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Marvel Studios' Disney+ MCU TV schedule is changing; here's why

Titles like What If...?, X-Men '97, and the WandaVision spinoff starring Agatha Harkness are all moving back. We'll tell you the reason(s)

Image credit: Marvel

Marvel fans are going to have to wait longer for some of newer chapters of the MCU. As relayed bt The Hollywood Reporter, all of Marvel's TV series have pushed back their debut dates on Disney+, with one notable exception. But why? What's the reason for the delay?

It probably won't shock you to learn that one of the reasons for the delay is the ongoing writers' and actors' strikes. As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA continue to fight for a fairer deal, big Hollywood studios have been forced to delay major projects, and Disney is no exception.

However, the strikes aren't the only reason for Marvel tapping the gas. According to the Hollywood Reporter article mentioned above, the House of Ideas feels that a more spread-out schedule of programming is more effective, allowing each series to be "an event for fans and audiences." This decision follows a general slow-down strategy that was implemented even before the strikes began, which we reported on all the way back in February.

Now that you know the reasons, here's a quick look at which Marvel series are getting a hold order:

  • What If...? Season Two - Originally excpected for early 2023, the reality-warping series will now be available to stream around Christmas of this year.
  • Echo - This Hawkeye spinoff was set to debut in November 2023, but now is looking at a January 2024 release.
  • X-Men '97 - A continuation of the genre-defining X-Men: The Animated Series, '97 was supposed to be available fall 2023, but won't be until early 2024.
  • Agatha: Darkhold Diaries - The WandaVision spinoff starring breakout character Agatha Harkness was originally planned for late 2023, but is now expected to hit around Halloween 2024, according to Deadline. Also changing is the show's title; originally the series was called Agatha: House of Harkness, then Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and now it's shifted to refer to an evil book of spells from the dark corners of the MCU. Gotta hand it to Marvel for keeping the alliteration going, despite the changes.
  • Ironheart - Originally planned for a 2023 release, this series following Wakanda Forever genius Riri Williams no longer has a target release date.
  • Daredevil: Born Again - This dark continuation of the original Netflix Marvel series has halted production, meaning its expected release date of spring 2024 is no longer on the table.
  • Wonder Man - And finally, this Yahya Abdul-Mateen II vehicle had no official release date before the announcement of the delays. However, we can expect that, since it's production is also halted, it will take even longer to come to Disney+.

Of the streaming series set to debut in the coming year, only Loki Season Two has kept its original debut date of October 6.


Here is a guide to all the upcoming MCU projects - in movies and TV!

Grant DeArmitt

Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy pairing of the two. He has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama, despite their better judgement. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kelsey, and corgi, Legs.

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