Dune: Part Three vs Avengers: Doomsday: Release Date, IMAX and Runtime

Two of the biggest films of the year open on the same day. Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday are both listed for 18 December 2026, a clash fans have nicknamed “Dunesday”. Here is what the reports confirm about dates, IMAX and runtimes.

Release dates

Both films still carry an 18 December release date. There have been reports that Marvel might move Avengers: Doomsday, but no change has been confirmed.

Dune: Part Three is directed by Denis Villeneuve and adapts Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah. Timothée Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides, and Villeneuve has said it will be his last Dune film. Avengers: Doomsday is the first of two Avengers films, with Avengers: Secret Wars listed for 17 December 2027. Robert Downey Jr. returns as Doctor Doom.

The IMAX split

Dune: Part Three has secured an exclusive IMAX window in the United States, reported as three weeks. Avengers: Doomsday will still play IMAX screens overseas, but not in the US, according to reports from IMAX’s investor presentation. Parts of Dune: Part Three were shot with IMAX cameras, which helped its case.

IMAX has also listed early screenings from Monday 14 December, starting with 70mm showings, four days before the release date. Dune and Dune: Part Two return to IMAX for a week from 13 November, reportedly with a sneak peek of Part Three.

Runtimes

AMC’s listing gives Dune: Part Three a runtime of 2 hours 30 minutes, and Ireland’s film classification office has listed 151 minutes. AMC lists Avengers: Doomsday at 2 hours 45 minutes. Runtimes can still change before release, so treat these as provisional.

Box office stakes

Dune: Part Two finished with about $714 million worldwide. Early projections cited by Polygon put Dune: Part Three near $1 billion and Avengers: Doomsday between $1 billion and $2 billion. These are estimates, not results, and sharing an opening day will compress both films’ first weekends.

Before you book

• Check which premium formats your local cinema will offer, because IMAX access differs by country.
• Confirm Indian release dates and formats on cinema listings, as we could not verify them.
• Watch for any date change announcement from Marvel before 18 December.

For what is known about the Marvel film so far, read our piece on Avengers: Doomsday early screening reactions. For more film coverage, visit our Movies section.

Sources: 3DVF, Men’s Journal via AOL, Screen Rant, Inverse, Fiction Horizon (AMC and Irish classification listings), Polygon, ComicBookMovie.