It feels like just yesterday that the next two Avengers films were announced at San Diego Comic-Con. Although Destin Daniel Cretton would get the gig as the first film’s director shortly after, today it was announced that he will not be helming the project after all.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cretton will be taking a step back from the project to focus on a sequel to his last Marvel project, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Additionally, he will continue to oversee Marvel’s Wonder Man series which THR confirms will resume production in the coming weeks. The director currently has an overall deal with Marvel.

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One factor that led to Cretton’s departure was the film’s ever-changing release date. Right now, the project is slated to come out in 2026. But with several other Marvel projects pushed back last week, we’re even doubtful that date will stick.

The film’s current draft was previously written by Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania scribe Jeff Loveness; however, it’s believed a new writer will be brought onboard now that the WGA strike is over – and especially now that a new visionary will oversee the project.

Right now, the empty director’s chair is the least of the film’s worries as star Jonathan Majors is buried in several legal woes following an arrest for domestic assault earlier this year. Although the actor did reprise his role as Kang in the Loki finale, it’s ironically unclear what the master of time’s future holds in the franchise altogether.

SOURCE: THR