Dave & Buster's Rebrands as 'Doom & Buster's' for Avengers: Doomsday

Dave & Buster's will operate under a different name for 77 days. From November 16, 2026 through January 31, 2027, the 200-plus-unit eatertainment chain rebrands its stores nationwide as "Doom & Buster's," a full-takeover promotion tied to Marvel Studios' Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters December 18.

The campaign goes beyond a standard film tie-in. Dave & Buster's is lending the promotion its name, its game floors and its bar program, converting locations into what the company calls the one place fans can step inside the world of Doomsday before the film's release.

"When one of the biggest movies of the year is coming, you don't put up a poster. You bend the knee," said Jeremy Tucker, Chief Marketing Officer at Dave & Buster's. "We gave Doom our name. We gave him the floor. We gave him the bar."

What does the takeover include?

The centerpiece is the Doomsday Zone, opening November 16 in stores nationwide behind themed entry arches, with Marvel games, signage and game screens. New games began rolling out ahead of the full launch:

• Marvel Cosmic Invasion — a 4-player beat-'em-up where guests pick two Super Heroes and switch abilities mid-fight
• Avengers: Roller Race & Battle — a 4-player head-to-head race with a villain to defeat
• Human Crane — guests strap in and get lowered into a prize pit, including new inflatables
• Mystery Crane — the claw game with surprise-filled pillow boxes
• Thor's Hammer Strike — a single-swing strength game with leaderboard ticket payouts
• The Arena — an immersive game-space takeover
• Smash N Win — collectible play built around 20 character-themed balls
• Avengers Themed Photo Booth — keepsake photos

The program also adds an Avengers Funko pusher stocked with Avengers-only Funko prizes, limited-time Avengers-inspired cotton candy flavors, and Collectible Power Cards featuring Thor, Doctor Doom, Yelena and other characters, available at kiosks while supplies last.

How does loyalty drive traffic?

A mechanic called DOOMHOUR targets repeat visits. Beginning November 16, at randomly selected times through the campaign, one surprise hour awards D&B Rewards members double tickets on green-swipe games nationwide. Members get 24 hours' advance notice of the date via app push notification, with the hour revealed on the day itself; in-store screens and D&B Live radio announce it to everyone else when it begins. The app also carries new Rewards Challenges throughout the campaign, offering exclusive badges and bonus chips.

"With the scale and variety of experiences as part of Doom & Buster's, fans can have a completely different experience more than once — with different challenges and games to tackle, more surprises to uncover, and memories to make with friends and family," said Holly Frank, VP, Partnerships & Promotions.

What happens at the bar?

The beverage program runs the same November 16–January 31 window, with three cocktails built on Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka and two alcohol-free mocktails:

• Doomsday's Dominion — Smirnoff No. 21, melon liqueur, pineapple and lemon-lime soda, with a Black Magic sidecar
• Multiversal Mule — Smirnoff No. 21, blue orange liqueur, dragon fruit and ginger beer, with edible luster dust and an LED glow cube
• Fantastic Flight — four mini cocktails, each with its own flavor profile
• Panther's Potion (mocktail) — cherry, ginger beer and citrus sour with a blue shimmer sidecar
• Captain Punch (mocktail) — blue raspberry, coconut, pineapple and lemon-lime soda

Guests must be 21 or older to consume alcohol.

The Walt Disney Studios framed the deal as unusually deep for a film partnership. "Rather than creating a traditional promotion, they transformed their entire business into an immersive celebration of Marvel Studios' Avengers: Doomsday," said Lylle Breier, EVP, Partnerships, Promotions and Events. "The result is a bold, fan-first experience that extends the story beyond the theater and into the real world."

Games, attractions and prizes vary by location, and the company has posted campaign details at doomandbusters.com. With the takeover anchored to a December 18 release and running five weeks past it, Dave & Buster's has effectively built a full-quarter traffic event around a single title.