Doomsday Won’t Release In IMAX In US Theaters On Opening Weekend

Avengers: Doomsday is not assembling for an opening weekend in IMAX for U.S. theaters.

The long-awaited Marvel Cinematic Universe movie releases in theaters on December 18 and brings together numerous characters from the Multiverse Saga as they take on Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) On the same day, another major blockbuster, Dune: Part Three, is also releasing in theaters. Since many theaters only have one IMAX screen available, this has led to questions about the opening weekend for Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three.

According to IMAX, Avengers: Doomsday will only play in IMAX theaters for select international markets. Dune: Part Three will instead play on all IMAX screens in the U.S. instead. This is not the case for Avengers: Secret Wars the following year, as the MCU sequel is slated to be in IMAX in both the U.S. and overseas for its December 17, 2027 premiere.

2026 IMAX release calendar

Dune: Part Three’s IMAX exclusivity in the U.S. is likely a major reason why it has not moved on the calendar despite having to compete with Avengers: Doomsday’s release. Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah was scheduled for December 18 before Doomsday, which moved there after previously being slated for a May 1 theatrical debut. With IMAX tickets being more expensive than regular tickets, the Timothée Chalamet-led movie playing on IMAX screens in the U.S. during opening weekend is a major advantage.

While this could potentially give Dune: Part Three the edge in the box office competition, Avengers: Doomsday is still expected to be incredibly lucrative. It is the MCU’s first Avengers film since the release of Endgame in 2019, which grossed $2.7 billion worldwide. Also, Doomsday is breaking new ground by bringing together longtime Avengers, the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Wakandans, Thunderbolts, and many popular characters introduced in the years after Endgame all into one movie.

In addition to Downey as Doctor Doom, the Avengers: Doomsday cast includes Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X, Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, and Chris Evans as Steve Rogers. It is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, who previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.