As we write this, Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three are scheduled for release on December 18, 2026. In some ways, it feels like a decision that's unlikely to do either movie any favours.
The counterargument to that, of course, is what happened with Barbie and Oppenheimer in 2023. The movies grossed a combined $2.5 billion, spawning the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon. "Superfantastic" didn't really take off for Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps last summer, but what of "Dunesday"?
Robert Downey Jr. and Timothée Chalamet recently appeared on stage in Los Angeles for a screening of A24's Marty Supreme. Addressing the Dunesday chatter, the Avengers: Doomsday star said, "We both have films opening on December 18, and we decided to coin it. We’re thinking Dunesday."
That got a laugh from Chalamet and those in attendance, prompting Downey to add, "We'll see if we're still friends by then."
It feels like Avengers: Doomsday has the advantage heading into the winter, even with superhero fatigue proving problematic for the genre. Avengers: Endgame grossed $2.8 billion in 2019 compared to Dune: Part Two's $715 million global haul.
Marvel Studios has taken a unique approach to marketing the next Avengers movie, releasing four teasers exclusively in theaters with Avatar: Fire and Ash. Those aren't conventional teasers and are instead more like clips with clues about what's to come in the first half of the Multiverse Saga finale.
As for Dune: Part Three—which stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, and Josh Brolin—we've yet to get a first look at Denis Villeneuve's threequel.
You can hear more from Downey in the player below.
Avengers: Doomsday officially stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Winston Duke, Tom Hiddleston, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr. Wyatt Russell, Simu Liu, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Florence Pugh, Danny Ramirez, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman all make their Avengers franchise debuts in the movie.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn join them, as do X-Men franchise stars Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, with Deadpool & Wolverine star Channing Tatum.
Chris Evans is officially confirmed to reprise his role as Steve Rogers, as is India Rose Hemsworth as Love and Mabel Cadena as Namora. The Hollywood trades have reported that Hayley Atwell and Ryan Reynolds will appear as Peggy Carter and Deadpool, respectively.
The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Michael Waldron is also working on the script.
Both Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three are set to be released in theaters on December 18.