The number of movies being released by the MCU and DCU next year, in 2026, is the same, but it’s still probably lower than you might think. This contrasts with previous years for the MCU and the DC Universe’s predecessor, the DCEU. At the height of each franchise, they were releasing an average of three movies each per year in addition to the litany of shows airing on platforms like Disney+ and Max.

The sheer scale of output may have contributed to a wave of superhero fatigue that now sees the MCU struggling under the weight of its more underwhelming installments within the Multiverse Saga. This also puts pressure on the DCU’s debut movie, Superman, to succeed when it releases on July 11. With that pressure extending to 2026’s releases, it could be a particularly important year for both the MCU and DCU.

The MCU & DC Universe Both Have 2 Movies Coming Out In 2026

Both Franchises Are Taking Different Levels Of Risk

The MCU and DCU boast just two movies apiece for 2026. This specific output is more in line with MCU Phase 2, where two movies per year were the norm between 2013 and 2017, before MCU Phase 3 standardized the structure of three movies per year, starting with 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Thor: Ragnarok. Conversely, the DCU’s two-movie output will be its largest to date, as Superman is the only movie due to be released this year in 2025, getting the ball rolling on the DCU with one of its most bankable figures.

The DCU is then wasting no time in taking a couple of risks with its movies in 2026. While Supergirl arguably boasts more star power than Clayface, she has only ever appeared in one solo live-action movie, 1984’s Supergirl, which bombed critically and financially. Clayface, meanwhile, is one of Batman’s more minor villains, yet will be the third character to receive a solo movie in the DCU in what will reportedly be a horror.

The MCU, meanwhile, is relying on much safer bets. After a year’s reprieve (the longest gap between MCU movies since the global pandemic), Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the first movie of 2026, undoubtedly intended to continue the dizzying success of the MCU’s Spider-Man by becoming the MCU’s next billion-dollar movie. Marvel will then no doubt intend for Avengers: Doomsday to follow suit, though whether it will match up to the record-breaking $2.7 billion of Avengers: Endgame remains to be seen.

Why The MCU & DC Universe Have The Same Number Of 2026 Movie Releases

Both Franchise Are Gearing Up For Modest Outputs

Both the MCU and DCU are on different trajectories, yet have wound up releasing the same number of movies in a single year nonetheless. For the DCU, DC Studios’ co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran clarified that the goal is to roll out two live-action and one animated movie per year, meaning 2026 is ramping up to that frequency (and may still include an animated movie to honor it completely). The MCU, meanwhile, has been pivoting to a “quality over quanтιтy” ethos that sees it rein in its overall output.

Whether this means the MCU will continue with this output frequency is so far uncertain. There are several confirmed projects within the MCU, such as Blade, which has been stuck in development hell for a frustrating amount of time. Marvel Studios’ recent reluctance to telegraph its release slate also means it is now difficult to predict how each year will look, with 2027, for instance, only having one confirmed movie on Marvel’s release slate in the form of Avengers: Secret Wars. Likewise, the DCU hasn’t yet confirmed any live-action movies for 2027 and beyond.

The MCU & DC Universe’s Upcoming Movies Suggest An Interesting Focus For Both Franchises

TV Shows Are Taking Center Stage

While a year-long gap between both DCU and MCU releases might be difficult to stomach for some fans (including myself), we can at least find solace in the fact that cinematic releases will be significantly bolstered by TV shows. If DC Studios intends to stick to its output target, this could mean that 2026 will also feature two live-action shows and two animated shows, with Lanterns currently looking like a likely candidate for the 2026 slot. Creature Commandos season 2 might also be a part of the line-up as the show was renewed shortly after season 1 aired in 2024.

The MCU is looking even more focused on shows than ever before. Vision Quest is among the most important of these with an expected 2026 release date, while Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is expected for March 2026 alongside a Punisher special feature that will both presumably deal with the fallout of Wilson Fisk’s subjugation of New York and its vigilantes. As for animation, the second seasons of both X-Men ’97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are expected for 2026, meaning it could be a big year for TV shows in the MCU.

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  Marvel Cinematic Universe

  Created by

  Kevin Feige

  First Film

  Iron Man

  First TV Show

  Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

  Cast

  Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Simu Liu, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Barry Keoghan, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Jonathan Majors

  Upcoming Films

  ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Blade (2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday (2026), Avengers: Secret Wars

  Upcoming TV Shows

  Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Ironheart, Daredevil: Born Again, Wakanda, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Marvel Zombies, Wonder Man, Vision Quest

  The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.

  
  

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  DC Universe

  Created by

  Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson

  First Film

  Man of Steel

  First TV Show

  Peacemaker

  Cast

  Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason Momoa, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Zachary Levi, Dwayne Johnson, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor, Idris Elba, John Cena, Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Xolo Mariduena

  Movie(s)

  Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Aquaman, Shazam!, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, Shazam! The Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, Superman, The Brave and the Bold

  Character(s)

  Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, The Joker, Shazam, Darkseid, Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor, Doomsday, ᴅᴇᴀᴅsH๏τ, Deathstroke, Black Canary, Black Adam

  The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.

  
  

  
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