Marvel Studios may be facing a tight turnaround to complete Avengers: Secret Wars ahead of its scheduled December 2027 release.
Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson/Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently revealed that he expects to return to work on Secret Wars after completing his upcoming Broadway run in Macbeth.
Mackie is set to star in the Broadway production beginning in 2027, with the run expected to keep him occupied through July. Speaking about what comes next, Mackie confirmed that Avengers work will be waiting for him once the production concludes.
“So once I finish on Broadway, I’ll go to finish up all the Avengers stuff for Secret Wars,” Mackie said.
The comment is particularly interesting considering Avengers: Secret Wars is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 17, 2027. If Mackie is still completing work on the film after July, Marvel could have roughly five months between his return and the movie’s theatrical release.
Anthony Mackie [Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images]
That doesn’t necessarily mean principal photography will continue until that point. Mackie could be referring to additional photography, reshoots or scenes specifically involving Captain America. He could also complete some of his work before beginning Macbeth. Marvel Studios has not officially detailed the production schedule.
Still, the timing adds to questions surrounding just how ambitious Marvel’s schedule for Secret Wars has become.
Reports have previously suggested that principal photography may not begin until early 2027. The Russo Brothers have also spent much of 2026 completing Avengers: Doomsday, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Secret Wars will follow just one year later and is expected to serve as the culmination of Marvel Studios’ Multiverse Saga. A movie of that scale will likely require extensive visual effects and post-production work, making the increasingly compressed production timeline notable.
For comparison, Avengers: Doomsday completed principal photography more than a year before its scheduled theatrical release, although additional photography continued afterward.
There has already been speculation that Secret Wars could eventually move from its December 2027 release date, but Marvel Studios has not announced a delay. For now, December 17, 2027 remains the official date.
Mackie’s comments don’t confirm that a delay is coming, but they do provide a clearer picture of how late work on one of Marvel’s biggest movies could continue.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters December 18, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on December 17, 2027.
