Disney swaps release dates for The Marvels and the next Ant-Man movie

Two upcoming films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are switching release dates, according to an announcement Disney made on Friday at CinemaCon. The Marvels, a sequel to Captain Marvel, is going to be swapping its release date with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

The new Ant-Man film is set to arrive earlier, with its new release date of Feb. 17, 2023. Quantumania pits the diminutive hero against Kang the Conqueror, who could be the next Thanos-style threat to the MCU. Meanwhile, The Marvels — a continuation of both Captain Marvel and the Disney Plus series Ms. Marvel — will be taking the July 28, 2023 release slot.

While Marvel movies often go through delays and date changes, it’s unusual for two films to straight up swap their release dates. The Marvels presumably needs more time in the oven, while Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania seems to be a little further along.

These two films are set to be released after the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love & Thunder, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which are set to hit theaters over the remainder of 2022. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still planned for a May 5, 2023 release date.