With only two weeks to go until Captain America: Civil War opens and officially kicks off the third phase of the MCU, the future of the film intended to be Phase 3’s final installment remains unclear. Almost since it was announced, Inhumans has had its future in question, with its release date getting pushed back, rumors surfacing that the film was canceled altogether, and this latest development via Box Office Pro - that Inhumans is no longer even on Marvel’s release schedule.
Earlier this month we had heard there was a good likelihood Inhumans would have its release date again pushed back, but to have its release date removed entirely is hardly ever a good sign, especially amid cancellation rumors. Previously when asked, Kevin Feige insisted Inhumans was still happening, though he admitted a “shuffle off the current date” was almost certain. But if this report is true, that shuffling may have moved Inhumans straight off the docket.
Still, no need to panic just yet. Since Phase 3 was first announced, Marvel has brought Spider-Man officially into the fold and put an Ant-Man sequel on the fast track. And this is on top of introducing the mystical elements with Doctor Strange, checking in with the Guardians in Vol. 2, and the potential world-ending ramifications of Thor: Ragnarok. Add to that many of us aren’t even yet aware of what the fallout from Civil War will be or what effect it has on the MCU as whole, and this is more than enough material for a single phase in Marvel’s ever-expanding, always growing cinematic universe.
Phase 3 is bursting with more than twice as many films as each of the MCU’s previous phases, meaning Inhumans may not be the only upcoming film that finds itself on the back burner. Phase 4 hasn’t been discussed publicly, at least not officially, but looking at the films planned for the latter half of Phase 3 - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and 2, Captain Marvel, and three unannounced films set for 2020 releases - it’s easy to see how those films could comprise the “very different” saga Feige promises of Phase 4. Not to suggest there must be a rhyme or reason as to why Marvel Studios begins and ends phases when they do - Ant-Man, after all, wasn’t a definitive closing chapter for Phase 2 - but surely they don’t seriously intend for Phase 3 to run for 14 movies! (Just think of that box set.)
Regardless of what happens with Inhumans, that corner of the MCU is at least already being explored on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (which, yes, may be why Inhumans has been such a beleaguered project), and there’s still the potential for them to transition from the small to the big screen. Whether it will happen in their own movie or some future team-up feature is up for debate, but as it stands the Inhumans no longer appear to be part of Phase 3.
Captain America: Civil War will release on May 6, 2016, followed by Doctor Strange– November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; The Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel – March 8, 2019; The Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 – May 3, 2019; and as-yet untitled Marvel movies on May 1, July 10 and November 6, 2020. Inhumans currently has no release date, but was previously scheduled for July 12, 2019.
Source: Box Office Pro
