spinoff starring Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness has supposedly been revealed. And, everyone, pretend to act shocked. According to this, the show won’t be titled Agatha: House of Harkness, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, or Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, but just Agatha. You see, it was Agatha… all along. Keeping a sense of mystery and confusion around the show before basing the title around the character’s fan-favorite song is a fun bit of marketing on Marvel’s part, but let’s be honest, we all saw this coming months ago. And here’s the receipts to prove it.

Venom 3‘s official title suggests Sony knows the game is up 323f2f

We have just the one Marvel Studios movie coming this year — Deadpool & Wolverine, of course — but because we’ve clearly done something to offend the movie gods, we’re also getting not one, not two but three different entries in Sony’s Spider-Man universe. It’s just possible the end for this failed yet foolhardy franchise is in sight, however, as Venom 3‘s official title has been released… and it suggests it’ll close out the trilogy. Arriving in theaters on Oct. 25, it’s called Venom: The Last Dance. With Madame Web even more unlikely to get a sequel than Morbius, and August’s Kraven the Hunter surely facing the same fate, could this be it for the Spider-Man universe without Spider-Man?

X-Men ’97 losing its showrunner a week before its premiere means the MCU hasn’t changed 17k1r

For a moment there, we had hope. Hope that 2024 would be a very different year for Marvel than 2023 and the franchise wouldn’t be overshadowed by controversies and scandals anymore. And then, just one week before X-Men ’97 hits Disney Plus, we find out that showrunner Beau DeMayo has been unceremoniously removed from the series with immediate effect, even being banned from attending the premiere. Clearly, there is more to come out here, in what is an even more sudden and unexpected firing than Jonathan Majors as Kang. And we were just hoping for some controversy-free cartoon entertainment. Ah, well, maybe next time. Deadpool & Wolverine, you have four months to stay out of trouble.

With apologies to Echo and those trio of animated series, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries has to be the most eagerly anticipated of Marvel’s’ Disney Plus shows coming in 2024. That’s what you get when you build a show around a character who singlehandedly became a TikTok sensation.

Yes, as much as we all love literally everything Kathryn Hahn does in WandaVision, it was the “Agatha All Along” song that truly cemented her as an icon. The mere sight of Hahn in character alone causes the catchy jingle to worm its way back into your ear. So the latest rumor on the spinoff series is sounding awfully believable, even if we maybe shouldn’t put too much stock into it just yet.

As has been mercilessly mocked time and time again, Agatha House of Harkness Coven of Chaos Darkhold Diaries has changed its subtitle three times over since its initial announcement. At last check, it was going by Darkhold Diaries, but everyone’s fully expecting there to be another name change before it arrives on streaming in fall 2024. If you believe the freshest intel swirling around on social, though, then its final title is both on point and has possibly been planned… all along.

You guessed it. Word has it Agatha All Along will be the show’s official title.

It has been reported before that the many name changes have been part of Marvel’s long-term plan for the series to reflect its central character. So if it really does go by this title then we can understand the logic there. Not only does all the mystery and the obfuscation reflect the enigmatic Ms. Harkness it can also allow the studio to drop the punchline “it was Agatha All Along all along!” when the time finally comes to pull the rug.

Whether that will turn out to ultimately be a smart move or not — like how the idea to subtly publicize Secret Invasion, with online cryptograms and codes to reflect the conspiracy thriller plot, only meant that nobody watched it — we will have to see when Agatha… Whatever hits Disney Plus next autumn.

After the year the MCU has had in 2023, it’s hard to deny that Marvel fatigue is a real problem these days.

While viewers were happy to lap up one, two or even three releases a year during the Infinity Saga, the super-sized nature of the Multiverse Saga has seen audiences become burnt out by the number of projects the studio is asking us to keep up with in order to follow the franchise.

For instance, 2023 and 2022 delivered six live-action movies and TV shows, while 2021 offered up a whopping eight (four shows, four films), plus an animation. Thankfully, things are shrinking down to a much more manageable level for 2024, with only three live-action releases spread out across the following 12 months. Although a trilogy of animated series are helping pad out Marvel’s schedule.

This slate wasn’t necessarily by design, however, as the strikes have forced Marvel to delay various productions into 2025, but it does offer the MCU an opportunity to cool down and reignite viewers’ dormant love for this cinematic universe. Luckily, the handful of projects on their way each have an opportunity to fix things, either in small, qualitative ways or huge, phase-defining ones.

Here are all six movies and shows, ranked by exactly how much they can save the MCU.

6. X-Men ’97 (Jan. 3) 6611j

it it, you forgot X-Men ’97 was happening, right? A unique entry on the MCU’s slate, this animated series is the very first time that Marvel Studios has taken a property from the past and rebooted it under its own umbrella.

From what we’re hearing, the show will be very much a clear continuation of the original X-Men: The Animated Series from the 1990s, but given it is made by Marvel Studios, it is surely bound to have some kind of multiversal crossovers. It’s entirely possible, then, that X-Men ’97 might sow the seeds for Avengers: Secret Wars in certain, subtle ways.

5. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (TBD) v3c4n

In its original form as Spider-Man: Freshman Year, this animated series depicting the origins of the MCU’s Peter Parker could’ve been easily the most integral animation Marvel has yet produced. However, its development has taken it in a wholly different direction which leaves it perhaps more opportunity to get creative, but also puts a cap on how much it can impact the MCU.

Basically, although initially intended as a Captain America: Civil War prequel, Your Friendly Neighborhood… You-Know is set in its own continuity divorced from the Sacred Timeline. Still, it’s possible it could effect things if the show’s versions of the Osborns, Doctor Octopus, and others eventually turn up on Earth-616.

4. Eyes of Wakanda (TBD) 5442f

Surprise! In a rare project that has successfully been kept totally under wraps until late in the game, Marvel has announced Eyes of Wakanda, an animated series set in the world of Black Panther, is coming to Disney Plus in 2024. The unique show will follow brave Wakandan warriors throughout time as they leave their homeland and travel the world to retrieve vibranium artifacts.

The interesting thing about Eyes is that it gives EP Ryan Coogler the perfect opportunity to flesh out the mythology and history of Wakanda, in a way that could easily feed into whatever he may be cooking up for Black Panther 3 (whenever that gets here).

3. Echo (Jan. 10) 50h1k

Echo was very much the victim of poor pre-release buzz for a long while there, thanks to reports about Marvel having a serious lack of faith in it behind the scenes. And while it is true that its runtime was cut from six to five episodes and it’s being dropped in one go instead of releasing weekly, the first trailer for Echo amped up the hype in spades thanks to its gritty, extremely Netflix Daredevil vibe.

As the first R-rated MCU project — released under the brand-new Marvel Spotlight banner — Echo has the potential to convince viewers that this franchise can break out of its house style and still surprise us.

2. Agatha: Darkhold Diaries (Fall) 4p4c2q

You may argue that Agatha: Darkhold Diaries is a bizarre, perhaps even superfluous, Marvel release? Didn’t the WandaVision craze long ago? Well, maybe but it has to be said that, outside of Loki, no other MCU Disney Plus show has whipped up the internet into a frenzy in quite the same way as WandaVision, so Agatha could finally bring us back to that wonderful time when everyone was hooked on Marvel TV week after week.

On the world-building front, meanwhile, Agatha is believed to do its bit to set up the Young Avengers as well, not to mention expanding the ever-growing, increasingly significant mystical side of the MCU. Discount this one at your peril.

1. Deadpool 3 (May 3) 3h603l

Yes, there’s no doubt about it. When it comes to saving the MCU, the bulk of that weight falls on Deadpool 3. Originally to be ed by Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and Blade, DP3 stands as the sole theatrical release from Marvel Studios in 2024.

But what might have initially seemed like a blow could actually turn out to be a blessing. Intel says Marvel is extremely confident about this one, and everything we’ve seen about it suggests it’ll essentially be Avengers: Secret Wars #0, with cameos and crossovers galore. Spider-Man: No Way Home remains Marvel’s most popular movie since Endgame thanks to its legacy stars and multiversal team-ups. With any luck, the power of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman can achieve something similar and kickstart a brighter future for the MCU heading into 2025.

So far, Jeffrey Wright, the voice talent behind Uatu the Watcher in the Marvel Studios series What If…?, has stayed entirely coy when asked about whether or not he could reprise the role in a live-action capacity. But any MCU fan worth their salt knows that everything is confirmed in the Marvel universe until it is officially refuted, so the natural next step is to speculate on when Uatu will be rolling up in the land of Earth-616.

But, all kidding aside, it would be wise to expect an appearance sooner rather than later; it’s only natural, after all, that the being whose in-universe role is to observe the multiverse, has a place in an era known as the Multiverse Saga. Given his rather primordial state of being, it’s entirely within the realm of possibility that he’ll end up playing a major role once the crusade against Kang the Conqueror reaches crunch time.

Deadpool 3 (2024) 32m41

Marvel is investing a lot of faith in Wade Wilson finally ing the franchise, so much so that it has shifted everything else to 2025 (which is already a bad omen). Hoping Deadpool 3 to be an absolute winner with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman pulling its weight is not a far-fetched expectation, nor is predicting the Watcher’s return in the film. Why? The Marvels didn’t do a lot, but it did confirm that the X-Men reside in a different reality — one which almost crashed into Earth-616.

So, Deadpool is obviously a part of this new reality, where FYI, Monica is stuck in. We know that she is part of The Marvels now and won’t be staying in there forever. Then there is the fact that the MCU can’t really be expected to toggle between multiple realities on a regular basis, or to keep its arduously- acquired mutants away from its prime superheroes. The two realities will either merge, or a selected group of mutants might migrate to the OG reality, seriously screwing up the rules of the multiverse. And just who is monitoring the whole wide universe as we speak? The Watcher, of course. And he might break his ive streak to briefly appear and at least frown at this blatant flouting of strict multiversal guidelines.

Agatha: Darkhold Diaries (2024) 6o4929

A lot about Agatha: Darkhold Diaries is still up in the air — we are still waiting with baited breath for Marvel to change its title again — but that has only fueled rumors of what is to come. And its leaked featurette (which also doesn’t reveal anything) has only stoked the flames further, like a certain dead body on a stretcher with the name “W. Maximoff” on it.

