‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Presales Hit $55M Ahead of December Release

Avatar photoHrvoje Milakovic
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Marvel has been acutely aware of the risk of superhero fatigue in recent years. With uneven releases and rising costs, the studio is in dire need of a success that reminds audiences why the Avengers became a cultural phenomenon. This makes the early ticket-buying figures for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ one of the most closely monitored stories this fall.

The film brings together a star-studded cast under the direction of the Russo brothers, featuring Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom and Chris Evans reprising his role as Steve Rogers. In a strategic move, Disney launched premium-format ticket sales on July 20, significantly earlier than usual, before expanding to all theaters. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is set to hit theaters on December 18, coinciding with Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune: Part Three.’

Recent reports indicate that presale totals have surged once more. According to Global Box Office, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ has surpassed $55M in domestic presales with three months remaining until its release. The account also highlighted the biggest pre-release sales in U.S. history: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ at $150M in 2026, ‘Avengers: Endgame’ at $130M in 2019, and ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ at $78M in 2021.

The $55M figure follows a report from Deadline last week, where Disney CFO Hugh Johnston revealed that the film’s domestic presales had already surpassed $50M. He announced this milestone at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference. Notably, over 70% of these sales were attributed to Infinity Vision, Disney’s new premium large-format brand.

The film’s presales started strong, generating $16.5M on its first day across approximately 1,000 domestic theaters, focusing solely on premium formats. It’s worth noting that ‘Doomsday’ will not be available in IMAX in the U.S. for the first three weeks due to ‘Dune: Part Three’ having exclusivity.

The buzz surrounding ‘Doomsday’ has been immense. Deadline reported that the trailer released in July became the second-biggest trailer launch of all time and Disney’s most-viewed trailer ever. Additionally, Marvel’s five-hour livestream event unveiling the cast attracted 275M digital views.

The excitement has also translated into streaming success. Marvel titles amassed over 420M hours on Disney+ in August, a significant increase of over 200M hours, which Disney attributes to the anticipation for the film. The re-release of ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ titled ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore,’ is scheduled for September 25, and its trailer garnered 77M views within 24 hours.

Global Box Office’s comparison data puts the current presale total into perspective. ‘Doomsday’ still has a considerable distance to cover to catch ‘Brand New Day,’ which reportedly achieved $150M in advance sales by the Thursday before its opening, according to EntTelligence data cited by Deadline. That film ultimately opened with a record $360M domestically.

Nevertheless, the early sales pace appears to be ahead of the last Spider-Man film. One report indicated that ‘Brand New Day’ did not surpass $40M in presales until about 40 days before its release, while ‘Doomsday’ reached that milestone with roughly 100 days to go. However, this comparison comes from a single source and should be taken with caution.

Tracking suggests ‘Doomsday’ could have a massive opening. Global Box Office has projected an opening weekend between $260M and $300M domestically, compared to ‘Avengers: Endgame’s’ $357.1M and ‘Brand New Day’s’ $360M. Some insiders speculate even larger figures, though these remain unconfirmed estimates.

However, caution is warranted. Analyst Paul Dergarabedian pointed out that while presales and previews are strong indicators, they can be skewed by fans eager to see a film immediately. Early sales typically come from the most dedicated fans, so word of mouth and reviews will be crucial for the film’s longevity.

The shared release date with ‘Dune: Part Three’ adds another layer of complexity. Robert Downey Jr. and Timothée Chalamet humorously referred to the pairing as ‘Dunesday.’ Some presale trackers predict that the December weekend could become the most pre-sold in box office history, with ‘Dune: Part Three’ also showing strong early numbers.

Premium screens are shaping up to be a critical battleground, with Disney banking on Infinity Vision, Dolby Cinema, ScreenX, and other large formats. Reports suggest that exhibitors are adding showtimes to accommodate the demand, presenting a welcome challenge for theaters as they head into the holiday season.

The next few months will reveal whether the initial excitement can translate into a blockbuster opening. For now, the presale figures indicate that fans are eagerly anticipating the next Avengers team-up.

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