2019 could well be Marvel's biggest year yet. When Marvel Studios launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008, no one imagined a time when their superheroes would become the dominant force in the global box office. Over the course of the last decade, though, Marvel has conquered both the big screen and the small. This year, however, will be different. On the big screen, major Marvel actors are expected to leave the MCU - including franchise lead Robert Downey, Jr. On the small screen, the popular Marvel Netflix slate appears to be coming to an end, with the partnership destined to bring audiences two last shows. And the Disney/Fox acquisition looks set to mean this year's two X-Men films are the last ones not set in the MCU.
But 2019 will be a year of new beginnings as well. Spider-Man: Far From Home will serve as the launchpad for Phase 4 of the MCU, and nobody knows what it will look like just yet. Cloak & Dagger season 2 will bring a new level of interconnectedness to the Marvel Television offerings. And by the end of 2019, Disney will have launched a new streaming service whose content is as yet unknown, but that's guaranteed to include a whole host of new big-budget Marvel TV shows.
Related: 2019 Will Have The Most Superhero Movies Ever Released
So, here's your guide to what we know of Marvel 2019; every movie and every TV show, whether part of the MCU or not. It only includes the things that are sure to air (or stream) this year, which is why Legion season 2 isn't on the list and those Disney Plus series aren't mentioned. But it's enough to guarantee an unforgettable year.
- This Page: Main Marvel Projects With Fixed Dates
- Next Page: Surprise Projects and Marvel Shows With No Set Date
The Punisher season 2 - January 18, 2019
First out the gate is The Punisher season 2, starring Jon Bernthal as the brutal, murderous vigilante. Deborah Ann Woll will also reprise the role of Karen Page, and no doubt she'll continue to serve as Frank Castle's conscience. This season is reportedly about Castle coming to understand who he really is, and what role he plays in the world at large. Season 2 introduces a mystery man named John Pilgrim, a Christian fundamentalist with a mysterious past. Ben Barnes is back as Billy Russo, the comic villain known as Jigsaw, who's sure to become an even more ferocious adversary in this season. Unfortunately, the relationship between Marvel and Netflix appears to be breaking down, and it's generally assumed this will be the final season of The Punisher. Hopefully, there won't be a Luke-Cage-style cliffhanger ending.
Captain Marvel - March 8, 2019
Brie Larson's Captain Marvel is expected to be a major figure in the MCU going forward, and Kevin Feige has described her as Marvel's most powerful hero to date. Captain Marvel is essentially her origin story, set in 1995 and revealing the secret history of S.H.I.E.L.D. stalwarts Nick Fury and Phil Coulson. It's a cosmic adventure that will see Earth caught in the centuries-old conflict between two warlike alien races, the Kree and the shapeshifting Skrulls. Captain Marvel is also expected to be something of an extended prologue for Avengers: Endgame, with Captain Marvel sure to be a useful ally in the Avengers' battle against Thanos.
Read more: Captain Marvel - Every Update You Need To Know
Avengers: Endgame - April 26, 2019
Kicking off where last year's Avengers: Infinity War left off, Avengers: Endgame is set in the aftermath of Thanos' victory. The Avengers failed to stop Thanos erasing half the life in the universe (an event officially known as the Decimation), but are they truly defeated - or is there still reason to hope? This is the climax of a story 11 years in the making, with franchise stalwarts such as Robert Downey, Jr., and Chris Evans expected to bow out of the MCU for good. Marvel's keeping the plot under wraps, but it's generally believed to feature the surviving Avengers using time-travel to either avert or undo the snap.
Related: Avengers: Endgame - Every Update You Need To Know
Dark Phoenix - June 7, 2019
Sophie Turner stars in Dark Phoenix, Fox's second attempt to create an X-Men movie inspired by the classic "Dark Phoenix Saga." It's been stressed as a very different kind of superhero film, more of a character piece than the traditional all-action fare. The plot kicks off with the X-Men heading into space on a mission, which is where Jean Grey encounters the cosmic being known as the Phoenix Force. Writer-director Simon Kinberg appears to believe Dark Phoenix will essentially relaunch the X-Men franchise; in reality, in light of the Disney/Fox acquisition, this is probably the last tentpole X-Men film that will be released outside of the MCU.
