Marvel May Rethink ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Release as New Information Comes To Light
Marvel Studios may be facing an unexpected obstacle ahead of its next major Avengers release.
As the studio prepares to roll out its first full Avengers team-up since Avengers: Endgame (2019), a premium-format bottleneck is emerging that could reshape how — and when — audiences experience the film.
With IMAX screens increasingly locked down by exclusivity deals, even the most dominant franchises are no longer guaranteed priority access. For Marvel, that reality is colliding with the December 2026 release of Avengers: Doomsday (2026).
Marvel’s Biggest Event Film in a Tighter Marketplace
By the time Avengers: Doomsday reaches theaters, more than seven years will have passed since the Avengers last assembled on the big screen.
Endgame closed the Infinity Saga (spiritually, at least, with Spider-Man: Far From Home technically marking its end) and removed its emotional anchors, with Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Evans exiting as Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, and Steve Rogers. What followed was a period of expansion that tested audience patience.
The Multiverse Saga introduced new characters and timelines at scale.
Disney+ series arrived alongside theatrical releases, blurring the line between essential viewing and supplemental storytelling. For some fans, the cohesion that once defined Marvel began to slip.
Marvel Studios has since acknowledged the imbalance.
Output has slowed, release schedules have tightened, and Doomsday has been positioned as a recalibration — a return to the event-driven strategy that once defined the brand.
That intent is visible in the film’s construction.
Downey Jr. returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this time as Doctor Doom rather than Iron Man. Chris Evans is also set to reappear as Steve Rogers, reintroducing one of the franchise’s most recognizable figures.
Anthony and Joe Russo, the directors behind Infinity War and Endgame, are back to steer the project, reinforcing continuity with Marvel’s most commercially successful era.
The film is also expected to incorporate characters from legacy Marvel properties, including figures associated with 20th Century Fox’s X-Men universe.
While plenty of fans are hyped about the prospect, some critics believe that it reads as a deliberate (and desperate) reach toward familiar ground. Either way, expectations for Doomsday remain unusually high.
That pressure extends beyond storytelling.
IMAX Exclusivity Puts Marvel in a Bind
Recent reports suggest Avengers: Doomsday may face complications tied directly to IMAX availability.
According to @EmpireCity, Dune: Part Three — which is currently slated to open on the same December 2026 date — is expected to hold an exclusive IMAX release window lasting three weeks.
They have a 3 week IMAX exclusive lock, so they don't want to move.
— EmpireCity Box Office (@EmpireCityBO) January 16, 2026
If that plan holds, Avengers: Doomsday would not receive IMAX screenings until at least January 8, 2027.
The situation represents a notable shift for Marvel Studios.
Every previous Avengers film has debuted in IMAX, making premium-format access feel less like a bonus and more like an assumption. A delayed rollout would mark a rare concession in a space Marvel has long dominated.
Earlier reports painted a less restrictive picture.
An October 2025 IMAX slate listed Avengers: Doomsday among several 2026 releases expected to screen in the format, alongside Dune: Part Three, without clarifying exclusivity or priority.
If the newer reports are accurate, the change reflects how competitive the premium-format landscape has become.
In 2023, Oppenheimer dominated IMAX screens due to Christopher Nolan’s exclusivity deal, sidelining Barbie despite their shared release date. Both films ultimately thrived, but the imbalance shaped early narratives.
Marvel may be betting on similar resilience.
Premium alternatives such as Dolby Cinema would still be available, and the absence of IMAX at launch is unlikely to significantly impact box office performance.
Marvel Is Banking (Literally) on ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Success
Avengers: Doomsday remains Marvel’s first true crossover event in years.
Its four trailers — spotlighting Steve Rogers, Thor, the X-Men, the Wakandans, and the Fantastic Four — surpassed one billion views in a single month, even after footage leaked online.
The Avengers franchise has already generated $7.7 billion globally.
In recent years, other Marvel projects have struggled to consistently impress at the box office, with the likes of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), The Marvels (2023), and Thunderbolts* (2025) proving particularly underwhelming on the financial front.
Are you excited for Avengers: Doomsday?
