Despite a potential battle at the box office, Marvel Studios is sticking to its planned release date for Avengers: Doomsday. Currently scheduled for December 18, 2026, the film will open on the same day as Warner Bros.’ Dune 3, setting up a major competition between the two movies. While many expect one studio to change its plans, neither has done so yet. Marvel seems determined to stay the course, meaning Warner Bros. must now decide whether to move Dune 3 or go head-to-head with the new Avengers film.
The upcoming movie, Avengers: Doomsday, is now confirmed for release in Japan on December 18, 2026 – the same day it comes out in the US. This is happening much earlier than usual for international releases, and Disney is clearly confident about the film’s success, having secured the date a full year in advance.
It’s unusual for Marvel to confirm an international release date this early, which likely means the movie’s release date won’t change.
With this decision, it’s nearly certain that Avengers: Doomsday will still be released as planned, despite Dune 3 being scheduled for the same date. Now, everyone is wondering if Warner Bros. will change its release strategy, considering Denis Villeneuve intends this to be the final Dune movie.
A third Dune movie, with Timothée Chalamet and Florence Pugh, could potentially aim for a big opening weekend around the holidays in 2026, similar to the first film. However, this is probably unrealistic because it would be competing with other movies for the best theater formats like IMAX and Dolby Cinema.
Filming for Dune 3 started in July 2025, using traditional film cameras in locations like Budapest, Abu Dhabi, and Liwa Oasis. Production finished in November.
Rather than postponing a potential Dune 3, it would be smarter to release it sooner, particularly with awards season in mind. The second film, Dune: Part Two, was already delayed until early 2024, and that hurt its chances of winning awards as time went on.
If it’s feasible given Denis Villeneuve’s schedule, Warner Bros. might be better off releasing Dune 3 in November instead of October. They already have the animated film The Cat in the Hat coming out on November 6, 2026, which means November is a possibility, but the studio probably wouldn’t want to release two big films so close together.
The third Dune movie might open in theaters on November 20, 2026, potentially going head-to-head with The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. It remains to be seen if Lionsgate will change its release plans. Five days later, on November 26th, Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew will arrive in IMAX theaters. While Netflix is distributing the new Narnia film with an exclusive IMAX run, it’s not expected to be a significant competitor in terms of wider distribution.
As a movie fan, it’s tough to see Warner Bros. in a bind right now. It feels like they’re in a really tricky spot with their release schedule. Honestly, opening against Doomsday seems like a terrible idea – it could really hurt their chances at the box office. It just feels like a recipe for disaster!
Avengers: Dunesday Explained
If Dune 3 isn’t released on its current date, Avengers: Doomsday is predicted to be the biggest movie in December 2026. Industry estimates suggest the fifth Avengers film could earn $1.6 billion worldwide, giving Disney a strong advantage during the holiday movie season.
Even though audiences might be getting tired of superhero movies and the Marvel brand, the upcoming film Doomsday has the potential to be a massive hit. This is because Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is bringing back the team behind some of their biggest successes: the Russo Brothers, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Evans.
It would be remarkable if Disney and Warner Bros. both released their biggest movies on the same day, aiming for the same international audience and high-quality viewing experiences like IMAX.
If that happens, Dune 3 would probably struggle to compete with Avengers: Doomsday, which would likely be the more popular choice. However, Warner Bros. could decide to stick to its release date of December 18th, creating a major box office battle between the two films instead of changing plans.
An interesting aspect of this box office competition is Florence Pugh – she appears in both movies, which makes for a uniquely unusual showdown.
Read More
- They Nest (2000) Movie Review
- ‘M3GAN’ Spin-off ‘SOULM8TE’ Dropped From Release Calendar
- Brent Oil Forecast
- Avengers: Doomsday Trailer Leak Has Made Its Way Online
- Spider-Man 4 Trailer Leaks Online, Sony Takes Action
- Super Animal Royale: All Mole Transportation Network Locations Guide
- Jynxzi’s R9 Haircut: The Bet That Broke the Internet
- Code Vein II PC system requirements revealed
- Anthropic’s AI vending machine turns communist and gives everything for free
- Beyond Prediction: Bayesian Methods for Smarter Financial Risk Management
2025-12-22 19:40