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General Mar 21, 2026 at 2:55 AM

Will Avengers: Dunesday be the next Barbenheimer?

Posted by Top_Report_4895

https://www.joblo.com/dunesday/
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Ok_Ear2251 Mar 21, 2026 +49
Too much audience overlap?
49
Far_Associate9859 Mar 21, 2026 +46
Not funny/memable enough. Barbenheimer was a thing because of the absurdity
46
Ok_Conclusion_6324 Mar 21, 2026 +18
Also it was organic, every attempt since then has felt forced
18
Mooredock Mar 21, 2026 +1
This is definitely not an attempt on the part of the studios, one of them is 100% going to have to move, they'll both want the IMAX and losing out on it would be shit for both of them.
1
RandyTheFool Mar 21, 2026 +2
No, people will probably make a day out of it. Get tickets and see both. Not “too much” overlap, it’s the perfect amount.
2
Ok_Ear2251 Mar 21, 2026 +4
I remember when I loved movies so much I would go see 2 in one day. Not even a double feature (is that still a thing?) But two movies. Watch movie 1, get some nachos, play some arcade games in between, hit movie 2.
4
MaxZorin1985 Mar 21, 2026 +6
Those were the best years of my life. I was there so often I held the top two spots on the Galaga leaderboard.
6
Ok_Ear2251 Mar 21, 2026 +5
And you either got the movie times from the GD Newspaper! or you called Moviefone. Couldn't just look at the computer fused to your hand or shout 'Siri, when's the next showing of The Air Up There?
5
nagidrac Mar 21, 2026 +65
Nah. No matter how hard people try, Barbenheimer cannot be recreated.
65
noctalla Mar 21, 2026 +36
Barbenheimer worked because it was a bottom up (started by ordinary people, then embraced by marketing) phenomenon. Top down (where marketing tries to engineer a social phenomenon) won't work.
36
bigmonkeybiggermoney Mar 21, 2026 +14
Foreseeing something as special as Barbenheimer isn’t possible, it has to be unexpected
14
nostalgiamancer_ Mar 21, 2026 +14
Exactly. Like Doom and Animal Crossing.
14
NZafe Mar 21, 2026 +9
It also helped that both films were standalone. Anyone could sit down and watch them without needing to understand any background. Whereas Avengers and Dune are franchises.
9
TheSwampThing1990 Mar 21, 2026 +1
Also two different demographics and two different kinds of movies. So after you see the heavy Oppenheimer you can then relax with Barbie
1
Drama79 Mar 21, 2026 +1
This is key- Oppenheimer was the heavy Oscar bait, Barbie marketed as frothy fun. Not two CGI franchise leviathans, one of which will be directed by someone who actually knows what he’s doing.
1
Vadermaulkylo Mar 21, 2026 +2
Exactly. Both of these will be at the least somewhat successful but that’s because they’re a Marvel crossover film and Dune. Not because this is like Barbenheimer. And if anything this will just hurt both of their potentials rather than help each other like those did.
2
Working_Original_200 Mar 21, 2026 +2
It cannot be recreated by the studios on purpose* It’s entirely on the audience.
2
theHip Mar 21, 2026 +17
I guess. This one feels way more manufactured though, so probably not. Plus it will take both movies being really good, which this is not a guarantee. Will still make a lot of money though.
17
nagidrac Mar 21, 2026 +9
What made Barbenheimer so much fun is that it wasn't manufactured by a studio. It was organic moment made by movie fans
9
exophrine Mar 21, 2026 -1
Which one are we doubting here?
-1
theHip Mar 21, 2026 +8
I think Dune 3 has a better chance of being good than Avengers Doomsday.
8
ehrgeiz91 Mar 21, 2026 +1
lol really?
1
bluerose297 Mar 21, 2026 +1
Not that bad of a question honestly. Dune 3 I think will get more critical acclaim but worth noting that Dune: Messiah was a pretty controversial book, so the regular audience response for Dune 3 might be similarly divisive.
1
Blacksmith710 Mar 21, 2026 +19
No, the tone contrast was what made Barbenheimer what it was. These movies are gradients of the same shade, it won’t be a cultural moment like barbenheimer was
19
shaka_sulu Mar 21, 2026 +5
No. These movies will be competing for the same demographic.
5
VampireHunterAlex Mar 21, 2026 +8
Dune Part 3 has the exclusive rights for IMAX screens for about 3 weeks: Thats why they’re not budging. Will they win out the box office? Unlikely, but this is why you see distributors “claim” dates years in advance.
8
nobadhotdog Mar 21, 2026 +4
No. That was an easy question
4
waterisgood_- Mar 21, 2026 +3
Doesn’t dune have imax release and avengers doesn’t? That’s gonna play a big part in it imo
3
