Marvel’s Biggest Crossover Event Faces an Unexpected Twist
The arrival of Avengers: Doomsday shakes up the blockbuster season, promising a multiversal adventure on a massive scale. With its theatrical debut set for December 18, Marvel fans have been eagerly awaiting the spectacle. Yet, a surprising move has emerged: the most anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe film in years will not premiere on IMAX screens in US theaters during its opening weekend. Instead, IMAX’s impressive US footprint has been reserved for another sci-fi heavyweight, Dune: Part Three.
IMAX Exclusive to Dune: Part Three—A Strategic Showdown at the Box Office
On the same December release date, audiences will witness an epic franchise face-off. IMAX theaters across the US are dedicated solely to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three, meaning that American Marvel fans must catch Avengers: Doomsday in conventional or premium formats, but not in IMAX—at least at launch. This decision is rooted in industry logistics, as most multiplexes only boast a single IMAX auditorium. Internationally, however, Avengers: Doomsday will command some select IMAX screens, keeping the global hype alive.
What’s behind this unusual scheduling? Dune: Part Three carved out this December weekend long before Marvel moved Doomsday onto the calendar. The allure of higher-priced IMAX tickets during blockbuster launches gives Dune an edge in the US, especially in a time when premium formats frequently sway the box office race.
Star-Studded Cast Unites Marvel’s Multiverse
Despite its IMAX absence in the States, Avengers: Doomsday’s star power is undeniable. The Russo Brothers, legends of the MCU for orchestrating fan favorites like Infinity War and Endgame, return to direct a crossover unlike any before. Returning and new faces fill the screen: Robert Downey Jr. makes a dramatic turn as Doctor Doom, with Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Letitia Wright’s Shuri, and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes. The film also welcomes a host of X-Men and Fantastic Four icons—Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and more—cementing Doomsday’s place as the most ambitious MCU ensemble yet.
For Marvel, the stakes are enormous. Avengers: Endgame previously set the bar with a record-shattering $2.7 billion worldwide haul. Doomsday aims to invigorate that anticipation, blending legendary and new characters in a narrative colliding Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Wakandans, and Thunderbolts. The multiversal stakes, combined with unresolved plotlines and the debut of Doctor Doom as a central antagonist, tease a film event designed to reignite superhero cinema on a grand scale.
Looking Beyond the Opening Weekend
The IMAX gap might be short-lived, as future MCU releases such as the next Avengers: Secret Wars have already secured their premium slot in both US and international IMAX theaters. The rivalry between Dune and Doomsday in US cinemas adds a new chapter to the modern box office chess game, demonstrating how format exclusivity can influence opening numbers and fan experiences.
As anticipation builds, fans and analysts will watch closely to see which film claims the top of the winter box office—and whether Avengers: Doomsday manages to overcome its IMAX hurdle to deliver another Marvel phenomenon.
