Marvel wins again! 'Avengers: Endgame' overtakes Avatar after surprise theatrical re-release

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame has once again become the highest-grossing film in history, overtaking James Cameron’s Avatar following its theatrical re-release as Avengers: Endgame Encore. The 2019 superhero epic now stands at an estimated $2.9255 billion (₹2,81,337 crore) in global box office revenue, edging past Avatar’s lifetime total of $2.9237 billion (₹2,81,155 crore).

The milestone comes after Disney and Marvel brought Endgame back to cinemas on September 25, 2026, under the Encore banner, timed to build anticipation for Avengers: Doomsday, set for release on December 18. The re-release added approximately $126 million to the film’s worldwide haul, with $36.3 million from domestic markets and $89.9 million from international territories, according to Box Office Mojo.

Endgame first claimed the top spot in 2019 during its original run, only to lose it in 2021 when Avatar was reissued ahead of Avatar: The Way of Water. This latest shift marks another chapter in the long-running box office rivalry between the two Disney-owned franchises.

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Box Office Performance and Context

While Endgame: Encore opened strongly with $26.1 million (₹251 crore) domestically, its second weekend saw an 81% drop to $4.4 million, per Deadline. Even so, the cumulative total was enough to push the film back to No. 1 on the all-time global chart.

China has been one of its biggest overseas markets, with the film earning $21.3 million and becoming the top non-local release there.

India has chipped in too, with Endgame Encore making $3.8 million (₹36.5 crore). The re-release has also performed strongly across Latin America, including $6.1 million in Mexico and $3.1 million in Brazil.

Avatar, originally released in 2009, has benefited from five separate re-releases over the years but now trails Endgame by roughly $2 million. Industry observers note that the record could shift again if Cameron’s franchise plans further reissues or new installments.

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Films Worldwide

As of October 2026, the global all-time box office leaderboard is led by Avengers: Endgame at approximately $2.9255 billion, narrowly ahead of James Cameron’s Avatar at $2.9237 billion following the Marvel film’s Encore re-release. They are followed by Avatar: The Way of Water ($2.33 billion), Titanic ($2.26 billion), and the Chinese animated hit Ne Zha 2 ($2.26 billion).

The rest of the top five includes Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($2.07 billion), while the top ten is rounded out by Avengers: Infinity War, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Zootopia 2, and Inside Out 2. With multiple films now crossing the $2 billion mark, the race for the top spot remains tightly contested between Disney’s Marvel and Avatar franchises.

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What This Means for Marvel and Disney

The re-release strategy underscores Disney’s effort to sustain momentum in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ahead of Avengers: Doomsday. By rekindling audience engagement with Endgame, the studio has not only revived box office interest but also reclaimed a high-profile marketing milestone.

For now, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes hold the crown—but in Hollywood’s ever-shifting box office landscape, that status may be provisional.