Moviegoer’s ‘Doctor’s Appointment’ Excuse To See ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Has Marvel Fans Laughing

There are big movie releases, and then there are the ones that people start rearranging their entire lives around. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is shaping up to be firmly in the second category, as anticipation continues to build ahead of its December 18 release.

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the film brings together the Avengers, Wakandans, New Avengers, Fantastic Four and X-Men from different universes. Leading the threat is Robert Downey Jr., returning to the franchise for the first time as Doctor Doom.

With hype at fever pitch, it seems some fans are already plotting how to get to the theater on day one. A viral post shared by Complex shows an employee asking for the day off for a “doctor’s appointment,” only for it to be clear the real plan was to see ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.

The story originally came from the X account Buy Physical Media, which shared screenshots of the conversation. In them, the employee opens with a casual question before asking whether they can take 12/18 off.

The account owner joked that the employee was clearly asking for time off to see ‘Doomsday’, complete with laughing emojis. The dates lined up perfectly with the film’s opening day, making the real motive hard to miss.

An employee asked for the day off for a ‘doctor’s appointment’ to go see Avengers: Doomsday. [via/ X VHSDVDBLURAY4K] https://t.co/eY4y6G8CSe

— Complex (@Complex) October 8, 2026

with fans sharing their own plans for opening day. The replies were full of playful takes on the situation. One fan quipped that calling it a doctor’s appointment was technically honest, given the movie is expected to leave a mark.

Others admitted they had already requested the same day off, or were planning similar excuses of their own. For many, the post captured exactly how big an event the film feels like. The joke lands because the excitement is very real.

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ presales opened roughly 4 months before release, and TheWrap reported that after 2 days, sales were running about 65% ahead of the pace set by ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.

That comparison matters, since ‘Brand New Day’ broke the all-time domestic opening-day record with $168 million. Box office trackers have continued to note that ‘Doomsday’ presales show little sign of slowing down.

Marvel has spent months building the event. A trailer previewed at CinemaCon featured Doctor Doom warning that something was coming, and a newer trailer showed the villain threatening Marvel’s biggest heroes.

New trailer for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ In theaters December 18 https://t.co/1wsiTk1Nnv

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 15, 2026

Chris Hemsworth helped spread the excitement by sharing the trailer on Instagram along with the film’s release date. Disney+ has even launched a ‘Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday’ collection highlighting essential titles to watch beforehand.

The film is also the first half of a 2-part finale for the Multiverse Saga. ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ will follow, which only raises the stakes for fans who want to avoid spoilers. Opening day could be packed for another reason. Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune: Part Three’ is scheduled to open on the same date, setting up a major showdown at the box office.

New comic book promo art for ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’ (via @hexfacilitycom) https://t.co/Cv1Yd85kRl

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) October 5, 2026

That means plenty of moviegoers may be facing tough decisions, both about which film to see first and how to clear their schedules. If this viral exchange is anything to go by, some employers may be fielding quite a few unexpected “appointments” that week.

With just over 2 months to go, the excitement is only going to grow. Ticket sales, trailers, and viral moments like this one all point to an opening that could rival the biggest in history. For now, fans can enjoy the humor while they plan their own day-one viewing. Just maybe not with a fake doctor’s note.

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