As the highest-grossing film battle continues, Avengers Endgame has now topped Avatar’s original stint in cinemas. As it stands the Marvel epic has made $2,750,760,348 worldwide compared to Avatar’s $2,749,064,328. However, the latter had a re-release in 2010 with extra footage which brought its box office total to a whopping $2,787,965,087. With just over $37 million to go to top the ultimate movie record, it’s unsurprising that Marvel Studios are re-releasing Avengers Endgame this weekend.
Hitting cinemas on Friday and with tickets on sale today, the Avengers Endgame re-release isn’t an extended cut as such.
Instead, there are a few minutes of bonus content after the end credits of the Marvel epic.
According to Marvel insiders, there’s an introduction from directors The Russo Brothers, a deleted scene with the Hulk, a Stan Lee tribute and a short tease for Spider-Man Far From Home.
The latter, which is released next week on July 2, will presumably also bring Avengers Endgame back into the Top 10 for one final push to beat Avatar.
Similarly, Captain Marvel’s box office shot up as Avengers Endgame debuted in late April.
While a win over Avatar will be a great feat, technically when adjusted for inflation the Marvel epic is way behind.
Titanic, which Avengers Endgame has already topped, really made around $3.099 billion with inflation, while Avatar’s equivalent is $3.273 billion.
Even so, the latter isn’t the biggest film of all time with inflation taken into account.
That would be 1939’s Gone with the Wind on $3.728 billion, a feat that will probably never be topped considering today’s battle with online piracy.
Meanwhile, four Avatar sequels are currently in the works, with Avatar 2 landing time for Christmas 2021.
And who knows, maybe director James Cameron will get his revenge and re-release the first film beforehand to take back the top spot from Avengers Endgame.
The other three sequels will follow every two years, with Avatar 5 completing the five-film series in 2027.
This clever marketing move by Disney, who also owns Marvel Studios, means there will be a Star Wars and Avatar movie on rotation each Christmas from 2021-2027.