Avengers: Endgame has reclaimed its place as the highest-grossing film in box office history, overtaking James Cameron’s Avatar after the 2019 Marvel blockbuster returned to cinemas in a special re-release.
Following the success of Avengers: Endgame: Encore, the film’s worldwide box office total has reached an estimated $2.9255 billion, narrowly surpassing Avatar, which stands at approximately $2.9237 billion.
The two films have traded the global box-office crown several times. Avatar held the record for roughly a decade before Endgame overtook it in 2019 during its original theatrical run. In 2021, however, Avatar returned to theaters and reclaimed the top spot. Now, five years later, Endgame has moved back into first place following its latest theatrical engagement.
The latest re-release has added roughly $126 million to Endgame’s lifetime earnings, helping it edge past Avatar by less than $2 million.
The development is also significant for Disney. Both films are now part of the company’s portfolio: Avatar was originally released by 20th Century Fox, which Disney acquired in 2019. Disney currently accounts for seven of the 10 highest-grossing films of all time.
The list also includes Avatar: The Way of Water, which has earned about $2.33 billion worldwide, Titanic with roughly $2.26 billion, and Avengers: Infinity War with more than $2 billion.
The Endgame re-release is also closely tied to Marvel’s next major event film, Avengers: Doomsday. The theatrical encore includes additional footage designed to give audiences more context ahead of the new film. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo have returned to helm Doomsday, which is scheduled for release on December 18, 2026.
Avengers: Endgame was released in 2019 as the culmination of Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga, bringing together characters and storylines built across more than a decade of Marvel films. Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, Chris Evans’ Captain America, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther and many other major characters appeared in the film.
The latest theatrical return has also demonstrated the enduring appeal of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney says the MCU’s 38 theatrical releases have collectively generated more than $35 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film franchise in history.
Avengers: Doomsday is expected to reunite a large ensemble of Marvel characters as heroes from three different universes face an existential threat. Disney has confirmed the film’s December 18 release date and the return of Anthony and Joe Russo as directors.
The renewed box-office success of Endgame gives Marvel an additional promotional boost ahead of Doomsday. More importantly, it adds another chapter to the extraordinary rivalry between Endgame and Avatar—two films that have repeatedly exchanged the title of the world’s highest-grossing movie through successive theatrical releases.
