It's safe to say that few cinematic events generate as much excitement as Earth's Mightiest Heroes joining forces on the big screen. Back in 2012, we witnessed the Avengers assemble for the very first time in live-action, and since then, they've made history time and time again. Each passing release in the beloved Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise has reached new heights at the box office, showcasing the love audiences have for these characters.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on Dec. 18, 2026, and even though very few things could beat the excitement of watching Earth's Mightiest Heroes assemble for the first time after a seven-year hiatus (along with the X-Men and the Fantastic Four), the MCU has found a worthy opponent. Dune: Part Three is also set to be released on the very same day, leading fans to name this legendary day "Dunesday" much like "Barbenheimer" before it.
There have been discussions about which movie is best to watch first, and a lot of excitement about the idea of these two goliaths clashing on the big screen. However, it seems such a day may never come to be in the first place.
Marvel is reportedly considering moving Avengers: Doomsday a week up to avoid clashing with Dune: Part Three
According to insider John Campea, "discussions have been taking place" at Marvel to move the release of Avengers: Doomsday to Dec. 11, 2026, which would be a week earlier than originally anticipated. That way, the MCU would avoid going directly head-to-head with another big release, and it could also secure some IMAX screens in the process.
Dune: Part Three secured an exclusive deal to get every IMAX screen for three weeks from its release, meaning Avengers: Doomsday would be unable to get such an immersive moviegoing experience if it ends up opening on Dec. 18. However, moving the release a week earlier could mean that Earth's Mightiest Heroes will get to save the multiverse on a bigger and better screen.
The untitled Jumanji 3 movie was originally set to hit theaters on Dec. 11, 2026, but moved its release date back to Christmas Day so that its box office run wouldn't be hurt (or stopped altogether) by Dunesday. So now that such a date is free, it would make sense for Avengers: Doomsday to secure it for itself. That way, it will have an entire week free of any strong competition.
The Avengers: Doomsday teaser trailers have reached a combined 1 billion views, so needless to say, the movie has a lot of excitement behind it, especially with the confirmed appearance of the X-Men from the Fox era. However, MCU films aren't the guaranteed success they once were. Projects like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels failed to break even, and while an Avengers movie is unlikely to suffer from the same fate, fierce competition and bad reviews could make things a bit more complicated.
CinemaCon will take place from April 13 to 16, and Marvel Studios is expected to have a big presence at the event. With a bit of luck, our first official Avengers: Doomsday trailer could come our way during those days, and if a release change is truly on the cards, then it wouldn't be far-fetched to assume that it could be announced there as well.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on Dec. 18, 2026 (for the time being).