Avengers Doomsday box office: Why Marvel targets USD 1 billion despite losing IMAX to 'Dune Part Three'?

Disney still sees a path for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ to reach USD 1 billion at the global box office even without IMAX screens in its opening run. The Marvel tentpole is set to open on December 18, 2026, the same day as Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune: Part Three,’ which has locked in IMAX for launch. That puts extra focus on whether ‘Doomsday’ can deliver blockbuster numbers through standard auditoriums and other premium formats instead.

Avengers: Doomsday box office outlook

According to TheWrap, Disney insiders believe ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ can still clear the USD 1 billion mark despite losing IMAX exclusivity at release. The outlet reported that one insider pointed to ‘Barbie’ and Disney’s live-action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ as recent examples of movies that crossed USD 1 billion without IMAX support. The same report said Disney plans to push alternatives such as Dolby, D-Box, and 4DX hard when the film opens.

The release date clash is already drawing attention because ‘Dune: Part Three’ and ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ are chasing many of the same moviegoers. TheWrap noted that both films skew toward similar audiences, raising questions about whether they can boost each other through event-level demand or cut into each other’s grosses instead. The outlet also said the release marks the first time an ‘Avengers’ film will open without IMAX.

'Dune: Part Three'and IMAX impact

IMAX has confirmed ‘Dune: Part Three’ for a December 18, 2026, release, reinforcing Warner Bros.’ premium format advantage on opening weekend. Marvel has also dated ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ for the same day, setting up one of the biggest box office faceoffs of 2026.

Even without IMAX, ‘Doomsday’ enters theaters with a major selling point: scale. Marvel has already positioned the film as a huge ensemble event. The cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, and more. ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ is scheduled for December 17, 2027, which gives ‘Doomsday’ added weight as a key setup film in Marvel’s next phase.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”