The start of CinemaCon is an exciting day that has brought clarification on Avengers: Doomsday's release date, straight from Marvel Studios. Avengers: Doomsday may be the biggest movie coming in 2026, but Marvel Studios has set it up for an uphill battle at the box office. Not only will the MCU's Phase 6 tenpole go head-to-head with Dune: Part Three on December 18, but that conflict will also deprive it of IMAX screens for the three weeks that the Timothée Chalamet blockbuster has exclusivity for the premium format.
As CinemaCon gets underway at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Deadline spotted Avengers: Doomsday's official poster on the show floor. Sadly, Disney is displaying the familiar poster for its upcoming MCU blockbuster, complete with Doomsday's December 18 release date, setting the record straight on growing rumors and hopes that it will shift away from Dune: Part Three, either forward or backward.
As Marvel Studios and Warner Bros. move full steam ahead with Dunesday, December's theatrical schedule recently got a shake-up. After Sony Pictures shifted Jumanji 3 from December 11 to 25, many grew convinced that Avengers 5 will move up a week to briefly swerve Dune 3 and enjoy some time in IMAX.
Despite hopes from many that a release shift was imminent at CinemaCon, Variety previously reported that Marvel Studios won't move Avengers: Doomsday at all, something that Disney reiterated during its March shareholder meeting.
Disney is expected to have a major presence at CinemaCon, an annual gathering of the titans of the global motion picture industry, which takes place from Monday, April 13, to Thursday, April 16. Many are anticipating that Marvel Studios will look to make a splash at CinemaCon with Avengers: Doomsday.
While a release change looks to be off the cards for Avengers: Doomsday at CinemaCon, fans should still expect some updates, especially at Disney's presentation from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. PT on Thursday, April 16.
Should Avengers: Doomsday Be Worried About Dune: Part Three?
While some will turn to 2023's Barbeheimer miracle as evidence that two blockbusters can share a release day and succeed, this isn't quite the same. Unlike Barbie and Oppenheimer, Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three are male-skewing, action-heavy epics that will therefore compete for much of the same audience, which could leave one in the dust or, more likely, just detract from both.
If Marvel Studios isn't willing to budge at all on Doomsday's release, even by moving up slightly, it must be unfazed by the lack of IMAX screens, confident that standard and other premium formats can carry it to glory. There's no denying that the MCU has been through some critical and financial struggles in recent years, but Avengers 5 still has a strong chance to claim 2026's box office crown.
The Avengers franchise has a strong track record, with even its lowest-grossing movie, Age of Ultron, bringing in almost $1.4 billion, while its highest-grossing movie, Endgame, reached nearly $2.8 billion. While there's no doubt that Dune 3 will be a smash hit at the box office, likely surpassing its predecessor's $714.8 million, the franchise doesn't have the track record to prove that it is a threat to Doomsday, which may explain why Disney hasn't felt the need to budge at all.
Still, in today's Hollywood landscape, anything could happen, especially if Doomsday's early reactions and word of mouth don't meet expectations. The next eight months will be crucial for Marvel Studios as it aims to convince those who have tuned out of the MCU recently that Avengers 5 is worth coming back for, something that began with the four teaser trailers in December and January.
Next up on Doomsday's promotional journey is CinemaCon, namely Disney's Thursday night presentation. It's easy to see Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige coming out on stage, perhaps joined by the Russo Brothers and Robert Downey Jr., to unveil new footage from Avengers 5, such as a full look at Doctor Doom, although whether that sneak peek would be released online is tougher to tell.
