Marvel Studios is pushing back the release of its next two Avengers films - ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’. The former, which was slated for a May 1, 2026, release, will now hit the theatres on December 18, 2026. ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ is being moved to December 17, 2027.
Disney has pushed Avengers: Doomsday's release date (AI/ Grok)
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Marvel fans were quick to notice that Doomsday will clash with another popular franchise, and we could see another Barbenheimer situation. Barbenheimer refers to the simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer on July 21, 2023.
The other title, which is slated for a December 18, 2026 release, is Timothée Chalamet's ‘Dune: Messiah’. It is the third part of the famous Dune franchise.
Fans have already given a Barbenheimer-like title to this clash. Several said it should be called 'Dunesday'.
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“2026 has found it's potential Barbenheimer... unless someone moves again,” one person noted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
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“2026 has found it's potential Barbenheimer... unless someone moves again,” one person noted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
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“No joke, I truly believe that we could get another Barbenheimer movement with Avengers: DunesDay,” another one added.
“WB and Disney are in cahoots to manufacture a new Barbenheimer with Dunesday,” a third person tweeted.
“Notably, the new calendar saw the studio remove several unannounced Marvel titles off of its calendar,” Variety reports.
Disney announced both ‘Avengers’ delays on Thursday. The company also reorganized its theatrical slate, removing several unannounced Marvel titles from its calendar. The ‘Untitled Marvel’ project has been removed. It was supposed to be released on February 13, 2026. The dates of November 6, 2026, and November 7, 2027 have also been amended.
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Meanwhile, ‘Dune: Messiah’ will begin filming this June, Deadline revealed. The second part of the film, ‘Dune: Part Two’, grossed over $700 million worldwide. It also earned a score of 95% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.
