Denis Villeneuve’s Dune series quickly established itself as one of the defining sci-fi franchises of the decade. Both films released to date earned widespread critical praise and were box office successes, with last year’s Dune: Part Two bringing in $714.8 million worldwide. In addition to featuring compelling storytelling, the movies are renowned for their immense scale and scope, fully immersing viewers in the world of Arrakis. Guided by Villeneuve’s sharp eye and attention to detail, the Dune films are experiences tailor-made to be seen on the biggest of screens. Unsurprisingly, the upcoming Dune: Part Three should follow suit in that regard, but a new update could spell bad news for its potential box office.
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IMAX’s latest investor presentation includes a slide listing various 2026 titles that will play in the premium format. Included are Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three, which are currently slated to premiere on the same day: December 18, 2026. Assuming that continues to be the case, the dueling release strategies could prove to be a detriment for both.
Why Dune: Part Three & Avengers: Doomsday Opening on the Same Day Is Bad News
Over the past several years, IMAX has emerged as an increasingly prevalent way to see new releases in theaters, but there are still a fairly limited amount of IMAX screens across the country. This means, right now, Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three will have to share the available IMAX screens between each other, which typically isn’t how things work. Usually, there’s one big film that stakes claim to a majority of the IMAX screens for a limited time before the next high-profile title comes in. For example, Paramount pushed The Running Man back a week so Edgar Wright’s film would be able to secure more IMAX showings after Predator: Badlands has its moment in the spotlight the week prior.
Splitting IMAX theaters obviously means less revenue for both Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three, which isn’t an ideal result for either tentpole. Around 20% of Dune: Part Two‘s total gross came from IMAX screenings, so Warner Bros. was likely counting on a similar figure (or higher) for the next installment — which is being billed as the final installment of Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy (making it an even bigger cinematic event). Similarly, Disney has high hopes for Avengers: Doomsday as the Marvel Cinematic Universe looks to get back on track. One of the reasons why Disney pushed Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars back to December was so they could play in the lucrative holiday movie season, maximizing box office prospects. The Mouse House wants these films to be major events, possibly pushing the $2 billion milestone.
If cinephiles are forced to choose between one movie and the other for IMAX, Dune: Part Three could emerge as the top pick. It might be the bigger draw at those theaters because it’s being filmed with IMAX cameras, meaning Villeneuve is taking full advantage of what’s capable with IMAX. Viewers who take a keen interest in premium formats will be inclined to seek out IMAX screenings for Dune, allowing them to take in the full scope of Villeneuve’s epic vision. There’s no denying Avengers: Doomsday will look incredible in IMAX as well, but in that case, audiences could prioritize seeing the film as soon as possible in any format to prevent being spoiled. This’ll depend on individual taste, of course, but Dune feels like it’ll be the better IMAX event.
It would make things a lot easier if either Avengers: Doomsday or Dune: Part Three moves. These films are targeting similar demographics, and it just makes more sense for both to be in slots where they stand to make the most money possible. If they’re separated on the release calendar, they’ll also be able to have the full amount of IMAX screens at their disposal. Of course, 2026 release dates (and IMAX slots) are being filled up fast, so if one of these movies is to shift (most likely Dune considering Disney’s stranglehold on the pre-Christmas window), that will have to happen quickly. If things stay the same, then Disney and Warner Bros. will be hoping for the next Barbenheimer event.
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