Well, it is possible that while Agatha manages to end Wanda’s mind control, she is unable to break the illusion-jail the Scarlet Witch left her to rot in. And to escape that, she needs the OG Wanda, who is technically dead in the MCU. So, the next natural step would be for the seasoned witch to revive her nemesis. Whoa! Trying to bring someone dead back to life? Everyone who has seen the alternate Doctor Strange in What If…? trying and failing to stop Christine’s death will how the Watcher appeared to caution the desperate Sorcerer.

That was a relatively innocent being Strange was hell-bent on saving, and Wanda was the unhinged mother, ready to tear apart realities to find her children. My money is on the Watcher doing more than just warning Agatha of the consequences.

Fantastic Four (2025) 3n183l

The Watcher has a long comic book history with the Fantastic Four, for whom he constantly breaks his oath to not interfere with the happenings inside the multiverse, after which he often gets punished by a council of other Watchers for his transgressions.

Of course, delving into the Watcher’s possible involvement at the same time that we meet the Four would be far too fast-paced for any sane person’s comfort, but we wouldn’t be surprised if we got a glimpse of Uatu in a mid- or post-credits scene of the first MCU film featuring Marvel’s first family.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) 1z4v52

Somewhere within the events of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars is where Uatu really has a chance to shine; what follows is a bit of a rabbit hole, so bear with me.

Comic book storylines aren’t necessarily the only source of inspiration that Marvel Studios has as its disposal; indeed, if the studio wants to get extra cheeky with its pair of Multiverse Saga mega-crossovers, they could adapt a storyline from Marvel: Ultimate Alliance – a 2006 action role-playing game published by Activision, which featured an entirely original plot that wasn’t adapted from a comic book.

During the game, the players take control of various Marvel heroes as they wage a war of attrition against the Masters of Evil, a supervillain collective led by Doctor Doom. After a battle late in the game with Loki and the Destroyer Armor, Doctor Doom appears and is moments away from eliminating the heroes, but guess who intervenes at the last second to transport the heroes to a safe location on the moon operated by the Inhumans — you guessed it — Uatu.

It’s a stretch, to be sure, but the logistics of it all would almost certainly work for a Secret Wars-inspired arc in the MCU; who’s to say that — right before Kang pulverizes the Avengers and decimates the multiverse’s timelines into some bastardized Battleworld equivalent — Uatu couldn’t step in and transport the heroes to a safe zone just in the nick of time, where they and other champions of the multiverse can regroup and prepare for the long game against the Council of Kangs?

We’ll ultimately just have to wait and see where (and if) Uatu gets brought into the live-action fold. He certainly has a seat reserved whenever Loki appears next — the Watcher is practically the silent supervisor of the multiverse while the God of Stories controls the very thread of existence and all realities. Who knows, with Loki pulling the literal strings now, Uatu will find that his glorious purpose is a lot more than just uttering pearls of wisdom.

Let’s talk numbers. In a year when the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon generated almost $2.5 billion worldwide — that’s nearly as much as Avengers: Endgame did on its own — an MCU movie looks set to struggle to make $200 million by the time it leaves theaters.

So, it might be for the best if Marvel does as rumor indicates it may be doing and yoinks the star of one of those two monolithic movies that made up the “Barbenheimer” craze for its most highly anticipated reboot. However you add it up that would surely only equate to a fantastic result.

The Marvels vanishes into a box office black hole after just three weeks 1h2227

Thought Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was an embarrassing flop for Marvel? Well, at least it remained in the box office top five for six weeks earlier this year. The Marvels, meanwhile, has officially ticked off yet another negative MCU record by being the first film in the franchise to vanish from the top five in just three weeks, as The Marvels only came in sixth this past Thanksgiving weekend with a measly $7.9 million haul worldwide (yes, worldwide). All in all, The Marvels is estimated to have earned around $189 million, so it’s genuinely possible it might not reach past $200 million, a feat once unthinkable for the all-powerful MCU.

Fantastic Four may steal from Marvel’s deadliest competition for its Doctor Doom 536f6n

On the upside, Marvel is clearly doing its darndest to make sure this situation won’t be repeated with one of its most lucrative properties, 2025’s Fantastic Four. If you believe the casting rumors, Pedro Pascal is Mr. Fantastic, Javier Bardem is Galactus, and, according to the latest intel, Cillian Murphy could be Doctor Doom. Apart from the Irish actor being a wonderful choice for the part, it certainly would be a canny move for Marvel to hire the man who helped Oppenheimer earn $950 million globally, knocking Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 into fourth ranking in the year’s highest-grossing movies. Even if all these stars in one film would mean the budget has to be stretched more strenuously than Reed Richards.

Agatha: Darkhold Diaries featurette spoils the MCU’s next (and possibly last) Halloween special 3r5gs

Disney Plus fans, rejoice, we now have our first look at Agatha: Darkhold Diaries thanks to a new featurette that premiered on the Blu-ray release of WandaVision (yes, that’s a real thing). The two-minute promo even features what we’re pretty sure is a glimpse at the Witches Road, which will prove key to the Witches Road Halloween special that’s believed to follow the show next October. Unfortunately, we’ve just learned that this could be the final Marvel Special Presentation, as rumor has it Marvel is axing the brand due to Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special underperforming. Goodbye to an annual tradition killed off before it had the chance to get started.

