‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Is Already Breaking Records, and Fans Want the Biggest Screen Possible

Marvel fans clearly aren’t waiting until December to show how excited they are for ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’ The upcoming movie has already passed a huge presale mark, and the way people are buying their tickets is just as interesting as the number itself. A large majority of early buyers are choosing premium screenings, showing that many fans want to experience the next Avengers movie on the biggest and best screen they can find.

According to Disney Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ has already made more than $50 million in domestic presales. The figure was shared during the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, and what makes the milestone even more impressive is how early it has happened. The movie is not scheduled to arrive in theaters until December 18, meaning Marvel still has months to build even more excitement.

The biggest surprise may be the choice of format. More than 70 percent of those early ticket sales are reportedly for the premium Infinity Vision format. That is a pretty strong sign that audiences are treating ‘Doomsday’ like a major theatrical event rather than just another superhero movie. Fans apparently want the giant screen, the huge picture, and the full theater experience when the Avengers finally return.

That could become especially important over the holidays because ‘Doomsday’ will not have the premium-screen market all to itself. ‘Dune: Part Three’ is also arriving around the same time, creating a fight for some of the biggest screens in theaters. Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi sequel has already lined up IMAX locations for its opening, so theaters could have some tough decisions to make when it comes to premium formats.

Still, Marvel has plenty of reasons to feel confident. The excitement around ‘Doomsday’ has been building for months, and the movie’s trailer was a major part of that. Its July trailer became the second-biggest movie trailer launch ever and also became Disney’s most-viewed trailer in history. Those numbers show that the interest is not limited to hardcore Marvel fans. The movie has managed to become a major online event as well.

Marvel has also found other ways to keep ‘Doomsday’ in the conversation. The cast announcement was turned into its own big moment, with the studio revealing names through the backs of chairs during a livestream. According to Disney, that event generated 275 million digital views and 3.1 million social media mentions. For a movie that is still months away, that is a serious amount of attention.

The studio has also been using the past to build excitement for the future. ‘Avengers: Endgame: Encore,’ an extended theatrical rerelease of the 2019 blockbuster, is set to return on September 25. Its trailer reportedly pulled in 77 million views during its first 24 hours, showing that fans are still very interested in revisiting the movie that closed one of Marvel’s biggest chapters.

That renewed interest is not only showing up at the box office. Disney has said Marvel Studios movies and shows generated more than 420 million hours of viewing on Disney+ during August. More than 200 million of those hours were connected to interest in ‘Doomsday,’ giving Marvel another sign that the hype is reaching beyond theaters.

After a few years of mixed reactions and uneven box office results, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ may be giving Marvel exactly what it needed: genuine excitement. The presales are strong, the trailer has broken records, and fans are already fighting for premium seats months before opening night.

There is still plenty of time for the hype to grow. ‘VisionQuest’ is also coming to Disney+ on October 14, keeping the MCU busy as the countdown to December continues. If these early numbers are anything to go by, Marvel may be heading into the release of ‘Doomsday’ with a fanbase that is more ready than ever to return to the theater.

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