Avengers: Doomsday is officially getting an IMAX release after all, although it won't be available in most territories due to Dune: Part Three. Marvel Studios will face one major obstacle to Avengers: Doomsday's success, as its Friday, December 18 release date in the U.S. clashes with Dune: Part Three. The Warner Bros. holiday tentpole from Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve has IMAX exclusivity for 3 weeks, locking the MCU out of the premium screens.
Avengers: Doomsday will officially screen in IMAX after all when it arrives in December, but not in North America or even most international territories. The MCU blockbuster will enjoy a limited two-week IMAX engagement in China from Wednesday, December 16, after Dune 3 was delayed in the Asian territory to Friday, December 31, making room for Doomsday to claim premium screens.
Box office reporter Luiz Fernando noted that China will be "one of the five international markets" to screen Doomsday in IMAX in December, the other four of which are believed to include South Korea and Japan.
Fortunately, Disney and Marvel Studios have cooked up a "solution" to its IMAX problem with Infinity Vision. The all-new certification, which promises a superior moviegoing experience, was trialed in September with Avengers: Endgame Encore and will be rolled out again later this year for Doomsday.
Contrary to popular belief, Infinity Vision isn't even a new premium format akin to IMAX, 4DX, and ScreenX; it is merely a certification and stamp of approval from Disney that a standard theater screen meets certain standards.
Infinity Vision has been slammed by critics as a desperate attempt to navigate Doomsday's IMAX dilemma and overcharge for the same screens that moviegoers have been going to for years. That may help to explain why Infinity Vision tickets make up the largest share of Doomsday's early pre-sales so far.
Will Avengers: Doomsday Eventually Release in IMAX in the US?
IMAX remains the go-to premium large format (PLF) for most moviegoers, providing a massive, view-filling, immersive experience with unmatched quality and a taller, expanded picture. The PLF was all the talk this summer thanks to Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, right as Spider-Man: Brand New Day suffered the same obstacle as Avengers: Doomsday, initially losing out on IMAX screens.
Audiences can find some solace in knowing that an IMAX version of Doomsday exists, even if it unfortunately won't be screening across most of the world. That opens the door for Avengers 5 to expand into the format in early-to-mid-January, once Dune 3's limited exclusivity window has finally expired.
Fortunately, Avengers: Secret Wars will make up for Doomsday's IMAX mistake by officially screening in the format worldwide on December 17, 2027. That is contingent on Marvel Studios being ready in time for next year's festive season, a prospect that looks increasingly uncertain as production has yet to begin.
Only time will tell whether Marvel Studios' return to IMAX for Secret Wars will also herald the end of the Infinity Vision certification experiment, as no announcements on its future have been made beyond this year's Doomsday. The certification could theoretically remain in use for the Phase 7 slate in 2028, applying to movies like X-Men, Ghost Rider, and Black Panther 3.