From the looks of the many The Marvels trailers, it doesn’t take a genius to guess that most of the story will unfold in space and on the Kree planet. On top of that, it is one of the shortest Marvel films ever at 1 hour 45 minutes and yet, the list of expectations from the film is only getting longer and wilder.

There is already a lot The Marvels is technically bound to accomplish based on the finer points of its plot — explain why Monica is mad at Carol, what role the bangles play, and how the ones not wearing any (Carol and Monica) are still bound by it, flesh out the motivations of MCU’s brand new villain, how the Kree vs Carol rivalry will pan out, and will the trio stick together as a team post the film’s events. 

But The Marvels is now expected to unravel the most remotely possible threads and/or simply end the surprises that have been dangled over our heads for so long. While some can be justified with a sliver of logic, the rest? Lofty dreams fellows Marvel-ers!

Hopes that Dar-Benn is Thanos’ daughter 1g6364

All the purple light in the trailer has convinced a few (which includes folks here at WGTC) that Dar-Benn is Thanos’ daughter and is seeking revenge from Carol for aiding in his death.

To somehow debut the X-Men 2s1x4d

Though the tease was deliberate and there have been rumors of The Beast appearing in the post-credit scenes, the massive expectation has crossed the boundaries of sanity and hopes are for all the X-Men to somehow make their debut in The Marvels.

To include Storm 6uv4s

The blink-and-miss scene of a woman going past Monica in a white suit has triggered many theories that range from it being an alternate Maria Rambeau or, the more favored option but less likely option, Storm. 

Explain Kamala’s true origins 592c3a

Ms. Marvel ended on a really confusing note — what is Kamala? A part-Djinn, a mutant, or the first official entry for MCU’s Inhumans? Even though the chances of The Marvels focusing on anything but the bangles are slim, many are certain it will put an end to this confusion.

Say that Monica is also a mutant 654f

All she needed was to force her way through Wanda’s hex to get her powers — and that’s the only difference between her and everybody else who got taken over by Scarlet Witch’s magic. Since the question mark on Kamala’s true identity, every character suddenly acquiring powers is now on the mutant radar.

Debut the Inhumans 3p22p

Between Kamala’s messy origin clues and Anson Mount’s Black Bolt appearing in Doctor Strange 2, Inhumans getting an official introduction is on the demand list. But unless the MCU is powered by the real-life version of the Darhold, that is so not happening. 

To include Thor 2n6s43

Thor making an appearance in Loki season 2 is a ship that has sailed. But the final trailer of the film showcasing Valkyrie has given way to wild theories cooking up the God of Thunder’s smash entry in the Captain Marvel sequel.

To see Valkyrie team up with the trio 3k6l22

At best, the Asgardian warrior has a cameo appearance in the film that is set to focus on the MCU’s new team. But the running consensus is that Valkyrie is here to the three against Dar-benn. I can not roll my eyes hard enough.

See the remaining Guardians 6957s

Just because the team somewhat disbanded and James Gunn has said his goodbyes doesn’t mean they will pop up everywhere from now on.

Explain the repercussions of No Way Home 2z4j40

The Marvels has its own “crashing reality” to deal with before it jumps to address the after-effects of Peter’s bad decisions. Even MoM didn’t do that!

Confirm Wanda’s return 3119e

The OG Wanda is officially dead in the MCU, but it is certain that Elizabeth Olsen will return as the character, even if it’s an alternate version. But I am drawing a blank on why and how can The Marvels hint at her return.

Tease Agatha: Darkhold Diaries 613356

Again, the connection is Monica, and completing the chain is the spin-off series. Do let me know if you see a coven of witches muttering “Double, double, toil, and trouble” while floating in space.

Reveal the status of Skrulls on Earth (we do see them in trailers) 6i153q

When a whole show dedicated to their not-so-secret invasion didn’t reveal it, why will The Marvels?

Wrap up MCU’s topmost forever plot hole — G’iah 3250n

G’iah is currently the most powerful character in the MCU, which effectively nullifies any and every individual or army’s chance of winning against her as well as devalues MCU’s tapestry of a dozen and half films with the heroes locked in a tussle with the villain(s). She can end any fight within seconds — there is no excitement, no stakes.

Show how Ritson will lose his seat 546w6s

Given MCU’s new trend of abrupt changes, the more plausible expectation should be Captain America 4 starting with Harrison Ford as President, with a throwaway line explaining why Ritson was sacked.

Show the ripple effects of the drama unfolding at the TVA 591o2g

It is already a stretch to want Loki season 2 to conclude it. Hoping The Marvels to even acknowledge it is a pipe dream.

Introduce a Kang variant 2g435

He is, after all, the ultimate threat in Phase 5 and 6. But he is not going to appear in every single Marvel project, people! And given the direction Loki has taken, Kang or any of his variants might never mark their presence again.