Floowjaack Mar 21, 2026 +1
Yup, Dune has imax exclusivity (in the US) for 3 weeks
1
paul-cus Mar 21, 2026 +3
No, they’re too similar.
3
Earthpig_Johnson Mar 21, 2026 +3
Parents will take their kids to Avengers and be too broke to come back around for Dune opening weekend.
3
Derpykins666 Mar 21, 2026 +2
You know what, yeah probably. Unless one of them is delayed. It's wild to get two really big movies dropping at exactly the same time.
2
Tomusina Mar 21, 2026 +2
The fact that this is an article tells me this is what they hope and are Trying To Make It A Thing. Will it work? Real question here
2
bluerose297 Mar 21, 2026 +1
Who is this “Will Avengers” and what is this Dunesday he speaks of?
1
Benedict_Cumberquack Mar 21, 2026 +1
No, its being forced too much. Barbenheimer was a natural reaction to two polar opposite movies. Exactly the same as how Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing fandoms came together back in 2020. Everything since trying to capture that same lightning in a bottle screams of 'How do you do fellow kids"
1
morph1138 Mar 21, 2026 +3
There’s no way Dune beats out Avengers. This feels like a both studios are trying to make a Barbenheimer moment happen, and the only one that’s gonna suffer is Dune. People will see Avengers regardless of IMAX or not, then they will go again in three weeks when it’s in IMAX.
3
Floowjaack Mar 21, 2026 -3
I don’t know. I’m not seeing a lot of hype for doomsday. Plus Disney has pretty much trained it’s audience to wait for streaming, especially with the last couple phases of the MCU
-3
morph1138 Mar 21, 2026 +1
Yeah but that’s like saying HBO Max has trained people to wait for WB films to wait for streaming. Also there has been far more press and buzz around Doomsday than there has been for Dune 3. It’s not even close.
1
AlmightyLoaf54 Mar 21, 2026 +1
Maybe, 2 big movies, and I would imagine we get to see people in Paul Atriedes Costumes and Doctor Doom Costumes
1
Working_Original_200 Mar 21, 2026 +1
No two studios can create that kind of synergy. But I don’t mind them dropping any pretense of competition.
1
DarkArmyLieutenant Mar 21, 2026 +1
Like the studios didn't have this shit planned for the last two or three years. Please.
1
ottoIovechild Mar 21, 2026 +1
Barbenheimer worked because it was unexpected and refreshing. These two films aren’t even the first sequels of each franchise.
1
Veikati Mar 21, 2026 +1
Speaking as a movie theater employee. Dunesday will be more busy i think just people wise it will be a worse weekend to work but the experience will not be the same I remember working barbenheimer it was bad my theater is 20 years old IMAX was breaking all 5 lines were going past our podiums I expect it to be way worse come December
1
messengers1 Mar 21, 2026 +1
Watching two movies back to back at the theater will take 6 hours on the same day.
1
Rryon Mar 21, 2026 +1
I wish Chalamee would go away
1
lkodl Mar 21, 2026 +1
Not exactly the same as Barbenheimer, but I could see them making this more of a "celebrate the theaters" type of thing. Two rival studios "coming together" to get our butts back in those seats. Come theaters, give me a Dunesday concession deal.
1
SorcererSupremPizza Mar 21, 2026 +1
No, it only worked because of extreme opposites and it was funny.
1
RottenPingu1 Mar 21, 2026 +1
Hard pass on super heroes...there is a certain irony with this match up.
1
Wheel1994 Mar 21, 2026 +1
I am not an expert in the film industry but surely it makes sense for one of them to move instead of Lessing their box office.
1
Ok_Nefariousness9736 Mar 21, 2026 +1
Nope, it’s been done already. They need to try selling their movies instead.
1
Warmbastard Mar 21, 2026 +1
I feel like one will be quite clearly better than the other, and they will cannibalise each other. Just look at the Chinese New Year box office in China which is when most people go to the cinemas, after a few days the best film dominates the box office and dwarfs the next contender by at least 3:1.
1
gutster_95 Mar 21, 2026 +1
Barbenheimer worked because it was pure contrast to each other. And it went viral in a organic way.
1
Confident-Weird-4202 Mar 21, 2026 +1
No. Next question
1
Zombie1642 Mar 21, 2026 +1
No. Barbenheimer was an organic joke to point out the stark difference in movie types and tones. The pink comedy playing with the dark drama next door. If anything this will be dune vs avengers as the sci-fi style and audience have a lot of over lap. And with dune having the 3 week imax exclusive, I know what I am watching.
1
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