In some surprising news, today brings word that Marvel Studios has shifted around their set-in-stone plans for the next few years.

The big reason for these movements is all down to the positive response to this year’s Ant-Man. As such, the studio has announced a new movie, Ant-Man and The Wasp, to hit screens on July 6th, 2018. That film will see Paul Rudd return as Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Evangeline Lilly’s Hope Van Dyne step into the Wasp mantle that was teased at the end of Ant-Man.

This announcement sees Black Panther, which was itself originally set for the July 6th, 2018 release date, brought forward to February 16th, 2018. Additionally, Captain Marvel has been pushed back from November 2nd, 2018 to March 8th, 2019.

In some other intriguing news, Marvel has also set dates for three mystery movies – May 1st, 2020, July 10th, 2020, and November 6th, 2020. That in itself throws up countless theories on which heroes and villains may take centre-stage in these newly-announced mystery flicks. What are the chances of an Iron Man 4? Or could Black Widow or Hawkeye finally break out and star in their own movie? Could it be the much-rumoured Planet Hulk adaptation? Could a Winter Soldier or Falcon headline their own film? Or could we get a completely new character leading the charge and making an explosive debut?

And so, the Marvel Studios schedule now reads as below:

Captain America: Civil War – May 6th, 2016

Doctor Strange – November 4th, 2016

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5th, 2017

Untitled Spider-Man Film – July 28th, 2017

Thor: Ragnarok – November 3rd, 2017

Black Panther – February 16th, 2018

Avengers: Infinity War Part I – May 4th, 2018

Ant-Man and The Wasp – July 6th, 2018

Captain Marvel – March 8th, 2019

Avengers: Infinity War Part II – May 3rd, 2019

Inhumans – July 12th, 2019

Mystery Movie #1 – May 1st, 2020

Mystery Movie #2 – July 10th, 2020

Mystery Movie #3 – November 6th, 2020

Phew! And who said that the comic book movie boom was dying?!