Once upon a time, the Good Ship MCU was considered unsinkable. Rigid adherence to a crowd-pleasing formula, an insanely charismatic cast, and slowly building to periodic crossover events resulted in a steady stream of billion-dollar blockbusters.

But now, as per a bombshell article by Variety, the MCU is taking on water fast and beginning to list to one side. Problems range from the continued legal drama and bad press surrounding Jonathan Majors, a run of mediocre and outrageously expensive Disney Plus shows, and rushed movies that simply don’t cut the mustard.

The Good Ship MCU needs to right itself, so here are the ballast projects that should immediately be tossed overboard.

Blade o1sa

How hard can be to make a Blade movie? In 2019 Kevin Feige unveiled Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as the Daywalker, with fans responding positively to the casting. Since then it’s been an unfolding series of embarrassing calamities and repeated delays. The Variety piece claims Ali threatened to walk after a bizarre rewrite turned Blade into “a narrative led by women and filled with life lessons“, which would have seen Blade himself downgraded to a ing character.

Blade is still to shoot a single second of footage and as of Nov. 1 work has apparently begun “from scratch” on a new script, meaning we may not see it go before the cameras until late 2024 for a 2026 release. By this time Ali will be 53 and, as much as I’d like to have seen him as Blade, he may now simply be too old for the part.

The revelation its budget has been cut to a relatively scanty $100 million is just a rancid cherry on top. Cancel this obviously cursed production.

Echo 6f1a4j

Hawkeye spinoff Echo is due to premiere in January 2024 on Disney Plus, meaning it’s now practically complete. As painful as this would be for the cast and crew, Marvel Studios should keep it on the shelf. One of the reasons the entire franchise is sinking is that the brand is being diluted, and a zero-hype spinoff about a ing character from a two-year-old show will only exacerbate that.

The signs are also present that Marvel Studios don’t have a lot of faith in what they’ve seen. The run has already been shrunk from six episodes to five and, unlike every other Marvel Studios TV show, the entire season will be dumped on Disney Plus at once rather than released weekly, which to me indicates a total lack of confidence.

In addition, Echo is intended to lead into Daredevil: Born Again, which has just gone through a huge creative shake-up that will dramatically alter its story. Will Echo even make sense if the show it’s building up to no longer has the same plot? Pull a Batgirl and make Echo a tax write-off.

Agatha: Darkhold Diaries 592n27

We all enjoyed Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness in WandaVision, especially her toe-tappin theme song. Even so, do we seriously need a spinoff show about her, especially one that will now arrive in “late 2024” almost four years after WandaVision concluded?

If the Agatha Harkness series had come out a year on from WandaVision it could have ridden a wave of hype, perhaps even tying loosely into Wanda’s story in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in May 2022. Now, with Agatha’s antagonist Wanda apparently very definitely dead, there’s little narrative point in this vestigial story being told.

Darkhold Diaries was greenlit on a wave of memetic hype for Agatha, and that has now broken and long receded. Can it.

Spider-Man: Freshman Year pv2

After three solo movies, Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame we’ve seen a lot of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, but there’s still much of his story left untold. For example, we haven’t seen Holland’s Spider-Man’s origin, the death of Uncle Ben, or his earliest days figuring out his powers. As such, an animated show covering that unseen ground makes sense.

Spider-Man: Freshman Year isn’t that. It is set in MCU canon and takes place after the events of Civil War, but, in the multiversal twist, will then diverge into its own story. So, for example, it will feature Charlie Cox as the MCU Daredevil, but not the MCU Daredevil that will be in Daredevil: Born Again. Confused? We don’t blame you.

Despite all this, it is officially going to be part of Phase Five and is currently set to premiere on Nov 2, 2024. It’s a headscratcher why Freshman Year isn’t a part of Holland’s Spider-Man story and, with Sony’s excellent Spider-Verse movies covering similar multiversal Spidey grounds, it’s time to cut the losses (and the webs) on this ill-conceived show.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty / Secret Wars 693u2e

By all rights The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars should be the equal of the beloved Infinity War and Endgame; an all-out team-up two-parter that will see every Phase Four-Six story come to a satisfying conclusion. Both of these movies are set to heavily feature Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conquerer as the villain but, as succinctly put in the Variety article, “Marvel is truly f**ked with the whole Kang angle.” 

Let’s pretend for a moment we don’t live in a world where Majors is about to go on trial for domestic abuse. So far Kang has appeared in the awful Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and both seasons of Loki. In Quantumania he was killed by Ant-Man. In Loki season 1 he was impaled by Sylvie. In Loki season 2 he was spaghettified.

Kang dying every time he appears is, to say the least, not a good way to build up an imposing villain. Lest we forget, Infinity War introduced Thanos by showing him beating the crap out of the Hulk — now that’s how you show someone is a force to be reckoned with! Meanwhile Kang is out there pratfalling over every banana peel B-list heroes leave in his path.

All that and Kang is played by an actor who may well be facing a year behind bars in the near future? C’mon!

The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars are still three and four years away and there’s more than enough time to change course. Hey, Kevin Feige! Crack open the emergency box that says “Galactus”! Fast-track an X-Men movie! Make something happen with the Fantastic Four! Just literally anything but Kang!

