‘Avengers: Endgame’ Snatches the All-Time Box Office Crown Back From ‘Avatar’ Thanks to Its ‘Encore’ Re-Release

Few box office rivalries have lasted as long as the battle between ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and ‘Avatar’. The 2 blockbusters have passed the title of highest-grossing film of all time back and forth for years, with each new theatrical return giving one of them a chance to reclaim the throne.

‘Endgame’ first grabbed the record on July 21, 2019, after 89 days in release, ending the decade-long reign of James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi epic. ‘Avatar’ struck back in March 2021 thanks to a re-release in China, and later padded its total with more reissues, reaching $2.923 billion after 5 re-releases.

Now the pendulum has swung back toward Marvel. According to box office analyst Jatinder Singh, ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ earned $18 million worldwide in its second weekend, with $13.5 million from overseas and $4.5 million domestically, pushing the re-release total to $126 million and lifting the film’s lifetime gross to about $2.926 billion, just above ‘Avatar’.

Major trade outlets have since confirmed the milestone. Variety reports that ‘Endgame’ now stands at $2.925 billion worldwide, while Deadline puts the race at $2.9255 billion for ‘Endgame’ against $2.9237 billion for ‘Avatar’. Either way, the margin is razor-thin. It’s also worth remembering that the record is not adjusted for inflation, which is how the all-time chart is traditionally measured.

The re-release’s $126 million total breaks down to $36.2 million in the US and Canada and $89.8 million from international markets. That overseas strength was crucial in getting the film across the finish line.

Thought it would take a little longer, but… it’s done. $18M ($13.5M OS / $4.5M DOM) 2nd weekend for #AvengersEndgameEncore. That pushes its re-release total to $126M, lifting Endgame’s worldwide gross to $2.926B* – surpassing #Avatar ($2.924B) to reclaim its crown as the highest-grossing film of all time. 👑
— ਜਤਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ (@Itsjat32) October 4, 2026

‘Encore’ got off to a strong start when it hit theaters on September 25. It opened at No. 1 domestically with $26 million, adding $60 million overseas for an $86 million global debut that already placed it among the highest-grossing re-releases ever.

The second weekend was a different story at home. Deadline reports the domestic total fell 81% to $4.4 million, and Screen Rant noted it was the MCU’s steepest second-weekend drop ever.

Reassemble the team & relive the experience as Avengers Endgame: Encore returns to theaters September 25. Tickets now available for IMAX and Infinity Vision screens: https://t.co/pZZ4PiOyQb https://t.co/2wKSVG4FLz
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 25, 2026

International audiences picked up the slack. ‘Encore’ was the top non-local movie in China with $21.3 million and became the highest-grossing re-release across Latin America, including $6.1 million in Mexico and $3.1 million in Brazil, while India contributed $3.8 million.

Disney gave fans plenty of reasons to return to theaters. ‘Encore’ featured a tweaked ending involving Loki and 3 new mid-credit and post-credit scenes tied to the upcoming ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.

One of the most talked-about additions was the sound of Tony Stark’s hammering over the credits, which connects to Doctor Doom. Those teases turned a nostalgic rewatch into required viewing for fans eager for clues about the next chapter.

The strategy clearly worked. TheWrap noted that the hype surrounding ‘Doomsday’ helped ‘Endgame’ reclaim the record, and theatrical sources say the new film has already racked up close to $60 million in presales.

There’s a fun twist to this rivalry. ‘Avatar’ was released by 20th Century Fox, which Disney now owns following the 2019 merger, meaning the studio controls both films battling for the top spot.

With Fox’s library included, Disney is responsible for 7 of the 10 highest-grossing movies ever, including ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ at $2.33 billion, ‘Titanic’ at $2.26 billion and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ at $2.05 billion.

The latest milestone also pushes the MCU’s total franchise gross, dating back to 2008’s ‘Iron Man’, to about $35 billion. With ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ arriving on December 18, Marvel’s box office momentum looks stronger than it has in years. The only question now is how long ‘Endgame’ can hold onto its crown this time.