has reclaimed its place as the highest-grossing film in history, overtaking James Cameron’s Avatar after the blockbuster returned to cinemas in a new theatrical run.
The 2019 superhero film has now reached an estimated $2.9255 billion worldwide, narrowly surpassing Avatar, which stands at approximately $2.9237 billion, according to figures cited by . The difference is only around $1.8 million.
The latest milestone comes after the release of Avengers Endgame: Encore, which brought the film back to cinemas nearly seven years after its original release.
The re-release added another $126 million to the film’s lifetime worldwide total, with $36.2 million coming from and $89.8 million from international markets, according to TheWrap.
It means the two films have traded the box office crown yet again.
Avatar, released in 2009, held the record for roughly a decade before Endgame surpassed it during its original theatrical run in July 2019.
The Marvel film initially finished with around $2.797 billion worldwide. Avatar subsequently returned to cinemas, including a major 2021 re-release in , and reclaimed the top position. Further theatrical engagements pushed Cameron’s film to its current total.
Now, Endgame has completed another reversal.
The timing is significant for Marvel. Encore arrived with additional material and is being used to build interest ahead of , which is scheduled for release in December. The re-release opened globally with an estimated $86 million, including $26 million in North America and $60 million internationally, giving it one of the strongest openings ever recorded for a theatrical re-release.
The renewed box office run also highlights how much Disney benefits from both sides of the record. Avatar was originally released by , which became part of Disney following the 2019 acquisition of the studio’s entertainment assets.
Disney now controls seven of the 10 highest-grossing films worldwide, including , Titanic and Avengers: Infinity War.
For Endgame, the latest achievement adds another chapter to a film that already marked the culmination of Marvel’s Infinity Saga. Its return to the top has come not from a new sequel, but from audiences once again paying to experience the same on the big screen.
And, for now, the crown belongs to the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes again.
