Disney postpones several Marvel sequels and fifth 'Indiana Jones' film

LOS ANGELES: Walt Disney Co on Monday delayed the release of Marvel Studios' sequels to "Black Panther," "Thor" and "Doctor Strange" by several months and pushed the next big-screen outing for adventurer "Indiana Jones" to 2023.

Doctor Strange And The Multiverse Of Madness have been moved to May 6, 2022, from Mar 25, Disney said in an updated release schedule.

That forced Marvel to postpone its other 2022 superhero films. Thor: Love And Thunder, which had been set for a May 6 release, was moved to Jul 8, 2022. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was set for Nov 11, 2022 instead of in July.

The fifth movie in the Indiana Jones series starring Harrison Ford was delayed until Jun 30, 2023, instead of Jul 29, 2022. Ford, 79, suffered a shoulder injury on set in June and recently returned to filming.

Hollywood studios have shuffled their movie schedules several times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Theatre operators are counting on big blockbusters to help lure audiences back after extended closures.

Among other changes, The Marvels is now scheduled for February 2023 and Ant Man And The Wasp: Quantumania for July 2023. - Reuters