Marvel’s next team-up arrives a week before Christmas. Avengers: Doomsday opens in theatres on Friday, December 18, 2026, with Robert Downey Jr. back in the franchise as Doctor Doom. It shares its opening day with Dune: Part Three, and that clash shapes how and where you can see it. Here is what Canadian moviegoers need to know.
Avengers: Doomsday release date
- North American release: Friday, December 18, 2026, from Walt Disney Studios, on more than 4,000 screens in the United States
- UK release: Wednesday, December 16, 2026
- Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo, who made Infinity War and Endgame
- Runtime: about 165 minutes, according to The Hollywood Reporter, with only small changes expected in the final cut
Canadian theatres normally open Disney and Marvel releases on the same day as the United States. Check your local chain’s listing for the exact first showtime, since Thursday evening previews are common for Marvel films.
No IMAX at launch: what Infinity Vision means
Dune: Part Three holds an exclusive three-week IMAX window from December 18, so Avengers: Doomsday will not be on IMAX screens in North America for its first weeks. Disney’s answer is Infinity Vision, its own label for selected premium large-format showings. The film will also play in Dolby, ScreenX, D-Box and 4DX where theatres offer them. Disney said about 70 percent of early advance tickets were for Infinity Vision showings. If you want the biggest screen near you, compare the premium formats your local theatre lists rather than looking for the IMAX logo.
The cast
The ensemble brings together characters from the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men:
- Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom, also known as Doctor Doom
- Chris Evans as Steve Rogers
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, the current Captain America
- Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Reed Richards, Sue Storm and Ben Grimm of the Fantastic Four
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
- Paul Rudd as Scott Lang
- Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier, Ian McKellen as Magneto and James Marsden as Cyclops
Where it fits in the MCU
Doomsday is the 39th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and part of Phase Six. It is set about fourteen months after Thunderbolts* (2025) and is the first half of the finale to the Multiverse Saga. The second half, Avengers: Secret Wars, is dated for December 17, 2027, again with the Russo brothers directing.
Planning a catch-up? Thunderbolts*, The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Endgame are the most useful lead-ins. In Canada, Marvel’s back catalogue streams on Disney+.
When will it stream?
Disney has not announced a digital or Disney+ date. Recent Marvel films have reached Disney+ a few months after their theatrical opening, but the gap varies, so treat any date you see before Disney announces one as a guess.
Home viewing tips for the rewatch
- Several Marvel films are mastered in 4K with HDR. Our guide on internet speed for streaming explains what a steady 4K picture needs.
- If different family members want different screens over the holidays, our guide to running two to four screens at home covers bandwidth and device planning.
A note on new releases and TV services
Studios decide where and when their films are released, and no TV subscription can promise a new release on a particular date. Our on-demand library is large and changes over time, so we do not promise any specific title. Ask us what is available before you choose a plan.
Ask our team on WhatsAppOpening the same day: Dune: Part Three. Arriving a month earlier: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
