Anthony Mackie Confirms Avengers: Secret Wars Filming Won’t Begin Until After His Broadway Macbeth Run

Marvel Studios star Anthony Mackie has added fuel to the growing speculation surrounding the production schedule for Avengers: Secret Wars, confirming that principal photography on the highly anticipated film will not take place until after he completes his run in a Broadway production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The announcement, which places the filming well into 2027, arrives as fans and industry watchers grapple with how Marvel plans to complete such an enormous project just over twelve months before its scheduled theatrical release.

Mackie announced that he will take on the title role in a new Broadway production of Macbeth, set to run in New York until July 2027. Rehearsals are scheduled to begin in February, with previews commencing from late March, as Deadline first reported. The news has raised eyebrows among those tracking Marvel’s plans for the follow-up to next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, an enormous blockbuster that remains one of only a handful of films yet to begin principal photography despite being just over a year away from its release date.

A Tight Production Timeline

Filming on Secret Wars was once expected to begin in September, though a series of reports last week suggested it had now been delayed until early next year. Mackie’s commitment to Macbeth further complicates the timeline, as he will only have a short window available before his stage work begins. Much of the cast is also expected to be occupied from late November onwards as the promotional campaign for Avengers: Doomsday intensifies ahead of its December 18 release.

Despite these scheduling challenges, Marvel has made no suggestion that Secret Wars’ planned December 17, 2027 date will be delayed. However, fans are beginning to question how the studio intends to complete both filming and post-production on such a complex project with so little time remaining. On the upside, shooting in 2027 will allow Marvel to respond to audience feedback following Doomsday’s arrival, giving filmmakers an opportunity to incorporate reactions into the sequel.

“Once I finish on Broadway, I’ll go to finish up all the Avengers stuff for Secret Wars.”

Anthony Mackie

Looking Ahead

The confirmation that filming will extend into 2027 leaves Marvel with an ambitious window to work within. Last month, directors Joe and Anthony Russo teased that Marvel fans need to prepare for “a very surprising ending”, describing the film as having a “focused propulsive narrative” while still ranking among the studio’s longest films to date.

As the release window narrows, all eyes will remain on how Marvel coordinates its cast schedules and production timeline. The studio faces the delicate task of balancing promotional commitments for Doomsday with the demands of launching one of the most complex productions in cinematic history, a challenge that Mackie’s Broadway commitment has now brought sharply into focus.