Will Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Messiah release on the same day? Here's what we know

The release date of Marvel’s forthcoming film Avengers: Doomsday has now been postponed to 18th December 2026, as per reports from The Hollywood Reporter.

The film was originally slated for release on 1st May 2026, but it will now arrive on the newly announced date.

Simultaneously, the upcoming third film of the Dune series, Dune: Messiah, is also scheduled to release on 18th December 2026. So, both these highly anticipated films are set to release on the same day!

Let’s take a closer look at the release details of Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Messiah.

Are we anticipating a 'Dunesday' with the release of Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Messiah?

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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Avengers: Doomsday is reportedly being pushed back to 18th December 2026. However, this date coincides with another eagerly awaited release: Dune: Messiah, which is also scheduled for that day.

With this development, many are predicting another “Barbenheimer”-like phenomenon. In fact, fans have already coined a new term for this upcoming box office clash—“Dunesday.”

Interestingly, both films feature Florence Pugh in prominent roles. She reprises her role as Yelena Belova from Thunderbolts in the upcoming MCU installment and also returns as Princess Irulan in Dune: Messiah. So “Dunesday” could mark a major milestone in Pugh’s career.

The day is shaping up to be a massive box office showdown, with both films long awaited by fans of their respective franchises. Releasing in the lucrative holiday month of December only heightens the anticipation.

In Avengers: Doomsday, viewers can expect a star-studded ensemble of favorite superheroes in this Russo brothers’ directorial. Alongside Florence Pugh, the cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Pedro Pascal, Simu Liu, Channing Tatum, Letitia Wright, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Lewis Pullman, Tom Hiddleston, Danny Ramirez, and many others.

In Dune: Messiah, director Denis Villeneuve returns with the third installment in the series. Based on Frank Herbert’s novel Dune Messiah, the film explores the life of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) after the events of Dune: Part Two. The cast also includes Florence Pugh, Zendaya, and Jason Momoa.

According to IMDb, the synopsis reads:

"It follows Muad'dib, heir to unimaginable power, as he brings to fruition the ancient scheme to create a superbeing ruler among men, not in the heavens."

As per The Hollywood Reporter, the sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2 will now release on the original date set for Avengers: Doomsday, which is 1st May 2026.