Avengers: Doomsday is gearing up to be the biggest film of 2026, and it's already raking in serious cash ahead of its December 18 release through presales alone. The fifth Avengers crossover brings together heroes from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe as their very existence is threatened by Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, the Latverian dictator who has a bone to pick with the multiverse itself and everyone in it.
Disney has confirmed that domestic presales for Avengers: Doomsday have crossed $50 million with over three months still to go before release, a figure the studio called unprecedented for a film this far out. Even more telling is where that money is going. Over 70% of those advance tickets are for Infinity Vision, Disney's new premium large format certification, which indicates that moviegoers intend to see the film on the biggest and best screens available to them.
Premium formats have become crucial for theatrical releases, with general audiences developing a strong taste for high-end options such as IMAX, 4DX, and ScreenX. This appetite for the most visually immersive cinema experience became even more apparent with Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, the first feature ever shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, and one designed to be seen in that format. This paid off massively for Universal. The Odyssey became Nolan's highest-grossing film and even took a major record from Marvel.
Avengers: Doomsday missed out on IMAX theaters to Dune: Part Three, and given how important premium screens are now, this was a significant loss. Naturally, Disney decided to do something about it, and its answer was Infinity Vision. The studio launched the certification at CinemaCon in April, working with global theatrical exhibition partners to identify which auditoriums meet its technical standards.
Certified theaters offer the largest screens, laser projection for superior brightness and clarity, and premium audio for fully immersive sound. At the time of the announcement, Disney counted over 75 certified screens domestically and 300 worldwide, with exhibitors later submitting more than 7,500 applications to join the program.
Infinity Vision will debut with the September re-release of Avengers: Endgame, titled Avengers: Endgame Encore, and Doomsday is the program's first brand-new release. If premium screens keep accounting for 70% of sales at this rate, Infinity Vision will move from experiment to core pillar of Disney's theatrical strategy almost overnight.
The excitement around Avengers: Doomsday is at an all-time high, which isn't surprising given the compelling details the film's trailers have teased, including a shot of Doom stopping Stormbreaker with two fingers. Thanks to that hype, Marvel recorded its highest viewing hours in Disney+ history in August, with over 420 million hours watched across its titles in a single month. Marvel also recently released an essential watch list for Doomsday spanning 14 films and one Disney+ series, so those numbers are likely to climb even higher as fans prepare for the biggest event in MCU history.
The marketing for this film has been spectacular, which is a major reason even those unfamiliar with comic book movies are eager to see it. On top of that, Spider-Man: Brand New Day reinvigorated the trust fans had lost in the Marvel brand. That film delivered on both story and spectacle, grossing over $2 billion to become the first Spider-Man movie to cross that mark and Sony's highest-grossing release ever. The Endgame Encore trailer has only added to the momentum.
Infinity Vision Is a Game Changer for Marvel and Avengers: Doomsday
These numbers bode well for Infinity Vision's future. When it was announced, many were skeptical of its viability and dismissed it as a gimmick born out of the Dune: Part Three IMAX snub. However, Infinity Vision is now looking like a proper competitor in a theatrical landscape crowded with premium formats.
The film's performance over its theatrical run will significantly boost the certification's reputation, and it's not a one-sided benefit either, as Infinity Vision will also help Doomsday generate more revenue. Premium format tickets cost more than standard ones, which has a significant effect on overall earnings.
Beyond Doomsday, Marvel has other blockbusters in store for 2027 and beyond. Avengers: Secret Wars arrives on December 17, 2027, and although that film will likely play in IMAX, unlike its predecessor, fans will probably still buy Infinity Vision tickets if they enjoy the format during Doomsday. Phase 7 includes the X-Men reboot, Ghost Rider, and Black Panther 3, all of which could benefit from Disney's new certification. Even if Marvel misses out on IMAX screens for some future releases, Infinity Vision will be there to compensate.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
