‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ Is Making Overseas Moviegoers Act Like It’s a Brand New Release

Theatrical re-releases usually settle into a familiar, modest rhythm, drawing a wave of nostalgic fans before quietly fading from the box office conversation. That’s rarely been the case for Marvel’s biggest films, but even by the franchise’s own standards, what’s happening in China right now is turning heads.

‘Avengers: Endgame’s’ return to theaters was always going to generate some interest given its box office legacy, but the scale of what’s unfolding ahead of its official release date has surprised even seasoned box office trackers. The numbers keep climbing with each passing day.

In China’s box office, ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ exploded on its second day of nationwide pre-sales, according to Luiz Fernando, ahead of ‘Endgame’s’ September 25 re-release, with previews set for September 24. The re-release has hit a $965,000 pre-sales cume as of Saturday for the entire September 24-27 window, with 5 days still remaining before the film even opens.

In #China’s #BoxOffice, #AvengersEndgameEncore EXPLODED on 2nd day of nationwide pre-sales, ahead of #Endgame’s SEP 25 re-release (Previews on SEP 24)!
The rerelease hits a $965k pre-sales cume on SAT, for whole SEP 24-27 period (vs #Apes $133k, #DunePartTwo $183k, #Aquaman2… pic.twitter.com/cbea9DjuQn

— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) September 19, 2026

That $965,000 figure already surpasses the 2-day pre-sales totals posted by a long list of recent major releases, including ‘The Batman’ at $313,000, ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ at $435,000, and ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ at $470,000. Even ‘Captain America: Brave New World,’ which posted the strongest comparison figure at $521,000, still trails behind Endgame’s current pace.

The pre-sales breakdown shows $307,000 from Thursday previews, $573,000 on Friday’s rerelease opening day, $64,000 on Saturday, and $21,000 on Sunday so far. With only 20,000 screenings currently available for pre-sale, that pacing is expected to keep climbing as additional screenings get added in the days ahead.

What makes these numbers particularly striking is the comparison group being used to measure them. Endgame’s early pre-sales are currently outperforming the first 2 days of post-COVID China pre-sales for films like ‘Zootopia 2,’ ