The Marvel Cinematic Universe has shifted the release dates of its anticipated tentpoles, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, pushing the Russo Brothers’ duology to late 2026 and 2027, respectively. Adding fuel to the scheduling conflicts, Avengers: Doomsday, marking Robert Downey Jr.’s return to Marvel as Dr. Doom, could not secure an exclusive release date. The filmmakers have instead locked December 18, 2026, the same holiday release as Warner Bros.’ highly anticipated sci-fi epic, Dune: Messiah.
Originally set for May 6, 2026, the MCU Phase 6 sequel will now have no alternative but to share premium IMAX and Dolby screens with its rival, which will see Timothée Chalamet returning as Paul Atreides. Casual moviegoers, however, are thrilled, dubbing the clash ‘Avengers: Dunes-Day,’ a nod to the 2023 Barbenheimer phenomenon.
Netizens Celebrate The Double Feature Avengers: Dunesday
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A playful pun on both titles, Avengers: Dunesday has fans desperately awaiting the day when two major blockbusters hit screens together. Netizens’ reactions were swift and lively on X. One user’s enthusiastic post, “GET READY FOR DUNESDAY,” incited the conversation, gaining over a quarter-million views. Another user suggested, “Or Doom Messiah,” exploring the range of clever puns to properly bestow the honor.
The presence of Florence Pugh, starring in both Dune: Messiah and Marvel’s Thunderbolts*, did not go unnoticed by a user who wrote, “Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Messiah releasing on the same date now, oh Florence Pugh world domination.” Her dual roles fueled excitement for the potential double feature.
avengers: doomsday and dune messiah releasing on the same date now oh florence pugh world domination. pic.twitter.com/wOzW03Q4Y4
Not all reactions were positive, as some fans engaged in lighthearted debates while some were incredulous and expressed skepticism. One user remarked, “they both suck,” describing the clash as “the battle of style over substance vs. substance vs. style,” reflecting the polarized views on the two franchises’ merits.
Style over Substance VS Substance over Style
Both sucks and their fandoms don't know how similar these are.
— No irrational proclivities (@sanguineessence) May 24, 2025
The 2023 Barbenheimer phenomenon, when Oppenheimer and Barbie were released on the same day, became a cultural juggernaut that helped theater and merchandising businesses like no other. Moviegoers embraced the double feature, with some cosplaying and watching both films back-to-back. The intellectual appeal of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and the vibrant, pink allure of Margot Robbie’s Barbie drew multifarious audiences, together amassing over $2.4 billion combined at the box office (according to Box Office Mojo).
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Fans have since vehemently, and some desperately, sought to recreate this magic, though other same-day releases have fallen short. Recent attempts, like Wicked and Gladiator II, briefly gained traction but didn’t so much as challenge Barbenheimer’s impact. An X user noted this instance, “Avengers: Dunesday is an actually good double feature name, we haven’t had one that wasn’t forced or dumb in years!” Another pairing, dubbed ‘Stitch Impossible,’ is gaining buzz, with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch set for a record Memorial Day 2025 release.
