A possible calendar shuffle for Marvel’s next big event movie

A new rumor says Disney may be looking for a way around a head-to-head box office battle between Avengers: Doomsday and Dune 3. Right now, both films are still set for December 18, which has already earned the cheerful nickname “Dunesday” from the internet, because apparently movie release dates now need branding campaigns too.

Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film in the MCU. It is expected to feature Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., in his first full appearance after a brief introduction at the end of Fantastic Four: First Steps. The film is also said to bring back Captain America, Chris Evans, along with the X-Men. What Doom wants from the MCU remains, as usual, a mystery for another marketing cycle.

Meanwhile, Dune 3 is being described as the closing chapter of Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy. According to a fresh report, Disney would rather not launch its superhero finale on the same day as Warner Bros.’ desert epic.

The rumored new release date

Notable scooper John Campea said he had spoken with a source in exhibitor relations, meaning people involved in getting movies into theaters, who told him there are “discussions” about moving Avengers: Doomsday to December 11, one week earlier than Dune 3.

The idea is not necessarily about fear that Dune 3 will outdraw Marvel. Avengers: Doomsday will almost certainly be a major box office force no matter what. The more immediate issue appears to be IMAX.

Warner Bros. has already secured all IMAX screens in the United States for Villeneuve’s film when it opens on December 18. If Disney shifts Avengers: Doomsday to December 11, Marvel would get a one-week window to play on the biggest screens available before Dune 3 takes over.

That could also create a bit of scarcity, which is always handy when you want fans to feel like they need to see something immediately or miss the whole point of being alive on the internet.

Campea said the talks are “non-committal”, so nothing is locked in. As of now, the release date is still the same, and the final decision could change at any point between now and December.

For the moment, this looks less like Disney running scared and more like Disney not wanting to share the spotlight. Which, in the modern movie business, is practically a form of diplomacy.

Until there is a firmer update on either film, you can keep an eye on the rest of the studio schedule and the most anticipated movies of 2026.