If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
Marvel Studios may be secretly starting a new Comic-Con tradition: releasing a big movie
Are you busy San Diego Comic-Con weekend? You will be now, even if you can't make it to San Diego thanks to Marvel
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.thepopverse.com%2Fmedia%2Fkevin-feige-marvel-studios-copy-4cgd2yqkmxdfnkmcituljqmthy.jpg&w=1280&q=75)
Popverse's top stories of the day
- Winona Ryder was reduced to tears on the set of Stranger Things when the young cast couldn't identify a vinyl record
- Watch: The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power cast explains what's coming in season 2
- Bleach's character designer says pop culture's greatest villain isn't from anime, but Disney
Marvel Studios has become a quintessential part of San Diego Comic-Con tradition - both for fans who attend, and even more so for fans who follow it from afar. When Marvel Studios comes to SDCC, big news follows - and in the years they chose not to attend, that's almost as big news as anything else that weekend. WIth all that, though, we've noticed a seemingly new trend being snuck in under the radar by Marvel Studios.
Whereas for years DC and Marvel have released superhero movies on the first weekend of May (something which Free Comic Book Day jumped on to be its annual event day), now it seems Marvel Studios is targeting to release a MCU movie on the weekend of San Diego Comic-Con every year - and they've already locked down the next two years.
In 2024, Deadpool & Wolverine is being released the same weekend as San Diego Comic-Con (Remember, that wasn't the movie's originally planned date). Next year's big MCU film The Fantastic 4 is coming out on July 25 - which happens to be the weekend of SDCC 2025. Twice, back-to-back? A SDCC-centric release date certainly seems like something Marvel seems to be thinking about.
Before you ask, yes: Marvel's staked out a late July 2026 date for an as-yet untitled film on July 24, 2026. There's also Avengers 5 on May 1, 2026 - that could be pushed back into this slot, or a new film would be announced for this slot. San Diego Comic-Con hasn't announced their 2026 dates, but if I had to guess, I bet they'd share their plans with Marvel Studios early.
SDCC weekend as an optimial movie release weekend isn't new. In 2011, it was when Captain America: The FIrst Avenger hit theaters, and in 2013, 20th Century Fox's The Wolverine was released during the convention.
If you think about it, it makes sense. For those not coming out for SDCC, their minds will be on movies like this as they wait for big news announcements, and people around the world can come out for Marvel's movie that same weekend. And for publicity, with all of the world's top genre press in San Diego for SDCC, Marvel Studios' reveals at SDCC would get even more attention with a hit movie in theaters to accompany it.
Think of it as a post-modern movie world premiere, for movies of this ilk.
Keep up to date on Popverse's Marvel coverage, with these highlights: Disney CEO Bob Iger is promising Deadpool & Wolverine will be MCU's biggest movie "in a long time", how Marvel Studios is now working "much more closely" to sell Marvel comics, where Marvel sees its future audience (and it's not at Marvel, yet!), Overgrown children of the atom: Marvel's X-Men can't evolve past their '90s commercial peak, and the biggest outstanding questions of the Marvel Studios' movies & TV shows.
About Comic-Con International: San Diego
When people say 'Comic-Con' they think San Diego Comic-Con. The signature convention of the world returns for 4.5 days of news and vibes.
Dates
-
Location
San Diego Convention Center
United States
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.
![login](/_next/image?url=%2Fstatic%2Fplaceholder.webp&w=1024&q=75)
Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.