Marvel to renew two beloved Disney Plus shows after Avengers 5, reports say

Marvel Studios is hard at work in planning how its Multiverse Saga will culminate. The arc has been ongoing for three years now, with each title within the Marvel Cinematic Universe designed to either directly add to the story or tease something that eventually would. And one of the newer ways they accomplished that was through the arrival of the Disney Plus streaming service.

A lot of those shows were only designed to last for one season (although we didn't know it at the time) but in recent weeks, there have been a number of reports suggesting that some of them could return for another season. And now, a more recent report has given MCU fans a potential timeline as to when those returns could come.

Moon Knight and Hawkeye season 2 rumored release window

According to Marvel scooper HolyField News, the second seasons of Hawkeye and Moon Knight will be released after Avengers 5, giving them a likely release window of sometime in 2027. If this turns out to be the case, it would also put them between that movie and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars, which is expected to bring Phase Six and the Multiverse Saga to a close.

It's important to note that neither one of these shows have been officially renewed by Marvel Studios as of yet (or at least officially announced), but in recent months, the already-persisting rumors have turned into a multitude of reports, all of which claim that Marvel is planning on bringing both the Fist of Khonshu and the Avengers' archer back to the small screens.

Hawkeye premiered on Disney Plus back in December 2021 and proved to be an unexpected festive delight. Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton was as convincing as ever but it was his partnership with Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop that really captured viewers' hearts and made the show so successful. While the buddy comedy series certainly left the door open for a second season, it seemed as if it had just been designed for a standalone adventure. However, a number of recent reports have claimed that Marvel are planning on renewing it for a second season, with both Renner and Steinfeld now expected to return.

On the other hand, Moon Knight season 2 has been expected since the conclusion of the first season in May 2022. Fans have been longing for more adventures with Oscar Isaac's Marc Spector (and his other personalities Steven Grant and Jake Lockley) since the season 1 finale, but there hasn't been any official word on when - or if - it was coming. Isaac suggested the conversations were happening, and hopes have continued to be high. More recently, a number of reports have suggested that it too will return for a second season (with a recent rumor claiming that Marvel plans on announcing it at D23 in August).

A sign of Marvel's decision to bank on successful titles?

While Moon Knight season 2 has always been in the conversation, Hawkeye season 2 has not, as fans quickly accepted that the title could have worked as Clint Barton's retirement, with Kate Bishop likely resurfacing in a Young Avengers project. But now it seems like both of those shows are indeed back on the table at Marvel Studios, along with Ms. Marvel season 2, which is also reportedly still in consideration.

All of these new reports and rumors about returning shows are seemingly an indicator of Marvel Studios' new strategy. According to a recent report from established Marvel insider Daniel Richtman, the studio will now be focusing on sure-fire hits going forward and taking less risks after the disappointing box office performances of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels and the slight underperformance of Eternals (and perhaps the poor critical response to Secret Invasion as well) and this could be evidence of that; especially if these particular shows performed well for the Disney Plus streamer.

A recent report from The Hollywood Reporter also claims that the studio will begin focusing on its Disney Plus shows differently, too, treating them as longer-running multi-season television shows instead of one-and-done miniseries. That right there could explain why there has suddenly been such a major increase in speculation surrounding the returns of these three particular shows. It also might explain why shows such as Moon Knight and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier were both marketed as "The Complete First Season" instead of "The Complete Series" when released on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray. Are there more stories to tell for these characters in future seasons?

There has been a long-running, vocal desire for a second season of Moon Knight and it's probably the title among all MCU entries that would be easiest to turn into a multiseason TV show because it's so disconnected from the rest of the shared universe. The first season didn't even feature a reference to any MCU event and it also introduced the saga to new concepts and lore that could very easily be explored in future seasons. Perhaps this new strategy that the studio is pivoting to will finally allow them to fast-track this one and get it out sooner than their initial plan.

Meanwhile, Hawkeye was far more beloved than initially expected, with the camaraderie between Clint and Kate having fans calling for more adventures between the unlikely duo. Its concept also allows for future adventures, and given that it would be more of a grounded installment for the franchise, it would probably have a lower budget than a more super-powered one, likely making it a great investment.

As always, it's important to wait for official confirmation from Marvel Studios before getting too excited about any potential Moon Knight and Hawkeye season 2 (or their rumored 2027 release dates), but given how this lines up with the studios' apparent new direction, don't be too surprised if these shows are among the many announcements Marvel makes at either San Diego Comic-Con in July or D23 in August. Here's hoping that's the case, anyway, because both of these shows (along with some others) deserve second seasons!