Dune 3 Fires First Box Office Shot at Avengers: Doomsday With IMAX Sellout & $1000 Ticket

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Big successes like Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Bros. Movie have given the 2026 box office a great start. So far this year, domestic ticket sales have exceeded $2 billion – a 30% increase compared to last year – and there are many more exciting movies coming soon. While a full summer of blockbusters is ahead, the biggest movie event of the year is likely to be in December. On December 18th, dubbed “Dunesday,” both Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday will be released. Everyone is eager to see how these two films will compete, and it appears Dune 3 has already started making a splash.

Despite still being eight months away from its release, tickets for 70mm IMAX showings of Dune: Part Three are already available – and selling fast. The official IMAX website shows multiple screenings are already sold out. The high demand is evident, as one IMAX ticket for Dune 3 recently sold on eBay for almost $1,000.

Dune: Part Three‘s IMAX Screenings Give it Advantage Over Avengers

While both Dune and Avengers aim for similar audiences, it’s looking less and less likely either film will move from its December 18th release date. Warner Bros. is particularly keen on keeping Dune: Part Three on that date because they’ve reserved all the IMAX theaters for its opening weekend. IMAX and other high-quality formats are now a huge part of how people enjoy movies, and they bring in a lot of revenue. For example, during the opening weekend of Project Hail Mary, 54% of tickets sold domestically were for premium formats, with IMAX accounting for 22% of all sales.

IMAX has been around for years, but it feels like it’s everywhere now. It, along with other premium movie formats, helps create excitement for big films, making them feel like special events best experienced on the largest screens possible. The first trailer for Dune: Part Three definitely suggests it’s one of those films – a grand science fiction story with incredible sets, cutting-edge visual effects, and spectacular action. It’s no surprise that IMAX showings are already selling out, much like The Odyssey, which had tickets available a year ahead of release.

As a huge fan of both franchises, I was really excited to see that Dune: Part Three secured those crucial IMAX screenings before Avengers: Doomsday could! It doesn’t necessarily mean Dune 3 will ultimately earn more overall – the previous Avengers films were billion-dollar hits, and Dune: Part Two did incredibly well at $714.8 million – and Doomsday is going to be huge, especially with everyone wanting to see it right away to avoid spoilers. But getting those IMAX screens first gives Dune 3 a real advantage. It’s become such a beloved sci-fi series, and many consider it one of the best of the last few years, so it’s great to see it competing so well with the Avengers juggernaut.

There’s speculation about whether Disney will change the release date of Avengers: Doomsday. Sony recently moved the new Jumanji film to Christmas Day, which opens up December 11th. Doomsday could potentially take that date, giving it a week of exclusive IMAX showings before Dune: Part Three arrives. This would allow Marvel to benefit from premium viewing formats and potentially increase ticket sales. Either way, movie fans have a lot to look forward to this December.

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2026-04-07 17:10