Marvel’s blockbuster film, “Avengers: Endgame,” reclaimed its position as the highest-grossing movie of all time (excluding inflation) over the weekend. The film’s total earnings of $2.9255 billion US narrowly surpassed James Cameron’s “Avatar,” which had previously held the top spot with $2.9237 billion US.
This achievement follows the recent re-release of “Endgame” in theaters, marking the second time it has surpassed “Avatar” at the box office. The re-released version, featuring four additional minutes, debuted with a global box office revenue of $86 million US ($26 million US domestically), according to parent company Disney.
The decision to re-release the film was in anticipation of the upcoming movie “Avengers: Doomsday,” the next installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Set to premiere on December 18, the film will see the return of familiar characters such as Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans.
“Endgame” has now joined the ranks of top-performing re-releases, with only “Star Wars: A New Hope” and “The Lion King” surpassing its domestic opening earnings. The film set a record in 2019 when its total revenue surpassed “Avatar,” the sci-fi epic about a conflict between Na’vi and humans.
James Cameron, the director of “Avatar,” had held the top spot since 1998 when “Titanic” became the highest-grossing film. Despite the success of “Avatar,” Cameron graciously acknowledged Marvel’s achievement in 2019 when “Endgame” surpassed his film’s earnings.
The box office landscape has been unpredictable, with Hollywood experiencing record-breaking summer ticket sales of $4.76 billion US. However, several high-profile releases, including Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” and Tom Cruise’s “Digger,” failed to meet expectations at the box office. On the other hand, unconventional films like “Obsession,” “Resident Evil,” and “Backrooms” have attracted strong audience interest, indicating a shift towards unique and innovative content over established franchises.