Avengers: Doomsday Presales Top a Reported $125 Million Ahead of December 18

Marvel's biggest team-up since Endgame is about six weeks away, and the ticket rush is already historic. Avengers: Doomsday opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, December 18, 2026, and worldwide presales have reportedly passed $125 million, according to a figure Forbes published on October 31.

Here's what's confirmed so far, from tickets and formats to the cast, plus what's still only reported.

Release Date: December 18, 2026

Disney and Marvel Studios have held the December 18, 2026 date all year. Early preview showings begin Thursday, December 17 in the U.S., and theater listings show advance showtimes from December 17 into early January.

Some international markets open a little earlier. Disney has dated the film for December 16 in South Korea and China, and Marvel India confirmed a December 17 opening in India, in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

How Big Are the Presales?

The numbers have climbed fast since tickets opened:

  • Disney said in September that the film had made $50 million in domestic presales about three months before release, with more than 70% of those sales for Infinity Vision premium screens.
  • The tracker Global Box Office reported in late October that domestic presales had passed $65 million.
  • Forbes reported on October 31 that worldwide presales passed $125 million.

Only the $50 million figure came directly from Disney. The $65 million and $125 million figures are tracker and media estimates, not studio announcements. Industry outlet Boxoffice Pro has even asked whether Doomsday could post the first $400 million domestic opening weekend ever, calling it "by no means a guarantee, but definitely in play."

Note
The $125 million worldwide presale number is reported, not official. Disney has not confirmed it, so expect the studio's own figure to differ once opening weekend arrives.

Tickets and Infinity Vision

Advance tickets went on sale in two waves. Disney opened sales on July 20 for theaters certified under its new Infinity Vision premium format, then put tickets on sale for all theaters and standard formats in mid-August.

Infinity Vision isn't a new camera or projector. It's a Disney badge for existing premium large-format auditoriums that meet standards for screen size, laser brightness and sound. Depending on the chain, that includes formats like Dolby Cinema, 4DX, ScreenX, Regal RPX and AMC Prime.

Why Doomsday Isn't in IMAX in the U.S.

The biggest catch for fans is format. Dune: Part Three, from Warner Bros. and director Denis Villeneuve, also opens on December 18, and Warner Bros. locked down IMAX exclusivity for three weeks after release. That shuts Avengers: Doomsday out of IMAX screens in North America at launch, which is why Disney built Infinity Vision.

Doomsday will play in IMAX in a handful of international markets, including a limited run in China starting December 16, after Dune: Part Three moved its China date later in the month.

Six weeks out, Avengers: Doomsday is already one of the biggest ticket rushes Marvel has ever seen.

Runtime and Rating

Theater listings and The Hollywood Reporter put the runtime at 165 minutes (2 hours, 45 minutes). That would make it longer than Infinity War (149 minutes) but shorter than Endgame (181 minutes). It isn't a certified final runtime, though, and Anthony Russo has described it as around two and a half hours. The film is listed as rated PG-13.

What Is Avengers: Doomsday About?

Marvel's official synopsis says heroes from three separate universes are at risk of destruction and must unite against an unprecedented threat. That threat is Victor von Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., who returns to the MCU in a brand-new role after playing Tony Stark for over a decade.

The film pulls together the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and characters from Fox's X-Men films. Marvel has called it the foundation for the future of the MCU.

Who's in the Cast?

The confirmed cast is huge. Highlights include:

  • Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom
  • Chris Evans as Steve Rogers
  • Chris Hemsworth as Thor
  • Anthony Mackie as Captain America (Sam Wilson)
  • Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic and Vanessa Kirby as the Invisible Woman
  • Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes
  • Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Letitia Wright as Black Panther and Simu Liu as Shang-Chi
  • Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto and Rebecca Romijn as Mystique

Who Made It?

Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed Infinity War and Endgame, are back behind the camera. The screenplay is written by Stephen McFeely. Marvel Studios produces, and Disney distributes.

What Comes Next

Doomsday is the first half of a two-film finale for Phase Six. Avengers: Secret Wars follows on December 17, 2027, also from the Russo brothers.

Countdown to Release

Previews start December 17 and the film opens everywhere in the U.S. on December 18. Follow the Avengers: Doomsday countdown on Release Timer, and keep an eye on Dune: Part Three, which opens the same day.

Sources: Variety: Avengers: Doomsday pre-sales cross $50 million, The Hollywood Reporter: Doomsday tickets on sale for all theaters, The Hollywood Reporter: Tickets on sale, runtime revealed, 9to5Marvel: presales top $125M worldwide, The Direct: Doomsday IMAX release