A recent release date confirmation has set Avengers: Secret Wars up to face a similar box-office situation to Avengers: Doomsday. The two Avengers films are the capstone of Marvel Studios' Multiverse Saga, and both have had their release dates set for back-to-back years for a while now. While both Avengers: Secret Wars and Doomsday are two of the biggest movies the MCU has ever seen, they'll now both face similar battles upon release.
Marvel Studios has Avengers: Secret Wars set for release on December 17, 2027, roughly one year after Avengers: Doomsday. Lionsgate has just confirmed that its upcoming sequel to The Housemaid, The Housemaid's Secret, will also debut on December 17, 2027, meaning the two sequel films will go head-to-head at the box office.
While The Housemaid 2 doesn't have the same level of recognition as a Marvel movie, the first film released in a similar time slot in December 2025 and grossed almost $400 million worldwide (almost ten times its budget), so it's not to be discounted. The second film also has Kirsten Dunst starring alongside Sydney Sweeney, adding a big-name draw to its appeal, and will continue its adaptation of Freida McFadden’s novel series.
This news puts Avengers: Secret Wars in a very similar predicament to Avengers: Doomsday, which is scheduled to open on December 18, 2026, opposite the highly anticipated Dune: Part Three. Neither Disney nor Warner Bros. plans to shift the release dates of its major blockbusters, leading to a box-office battle fans have dubbed "Dunesday."
Adding to the competition for Avengers: Secret Wars is the new Lord of the Rings film, The Hunt for Gollum, which is also scheduled for December 17, 2027, meaning there will be three major releases on the same day, vying for eyeballs. The Hunt for Gollum is the first live-action The Lord of the Rings release since 2014 and intends to be a major comeback for the franchise, with many of the original actors reprising their roles.
The final Phase 6 MCU film has a lot working in its favor as well, with a vast array of Avengers assembling, and Marvel's top directing duo, the Russo Brothers, at the helm. Avengers: Secret Wars is Marvel's chance to repeat the success of Avengers: Endgame, which became the highest-grossing film of all time.
Is Avengers: Secret Wars In Trouble?
While Marvel Studios' films have rarely had to fear opening against another movie, the financial returns of the MCU's most recent releases suggest the superhero juggernaut is no longer the box-office titan it used to be. There is no bigger Marvel franchise than the Avengers, so there's a lot of hope that this will turn things around financially for the studio, but tough competition at the box office won't make it any easier.
However, there is one thing that Avengers: Secret Wars has over Avengers: Doomsday's predicament. The Housemaid 2 appeals to a very different demographic than Avengers: Secret Wars, meaning there may not be too many potential diverted profits. In fact, The Housemaid 2 and Avengers: Secret Wars have a chance to repeat a Barbenheimer-like cinematic trend, thanks to their inverse demographics, which could benefit both films.
The wrinkle in the situation is The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which has significant crossover with Marvel's target audience. Should both films stick to their December 17 dates, it will likely create another Dunesday situation, although it's difficult to predict the winner in that battle until December 18, 2026, has passed.
Alternatively, the trio of Avengers: Secret Wars, The Housemaid's Secret, and The Lord of the Rings: Hunt for Gollum might create something completely new that even surpasses Barbenheimer, challenging audiences to do a triple-feature viewing, which could result in one of the biggest box office days to date.
