Avengers: Endgame retakes top spot from Avatar as highest-grossing film after Encore re-release
Avengers: Endgame's re-release has lifted its worldwide total to about $2.925 billion, just above Avatar's roughly $2.923–2.924 billion, making it the highest-grossing film again (unadjusted for inflation).
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Avengers: Endgame has again become the highest-grossing film in box office history, passing Avatar with a worldwide total of about $2.925 billion. VarietyLC ““Avengers: Endgame” is once again the highest-grossing movie in box office history, reclaiming the title from “Avatar.”” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “is once again, the highest grossing movie ever, overtaking Avatar, $2.9255 billion to the latter’s $2.9237 billion.” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 3The margin is very small: Variety puts Avatar at $2.923 billion after five re-releases, Screen Rant at $2.924 billion, and /Film at $2,923,710,708. The comparison is unadjusted for inflation. VarietyLC “which has generated $2.923 billion globally after five re-releases.” Read at Variety ↗ Screen RantN “It has squeaked past the $2.924 billion all-time gross of 2009's Avatar” Read at Screen Rant ↗ /FilmN “which has amassed $2,923,710,708 to date” Read at /Film ↗ Mixed · 2The gain came from the expanded re-release "Avengers Endgame: Encore", which opened in theatres on September 25. Variety says it has earned more than $126 million worldwide. Screen RantN “The expanded Avengers Endgame: Encore hit theaters on September 25 in anticipation of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ VarietyLC “The re-release of “Endgame” has generated more than $126 million worldwide” Read at Variety ↗
Centre · 1Screen Rant notes that Endgame passed Avatar even though it fell more than 80% in its second weekend at the domestic box office. Screen RantN “in spite of being hit with a massive drop of more than 80% during its sophomore weekend at the domestic box office.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 3Disney and Marvel reissued the film to build excitement for "Avengers: Doomsday", directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, which opens on December 18. /Film adds that the Russos called Endgame required viewing before Doomsday and that the re-release promised exclusive new footage. VarietyLC “Disney and Marvel reissued “Avengers: Endgame” to generate excitement for “Avengers: Doomsday,” which debuts in December.” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “in the tee-up to their Avengers: Doomsday upside down multiverse movie on Dec. 18.” Read at Deadline ↗ /FilmN “The Russo Brothers dubbed "Avengers: Endgame" as required viewing before "Avengers: Doomsday," which helped motivate fans to turn up, along with the promise of exclusive new footage.” Read at /Film ↗ Mixed · 2The two films have traded the title before. Endgame first took it in 2019, and Avatar regained it when it returned to theatres in 2021, ahead of Avatar: The Way of Water. /Film says Endgame's original run ended at $2.79 billion, just enough to pass Avatar at the time. VarietyLC ““Endgame” dropped to No. 2 on all-time charts in 2021 when “Avatar” returned to theaters in advance of 2021’s “Avatar: The Way of Water.”” Read at Variety ↗ /FilmN “it pulled in $2.79 billion, which was just enough to overtake "Avatar" at the time.” Read at /Film ↗
Mixed · 2Disney benefits either way, because it owns both films after acquiring 20th Century Fox in 2019. Variety says Disney is responsible for seven of the 10 highest-grossing films. VarietyLC “With Fox’s film assets, Disney is responsible for seven of the 10 highest grossing movies” Read at Variety ↗ /FilmN “But Disney acquired Fox in 2019, which means that both of these movies also exist under the same umbrella.” Read at /Film ↗ Mixed · 2Variety and Screen Rant place the result within a strong year for Marvel. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has reached about $2.5 billion, and Variety puts the franchise's combined total at $35.07 billion. VarietyLC “After this summer’s juggernaut “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” climbed to $2.5 billion and counting, the sprawling property has generated a combined $35.07 billion across all movies.” Read at Variety ↗ Screen RantN “the third highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1/Film says it is unclear how long Endgame will keep the record. It notes that James Cameron congratulated Endgame when it first passed Avatar and expected Avatar to win the title back. It suggests another Avatar re-release could take Avatar past $3 billion. /FilmN “Cameron congratulated "Avengers: Endgame" for beating the "Avatar" box office record.”“If Disney does another global re-release, "Avatar" might soon become the only $3 billion movie ever at the box office.” Read at /Film ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Variety leads with the record and puts it in a business context: Disney wins either way, the re-release is a promotion for Doomsday, and Marvel is recovering from an uneven post-pandemic stretch.
