Both 2026 MCU Movies Lost IMAX Screens For The Same Reason

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While the Marvel Cinematic Universe might not be as dominant in pop culture as it once was, its biggest movies still create a lot of excitement. Two major releases are planned for this year: the fourth Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland, coming out July 31st, and a new Avengers movie scheduled for December 18th. The previous films in these series were massive box office hits – ranking among the top two highest-grossing movies ever – and these upcoming installments are predicted to be among the year’s biggest earners.

Despite being highly anticipated, neither Spider-Man nor Avengers will be shown in IMAX theaters across the US. An update from IMAX on February 25th revealed that while both films are still scheduled for release, they will initially only be available in select international markets. This means two of the year’s biggest blockbusters, from one of the most successful franchises of the last decade, won’t be playing on the largest screens in most US theaters.

People have known about the issues with Brand New Day for some time, but the problems with the Doomsday update are recent. What caused this? Look no further than Tom Cruise, whose Mission: Impossible faced a similar situation last year.

The MCU Is Losing IMAX In 2025 For Scheduling Against The Wrong Films

IMAX is best known for its movie theaters, but they also make high-quality cameras that are gaining recognition. While most movies shown in IMAX aren’t filmed with their cameras – and historically, those cameras were large and noisy – more filmmakers are starting to use them for certain scenes. When they do, the visual results can be truly stunning.

IMAX encourages filmmakers to use their technology by offering prime access to their screens, sometimes even prioritizing these films over others. A notable example is Oppenheimer, which received three weeks of exclusive IMAX showings. This was partly due to the film’s use of a new black-and-white IMAX film format, and also because director Christopher Nolan is a strong supporter of the IMAX experience.

Before its release, many thought the decision to distribute Oppenheimer and Barbie this way was a mistake. Barbie, generating a lot of excitement, wouldn’t be shown in IMAX initially, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, which came out just before, would be pulled from those screens. Mission: Impossible felt like a more natural fit for the immersive IMAX experience, especially when compared to a serious biographical film. However, despite Tom Cruise’s efforts to keep his movie in IMAX, the company stuck to its plan – and Oppenheimer ultimately earned nearly $1 billion worldwide.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is experiencing a similar level of success this year as Tom Cruise and the Barbie movie. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is releasing shortly after Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which was notable for being the first Hollywood film shot entirely in IMAX using quieter cameras. Just as the studio strongly protected the exclusive release of Oppenheimer, they’re unlikely to compromise on The Odyssey, even for a guaranteed hit like Spider-Man.

Currently, Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three are both set to be released on the same day. While Dune isn’t using the same camera technology as Christopher Nolan’s film, it is formatted for IMAX, and that seems to be enough for Warner Bros. to keep the biggest IMAX screens for Dune. There was talk that Dune might move its release date to avoid competing with the highly anticipated Avengers film, but Warner Bros. hasn’t changed its plans, and this new information likely explains why.

This is bad news for Sony and Marvel Studios. Superhero movies typically earn most of their money in the first few weeks, as eager fans see them right away to avoid spoilers. Not having IMAX showings on opening weekend won’t ruin the film, but it will likely reduce its earnings. If the movie Doomsday sticks to its planned release date, Marvel can at least be confident that Avengers: Secret Wars is already scheduled for IMAX in 2027, with no other big releases competing for the same screens.

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2026-02-26 18:58