French Marvel Fans Just Proved ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Hype Is off the Charts With a Lightning-Fast Sellout
Few venues in the world can match the spectacle of Paris’ Le Grand Rex, and the ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ frenzy there is already reaching fever pitch months before release. The historic cinema first opened its doors on December 8, 1932, and its Art Deco facade has since become one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. For Marvel fans, it’s the ultimate place to experience a blockbuster.
The main attraction is the Grand Large, a screen installed in 1988 that measures 300 square meters, stretching over 81 feet wide and 37 feet tall. The theater has been building momentum toward Doomsday for weeks, even screening ‘Avengers: Endgame’ in its Infinity Vision format ahead of the new film’s arrival.
That anticipation boiled over this week. Le Grand Rex announced that ticket sales for its special fan screening would open at midnight on the night of Sunday, September 27, into Monday, September 28, warning fans to set their alarms because the battle for seats would be intense.
It wasn’t an exaggeration. According to box office analyst Luiz Fernando, MCU fans in France showed up in droves for the December 16 midnight early screening pre-sales, and the event sold out in just 6 minutes.
To celebrate the response, Fernando reported that the theater added 3 new screenings on December 16, at 4 am, 9:30 am and 8 pm, with pre-sales kicking off Monday at 9 am. Another 8 dates stretching across the holiday period were also set to go on sale at the same time.
MCU fans in #France showed up in droves for #AvengersDoomsday DEC 16 midnight Early Screening pre-sales at the giant #LeGrandRex, sold out in just 6 minutes. To celebrate, The iconic theatre in Paris announced 3 new DEC 16 screenings, at 4am, 9:30am & 8pm, with pre-sales kicking off this MON at 9am, and also another 8 dates throughout the holiday period, which will also be available for pre-sales this MON at 9am: • WED DEC 16: 4am, 9:30am., and 8pm. • SAT DEC 19: 8pm • SUN DEC 20: 8pm • TUE DEC 22: 8pm • THU DEC 24: 6:45pm • SAT DEC 26: 8pm • MON DEC 28: 8pm • WED DEC 30: 8pm • FRI JAN 1: 8pm If you load your spot at the midnight screening, you’ll still have these other chances to watch the film at the Grand Large auditorium. Go to bed so you wake up in time for the next round of pre-sales!
— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) September 27, 2026
Those additional showings include December 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30, along with New Year’s Day on January 1, most of them at 8 pm with a Christmas Eve slot at 6:45 pm. As Fernando joked, fans who lost out on the midnight show should get some sleep so they can wake up in time for the next round.
The cinema’s own listings confirm the film will be projected on the Grand Large in Infinity Vision, with a mix of subtitled original-language and French-dubbed screenings. The venue has also noted that all other showtimes will open for sale on Monday, October 5.
For those willing to splurge, Le Grand Rex is also offering a VIP format priced at €50. The ticket lets fans skip the line, access a private mezzanine level of the main hall, and enjoy a glass of champagne or another drink along with a treat of their choice.
Exclusivity is part of the appeal, since these VIP packages are limited to just 20 people per screening. Given how fast the midnight tickets vanished, those spots are unlikely to last long.
New trailer for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 15, 2026
In theaters December 18 pic.twitter.com/1wsiTk1Nnv
French audiences have an extra reason to be excited. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ opens in France on Wednesday, December 16, 2 days ahead of its December 18 release in the United States. The film runs approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the movie sees the Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, New Avengers and X-Men converge as heroes from 3 different universes face an unprecedented existential threat. Robert Downey Jr. leads the charge as the villainous Doctor Doom, joined by stars including Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn.
A 6-minute sellout at one of Europe’s most iconic cinemas is a strong early signal of the global appetite for Marvel’s next big team-up. If the rush in Paris is any indication, box office watchers could be in for a massive December. For now, French fans who missed out will have to set their alarms again, as the race for seats at Le Grand Rex is far from over.
Would you stay up until midnight to get tickets for Avengers: Doomsday at Le Grand Rex?
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