The 2026 Christmas box office is already shaping up to be a major battle ground for two of the year’s most anticipated blockbusters – ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Dune: Part Three’.Early ticket sales for both films is pointing towards an unusually strong theatrical season, with premium-format screenings for Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic already selling months ahead of its December release.
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ races ahead in early presales
Advance ticket sales for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ opened unusually early, with tickets being sold four months before the film’s December 18 release. The studio had previously made tickets available for premium-format screenings at around 1,000 domestic locations.Early demand has been particularly strong. According to The Wrap, ‘Doomsday’ was running approximately 65% ahead of the first two days of presales for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’, which has become this year’s highest grossing film, and even crossed the USD 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 before its theatrical debut, during which sales patterns are likely to change considerably. As per the report, the early enthusiasm is being fuelled in part by the return of major 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 that amped up the excitement surrounding the films.
‘Dune: Part Three’ joins the holiday box-office race
Meanwhile, ‘Dune: Part Three’ is entering the presales race, with additional ticket sales being made available on August 18 for the December 18 release. The film has already seen phenomenal demand for its premium screening formats, especially IMAX, with some locations selling out far in advance of release. The film was shot in part with IMAX film cameras and will receive an IMAX 70mm presentation, continuing director Denis Villeneuve’s association with the premium format.
Premium formats become key battleground
The competition between the two films could become particularly intense in premium-format cinemas. ‘Doomsday’ is being positioned across premium formats, while ‘Dune: Part Three’ has a major advantage in IMAX with its three-week exclusive window.The two films also have the benefit of arriving at the start of the Christmas window, giving both productions an extended opportunity to gain out of the holiday season.‘Dune: Part Three’, is the concluding 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.