Things used to be so simple when it came to MCU releases. Marvel Studios told us when a movie was coming out, we’d eagerly count down the months and weeks until it dropped and then — bamf! — there it was, right on time. The Multiverse Saga has been beset by constant scheduling difficulties since the beginning, however – although due to little fault of its own. First, the pandemic threw a wrench into the franchise’s entire slate at the start of the decade and then further issues were caused by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

It’s Marvel’s TV side that is particularly having a hard time of it of late, as the studio’s entire roster of streaming projects was recently shuffled backward, with some shows getting off lightly with a delay of a mere couple of months while others have been ripped from the schedules entirely, leaving a significant hold-up of at least a full year very likely. With so much change going on in Marvel’s Phase Five line-up, it’s hard to keep track of what’s coming out where.

Thanks to some preregistrations filed with the US Copyright Office, though, Marvel has provided some approximate release dates and windows for all but one of its slate of officially announced MCU series that, following the conclusion of Loki season 2, are on their way to Disney Plus. Even if they’re taking the scenic — rather than the fastest — route to streaming.

What If…? season 2 — Christmas 2023 4v704x

Marvel’s original plan for What If..? was to share a new season of the animated anthology series every year, but that’s already a bust thanks to the show skipping 2022. However, it seems the studio is dead-set on not missing out on 2023 too as the latest batch of glimpses into other universes is believed to premiere sometime around this Christmas Day. So, although a firm release date has yet to be given, we can likely expect things to kick off in late December.

Echo — Jan. 10, 2024 (approx.) 2t1v24

Echo‘s delay might sound like bad news, but it may just be for the best. Originally pegged for a mid-2023 due date, Echo was ultimately squeezed into a Nov. 29 release, with all five episodes set to drop in one go – a first for a Marvel Disney Plus series. As this had a whiff of Marvel being keen to sweep the Hawkeye spinoff under the rug in the shadow of The Marvels, it’s surely only for the best that it’s now set to arrive in January 2024, although it’s unclear if it’ll earn a weekly schedule again.

X-Men ’97 — Early 2024 303164

Flying somewhat under the radar among other Marvel shows is X-Men ’97 – the continuation to the beloved 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series. Although not set on the MCU’s Earth-616 (or 99999), it is a Marvel Studios production so can be counted as part of the Multiverse Saga. Like Echo, X-Men ’97 has managed to avoid too much of a significant setback as it was previously looking at a release sometime in late 2023 but is now coming in early 2024.

Agatha: Darkhold Diaries — Sep. 19, 2024 (approx.) 3s672r

The same can’t be said of Agatha, though, which has gone from gearing up for release this winter period to being pushed back all the way to September 2024. To be fair, though, premiering a show all about witches in time for Halloween probably makes a lot more strategic sense than sharing it around Christmastime. In addition to its delay, Agatha has also gotten itself a(nother) new title, it’s third overall. After House of Harkness and Coven of Chaos, it’s now officially called Agatha: Darkhold Diaries (and people have thoughts).

Spider-Man: Freshman Year — November 2024 4j2w4u

Alongside all these strike-related release delays, Spider-Man: Freshman Year is on its own little island. The animated prequel to the Homecoming trilogy — revealing the true MCU origins story of 616’s Peter Parker — has long been mulling quietly away in the background, until it was recently confirmed to still be happening. With What If…? star Hudson Thames taking over from Tom Holland, Freshman Year is expected to be the final MCU Disney Plus show of 2024. A second season, titled Spider-Man: Sophomore Year, has already been commissioned.

Daredevil: Born Again — January 2025 a6e1h

This is perhaps the biggest bummer for long-term Marvel TV lovers. As a mega-sized 18-episode season, we always knew Daredevil: Born Again — the much-anticipated relaunch of Netflix’s beloved Daredevil series — would take a while in getting here, as it was all set for early 2024 back when it was first announced in summer 2022. With the strikes having held up production for so long, however, the Charlie Cox revival has been pushed back an entire 12 months to arrive in January 2025 instead.

Ironheart — September 2025 5zf69

But, hey, you think Daredevil‘s had it tough? Spare a thought for poor Ironheart. Although the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever spinoff, that will bring back Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams as she gets to grips with continuing Tony Stark’s legacy, was once set to drop in autumn 2023. Filming already concluded on the show in late 2022. And yet Ironheart won’t arrive until fall 2025, which will be five years since its original announcement and three years after it wrapped shooting. Clearly, Marvel must be displeased with the result and is looking to undertake some significant post-production work

Wonder Man — Undated 131k22

It’s kind of ironic that Wonder Man, all about actor-turned-superhero Simon Williams, had to shut down production due to Hollywood’s actors going on strike. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the character who — I promise — has nothing to do with Gal Gadot’s DC heroine, Wonder Man was only broadly looking at a release sometime in 2024 but it is currently removed from the schedule altogether. Without a copyright preregistration in its name to date, it looks like it’s going to sit on the shelf for the foreseeable.

