Here are all the superhero movies we would've enjoyed so far in 2020, had the world not been struck by a global pandemic. From the very beginning, 2020 was a relatively quieter year for superhero cinema, but the release schedule did harbor a quiet promise. The MCU was hitting the reset button after concluding their Infinity saga, kicking off Justice League to be released. The 2020 superhero slate may not have inspired the same rip-roaring excitement as previous years, but with established heroes alongside exciting newcomers, it certainly had potential.
"Had" being the operative word there, obviously, as while the Hollywood machine usually keeps turning regardless of real life events, the coronavirus pandemic swept in and ground the world to a halt. Movie production was frozen and theater doors were closed. Studios were left holding a packed 2020 slate and no theatrical method of distribution, creating only two choices: release digitally for fans to watch at home, or delay. Most have opted for the latter, but 2020 has still managed to squeeze out a select few superhero movies. Bloodshot had its theatrical run cut short before releasing digitally.
The vast majority of 2020's superhero roster, however, has been pushed back until later in the year or even 2021, the big blockbusters especially. But in an alternate section of the multiverse where corona is still delicious beer and "social distancing" is something you do when planning a massive online gaming session, which superhero movies have already been and gone?
Black Widow
Despite plenty of excitement around the MCU's Phase 4 announcement, the new era of Marvel movies was set for an inauspicious start with the Captain America: Civil War which, ironically, is probably when the movie should've been released instead of 2020.
In a sense, the pandemic has come at a reasonably good time for Marvel, with a natural narrative break following Black Widow on Disney+, and while they would surely loathe to premiere such a major movie digitally, every Black Widow delay also pushes back the rest of the MCU slate.
Wonder Woman 1984
In comparison to the other would-be 2020 superhero movies, Steve Trevor through the glitz and glamour of the 1980s. With two thrilling trailers drumming up hype and the duo of Cheetah and Maxwell Lord as villains, Wonder Woman 1984 was arguably the biggest 2020 superhero movie release on paper.
Even before coronavirus struck, Diana Prince was late to her own party. Wonder Woman 1984 was originally scheduled for late 2019, moving from December to November. The DCEU sequel was then pushed back all the way to June 2020, and there it remained until the closure of theaters. Unlike Marvel, Warner Bros. has taken a more short-term approach to COVID-19. Wonder Woman 1984 moved from June to August (somewhat optimistically) before shifting again to October. At the time of writing, Wonder Woman 1984 is scheduled for December 25th 2020, although that might've changed another 3 times by the time of publication. Despite the upheaval, Patty Jenkins has confirmed that Wonder Woman 1984 will be released theatrically, ruling out a premiere on HBO Max.
Morbius
After Tom Holland was cast as Spider-Man and fell into the t custody of Sony and Marvel, Sony Pictures began focusing on the web-slinger's villains for their series of comic book movies. The plan was met with a mixed reaction from fans, and opinion split further with the arrival of Tom Hardy's Spider-Man: Homecoming, confirming a crossing-over of Sony's world with the MCU and a potential Sinister Six team-up in the future.
Morbius was originally slated to arrive in July 2020, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, has been moved to March 19th 2021 instead. Given the current status of the virus, it's entirely possible that movie theaters won't be back to full capacity in time for the reshuffled date, and Morbius could suffer further setbacks before swooping onto the big screen. Unlike most superhero movies, however, Morbius comes with a dual-studio complication. Rescheduling virtually a year's worth of releases is a tricky enough task for a single studio, but with both Marvel and Sony having a stake in Morbius, a logistical nightmare emerges. Although Marvel aren't involved with Morbius directly, the recent casting of Jamie Foxx's Electro in the MCU proves how interconnected the two franchises are. It's possible that Morbius needs to premiere before the sequel to Spider-Man: Far From Home, which would mean more delays for both Sony and the MCU.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
As mentioned previously, 2018's Venom performed far better financially than it did with critics, who generally held the Tom Hardy vehicle as a classic case of loud noises and big visual effects over genuine substance of character and story. Nevertheless, Venom's box office haul all but guaranteed a follow-up, and the mid-credits debut of Venom: Let There Be Carnage title was announced, with Andy Serkis replacing Ruben Fleischer in the director's chair. Without a trailer, very little is currently known about Venom: Let There Be Carnage, other than the core cast and basic premise of pitting the black symbiote against his red counterpart.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage was lucky enough to wrap filming in February 2020, shortly before widespread restrictions began to take hold, and was in the editing stage when production was forcibly shut down. Andy Serkis confirmed that he had ed thousands of others by working from home during lockdown, ensuring post-production on Venom: Let There Be Carnage continued despite the outbreak. The Venom sequel was initially slapped with an October 2020 release, and looked to be safe from the pandemic's reach, but couldn't outrun the real world for long, and now sits at June 25th 2021. Due to the apparent shared continuity between Venom, Morbius and MCU Spider-Man, the release date for Venom: Let There Be Carnage may be subject to further alterations yet.