Read more: X-Men: Dark Phoenix - Every Update You Need To Know
Spider-Man: Far From Home - July 5, 2019
Set minutes after Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home will introduce viewers to the post-Phase 3 MCU. It stars Tom Holland as a (presumably) resurrected Spider-Man, with major cameos from Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill. The plot sees Peter Parker and his school friends head to Europe on a school trip, with Peter choosing to leave his Spider-Man suit at home - a decision that forces Fury to give him a whole new costume. The film's main villain is Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio, although there are also rumblings of powerful Elemental foes.
Read more: Spider-Man: Far From Home - Every Update You Need To Know
New Mutants - August 2, 2019
Josh Boone's New Mutants is a labor of love, inspired by the beloved Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz run. The plot sees a handful of young, barely in-control mutants stuck in a haunted house with a Demon Bear on the loose. New Mutants has already been delayed for extensive reshoots in order to up the horror element; Disney has promised that all completed Fox films will be released after the acquisition is complete, but give the anticipated scale of the reshoots, it sadly wouldn't be a surprise to see this one pulled.
Page 2 of 2: Surprise Projects and Marvel Shows With No Set Date
Men In Black: International - June 14, 2019
Although Men In Black isn't really associated with Marvel, technically it belongs to them; original publisher Aircel Comics was bought by Malibu Comics, which is now owned by Marvel. Men In Black: International is both a sequel and a soft reboot, starring Thor: Ragnarok's Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, which is being directed by The Fate of the Furious' F. Gary Gray. It could potentially launch a new series of Men In Black movies for the big screen, if it proves successful at the worldwide box office.
Read more: Men In Black: International - Every Update You Need To Know
Kingsman 3 - November 8, 2019
Another franchise that isn't typically associated with Marvel, Kingsman is part of the publisher's Icon Comics imprint. A new Kingsman movie has been given an official release date in November, though it's unclear if that movie will be Kingsman 3 or the currently untitled Kingsman prequel movie, which was tentatively titled Kingsman: The Great Game. It wouldn't be a surprise to see the new Kingsman film moved after the Disney/Fox acquisition, though. Writer/director Matthew Vaughn has some ideas as to how the Kingsman trilogy will end (assuming it does end), stating that he had been unofficially prepping Kingsman 3 while working on The Golden Circle. Then again, there's still the idea of a Kingsman TV show continuing the story off the big screen.
Related: Breaking Down The New Kingsman Shared Universe
Cloak & Dagger season 2 - Spring 2019
The last few years have seen Marvel Television develop a strong reputation for creating shows with a pronounced sense of place. Cloak & Dagger, starring Aubrey Joseph and Olivia Holt, is set in Los Angeles; the first season toyed with themes ranging from environmentalism to police racism, and proved to be a hit. Season 2 is expected to feature new foes, including Mr. Jyp and the two teens' former ally Malice. The Cloak & Dagger Twitter account has also been teasing cameos from the cast of Marvel's Runaways, a prospect that's sure to leave fans of both young-adult shows thrilled. Marvel has yet to confirm an official release date, but on social media they've stated that Cloak & Dagger season 2 is out in spring.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 6 - Summer 2019
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is due to return for a truncated season 6 in the summertime, sometime after the release of Avengers: Endgame. Season 5 ended with the S.H.I.E.L.D. team heading into space to pick up Fitz from cryogenic suspension, with Mack taking over as the new director after Phil Coulson consigned himself to his imminent death. Although the plot dovetailed with the events of Avengers: Infinity War, it didn't end with the snap, a narrative decision that rather surprised viewers. The plot of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 6 is completely unknown; all that's been revealed so far is that Mack is style in charge, and Quake has a new hairstyle.
Related: How The MCU Is Setting Up SHIELD's Replacement
Jessica Jones season 3 - TBD
Jessica Jones season 3 is expected to be the final Marvel Netflix series, and hopefully the show will end on a high note. Although the first season was critically acclaimed, Jessica Jones season 2 had major structural flaws. It did leave things in a very intriguing place, though, with Rachael Taylor's Patsy Walker successfully gaining super-powers - and presumably set to become the superhero Hellcat. It will be interesting to see the new dynamic between Patsy and series star Jessica Jones, played by the tremendous Krysten Ritter.
