Here is every superhero movie that will be released in 2021. Superhero movies have become the dominant genre of blockbuster entertainment in recent years. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the biggest movie franchise of all-time and saw Avengers: Endgame become the highest-grossing movie ever in 2019. Their output is increasing in 2021 to include four movies and six Disney+ shows. The MCU's ongoing popularity has led Sony to restart its efforts to build its own Marvel shared universe. Meanwhile, the DC Extended Universe is continuing to move forward with plans to release as many as six movies per year between theaters and on HBO Max.
With so much superhero content on the way, Hollywood studios stake out release dates for the highly-anticipated titles years in advance. However, that doesn't mean that everything always goes according to plans. 2021 was at one time going to include many films that no longer are coming out this year. Matt Reeves' The Batman starring Robert Pattinson was pushed to 2022 following extensive production delays from COVID-19. The same is true for Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam was scheduled for a December 2021 release too, but it lost that release date in late 2020.
These delays to 2021's movies were also partially done so that studios could find a home for the 2020 superhero films they couldn't release. COVID-19 shut down theaters for months and forced every major Hollywood studio to reshuffle their slates. But, there are also some titles coming out in 2021 that most never thought would be released. With all of that in mind, here are the superhero movies coming out in 2021.
Zack Snyder's Justice League
2021 will mark the long-awaited release of Zack Snyder's Justice League. Although a version of Justice League was released in theaters in 2017, the movie presented to audiences was one heavily reshot by Joss Whedon at the demands of Warner Bros. It was announced in 2020 that Zack Snyder was getting the chance to complete his vision for HBO Max. It's currently expected to be four hours long, around 75% of which hasn't been seen. No official release date for Justice League is confirmed, but it is expected to arrive in March 2021.
Morbius
The second entry in the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters will come in 2021 with Morbius. The film stars Jared Leto as Morbius the Living Vampire and is scheduled for a theatrical release on March 19, 2021. Morbius is an origin story for the Spider-Man anti-hero and was originally supposed to be released in 2020. Directed by Daniel Espinosa (Life), the film also stars Matt Smith, Jared Harris, and Adria Arjona. It also features a cameo from Michael Keaton's Vulture, who previously appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Black Widow
The first movie on Marvel Studios' 2021 schedule is Black Widow. Scarlett Johansson's long-awaited solo MCU film is slated to be released in theaters on May 7, 2021. It was supposed to launch Phase 4 in May 2020, but Marvel delayed the movie multiple times due to the status of the theater industry. Since Natasha Romanoff died in Avengers: Endgame, her movie will be a prequel that continues her story after Captain America: Civil War. Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (Kumail Nanjiani), Iron Maiden (Rachel Weisz), and Taskmaster will all be introduced in Black Widow.
Samaritan
One of the original superhero movies coming out in 2021 is Samaritan. The film stars Sylvester Stallone and is expected to be a dark and grounded take on superheroes. The plot reportedly will follow a young boy who discovers a superhero presumed to have been dead for the last 20 years is still alive. That superhero will be played by Stallone. Samaritan is directed by Julius Avery (Overlord) and has a June 4, 2021 release date.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
The SPUMC's first sequel arrives in 2021 with Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The sequel to 2018's Venom brings back Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock aka Venom and will see him face off with Cletus Kasady aka Carnage, played by Woody Harrelson. The movie will also bring back Michelle Williams as Anne Weying. Naomie Harris is also part of the cast and rumored to be Shriek, another villain and love interest for Cletus. Venom: Let There Be Carnage is directed by Andy Serkis and has a June 25, 2021 release date.
Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings
The second MCU film coming out in 2021 is Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings. The film stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who will become the first Asian character to be the lead in a Marvel movie. Plot details have yet to be revealed and only a few cast members are confirmed. Tony Leung is aboard to play the real Mandarin after Marvel used a fake version of him for Iron Man 3. The cast also includes Awkwafina, Florian Munteanu, and Michelle Yeoh - who is playing her second MCU role. Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and comes out in theaters on July 9, 2021.
The Suicide Squad
The lone DCEU movie coming out in 2021 is James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. Gunn's take on Task Force X has been described as neither a sequel to the 2016 Suicide Squad or a reboot. The R-rated film will be something of both, it appears, as it includes familiar and new characters. Returning characters include Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), and Amanda Waller (Viola Davis). Some of the new faces that appear in The Suicide Squad are Bloodsport (Idris Elba) and Peacemaker (John Cena). The Suicide Squad is coming out in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6, 2021.
Eternals
Marvel Studios' third movie in 2021 will be Eternals. The new MCU franchise follows a group of superhumans known as Eternals who were created by the powerful cosmic entities known as Celestials. Marvel assembled a talented ensemble to play the relatively obscure comic characters in Phase 4. Richard Madden and Gemma Chan play the lead roles of Ikaris and Sersi. The rest of the cast includes Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh, Don Lee, Angelina Jolie, Barry Keoghan, and Kit Harington. Eternals is directed by Chloe Zhao and comes out on November 5, 2021.
Spider-Man: Homecoming 3
The final superhero movie of 2021 comes from Sony and Marvel Studios. Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker aka Spider-Man for Spider-Man: Homecoming 3, which does not have an official title yet. The film features the MCU return of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and is rumored to include several other Marvel characters from previous non-MCU movies. Most notably, it has been reported Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will both appear as their versions of Spider-Man. These plot details are not confirmed, but Jamie Foxx's return as Electro and Alfred Molina's as Doc Ock have been reported by reputable sources. Spider-Man: Homecoming 3 is directed by Jon Watts and has a December 17, 2021 release date,