Doctor Doom is being rewarded with a fresh card. Getting one depends on which theater you choose.
The Magic: The Gathering and Marvel partnership continues with Avengers: Doomsday, which hits theaters Dec. 18. Some moviegoers who attend a screening will be eligible for an exclusive Doctor Doom card. There’s a catch, though: you only leave with one if you meet certain conditions.
Same Doom, better pose
The promo is an alternate version of the “Doctor Doom, King of Latveria” commander card from the Doom Prevails preconstructed deck. It plays exactly the same. The card has no special abilities, and the art is the only thing that sets it apart.
That art is the whole appeal. The original card shows Doom on a throne, holding a magic orb. The Regal Cinemas exclusive shows him standing over the viewer, flanked by Doombots, which is how Doom should always be drawn.
The card will be given out only at Avengers: Doomsday screenings, and that limited supply is what makes it interesting to collectors. Magic cards can sell for thousands of dollars, and some have gone for millions, so it’s worth watching what kind of resale market forms around this one. A release this big will put plenty of attention on it.
Doom loses the IMAX fight
Avengers: Doomsday opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, Dec. 18, and it has competition. Dune: Part Three opens the same day and has already sold thousands of advance tickets. Opening week is shaping up as a straight sci-fi showdown at the box office.
Dune came out ahead in the fight for screens too. It has secured IMAX showtimes for the first few weeks of its run, so Marvel fans won’t be able to watch Doomsday in IMAX on opening weekend. Marvel Studios is using “Infinity Vision” instead.
So what’s Infinity Vision?
Infinity Vision is Disney’s own certification for premium screens, and it promises an upgraded presentation for Disney releases. In effect, Dune took the IMAX velvet rope, so Disney built its own.
The card probably fits in here. If you want an Infinity Vision screen on opening weekend, Regal Cinemas is a sensible choice, and Regal is also where the “Doctor Doom, King of Latveria” card is waiting. That likely explains why the collaboration exists at all: Marvel couldn’t get IMAX screens, so it’s offering a Doom card to people who pick its premium format.