- Emphasis
- Disney's ownership of both films and seven of the top ten grossers, the $126 million re-release take, and the franchise's $35.07 billion total.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the steep second-weekend drop or Cameron's past comments.
- Charged language
- “popping Champagne”“Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have triumphed over the Na’vi”
Centre3 outlets
- Framing
- Fan-oriented and celebratory, with Screen Rant and /Film treating the record as a back-and-forth contest between the two films. Deadline gives a short item with the figures. Screen Rant and /Film credit Variety for the figure.
- Emphasis
- Screen Rant stresses the narrow margin and the 80% second-weekend drop. /Film stresses history, Cameron's reaction and whether Avatar could win the title back.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Screen Rant and /Film do not give the $126 million re-release figure. Deadline's item is short and gives no Disney-ownership context.
- Charged language
- “reclaimed its throne”“Officially Topples”“king of the world”“Marvel gets to pop some champagne”
- For example
-
“Avengers: Endgame has reclaimed its throne.” — Screen Rant
“Marvel was able to cleverly find a way to take the crown back.” — /Film
“Endgame was king of the world at the box office once before” — Deadline
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Endgame has regained the all-time worldwide box office record from Avatar, unadjusted for inflation.
- Its total is about $2.925 billion, against roughly $2.923–2.924 billion for Avatar.
- The Endgame Encore re-release produced the gain and was timed to promote Avengers: Doomsday, due in December.
- Disney owns both films.
Where accounts differ
-
Avatar's exact worldwide total
- Left
- Variety gives $2.923 billion.
- Centre
- Screen Rant gives $2.924 billion, /Film $2,923,710,708 and Deadline $2.9237 billion.
-
Avengers: Endgame has overtaken Avatar as the highest-grossing film worldwide, unadjusted for inflation, at about $2.925 billion.
Supported- Supports 4
- Variety, /Film, Deadline, Screen Rant
-
The Endgame re-release was staged to build excitement for Avengers: Doomsday.
Supported- Supports 4
- Variety, /Film, Deadline, Screen Rant
Avengers: Endgame other
Coverage presents the film as the new all-time leader at $2.925 billion, after losing the title to Avatar in 2021.
“With Disney’s recent “Avengers: Endgame” theatrical re-release, the 2019 superhero epic has grossed $2.925 billion worldwide.” — Variety
Avengers: Endgame Encore other
Coverage describes the expanded re-release as a promotional move ahead of Avengers: Doomsday that earned over $126 million worldwide and carried Endgame past Avatar.
“The re-release of “Endgame” has generated more than $126 million worldwide” — Variety
“along with the promise of exclusive new footage.” — /Film
Left2 articles
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Celebratory Business-focused record report that stresses Disney's dual ownership and uses the re-release to look ahead to Doomsday.
-
Centre3 articles
-
Avengers: Endgame Officially Topples Avatar For All-Time Box Office Record
Celebratory Short, fan-friendly report on a narrow win, citing Variety and noting the second-weekend drop.
-
/FilmN ·
Avengers: Endgame Passes Avatar To Reclaim All-Time Highest-Grossing Movie Title
Celebratory Long, playful feature on the two films trading the title, with speculation about a third Avatar re-release.
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‘Avengers: Endgame’ Overtakes ‘Avatar’ Again As Highest Grossing Movie Ever At Global Box Office
Neutral Brief trade item giving the two totals and tying the record to the Doomsday run-up.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 4 Oct 15:46 First VarietyLC ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Overtakes ‘Avatar’ as Highest-Grossing Movie in History With $2.925 Billion After ‘Encore’ Re-Release
- 4 Oct 16:01 +15m Screen RantN Avengers: Endgame Officially Topples Avatar For All-Time Box Office Record
- 4 Oct 16:08 +22m /FilmN Avengers: Endgame Passes Avatar To Reclaim All-Time Highest-Grossing Movie Title
- 4 Oct 16:11 +24m DeadlineN ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Overtakes ‘Avatar’ Again As Highest Grossing Movie Ever At Global Box Office
- 4 Oct 16:34 +48m The Hollywood ReporterLC ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Returns to No. 1 on All-Time Global Box Office Chart, Surpassing ‘Avatar’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.