BREAKING:Avengers, X-Men and Fantastic Four Join Forces in New ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Promo

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Hits a Major Milestone in China Ahead of Its Release

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Marvel is gearing up for one of its biggest overseas launches in years, and early signs from China suggest ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ could be a massive hit in the world’s second-largest film market. Disney has confirmed the film will open in Chinese theaters on December 16, 2 days before its US release. The local title translates to ‘Avengers 5’, and China is one of the few international markets that will screen the film in IMAX.

Interest has been building for weeks. On Maoyan, China’s largest online ticketing platform, the film’s want-to-see count reached 253,000 at 69 days before release, just short of the 264,000 that ‘Avengers: Endgame’ had at the same point. That was already a promising comparison, since ‘Endgame’ earned roughly $575.8 million in China during its first 11 days.

Now the numbers have climbed even higher. According to MovieHub, the want-to-see metric for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ on Maoyan has crossed 558,000. That puts it ahead of ‘Zootopia 2’, which had reached 548,000 at the same point before its release.

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The comparison carries plenty of weight. MovieHub notes that ‘Zootopia 2’ finished with a total want-to-see count of 2.3 million, which translated into a box office finish of more than $650 million in China.

The animated sequel was a phenomenon there. It opened with an enormous $272 million 5-day haul, accounting for around 95% of all movie ticket sales in the country that weekend. It also broke the single-day record held by ‘Endgame’, earning 730 million yuan on November 29.

In January, ‘Zootopia 2’ became the highest-grossing imported film in Chinese box office history. According to Maoyan, it overtook ‘Endgame’ after earning 4.251 billion yuan, or about $606 million, by that point.

Success on this scale isn’t guaranteed for Hollywood these days. NBC News noted that domestic films have increasingly outperformed Hollywood releases in China, making the ‘Zootopia 2’ run particularly notable given the generally muted interest in foreign movies.

The market is still enormous, though. According to Maoyan data, China contributed nearly a quarter of the $30 billion global box office in 2025, just behind North America. That makes strong tracking there a big deal for Marvel’s next team-up.

Of course, want-to-see numbers aren’t ticket sales, and early interest doesn’t always translate the same way for every film. Still, outpacing one of the biggest imported hits ever at the same stage is an encouraging sign.

The release schedule may also work in Marvel’s favor. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ has reportedly secured an exclusive 2-week IMAX window in China after ‘Dune: Part Three’ was pushed to December 31 there. Early estimates suggest it could earn more than $300 million at the Chinese box office.

Marvel has been heavily promoting the film in the country. Region-specific standees and posters feature the December 16 date along with a line announcing a global early release, while countdown booths have appeared in Shanghai and other cities.

The early release also means Chinese audiences, accounting for the time difference, will be among the first in the world to see the film. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ brings together the Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, New Avengers and X-Men against Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

Do you think Avengers: Doomsday can beat Zootopia 2 at the Chinese box office?

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