‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Reportedly Set To Dominate ‘Dune: Part Three’ on Dunesday Weekend
December 18 has been circled on calendars for months. That’s the day Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and Warner Bros. and Legendary’s ‘Dune: Part Three’ open in US theaters together, a collision fans have dubbed “Dunesday.” Robert Downey Jr. even helped popularize the nickname during a January screening chat with Timothée Chalamet.
The matchup has drawn inevitable comparisons to 2023’s “Barbenheimer,” when both ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ thrived after opening on the same day. Theater owners, however, have grown increasingly nervous about the 2 films cannibalizing each other’s audiences.
Now one box office tracker believes the winner is already clear. According to EmpireCity Box Office, presales so far suggest ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ will win the December 18 weekend by a ratio of roughly 3.2 to 1 or even 4 to 1 over ‘Dune: Part Three’. The account stressed that this isn’t a knock on Villeneuve’s film, calling ‘Doomsday’ a juggernaut with no real competition.
The numbers behind that claim are staggering. ‘Doomsday’ pulled in $16.5 million in its first 24 hours of premium-format presales and was the first film to pass $40 million in domestic presales a full 100 days before release. Trackers have since reported more than $100 million in global presales.
Projections remain enormous too. Global Box Office has forecast a domestic opening between $260 million and $300 million, and some reports have suggested ‘Doomsday’ could approach $400 million if its presale pace holds.
Based on presales so far, @Avengers Doomsday going to win Dec. 18th weekend by a 3.2x or 4x to 1 ratio. Not a knock on the sales of @dunemovie at all, but the winner of the weekend is set. There is no real competition between the two, shows you what a juggernaut is incoming. https://t.co/XsZw51pVLU
— EmpireCity Box Office (@EmpireCityBO) October 24, 2026
None of this means ‘Dune: Part Three’ is struggling. The film reportedly earned $10 million in early advance ticket sales, putting it on pace for a franchise-record opening of more than $100 million. Global Box Office has said a debut north of $120 million isn’t out of reach, noting that regular showings are selling better than Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’.
Its premium-format demand has been especially intense. London’s BFI IMAX sold 33,000 advance tickets in just 24 hours, setting a first-day presale record of more than £880,000. In the UK, Vue has added extra screenings to keep up with demand.
Worlds collide ⚾ An exclusive preview of Marvel’s new Avengers movie assembles Bryce Harper, Freddie Freeman, Jacob Misiorowski, Junior Caminero and Randy Arozarena 👀 Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters everywhere December 18 https://t.co/WX1YtKjAKt
— MLB (@MLB) October 24, 2026
Villeneuve’s film also holds an important advantage. ‘Dune: Part Three’ secured an exclusive 3-week IMAX window, meaning ‘Doomsday’ can’t screen in that format in the US during its opening stretch. To compensate, Disney introduced its Infinity Vision certification for premium screens.
New trailer for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ In theaters December 18 https://t.co/1wsiTk1Nnv
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 15, 2026
That split has shaped how each film sells. One analysis noted that ‘Doomsday’ holds the edge in raw presale volume, while ‘Dune: Part Three’ dominates high-margin IMAX 70mm ticketing.
International tracking appears to back up the gap. A Bulgarian tracker reported that ‘Doomsday’ was matching ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ at the same point in its countdown and leaving ‘Dune: Part Three’ behind. Meanwhile, Polymarket traders have also bet against ‘Dune 3’ outgrossing Marvel’s ensemble on opening weekend.
The new trailer for ‘DUNE: PART TWO’ In theaters November 3, 2023. https://t.co/msd0byc3lh
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) June 29, 2023
The ‘Dune’ franchise has a strong track record of its own. ‘Dune: Part One’ earned $410 million globally while streaming day and date on HBO Max, and ‘Dune: Part Two’ became a theatrical juggernaut with $714 million worldwide.
Playing in the sand. Tickets on sale now around the world. Dune: Part Three only in theaters and IMAX December 18. https://t.co/2uVNytBk6e #DuneMovie https://t.co/GktHXlb9XX
— DUNE (@dunemovie) October 23, 2026
Even if ‘Doomsday’ wins the weekend handily, both films could make history together. Should each clear $100 million, it would mark the first time 2 separate films opened above that threshold on the same weekend, and many analysts expect “Dunesday” to set a new domestic weekend record. With final trailers expected in November and studio tracking arriving in early December, the full picture is still taking shape. For now, though, Marvel looks to have the upper hand.
Which film are you most excited to see on Dunesday weekend?
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