‘Avengers: Doomsday’ ahead of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ pre-sales; film prepares for a HISTORIC Christmas box office clash with ‘Dune: Part Three’ |
The 2026 Christmas box office is already shaping up to be a major battleground for two of the most anticipated blockbusters of the year: ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Dune: Part Three’.Early ticket sales for both films point to an unusually strong theatrical season, with premium-format screenings of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic already selling out months before its December release.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ advances in first pre-sales
Advance ticket sales for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ opened unusually early, with tickets selling out four months before the film’s December 18 release. The studio had already made tickets available for premium format screenings in around 1,000 national theaters.Initial demand has been particularly strong. According to The Wrap, ‘Doomsday’ was approximately 65% ahead of the first two days of pre-sales for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’, which has become the highest-grossing film of this year, even surpassing the $2 billion mark.The long lead time for the film’s release makes it difficult to use its current pace as a reliable indicator of its eventual opening weekend. The film still has several months left before its theatrical release, during which sales patterns are likely to change considerably. According to the report, the initial excitement is fueled in part by the return of top MCU stars, including Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom and Chris Evans as Steve Rogers. The pre-sales even saw a boost following the release of the film’s trailers which increased the hype around the films.
‘Dune: Part Three’ joins the Christmas box office race
Meanwhile, ‘Dune: Part Three’ is entering the pre-sales race, with additional ticket sales becoming available on August 18 for its December 18 release. The film has already seen phenomenal demand for its premium screening formats, especially IMAX, with some locations selling out well before its release. The film was shot in part with IMAX cinema cameras and will receive a 70mm IMAX presentation, continuing director Denis Villeneuve’s association with the premium format.
Competition between the two films could become particularly intense in premium format theaters. ‘Doomsday’ is positioning itself in premium formats, while ‘Dune: Part Three’ has a big lead in IMAX with its exclusive three-week window.The two films also have the advantage of arriving at the start of the Christmas window, giving both productions a greater opportunity to take advantage of the holiday season.‘Dune: Part Three’ is the final chapter of Villeneuve’s planned trilogy and stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Anya Taylor-Joy and Robert Pattinson.
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