Avengers: Endgame is once again the highest-grossing movie of all time. The "Avengers: Endgame Encore" theatrical re-release, which returned the 2019 Marvel blockbuster to cinemas on September 25, 2026, has pushed the film's lifetime worldwide gross to an estimated $2.9255 billion, edging past James Cameron's Avatar at about $2.9237 billion, according to reports from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and TheWrap.
The numbers behind the crown
The margin is razor-thin, but the direction is clear. Disney confirmed the milestone in early October, with Epicflix reporting estimated totals of $2.9255 billion for Endgame versus $2.9237 billion for Avatar. The Numbers tracks Avatar at $2.924 billion and Endgame at $2.9255 billion after the Encore run.
The Encore rollout was a commercial force in its own right. The re-release earned $86 million in its global opening weekend, with $26 million from North America and $60 million overseas, ranking as the second-biggest opening ever for a re-release, behind only the 2012 3D return of Cameron's own Titanic, which took $98.9 million. The opening Friday alone brought $11.2 million from 3,060 locations, per TheWrap. In total, the reissue has added roughly $126 million to Endgame's lifetime tally — about $36.2 million domestic and $89.8 million international, according to TheWrap's reporting cited by The Economic Times.
What the Encore re-release added
This was no bare-bones reissue. The Encore presentation ran about 185 minutes — roughly four minutes longer than the original — and packed in new post-credit scenes plus a modified ending designed to bridge into the next Marvel chapter. Depending on format, audiences received two to six minutes of new material, with IMAX viewers getting an extra scene. The package also included an introductory thank-you message from Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, and exclusive footage teasing Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel's next crossover event due in theaters on December 18.
One thing to remember: none of these totals are adjusted for inflation, which is why fans still argue endlessly over who really "owns" the title.
James Cameron's gracious response
For his part, James Cameron met the news with the same sportsmanship he has shown throughout this decade-long rivalry. On October 16, he posted a congratulatory message to Marvel accompanied by bespoke crossover artwork showing Iron Man being welcomed by a Na'vi tribe on Pandora.
"You are one of the people," Cameron wrote over the image. "Congratulations to Marvel and the #1 'Avengers: Endgame: Encore' for bringing moviegoers to the cinemas!" — Jim Cameron
This is familiar territory for the two camps. Endgame first passed Avatar in July 2019, prompting Cameron's famous "Oel ngati kameie" message: "I see you Marvel. Congratulations to 'Avengers: Endgame' on becoming the new box-office king." Avatar reclaimed the crown with its 2021 re-release — Marvel's response at the time showed the Avengers title being wiped away by Avatar. Now the lead has changed hands again, and Cameron is already joking about a rematch: he suggested Avatar could take the title back on its 20th anniversary in 2029.
What comes next for Marvel
The record could not arrive at a better moment for Marvel. After a mixed few years, the Encore run has put Endgame back in front of audiences just as Avengers: Doomsday approaches. Robert Downey Jr. is set to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the villain Doctor Doom, with Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Mark Ruffalo also slated to appear. The studio now occupies two of the top three spots on the all-time chart, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day sitting in third at around $2.5 billion.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Life of Riley (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources: TheWrap, The Indian Express, ABP Live, Epicflix