Robert Downey Jr. & Timothee Chalamet reveal the ship name for their films; here’s everything to know
So, Timothee Chalamet and Robert Downey Jr. have a film releasing on the same day, and like any good Hollywood duo, they’ve already come up with a ship name for it. When Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday hit theatres on December 18, fans can expect a brand-new phenomenon called “Dunesday”.
The big announcement
The two actors appeared together in Los Angeles on Wednesday during a special screening of Timothee’s A24 film Marty Supreme. On stage, Robert shared the lighthearted moment that’s now setting the internet abuzz. “We both have films opening on December 18, and we decided to coin it … We’re thinking Dunesday,” he told the audience, prompting laughter across the room. He added with a grin, “We’ll see if we’re still friends by then.”
The name is a playful nod to their upcoming releases — Dune: Part Three, the next chapter in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic, and Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel’s much-awaited follow-up under the Russo brothers’ banner.
The new-age box office battle
The idea behind Dunesday is simple: To create friendly competition while boosting both films’ box office prospects, just as Barbie and Oppenheimer did in 2023. The Barbenheimer phenomenon became one of pop culture’s biggest crossover moments, with the two films jointly earning close to $2.5 billion worldwide.
Hollywood has since tried to replicate that success, from Glicked (a mix of Wicked and Gladiator II in 2024) to other same-day premieres that never quite captured the same frenzy. But this time, with Robert and Timothee leading two of the most anticipated blockbusters of the decade, expectations are high.
The stakes are sky-high
If history is any indication, the numbers could be massive. The Russo brothers’ Avengers: Endgame (2019) remains the second-highest-grossing film of all time with $2.8 billion globally, while Dune: Part Two (2024) earned a strong $715 million worldwide.
With both franchises returning in December 2026, Dunesday might not just be a clever nickname; it could potentially mark the biggest box office showdown since Barbie met Oppenheimer.
