After a slower 2024, theMarvel Cinematic Universeand the newDC Universehave everything set to make a splash in 2025. Marvel fans have become used to making multiple visits to theaters during the year as major MCU films are released. However, even thoughDeadpool & Wolverinebecame one of thebest movies in the MCU, it was the franchise’s only theatrical release in 2024. Thankfully,Marvel has quite the slate of upcoming projectsto make up for the slim year.
As for the DC side of things, 2024 sawJames Gunn’s DC Universestart in earnest. After many projects were announced a couple of years ago, the first of them,Creature Commandos, was released. The positive reception tothe TV-MA animated series helped the DCU start on the right foot, but this year will make or break the franchise. With many moving parts, here are the reasons why 2025 should be the biggest year for the MCU and DC in quite some time.
10The MCU Bounces Back With 3 Movies
Starting the list is the MCU’s movie slate, which features some nice variety in 2025.Deadpool & Wolverinebroke several records, finishing its worldwide box office run with $1.3 billion. That allowed Marvel to coast through 2024 despite only having a movie released. However, 2025 is a packed year for the MCU, which will seeCaptain America: Brave New World,Thunderbolts*, andThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.
2025’s MCU movies will introduce exciting new characters to the MCU, like the Fantastic Four, Red Hulk, Sentry, and more.
There is a little bit for everyone, with a grounded thriller, a team-up movie featuring anti-heroes, and the first time Marvel’s First Family is expected to get the film it deserves.2025’s MCU movieswill introduce exciting new characters to the MCU, like the Fantastic Four, Red Hulk, Sentry, and more. The films will also expand the franchise in terms of worldbuilding, as the Fantastic Four come from another universe,Eternals' Tiamut will finally be explored, andwhat happened to Avengers Tower will be revealed.
9David Corenswet’s Superman Debuts In The First DCU Movie
The DCU Depends On The Man Of Steel
While Marvel Studios will release three movies in 2025, James Gunn’s DC Universe only has one on the way. However, it is not a movie superhero fans will want to miss.David Corenswet’s Superman takes to the skies in July, kickstarting the DCU in a major way after Gunn’sCreature Commandosserved as an appetizer of what the franchise has to offer.
Frank Grillo
Rick Flag Sr.
The last Superman solo movie was Henry Cavill’sMan of Steel, released in 2013. After more than a decade, Superman will finally lead another solo entry, and it just so happens that other DCU heroes and villains will debut to help build out this shared universe.After a period with a darker Superman in the DCEU, Gunn’s reboot of the Man of Steel seems to focus on how the hero can turn a skeptical world around and bring hope back, which is pure Superman.
8Marvel Studios Will Release Its First TV-MA Animated Series
Disney+’s What If…? Set Up A Bloody Event
Marvel Studios has started to experiment more since the Multiverse Saga began. While that has not always worked out well for the studio, with projects likeEternalsbombing, Marvel has found more success as of late.Deadpool & WolverineandEchoshowed that more mature offerings can come to the MCUand be embraced by fans and critics. Marvel will continue with those types of projects in 2025, and there is an exciting twist.
A version of Blade serves as the universe’s Moon Knight in Marvel Zombies.
Echowas Marvel Studios' first TV-MA series, whileDeadpool & Wolverinewas its first R-rated movie. This year,Marvel Zombieswill be the franchise’s first TV-MA animated series. The project continues the universe set up in aWhat If…?season 1 episode.Marvel Zombiescan show a violent new side of the MCU full of superheroes, as recent MCU characters, like Yelena Belova and Kate Bishop, go up againstzombie versions of the Scarlet Witch, Ikaris, Captain America, and more.
7Daredevil: Born Again Continues The Story Of The Best Live-Action Marvel TV Show
Charlie Cox’s MCU Streak Continues Into 2025
Daredevil: Born Againwas once going to be more of a legal procedural than a superhero series. However, much like its title suggests, the MCU series went through a creative overhaul and is now much moretied to the original NetflixDaredevilseries. That connection happens through the new show’s tone, which is said to be evenmore intense than Netlfix’sDaredevilat times, and much more.
Initially, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page were reportedly not going to appear. Images of the two alongside Charlie Cox’s Daredevil have already been released, showing the beloved trio back together. More Netflix characters will also appear, withJon Bernthal’s Punisher returnbeing one of the MCU’s most exciting events in 2025. After a bout of supporting roles and cameos, Cox’s Matt Murdock is ready to take center stage again, and ifDaredevil: Born Againis as good as the Netflix series, it should become Marvel Studios' best TV show.
6Spider-Man 4, Avengers: Doomsday & More Begin Filming
Not Every Major 2025 Marvel & DC Moment Happens On A Screen
There are going to be 12 MCU and DC projects in 2025, counting movies, TV shows, and animated series. However, many of the year’s most exciting events will not be happening in any of those but on sets. Afterthe 2023 Hollywood strikes delayed many movies and TV shows, Marvel and DC have some catching up to do. The delays have led to 2025 being a year when many high-profile projects film at the same time.