Forget New York, Planet Earth, and the entire multiverse for a moment, the MCU is in need of a rescue right now. While things are certainly not as dire as certain corners of the fandom like to make out — the immaculate Guardians 3 just came out in May, guys — it’s certainly true that Marvel‘s success rate is a little lower these days. I’ve already discussed my deep-rooted concerns about the franchise’s movie releases, so let’s instead turn our attention to what’s on its way from the studio to streaming.

Unfortunately, our intrinsic trust in Marvel’s Disney Plus endeavors suffered a major blow this past summer with the release of the Secret Invasion finale – the single worst-reviewed Marvel Studios production of all time. Thankfully, Loki Season 2 looks set to be a big step-up from its predecessor, but even the God of Mischief can’t save a flagging franchise on his lonesome. It’s really all on the next phase of the MCU’s small-screen adventures to restore our faith to its former heights.

Not counting any rumored releases or those that are in a state of existential limbo, there are eight Marvel Studios TV series scheduled to hit Disney Plus. But which ones have a chance of earning glory and which ones are just the same old story?

8. What If…? Season 2 3d1l5o

Despite having perhaps the most star-studded cast of any MCU project outside of an Avengers flick, What If…? season 1 is rarely pegged as anyone’s favorite Marvel Disney Plus show, simply by nature of its anthological, multiversal nature which means that — all in all — its stories feel inessential to the overall narrative of the MCU. It sounds like we’ve got some fun new universes to visit in Season 2, expected to arrive around Christmastime, but it’s unlikely to interfere with the ongoing flow of the franchise too directly, much like the Watcher himself.

7. Wonder Man 454z3

Be honest, you totally forgot Wonder Man existed, didn’t you? And, you know what – I don’t blame you. Actor-turned-superhero Simon Williams has a cult fanbase from his decades-long comic book history, so he’s a worthy addition to the MCU, but I can’t help but wonder if this show is simply going to be She-Hulk 2.0 as Simon’s career as a movie star is bound to result in a lot of meta-humor, with Marvel no doubt poking fun at itself. That said, who knows, maybe Wonder Man himself — as played by Aquaman‘s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, — will turn out to be an integral player in Secret Wars and I’ll have egg on my face.

6. Echo 6l3c3j

You have to feel sorry for Echo. Reduced from six episodes to five and then planned to be dumped all in one go on Disney Plus this November, Disney clearly has no faith in this show to succeed. Thankfully, it’s now coming in January instead, which should allow it to stand outside of the shadow of The Marvels and Loki. And you know what – it deserves it. Not only is it the first solo Marvel project for a person with disabilities it’s also partially a prelude to Daredevil: Born Again (more on that later) and a key part of the growing street-level corner of the MCU. I’m telling you — don’t listen to that echo chamber — this one could be epic.

5. Ironheart 46w5f

Sadly, Dominique Thorne’s grand Marvel debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever didn’t exactly go according to plan, as fans widely criticized Riri Williams’ role in the sequel as feeling contrived and awkward. So it’s really all on her own show, Ironheart, for the actress and character to make her impact on Earth-616 99999. We really shouldn’t be underestimating this one as Riri is essentially carrying the torch of Iron Man himself, the brand that launched the entire franchise. With Armor Wars tie-ins a likelihood, and even a Mephisto role rumored, Ironheart could be the perfect streaming treat for those missing Tony Stark.

4. X-Men ’97 305543

X-Men ’97 is an outlier for the MCU’s Disney Plus slate, and that very reason is what makes it so deceptively exciting. This continuation of the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series is the first Marvel Studios production to be set on a whole other universe and thereby retconning that to exist in the MCU’s multiverse. Think about it, now that it’s opened the doors the possibilities are endless. Marvel could technically revive all your favorite Marvel shows from the past and fold them into its wider canon. ’97 will no doubt be mostly self-contained, but the larger implications of its mere existence are mind-blowing.

3. Spider-Man: Freshman Year 6t2b4o

We all love Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, of course, but fans have had issues with how Marvel has messed with his origins story so much. So be thankful for the Spider-Man: Freshman Year, an animated series which will finally deliver what we’ve been waiting for since 2016 — a depiction of how Peter became 99999’s Spider-Man. A second season, titled Sophomore Year, has even already been commissioned. This one’s been delayed a little — not just because of the strikes, like everything else — but it’s still happening, and Spidey lovers everywhere should be grateful for it.

2. Daredevil: Born Again 1x4i5u

And here it is, the — I don’t think it’s controversial to say — most highly anticipated Marvel streaming series of them all. The reason? Fans have been waiting a full five years and counting at this point to have a new full season of Charlie Cox as Daredevil, so the hype for Born Again is truly astronomical. Plus, at a whopping 18 episodes, the reboot has a big chance to face up to the issues and limitations of previous Disney Plus shows — which generally come in at a mere six episodes — and be the finest Marvel series ever made since, well, Netflix’s Daredevil. So, yeah, no pressure, Marvel.

