Marvel Studios’ Avengers Endgame has reclaimed its position as the highest grossing film in global box office history, overtaking James Cameron’s Avatar after the success of its Avengers Endgame Encore theatrical re release. According to The Walt Disney Company, the 2019 superhero blockbuster has now generated approximately $2.9255 billion worldwide, narrowly surpassing Avatar’s $2.9237 billion lifetime gross. Variety reports that the Encore release contributed more than $126 million to Endgame’s global total, including approximately $36.2 million in North America and $89.8 million internationally. The result restores Endgame to the record it first claimed in 2019, before Avatar returned to cinemas in 2021 and moved back into first place.
The latest milestone highlights the extraordinary commercial value of major film franchises and the ability of established intellectual property to generate substantial revenue years after its original theatrical run. Box Office Mojo records Endgame’s original worldwide release at about $2.799 billion, meaning the 2026 Encore re-release alone has added more than $126 million to the film’s lifetime performance. Disney’s wider Marvel Cinematic Universe has now generated more than $35 billion across its theatrical releases, according to the company, while Disney controls seven of the ten highest grossing films in history, including Avatar following its acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
Beyond the record itself, the performance of Avengers Endgame Encore offers a significant commercial signal for Hollywood as studios increasingly use established franchises, anniversary screenings and event driven theatrical releases to strengthen cinema revenues. Variety reports that Disney used the re-release partly to build anticipation for Avengers Doomsday, the next major Marvel crossover scheduled for December, with the Encore turnout providing evidence of continued audience demand for the franchise. Endgame’s return to the top also renews one of cinema’s most closely watched box office rivalries with Avatar, demonstrating how re-releases can reshape the all time rankings and extend the revenue life of blockbuster intellectual property long after its initial theatrical window.
