Unsurprisingly, Avengers: Doomsday is on track for a dominant opening weekend this December, with early box office presales suggesting Marvel Studios' next blockbuster could leave Dune: Part Three a distant second.
According to EmpireCity Box Office, Avengers: Doomsday is currently outselling the Denis Villeneuve-directed sci-fi sequel by a ratio of between 3.2-to-1 and 4-to-1 based on presales. While these early figures don't guarantee a specific box office outcome, "Dunesday" won't be a particularly close competition, even with the Dune threequel playing exclusively on IMAX screens.
Both movies are among the year's most highly anticipated releases, but Avengers: Doomsday has the advantage. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the movie will feature Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, alongside returning Avengers and X-Men, and the long-awaited introduction of the Fantastic Four into the wider MCU.
It will also set the stage for Avengers: Secret Wars, making it a crucial chapter in Marvel Studios' Multiverse Saga as this tumultuous era of storytelling nears its conclusion.
Meanwhile, Dune: Part Three will continue Villeneuve's acclaimed adaptation of Frank Herbert's science-fiction saga, with Timothée Chalamet returning as Paul Atreides. The movie has plenty of appeal in its own right, but is a little less mainstream than Earth's Mightiest Heroes and isn't a follow-up to the biggest blockbuster ever, 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
Of course, presales are only one early indicator of box office performance, and the numbers could change as both releases approach their theatrical debuts. However, if the reported gap holds, Avengers: Doomsday could be heading for a particularly dominant opening weekend.
Dune: Part Three is set nearly two decades after Paul Atreides seized control of the Imperium. Now a ruthless Emperor, Paul must face the consequences of his reign as old allies return, terrifying new threats emerge, and betrayal lurks in every shadow.
Haunted by visions of Imperial collapse and the reappearance of his long-lost love, Paul is drawn into a sweeping conspiracy, with Chani at the heart of its unfolding mystery. As rebellion brews and enemies close in, Paul must confront the true cost of power and the fate of those he loves the most.
In Avengers: Doomsday, beloved heroes from three distinct universes will be set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.
Both movies arrive in theaters on December 18.