Avengers: Doomsday leads Dune: Part Three in ticket pre-sales

Early box office data suggests Marvel's 'Avengers: Doomsday' is outpacing Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune: Part Three' in ticket pre-sales. According to EmpireCity Box Office, the ratio of pre-sales between the two films is estimated to be between 3.2 to 1 and 4 to 1.

Both films are scheduled for release in the United States on Friday, December 18, 2026. Analysts note that Marvel's significant lead may be partially attributed to an earlier sales window; 'Avengers: Doomsday' ticket sales opened on July 20, reaching $35 million in premium format pre-sales within a month. In contrast, 'Dune: Part Three' began limited IMAX 70mm sales in April, but global sales only commenced recently.

Despite the current pre-sale gap, 'Dune: Part Three' holds a strategic advantage by having secured North American IMAX screens for much of the holiday period. Marvel has responded by launching its own 'Infinity Vision' brand to compete with IMAX formats.