Marvel's Multiverse Saga stumbles into its desperate endgame with Avengers: Doomsday, the studio's last-gasp bid to reclaim glory after Phase 4 and 5's box-office fumbles. Ant-Man: Quantumania and The Marvels tanked hard, eroding fan faith and billions in value. And now Robert Downey Jr.'s shocking Doctor Doom return aims to resurrect the Endgame-sized spectacle that once saved the MCU.

Yet the colossal Dune: Part Three looms as Warner Bros.' sandstorm juggernaut, with Denis Villeneuve's Fremen epic commanding exclusive IMAX screens for a visual siege.

Well, if rumours are true, maybe Marvel will shift Doomsday's date after all.

According to a new report from John Campea, who spoke with a source in exhibitor relations, Marvel Studios is weighing an earlier December slot for Avengers: Doomsday, potentially December 11. This would be a bid to dodge a head-on collision with Warner Bros.' Dune: Part Three, both eyeing December 18, 2026.

The move stems from IMAX's investor update, locking Dune 3 into exclusive US access for its entire opening weekend across all screens, squeezing Doomsday's premium format ambitions. 

Directed by the Russo Brothers and starring Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, Doomsday assembles the MCU's next multiversal epic with heroes facing incursions, delayed from May to capitalize on holiday crowds, but now risking a split audience. Meanwhile, Dune: Part Three, helmed by Denis Villeneuve from Frank Herbert's saga, picks up Paul Atreides' conquests with Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Anya Taylor-Joy, amplifying the Fremen rebellion and imperial intrigue.

Its native large-format filming secures a three-week IMAX lockdown domestically. Warner Bros. has held firm on the date, forcing Marvel to pivot internationally, where Doomsday retains some IMAX play. This rumored shuffle underscores 2026's box office battlefield, where Doomsday's ensemble firepower could still dominate post-holiday but cedes opening glory to Dune's immersive sands.

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While Marvel weighs the shift, Zendaya, who might star in both these blockbuster, has a packed 2026 slate that adds even more weight to the clash.

Zendaya is bracing for an overwhelming 2026, headlining five major projects, including The Drama, Euphoria Season 3, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, and Dune: Part Three. The packed slate, from marital black comedy to sci-fi epics and HBO drama, has her joking about fan fatigue during a Fandango interview. Fresh off promoting The Drama, now being condemned by activists,, she eyes a much-needed retreat post-release whirlwind.

“I just hope you guys don't get sick of me this year,” Zendaya shared, flashing gratitude for her supporters before hinting at seclusion.

“After this, I'm going to vanish for a while. I’ll need to go into hiding.” Her rumored fiancé, Tom Holland, joins the frenzy with The Odyssey and Spider-Man, potentially syncing downtime amid wedding rumors.

This self-imposed vanishing act amps the stakes for Zendaya's Dune: Part Three clash with Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday, where her Fremen warrior Chani could steal screens if rumors of her Doomsday appearance hold. As IMAX favors Denis Villeneuve's saga, her star power in both sand-swept conflict and multiversal mayhem might force Marvel's date shift, blending her hiatus hype with 2026's ultimate showdown.

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What do you think about Marvel shifting Avengers: Doomsday's date? Let us know in the comments!