After moving Avengers: Doomsday from May to December 2026, Disney found itself juggling multiple movies looking to capitalize on the holiday crowd. But with another 2026 release date shuffle, Disney has further positioned Avengers 5 for its best shot at box office domination.
At Destination D23, Disney announced Ice Age: Boiling Point's new release date of February 5, 2027. The first Ice Age film under the Disney umbrella was originally set to release on December 18, 2026, the same release date Avengers: Doomsday received following its delay earlier this year.
While expected, Disney pushing back Ice Age: Boiling Point is an effort to remove any potential competition from its own lineup, a move that will likely benefit the animated movie and Avengers 5. But overall, the strategic shift is Disney clearing the runway as much as possible to allow for Doomsday's success both domestically and internationally.
After all, Ice Age 6 wasn't the only competition Avengers 5 is dealing with. Currently, the crossover will open opposite Warner Bros.' Dune: Messiah on December 18. Jumanji 4 is also set to open a week prior, on December 11. However, other studios have already taken the same route as Disney in delaying certain films due to Avengers: Doomsday, albeit for different reasons. Universal bumped Shrek 5 from its original December 23, 2026, release to June 30, 2027, likely to avoid Avengers: Doomsday and the crowded December slate.
Ice Age: Boiling Point is a sequel to 2016's Ice Age: Collision Course and stars Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Simon Pegg, and Queen Latifah. Set within Phase 6 of the MCU and directed by the Russo Brothers, Avengers: Doomsday stars Robert Downey Jr. as the Multiversal villain, Doctor Doom, who will be facing off against the Avengers, New Avengers, Fantastic Four, Wakandans, and Fox's X-Men (check out Avengers 5's confirmed and reported cast list here!)
Avengers: Doomsday Gets Box Office Boost
While Ice Age 6 was unlikely to top Avengers: Doomsday at the 2026 December box office, the animated film could have chipped away at the MCU film's overall performance, particularly with families heading to theaters in December. Also, despite Doomsday being the first Avengers film since Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel Studios brand has lost some of the luster it enjoyed during the 2019 release of Endgame. Therefore, it's smart for Disney to clear the path as much as possible for its success and to maximize returns, all while Marvel Studios continues to intrigue fans with its potential storytelling (and which may include Spider-Man: No Way Home character?)
The question now is whether Doomsday's competition from rival studios will change their 2026 release slates. While giving up December sets up Avengers 5 for further success, other films may have a better shot at maximizing their own ticket sales and the pop culture conversation with earlier or later release dates.
However, Warner Bros. may be feeling confident with Dune: Messiah, given its own stellar roster of A-list talent and the possibility of detracting from Doomsday's box office with MCU names like Florence Pugh and Zendaya (see Dune 3's main characters here). The real test is likely to come when Avengers 5 marketing begins and studios can evaluate audience interest.
