Marvel Studios is gearing up for another massive theatrical event with Avengers: Doomsday, and while the road to box office glory looks a little different this time, Disney doesn’t seem too worried.
Even without IMAX screens in its corner, the studio believes the film still has a legit shot at crossing the billion-dollar mark. And honestly, they might be right.
The film hits theaters on December 18, 2026, landing on the exact same day as Dune: Part Three from Denis Villeneuve, which has already locked down IMAX exclusivity for opening weekend. That’s a big deal.
Marvel movies usually dominate premium formats, and losing IMAX screens could’ve been seen as a serious disadvantage. But the situation isn’t quite that simple.
There’s been a lot of talk about whether this head-to-head matchup will turn into another “Barbenheimer” situation or if both films will end up cutting into each other’s earnings. Unlike Barbie and Oppenheimer, these two films are targeting a more overlapping audience, which makes things a bit more unpredictable.
Still, Disney is staying confident. According to a report from The Wrap, the studio isn’t banking on IMAX to carry the film. Instead, they’re looking at the bigger picture. One insider explained that massive hits like Barbie and the live-action Lilo & Stitch both managed to break the billion-dollar barrier without IMAX support, proving it’s far from a requirement.
The same insider said: “even without having IMAX exclusivity, Doomsday should be able to make a lot of money.”
Disney is planning to lean hard into other premium formats like Dolby, D-Box, and 4DX to make up the difference. Those formats have grown in popularity over the years, and if marketed right, they could help fill that IMAX-sized gap.
Of course, expectations are super higg. The film is following in the footsteps of Avengers: Endgame, which remains one of the biggest movies ever released. Matching that level of success isn’t easy, but Marvel clearly isn’t scaling things down. If anything, they’re going bigger.
The cast alone is massive. You’ve got Chris Hemsworth returning as Thor, Pedro Pascal stepping in as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Letitia Wright as Shuri, and Paul Rudd back as Ant-Man.
The lineup also includes Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Tenoch Huerta as Namor, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing, Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Danny Ramirez as Falcon, Joseph Quinn as Human Torch, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki.
Then there’s the X-Men factor, which is going to get fans seriously hyped. Patrick Stewart returns as Charles Xavier, alongside Ian McKellen as Magneto, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, James Marsden as Cyclops, Kelsey Grammer as Beast, and Channing Tatum finally stepping into Gambit.
Whether or not Avengers: Doomsday hits that billion-dollar milestone will depend on how audiences respond to this next chapter of the MCU, especially with strong competition right out of the gate. But between the built-in fanbase, and Disney’s confidence in alternative premium formats, this movie has a good shot at dominating the box office with a $1 Billion run.
We’ll find out how it all plays out when Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars already lined up to follow on December 17, 2027.