The MCU’s Next Spider-Man Release Trailer Revealed A Divisive Design Choice That Has Me Concerned
Marvel Studios has unveiled a trailer for its next Spider-Man release, but even though some elements are exciting, a key choice has me worried.
On the Marvel side, two movies that have the potential to reach the $2 billion mark begin filming.Avengers: DoomsdayandSpider-Man 4set photos and videos are going to be making shockwavesthroughout the year, with exciting reveals expected to come. As for DC,Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,Lanterns, and more explore new corners of the DCU, and fans will be looking at set reveals to find out what that looks like.
5Marvel Studios Will Release 6 TV Series In 2025
The MCU’s Slate Is As Packed As Possible
One of the biggest problems Marvel has faced during the Multiverse Saga has been a high influx of projects.Marvel has made changes to its development slate, particularly on TV, which will see fewer projects released every year. However, due to delays, 2025 will once again be packed with MCU TV shows, and some of them finished filming years ago.
Marvel’s 2025 TV lineup is perfectly divided into three live-action series and three animated shows. Of the first type,Daredevil: Born Againis bound to be the biggest, whileIronheartis rumored to finally introduce Mephisto, andWonder Mandebuts a new powerful hero. As for the animated offerings, Marvel Studios' first Spider-Man series,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, features classic Spidey action, whileMarvel Zombieswill be a bloody endeavor, andEyes of Wakandaexplores different time periods in Wakandan history.
4John Cena’s Peacemaker Goes From The DCEU To The New DC Universe
James Gunn’s DC Plans Have Survived The Move
While there will only be two series coming from DC Studios this year,Harley Quinnseason 5 andPeacemakerseason 2, the latter is a major release. John Cena’s Peacemaker was one of the breakout characters in James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squad.Max’sPeacemakerseason 1 became a global hit, ensuring that Cena’s anti-hero and his cast of characters all survive the end of the old DCEU.
Peacemakerseason 2 would already be one of the year’s most anticipated releases in normal circumstances. However, since the project will now hop universes, all eyes will be onhow it deals with the DCU canon. The TV-MA series will also follow Gunn’sSupermanmovie, as Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. goes from that project toPeacemakerseason 2, ensuring nice connective tissue between the DCU’s first three releases after Flag’sCreature Commandosdebut.
3The Fantastic Four Finally Come To The MCU
Marvel’s First Family Faces A Comics-Accurate Galactus
Out of Marvel Studios' 2025 movies, no other comes close toThe Fantastic Four: First Steps. The team is one of the most important ones in Marvel Comics, and for the first time ever,Marvel Studios is behind a Fantastic Four film. After previous iterations of the team in live-action ranged from fun to downright awful, the MCU has the task of making the Fantastic Four movie that the characters and fans deserve.
Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards leads a talented cast that also includes Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. After a failed previous attempt to bring Galactus to the big screen, the MCU movie will use the antagonist in all his glory, not as a cloud, but looking like the classic Galactus.Marvel can answer where the team has beenand explore a retro-futuristic universe at the same time.
2Marvel & DC Movies Could Make $1 Billion At The Box Office Again
Deadpool & Wolverine Was The Last To Do It
Deadpool & Wolverinemarked the first time since 2021’sSpider-Man: No Way Homethat a Marvel or DC movie crossed the $1 billion line at the box office. After years of facing issues and with a couple of movies getting close to the coveted mark, both Marvel and DC have the chance of getting at least one movie that grosses $1 billion in 2025.James Gunn’sSupermanmovie trailer has been breaking viewership records.
I Can’t Believe That Sony’s Entire Spider-Man Universe Box Office Is Beaten By 1 MCU Movie
Sony’s Spider-Man Universe ended after Kraven the Hunter was released, and the franchise never managed to outgross one of the best MCU movies.
Deadpool & Wolverinedid similar in 2024, and that translated into $1.3 billion at the box office. IfSuperman’s marketing continues to build anticipation for the DCU film, it could reach that mark. As for Marvel, fans have long been waiting for the Fantastic Four to come to the MCU. With a star-studded cast led by the in-demand Pedro Pascal,The Fantastic Four: First Stepssounds like a surefire box office hitif the movie is as good as expected.
1Exciting Marvel & DC Casting Updates Are On The Way
From Batman To Spider-Man To The Avengers And More
A stylized version of the Avengers logo in green, with the subtitle Doomsday underneath, featuring a white shine on the letters.
Finally, another of the most exciting factors of Marvel and DC’s 2025 comes not from projects that will be released, but those in the works. As production nears for major releases likeSpider-Man 4,Avengers: Doomsday, andThe Batman - Part II, casting news should be coming out throughout the year. The final days of 2024 revealed thatformer Aquaman star Jason Momoa will play Lobo in the DCU.
That is the kind of shocking casting news that fans can expect to see in 2025. AsAvengers: Doomsdaygets closer to production, many MCU heroes should return to join Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and more in the ambitious movie. With several rumors around both projects, casting news could reveal the directionSpider-Man 4andThe Batman - Part IIare headed. With all of these elements, theMCUandDCshould have a massive 2025.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
DC Universe
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
