Marvel Studios' She-Hulk may see its release date pushed back to early 2023, according to a new rumor.
Per Reddit user lyserg16, She-Hulk might not arrive on Disney Plus until next year, with the Marvel TV show reportedly suffering from a number of visual effects (VFX) related issues.
At the moment, lyserg16 claims that the Marvel Phase 4 project is still on track for a late 2022 launch. However, the Redditor suggests that She-Hulk may have to be delayed until January 2023, with VFX complications the reason behind the potential hold-up.
Ordinarily, we would suggest that such speculation should be taken with a giant heaping of salt, but there may be some truth to lyserg16's latest leak. Back in spring 2020, lyserg16 took to Reddit to post a number of big WandaVision spoilers – leaked information, such as Kathryn Hahn's Agatha Harkness being the show's major villain, that proved to be correct. Based on lyserg16's track record, then, it seems that there's an element of truth to their latest leak.
Another prominent Marvel leaker – KC Walsh – has seemingly backed up those claims, too. Asked by a Twitter follower if they had heard of a possible release delay, Walsh initially replied "no". However, Walsh went on to suggest that their source had mentioned VFX problems as a "headache" throughout She-Hulk's post-production phase – further evidence that all may not be well with its development.
KC, hve you heard about any delay for She-Hulk? pic.twitter.com/dFT3cC93vHApril 13, 2022
We've reached out to Disney for comment on this She-Hulk rumor and we'll update this article if we hear back.
Billed as a 10-episode legal comedy drama, She-Hulk will star Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters, the cousin of Bruce Banner/Hulk and a lawyer who specializes in cases involving superpowered beings.
In the comics, Walters is critically injured in a shooting and receives a blood transfusion from Banner to save her life. Unsurprisingly, Walters develops superpowers similar to Hulk's, enabling her to fight crime in two fronts – that being, in the courtroom and on the streets. Expect a similar origin story to play out in the superhero's TV show whenever it arrives.
Analysis: would She-Hulk's rumored delay be such a bad idea?
Right now, She-Hulk is one of potentially six Marvel TV shows set to land on Disney Plus in 2022.
Currently, Moon Knight is halfway through its episodic run on the streaming platform – check out our episode 3 Easter egg article while you're here – and will be followed by Ms Marvel on June 8. She-Hulk, Secret Invasion, What If...? season 2, and I Am Groot are all expected to land on Disney Plus this year, too.
Meanwhile, two TV specials are also set to launch on Disney's streaming service in 2022. A Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday special should be released in December, while a Halloween special based on one of Moon Knight's comic book foes – Werewolf By Night – is expected to arrive in October.
Add in three Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films in Doctor Strange 2, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – all of which will launch exclusively in theaters – and Marvel's 2022 slate is looking absolutely stacked.
With up to 11 projects set to air in theaters and on Disney Plus in 2022, would a delayed release for She-Hulk be such a bad thing? Not necessarily. She-Hulk is likely to be a VFX-heavy show – due to the number of CGI superpowered characters it may contain – so its post-production phase is sure to be a drawn-out affair. If Marvel Studios needs more time to ensure that She-Hulk's VFX is up to the high standards fan usually expect from a Marvel movie or TV series, we're happy to wait longer for its arrival.
The problem, though, is that Marvel is likely pushing ahead with its 2023 slate already. Next year, we'll see The Marvels, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania debut in theaters. Additionally, four other MCU TV shows – Ironheart, Armor Wars, Echo, and an untitled Wakanda series – are all due to start filming over the next 12 months ahead of possible 2023 releases.
If She-Hulk is delayed, Marvel may have to move its Phase 4 TV slate around to accommodate it. Given how many projects it has in the pipeline, that wouldn't be ideal, particularly as Marvel announced another batch of TV projects during the Disney Plus Day celebrations in November 2021.
Hopefully, it won't be too long before Marvel (and Disney) confirm if She-Hulk will be released this year. Whether it does or not, you'll be the first to know.
