4 Marvel shows that probably won’t release in 2023 (but totally should!)

2023 should have been one of the biggest years for Marvel Studios, but now it seems these Marvel shows won’t be arriving which is a major miss. 

Heading into this year, Marvel fans expected 2023 to be one of the biggest years for Marvel Studios thanks to the exciting slate Marvel had announced as coming during its massive Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con.

Back in July when Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige took to the stage of Hall H, he revealed a handful of new titles set to debut across the year which would join the three cinematic releases that had been previously teased for the new year. In addition to releasing Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantuamania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and The Marvels in theaters, Marvel had planned to release Loki season 2, Secret Invasion, Ironheart season 1, Echo season 1, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, What If season 2, and X-Men ’97. 

That’s ten major Marvel projects that were set to drop across the span of one year which would have made 2023 the biggest year for Marvel shows and movies yet. However, a new report from The Hollywood Reporter suggests that Marvel is now looking to change course by delaying several projects originally slated to release this year.

It’s a move that has left many fans disappointed and has unfortunately seemed to suggest these four particular Marvel shows won’t be coming in 2023 after all.

Is What If season 2 coming in 2023?

Considering that season 1 of Marvel Studios’ first animated original MCU-set series released in 2021, many had assumed we could see season 2 of What If arrive sometime in 2022; however, Marvel instead announced during its Hall H panel at SDCC 2022 that the show’s follow-up season was slated to bow in mid-2023. The series was expected to arrive sometime around June of 2023, but it now seems the show could be pushed back to 2024.

A delay for the show would definitely be surprising given season 2 appears to already be wrapped and ready to be released, making it an odd choice for Marvel Studios to delay. There’s also the fact that the show — while connected to the MCU — doesn’t directly fold into the main MCU timeline. As such it seems like the type of show that Marvel could release at any time without creating a major issue with the continuity of the broader MCU.

However, Marvel doesn’t seem to have any hesitation in pushing the show back as it’s one that The Hollywood Reporter suggests will not be coming in 2023.

Is Agatha: Coven of Chaos coming in 2023?

Originally, Marvel announced Agatha: Coven of Chaos would be coming to Disney Plus in late 2023 hinting that the show could be the final Marvel show to drop in 2023 and potentially carry over into the new year.

The series is set to welcome the return of Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness in what appeared to be a sequel to WandaVision, expanding upon the scene-stealing character first introduced in Marvel’s Emmy-nominated series. While details about the show have remained scarce, fans have been counting down the days until the show’s debut which they thought would be coming in the final weeks of 2023.

Instead, it seems Agatha: Coven of Chaos will be among a handful of Marvel shows being pushed back to 2024 and beyond. As such, it’s suddenly become unclear when the show could arrive and just how long Marvel might make fans wait for the show’s arrival.

Is Echo season 1 coming in 2023?

Designed as a spinoff of Hawkeye and a show that would potentially pave the way for Daredevil: Born Again, Echo season 1 is set to follow Alaqua Cox’s Echo with Vincent D’Onofrio and Charlie Cox both reprising their roles of Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock in the show. The show was originally slated to arrive in late 2023 hinting at perhaps an October or November release date for the show; however, it seems we’ll now have to wait until at least 2024 for the new show to drop.

Before Marvel even began looking at pumping the breaks and delaying some of its 2023 projects, word began leaking out that the show was facing production setbacks which could result in the show’s delay. As such, we’re not as surprised Echo is no longer expected to arrive in late 2023 but that doesn’t mean we’re not totally disappointed!

Not only did Echo promise to help us to better explore the character of Echo following her debut in Hawkeye, but also promised to bring us more of Kingpin and Daredevil ahead of their return in 2024’s Daredevil: Born Again. 

Is Ironheart season 1 coming in 2023?

Following her debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Dominique Thorne was slated to return as Riri Williams aka Ironheart in the Disney Plus original Ironheart coming in 2023. However, it now appears we’ll have to wait longer than expected for Riri’s return to the MCU as Ironheart is one of the many Marvel shows expected to be pushed back to 2024.

With its Late 2023 release date, it makes sense that Ironheart has been delayed until 2024 as it’s easier to push back a project that was already coming in the final stretch of the year. And it also would help to put some space between the character’s debut in Wakanda Forever, though that might actually be a miss as one would think striking while the iron was hot would have been the stronger play.

And although we’re not expecting Ironheart to debut in 2023 as originally planned, the hope is that the show will still arrive in 2024 and won’t be too delayed as part of Marvel’s release date reshuffling.

Will you be disappointed if Marvel indeed delays What If season 2, as well as the debut seasons of Agatha: Coven of Chaos and Ironheart? Do you think Marvel is smart to pump the breaks on its release strategy or are they making the wrong move? Share your thoughts in the comments below!