‘Avengers: Doomsday’ gets disappointing IMAX update well ahead of its release
'Avengers: Doomsday' is expected to dominate the box office in December, but there's a whammy amid the hype. In what comes as a dampener, the film will not release in IMAX on the opening weekend. The much-awaited fifth 'Avengers' film is set to release on December 18, 2026.
'Doomsday,' led by Robert Downey Jr. as the lead antagonist, Doctor Doom, and a slew of returning heavy-hitters, has competition. 'Dune: Part Three' releases the same day, and with most screens having only one IMAX screen, the Timothée Chalamet-led sci-fi film will play in all IMAX screens, while the MCU feature will play in that format in select international markets.
There is still good news on the horizon. 'Avengers: Secret Wars' is set for a 2027 release and will be in IMAX in both the US and the overseas markets when it premieres on December 17, 2027.
From a financial perspective, the price of watching a film on IMAX is considerably high. Per Moviepass, standard screens are in the single-digit category, while the big screen charges between $3-$7 more than a regular 2D viewing experience. This makes 'Dune: Part 3' head into its release with a slight advantage. However, with the MCU set to return with a bang by bringing in the Avengers, the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Wakandans, Thunderbolts, and more, they will most likely zoom past Chalamet's film.
At the time of writing, there is no official logline for the upcoming film. The first teaser revealed Chris Evans' return to the MCU as Steve Rogers. The second focused on Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, Magneto (Ian McKellen), and Cyclops (James Marsden) were shown in the third, while the latest put the spotlight on the Wakandans and a member of the Fantastic Four.
'Avengers Doomsday' also stars Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, alongside Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic, Joseph Quinn as the Human Torch, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the Thing, and Simu Liu as Shang-Chi.
Also in the mix are Florence Pugh as White Widow, Kelsey Grammer as the Beast, Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Danny Ramirez as Falcon, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Winston Duke as M'Baku, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki.
'Avengers: Doomsday' releases in cinemas on 18 December.
