# Avengers: Endgame Reclaims the Highest-Grossing Movie of All Time – Encore, Well Played!
Well played Russo brothers, well played!
Avengers: Endgame has officially reclaimed its spot as the highest-grossing movie of all time, knocking James Cameron’s Avatar back into second place after the release of Avengers Endgame: Encore.
The Marvel blockbuster has now taken approximately $2.925 billion worldwide, just edging past Avatar’s $2.923 billion. It’s not exactly a huge gap considering the billions involved, but number one is number one.
And personally, I think the way they’ve gone about it this time is genius.
Remember when they brought Endgame back to cinemas in 2019 with a few extras? The idea was to get those last few ticket sales and push it past Avatar, which it eventually managed. But I always thought they were asking quite a lot from fans at the time.
The hype around Endgame was absolutely massive. We’d spent years watching the MCU build towards this one film, and I know plenty of die-hard fans who’d already been to the cinema two or three times to watch it.
Then you’re asking them to go again?
With cinema ticket prices being what they are, especially if you’re taking the family, that’s a pretty expensive afternoon just to see a few additional bits. And let’s be fair, Endgame isn’t exactly a quick 90-minute film you can squeeze in before tea.
Avatar eventually reclaimed the record in 2021, so Marvel was back in second place. Until now.
Endgame Encore Is Actually A Clever Move
This is where I think the Russo brothers and Marvel have played it beautifully.
We’ve got Avengers: Doomsday coming in December, so what better way to get everyone excited than bringing Endgame back to the cinema and giving fans a massive “previously on Avengers…” moment?
It’s been seven years since Endgame originally arrived. Seven years! Where has that time gone?
Rather than just putting the same film back on the big screen and hoping people turn up, Encore gives fans something extra, including exclusive footage from Doomsday and additional material during the credits.
Now that’s how you get Marvel fans back into a cinema.
We all know what we’re like. Give us ten seconds of footage, a mysterious character appearing in the background or something that might connect to the next Avengers film and we’ll spend the next six months pulling it apart frame by frame.
And with the Russo brothers returning for Doomsday, it feels like a clever way of reminding everyone just how good the Avengers films can be when everything comes together.
It’s nostalgia, excitement and a little bit of Marvel marketing magic all rolled into one. And it’s worked.
But I Still Absolutely Love Avatar
Now before anyone thinks I’m celebrating Avatar getting knocked off the top spot, I’m really not.
Avatar is still one of my favourite films of all time.
I remember watching it and being completely blown away by the world James Cameron had created. The storyline, the CGI, Pandora itself and the way everything looked and felt. It’s one of those cinema experiences that will stick with me forever.
Avatar: The Way of Water was good too, but it had a hell of a lot to live up to. Same with Fire and Ash. When the original film sets the bar that high, it’s difficult for anything that follows to give you that same feeling again.
So for me, this isn’t really about Marvel beating Avatar. They’re both incredible achievements and both deserve their place in cinema history.
Although I do wonder how long James Cameron will be happy sitting in second place. I wouldn’t be surprised if Avatar makes another run for the crown somewhere down the line.
Could Marvel Take The Top Two Spots?
And this is where things get interesting.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day absolutely smashed the box office this year, proving there’s still a huge appetite for these characters when the story and excitement are there.
It does make me wonder whether we’ll see something similar with Spider-Man further down the line. Another cinema release with exclusive footage or something connecting to the wider Marvel universe could bring fans back again.
Could we eventually see Marvel-related films sitting in both of the top two spots?
It’s possible, although there’s quite a mountain to climb and technically Sony handles the Spider-Man films, so it’s not quite as simple as Marvel owning the entire podium.
But then we’ve got Avengers: Doomsday.
Surely that’s going to be absolutely enormous?
We’ve got Robert Downey Jr returning, this time as Doctor Doom, the Russo brothers back behind the camera and years of MCU stories potentially coming together again.
I’m trying not to get carried away with the expectations because we’ve all seen what happens when the hype gets too big, but I’d be amazed if Doomsday doesn’t put up some ridiculous box-office numbers.
Whether it actually breaks Endgame’s record is another question. Nearly three billion dollars is a staggering amount of money, no matter how big the Marvel fanbase is.
Either way, I’m excited to see where Doomsday ends up and whether Marvel can deliver another one of those cinema moments we’ll still be talking about years later.
For now though, a huge congratulations to everyone behind Avengers: Endgame. The cast, crew, Marvel Studios, the Russo brothers and of course the fans who have gone back to experience it all over again.
Seven years later and we’re still assembling.
Encore… well played! 🙂
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