The 2019 superhero blockbuster has now earned approximately $2.925 billion worldwide, narrowly moving ahead of James Cameron’s “Avatar,” which stands at about $2.923 billion following five separate theatrical re-releases.
The two films have traded the box office record several times in recent years, with additional theatrical runs repeatedly reshaping the all-time rankings.
“Avatar” originally held the record for more than a decade before “Avengers: Endgame” surpassed it in 2019 during its initial theatrical run. The Marvel film subsequently slipped back to second place in 2021 when “Avatar” returned to cinemas ahead of the release of “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
Five years later, Marvel’s superheroes have once again moved ahead.
Disney benefits either way
Regardless of which film sits at No. 1, the latest box office battle remains a major win for Disney.
“Avatar” was originally released by 20th Century Fox, which became part of Disney following the company’s acquisition of Fox’s entertainment assets in 2019. As a result, Disney now controls seven of the 10 highest-grossing films in cinema history.
The studio’s other major box office successes include “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which has earned about $2.33 billion, “Titanic” with approximately $2.26 billion and “Avengers: Infinity War,” which has generated around $2.05 billion worldwide.
‘Endgame’ re-release builds anticipation for ‘Doomsday’
Marvel and Disney brought “Avengers: Endgame” back to cinemas partly to build anticipation for “Avengers: Doomsday,” which is scheduled to arrive in December.
The original “Endgame” represented the culmination of more than a decade of storytelling in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, bringing together characters and actors who had appeared across 21 previous films.
The cast included Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, alongside Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther and Anthony Mackie’s Falcon.
The latest theatrical run has already generated more than $126 million worldwide, providing another boost for the Marvel franchise and encouraging cinema operators ahead of the next Avengers instalment.
Marvel prepares for another major release
“Avengers: Doomsday” will mark another attempt by Marvel to recreate the enormous cultural and commercial impact of the original Avengers films following a more uneven period for the franchise after the pandemic.
The film will reunite a large collection of superheroes, with Anthony and Joe Russo returning as directors. “Doomsday” will be the 39th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel remains the most commercially successful film franchise in history. Following the success of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which has surpassed $2.5 billion at the global box office, the MCU’s films have collectively generated approximately $35.07 billion.
With “Endgame” once again sitting at the top of the all-time box office table and “Doomsday” approaching, Marvel is looking to extend a record that has repeatedly been challenged but remains firmly within Disney’s sprawling cinematic empire.