1329 ET - Disney is about to go from one cinematic mistake to another, Benchmark's Mike Hickey says in a note. After the live-action "Moana" remake flopped, Disney's next major movie catalyst looks to be "Avengers: Doomsday" on Dec. 18. But that film will compete with "Dune: Part Three," which Hickey says "represents a significant strategic mistake" on Disney's part. The two films are competing for overlapping audiences and, crucially, premium-format screens, Hickey says. Dune's three-week IMAX window, supported by an IMAX 70mm rollout, is likely to overshadow Disney's own new Infinity Vision large format technology, which lacks consumer awareness, an installed brand advantage, and a differentiated technology proposition, he adds. "Sacrificing IMAX availability for Disney's most important remaining 2026 release was a major miscalculation that could constrain ticket pricing, opening-weekend capacity and total box-office performance." (elias.schisgall@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 20, 2026 13:29 ET (17:29 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.