Avengers: Endgame Reclaims World Box Office Crown After Re-release
In short
“Avengers: Endgame” has retaken the all-time worldwide box office lead from “Avatar” after a re-release, according to the US film data site The Numbers. The Numbers puts Endgame at $2.9255bn in cumulative gross against Avatar’s $2.9237bn, a gap of less than $2m. Marvel timed the re-release, which features added footage, ahead of “Avengers: Doomsday” at the end of this year; Variety reported the re-release took in more than $126m.
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Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” has returned to the top of the all-time worldwide box office chart after a re-release, according to the US film data site The Numbers. Yonhap and Dong-A Ilbo both cited The Numbers data dated October 4 local time showing the film’s cumulative gross at $2.9255bn, ahead of James Cameron’s “Avatar” (2009) at $2.9237bn — a gap of less than $2m. Kukmin Ilbo reported the same ranking change in a headline. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The record has now changed hands three times. Yonhap and Dong-A Ilbo both recalled that Endgame took the No. 1 spot on its 2019 release, ending a ten-year run at the top for “Avatar”. “Avatar” moved back ahead in 2021 with its own re-release ahead of a sequel, and the order has reversed again five years later. [ 1 , 3 ]
The film now in theatres is titled “Avengers: Endgame Encore” and adds some extra footage, including bonus material, to the original run. Yonhap reported that the worldwide re-release was intended to build anticipation for Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday”, due at the end of this year; Dong-A Ilbo said the re-release began last month. Variety reported that the re-release alone took in $126m, a figure carried by both outlets. [ 1 , 3 ]
Yonhap reported that Endgame has earned about $894.6m in North America and $2.0309bn outside it. The outlet added that the three highest-grossing films of all time are followed by “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”, “Avatar: The Way of Water”, “Titanic”, “Star Wars: Episode 7 — The Force Awakens”, “Avengers: Infinity War”, “Ne Zha 2”, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Zootopia 2”. Both “Avatar” and “Endgame” are films whose intellectual property Disney holds: “Avatar” was originally distributed by 20th Century Fox, which Disney acquired in 2019, and Yonhap reported that Disney owns seven of the ten top-grossing titles. [ 1 ]
Yonhap also reported that the 38 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have together passed $35.07bn in cumulative gross, helped by the Endgame re-release and the run of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”. The two outlets give different won conversions for the same $2.9255bn figure. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The swap at the top of the all-time chart is a marketing outcome as much as a box-office one: both films are Disney-owned intellectual property, so the record returns to the same studio either way, and the re-release is designed to build anticipation for Marvel’s next Avengers film. Yonhap noted that Disney holds seven of the ten highest-grossing films ever. The Korean-language coverage treats the change as an industry milestone rather than a domestic market story.
Key facts
- “Avengers: Endgame” has returned to No. 1 on the all-time worldwide box office chart after a re-release, according to the US film data site The Numbers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Numbers lists Endgame’s cumulative gross at $2.9255bn against “Avatar”’s $2.9237bn, a gap of under $2m. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Endgame took about $894.6m in North America and $2.0309bn elsewhere, Yonhap reported. [ 1 ]
- The re-release, titled “Avengers: Endgame Encore”, adds extra footage and was timed ahead of “Avengers: Doomsday”, due at the end of this year. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Variety reported the re-release generated more than $126m in ticket revenue. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Endgame first took the record in 2019, Avatar regained it with a 2021 re-release, and the order has now reversed again after five years. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Yonhap reported that the 38 Marvel Cinematic Universe films have passed $35.07bn in cumulative gross, and that Disney owns seven of the top ten films. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- “Avengers: Endgame” has reclaimed the all-time worldwide box office No. 1 spot from “Avatar” after a re-release, based on data from The Numbers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Numbers puts Endgame’s cumulative gross at $2.9255bn and Avatar’s at $2.9237bn, a gap of less than $2m. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The re-release, titled “Avengers: Endgame Encore”, includes added footage beyond the original run and comes ahead of “Avengers: Doomsday”, scheduled for release at the end of this year. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Variety reported that the re-release brought in more than $126m in ticket revenue. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Endgame first took the record in 2019, Avatar retook it in 2021 ahead of its sequel, and the lead changed again after five years. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- When the re-release began and how many markets it covers. Dong-A Ilbo says the re-release started last month, while Yonhap gives no date; neither outlet lists the markets involved.
- The Korean won equivalent of Endgame’s cumulative gross. Yonhap converts $2.9255bn to about 3.9275 trillion won and Dong-A Ilbo converts the same figure to about 3.9389 trillion won, so the outlets’ won values differ.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- October 4 local time: The Numbers data cited by Yonhap and Dong-A Ilbo shows “Avengers: Endgame” ahead of “Avatar” on the all-time worldwide box office chart. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Yonhap publishes its report from San Francisco with the figures, the geographic split and the franchise totals. [ 1 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo publishes a headline reporting that the re-release has put Endgame back at No. 1. [ 2 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo publishes a summary reporting the same reversal five years on, with the same cumulative figures. [ 3 ]