“Dune 3” predicted to suffer a crushing defeat in battle against “Avengers”: ticket presales favor Marvel

“Avengers: Doomsday” and “Dune: Part Three” will hit wide release on the same day — December 18.

On December 18, 2026, the Russo brothers’ “Avengers: Doomsday” and Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Three” will be released in international theaters on the same day. Significant attention is focused on their box office clash, but industry insider EmpireCity Box Office believes the winner has already been decided.

According to its estimate, based on current ticket presales, the Marvel film could outpace its competitor 3.2–4 times during its opening weekend, despite IMAX screens in North America being exclusively reserved for “Dune” for the first three weeks.

At the same time, EmpireCity emphasizes that such a gap does not at all signify weak interest in “Dune”. Both films could achieve impressive box office numbers, but “Avengers” inherently appeals to a broader audience, and the difference in viewer interest has been apparent for a long time.

Back in late 2025, VegasInsider compiled a ranking of the most anticipated movie releases based on Google search statistics in the US. “Avengers: Doomsday” took first place, while “Dune: Part Three” landed only in 22nd place.