1. Agatha: Darkhold Diaries 683m57

Hold on, don’t burn me at the stake just yet. Yes, I’m saying it — Agatha: Darkhold Diaries has the capacity to be even better for the MCU than even Daredevil: Born Again. For starters, WandaVision was the triumphant opening gambit for Marvel’s streaming shows and you could argue no other series since has managed to capture the zeitgeist in quite the same way. But Kathryn Hahn returning as the marvelous Ms. Harkness surely stands a decent chance at coming close. And then we have the Young Avengers of it all, with Joe Locke strongly believed to be playing Wiccan, who may or may not be getting his own spinoff (of a spinoff) afterward. It’s true, no Marvel series can wave its wand and save the MCU single-handed, but Agatha has a shot at casting some fresh magic over the multiverse.

Take it from someone who’s been waiting on the edge of his seat for Marvel to finally bring Wiccan’s storyline to the forefront of the MCU, the recent rumors regarding Billy Maximoff’s resurrection in Agatha: Darkhold Diaries is… a choice. 

Now, keep in mind that Wiccan/Billy Maximoff hasn’t been confirmed yet to appear in the Disney Plus show, but given the extensive number of hints we’ve had in the last year alone, the likelihood is astronomically high. Heartstopper actor Joe Locke has been linked to the role since his casting was announced, but he’s also been referred to as a Familiar by co-star Patti LuPone, who will appear in the show as a member of Agatha’s coven of witches, so we can’t be certain.

Wiccan, for those who need a quick refresher, is the reincarnated son of the Scarlet Witch aka Wanda Maximoff. Those who watched WandaVision will recall that Wanda’s two children, Billy Maximoff and Tommy Maximoff, were technically killed off at the end of the show. 

When Wanda lifted the hex she’d placed on Westview, the townspeople regained control of their identities and Billy and Tommy faded away. So, then that leaves the question of how Marvel will handle reintroducing Billy/Wiccan to the MCU, if it plans to do so at all.

Billy’s rumored resurrection in Agatha: Darkhold Diaries is much more grim than the comics 6q4yv

How Marvel planned to bring Billy back and address the whole “reincarnated son of the Scarlet Witch” thing was a big question mark… until now. 

According to the latest rumors from the Scarlet Witch Updates on X (formally known as Twitter), Billy Maximoff’s soul will enter the deceased body of a young man (presumably played by Joe Locke) after he gets into a fatal car accident.

Whether the young boy who gets possessed by Billy Maximoff’s soul will also be named Billy Kaplan is unknown. Billy Kaplan, for those who get as easily confused as I do, is the civilian name for Wiccan in the comics. He is the reincarnated version of Billy Maximoff, and goes throughout the entire first half of his life not knowing he’s the twin of Tommy, or son of the Scarlet Witch. When Iron Lad (the heroic variant of Kang the Conqeror) forms the Young Avengers, Billy and Tommy finally meet and discover their true identities. 

All of this is fine and dandy, and hopefully ends up panning out similarly in the MCU (give us the Young Avengers already!), but the MCU’s new method of Billy Maximoff’s reincarnation is exponentially more morbid than the comics, wouldn’t you say? 

For starters, there’s the whole inhabiting a dead man’s body. That’s the biggest ick. Secondly, Billy Maximoff was but a wee lad when he was erased from existence. The young man he supposedly inhabits in Darkhold Diaries will be around 16 years old. We could be looking at a Billy Batson/Shazam from DC kind of situation, but I sure hope not. 

Since we saw Billy and Tommy aging supernaturally quickly during WandaVision, it’s completely possible that Billy’s soul did the same thing in the short time between WandaVision and Darkhold Diaries. Still, it will require a bit of explanation on Marvel’s part if there’s any hope of not confusing fans who aren’t familiar with the character’s comic book origin — or the fickle nature of time in altered realities.

It’s worth mentioning again that Marvel hasn’t confirmed any of this, least of all the rumor of Billy Maximoff’s resurrection, so everything remains speculation at this point. However, Joe Locke did refer to his experience filming Darkhold Diaries as “very full on, very physical, very emotional.” At the time that didn’t make much sense, but this rumor fills in those gaps quite nicely. 

With a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 91 percent – not to mention awards season recognition from both the Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes – it would be fair to call WandaVision one of the very best offerings to emerge from the Marvel Cinematic Universe during its entire existence.

While plans for a second season have never really been on the table, Kevin Feige nonetheless decided to strike while the iron was hot by announcing not one, but two spin-offs. Agatha: House of Harkness/Coven of Chaos/Darkhold Diaries/delete where applicable has suffered several setbacks of its own after being delayed several times over as a result of the strikes and causing mayhem with its rampant re-titling, but Vision Quest may have additionally suffered a hammer blow.

Although it hasn’t been confirmed or corroborated by Marvel as of yet, reports are sweeping social media claiming that showrunner, executive producer, head writer, and WandaVision stalwart Jac Schaeffer no longer has Vision Quest listed as an project on her WGA profile. In addition, several of the writing staff have reportedly followed suit, which would leave a gaping creative chasm at the heart of Paul Bettany’s solo showcase.

Of course, it could be part of Marvel’s wide-ranging push to slow down on the volume of content it produces in an effort to focus on consistent quality, which would hardly go amiss given the polarizing reception to have dogged the Multiverse Saga so far. Then again, it wouldn’t come as a shock were yet another Disney Plus series to stumble over several notable obstacles, but there’s no point getting too worked up about it until the company itself – or Schaeffer – officially clears the air.