Breaking with typical Marvel Cinematic Universe timing, Avengers: Doomsday is coming out seven years after the previous Avengers film. While Marvel intended to release it in 2025, production delays – partly due to the Writers’ Strikes – pushed the date back. Originally planned for a May release, a long-standing MCU tradition, the film was moved to December. This seemed like a good strategy, avoiding direct competition with the new Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, and preventing the two Disney films from competing for box office revenue.
However, Avengers: Doomsday is facing a major challenge. It’s scheduled to be released at the same time as Dune: Part Three, the next installment in Denis Villeneuve’s popular sci-fi series. Robert Downey Jr. has playfully called this potential showdown “Dunesday,” referencing the successful, albeit unusual, competition between Barbie and Oppenheimer. But many believe the overlap in audiences could hurt both Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three, and some think the Avengers movie should consider changing its release date.
Dune Just Got A Big Advantage Over Avengers: Doomsday
A few weeks ago, IMAX was still figuring out when to show Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday. However, in their latest report to investors, IMAX confirmed that Dune will be shown in their domestic theaters in December. This means Avengers 5 will need to be scheduled for a different time.
— Rob Keyes (@rob_keyes) February 26, 2026
The problem centers around highly sought-after IMAX tickets. While there are about 360 IMAX theaters across the US, they generate a large portion of a movie’s earnings because of their higher ticket prices. Movie studios are now heavily promoting IMAX as the ultimate way to see a film, emphasizing that new releases are best experienced in the highest quality – and most expensive – format. With both Dune and Avengers: Doomsday currently in cinemas, they are naturally competing for limited IMAX screen availability.
The next Dune movie has a significant edge over Marvel’s upcoming Doomsday because Warner Bros. has secured IMAX screenings in the US. According to a recent report to IMAX investors, Dune will be shown in US IMAX theaters, while Doomsday will only be available in “select international markets.” This is a major setback for Marvel, potentially impacting Doomsday’s box office numbers, and some industry experts now believe Marvel may have to postpone the film’s release again.
Dune Needed IMAX A Lot More Than Avengers: Doomsday
It’s clear why Warner Bros. prioritized IMAX theaters: a significant portion of the $715 million worldwide box office for Dune: Part Two came from premium IMAX tickets – over 20%, or $145 million, which is a remarkable success. Director Denis Villeneuve specifically filmed portions of Dune: Part Three with costly IMAX cameras, indicating he plans to leverage that format again, making access to IMAX crucial for Warner Bros.
There’s a clear difference between Dune and Avengers: Doomsday. The Russo brothers, who directed previous Avengers films (Infinity War and Endgame), used IMAX cameras for those projects. However, there’s no evidence they used IMAX cameras for Doomsday. They’ve only stated they hope audiences will see it on IMAX screens, not that it was specifically filmed with IMAX technology. In fact, they’ve been careful to avoid confirming that they used IMAX at all.
The competition between Dune and Doomsday wasn’t fair. Dune was specifically created for IMAX, while Doomsday seemed to only consider IMAX as an afterthought. This explains why IMAX chose to focus on Dune in the US and possibly in other countries, especially considering Doomsday had a limited release in only a few locations.
Disney Is Unlikely To Push Doomsday Back Again
While it’s possible Marvel and Disney might postpone the release of Doomsday, they’ve already invested a lot in promoting its December date, even creating an online “Doomsday Clock.” Marketing to a broad audience has already begun – four trailers for Doomsday were shown with Avatar: Fire and Ash. The Avatar movies have a dedicated fanbase that doesn’t rely on typical online hype, so Disney saw a chance to reach potential viewers who might otherwise be missed, and rescheduling could risk losing them.
It’s rare for a major movie to start its marketing campaign so far in advance. This early push suggests Disney is highly confident in the film and will likely only delay its release if absolutely necessary. Disney is probably hoping the movie performs well for an extended period, potentially lasting into 2027, which would allow them to secure IMAX screens in January and February after Dune’s run. At that point, a release date change is unlikely.
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2026-02-26 23:42