Top 10 Movie Cancellations Announced This Year (So Far)
#10: “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty”
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In 2022, Kevin Feige revealed that we’d be getting back-to-back “Avengers” sequels within the next few years: “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” both inspired by the “Kang Dynasty” comic story arc. Marvel put a lot of stock in actor Jonathan Majors, who made his debut as Kang a year earlier. Everything slowly imploded when Majors was arrested for assault in March 2023. Not long after Majors was found guilty that December, Marvel officially dropped him. By the beginning of 2024, “The Kang Dynasty” was simply being referred to as “Avengers 5.” While Marvel is moving forward with two “Avengers” films, one still subtitled “Secret Wars,” the Kang-centric story they originally envisioned is undergoing significant rewrites with a 2026 release being eyed.
#9: “Magazine Dreams”
From January 2023 until the beginning of his downfall in March 2023, Jonathan Majors seemed destined to take Hollywood by storm. In addition to being cast as Marvel’s next big bad, he received acclaim for his work in the Sundance darling “Magazine Dreams.” Searchlight Pictures, which - like Marvel - is owned by Disney, quickly picked up the distribution rights with a prime awards season release planned. Then the allegations hit. By October during the SAG-AFTRA strike, “Magazine Dreams” vanished from Disney’s release schedule. The month it was supposed to come out, Majors was convicted. In January 2024, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the filmmakers regained the rights from Searchlight. Although the film may find another home, Majors turned its marketability from a dream to a nightmare.
#8: “Madame Web 2”
Technically, Sony never officially announced a “Madame Web” sequel. As is the case with any superhero tentpole, though, a sequel is always on the table as long as the first film makes enough money. Despite leaving the door open for a follow-up, dismal box office unraveled whatever little hope “Madame Web 2” had. While Dakota Johnson said that she’d “definitely” return for a sequel, Sydney Sweeney didn’t hesitate to say what we were all thinking during her “SNL” monologue. Sweeney later stated that she did “Madame Web” to form the business relationships necessary to sell “Anyone but You.” Maybe that sleeper hit will get a sequel, but a studio insider bluntly said, “We’re not going to see another ‘Madame Web’ movie for another decade-plus.”
#7: “Ant-Man 4”
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Shortly before the release of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” producer Stephen Broussard mentioned that he had discussed a potential fourth film with Kevin Feige and director Peyton Reed. The odds of another “Ant-Man” sequel shrunk significantly after “Quantumania” opened to some of the MCU’s worst reviews, going on to become the franchise’s first straight-up financial dud. After churning out more than 20 massive hits over 15 years, “Quantumania” demonstrated that even Marvel isn’t a guaranteed moneymaker. Disney CEO Bob Iger took notice. The writing was on the wall by that point, but in March 2024, industry insider Daniel Richtman broke the news that Marvel would be shifting focus away from multiple franchises that had recently disappointed, “Ant-Man” being one of them.
#6: Sarah Polley’s “Bambi”
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Unlike Bambi’s mom, this photorealistic remake isn’t quite dead yet, but several developments have altered its course. First announced in 2020, the “Bambi” remake gained an Oscar-winning director in Sarah Polley three years later. The project moved forward with Kacey Musgraves writing the music and a script in the works. Then in March 2024, news broke that Polley had exited as director. Polley’s departure came shortly after Sean Bailey stepped down as Disney’s film division head. Bailey spearheaded the modern string of live-action Disney remakes, which recently started to underperform. While the “Bambi” remake is still labeled “in development,” Bob Iger revealed that some Disney movies had been “quietly canceled.” Whether or not “Bambi” was among those quiet cancelations, we won’t be seeing Polley’s version.
#5: “Captain Marvel 3”
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“The Marvels” proved that “Quantumania” wasn’t an isolated incident. The reviews were slightly more generous, but “The Marvels” became the MCU’s lowest-grossing entry, failing to recoup its $219 million+ budget. It was especially staggering considering that the first “Captain Marvel” made over $1 billion, although that film came out between two “Avengers” pictures. While “The Marvels” sets up future movies with the X-Men and Young Avengers, it’s safe to say that another Carol Danvers-led movie isn’t a top priority. Along with “Ant-Man 4,” Daniel Richtman listed “Captain Marvel 3” among the projects that Marvel won’t be pursuing further. Although Carol could still pop up for cameos and crossover events, Brie Larson has been ambiguous about her MCU future.
#4: “The Kane Chronicles”
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After two disappointing feature films, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” finally got a faithful adaptation on Disney+. There’s another series from author Rick Riordan that’s still waiting to get its due, however. Set in the same universe as the “Camp Half-Blood Chronicles,” “The Kane Chronicles” did for Egyptian mythology what “Percy” did for Greek and Roman mythology. In 2020, Riordan revealed that Netflix would be adapting “The Kane Chronicles” into a film trilogy. Little was heard about the project until February 2024 when Riordan announced that Netflix’s option had expired and they wouldn’t be moving forward with the trilogy. Riordan is free to shop “The Kane Chronicles” to other studios and with the success of “Percy Jackson,” Disney could be an ideal home.
#3: “Eternals 2”
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“Eternals” was arguably the first major sign that Marvel fatigue is real. Despite introducing a cast of new characters and setting up ideas to be explored down the line, people weren’t that ecstatic when Patton Oswalt teased “Eternals 2” in August 2022. Oswalt backtracked the following February, saying that a sequel wasn’t actually in the works. In March 2024, Daniel Richtman cited “Eternals 2” as one of the sequels Marvel pulled the plug on. Rumors have been circulating that instead of outright canceling “Eternals 2,” Marvel is “transforming” it into another project. What that project could be remains unknown. Although Marvel will likely find ways to integrate certain characters into future MCU outings, Chloé Zhao currently has “no comment” on returning to direct a sequel.
#2: “The Mothership”
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After getting an Oscar nomination for co-writing “Bridge of Spies,” Matt Charman was set to make his directorial debut with “The Mothership.” Halle Berry was enlisted to executive produce and star in this sci-fi adventure about a single mother who finds an alien object after her husband disappears. With a budget of $40 million, “The Mothership” wrapped principal photography in August 2021. Three years later, though, Netflix canceled the film’s release after various post-production delays. Sources claim that the film’s child actors had grown up too much between the initial filming and necessary reshoots. Berry will continue her relationship with Netflix, signing on to star in “The Union” with Mark Wahlberg. It appears “The Mothership” will never take flight, however.
#1: “Coyote vs. Acme”
On the heels of “Batgirl” and “Scoob! Holiday Haunt,” “Coyote vs. Acme” was the latest film to get caught in Warner Bros. Discovery’s cancellation crossfire. The completed film received widespread praise following test screenings, but WBD nonetheless chose to pursue a $30 million tax write-down rather than release the $70 million production. “Coyote vs. Acme” received a glimmer of hope as potential buyers lined up, but none could meet WBD’s steep asking price of $75–$80 million. While WBD did take a $115 million write-down in February 2024, it’s unclear if “Coyote vs. Acme” was lost in the process. There’s still a chance the film will see the light of day, but like Wile E. Coyote, we mustn’t give up on catching this roadrunner. #ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme Which canceled movies would like to save? Let us know in the comments.
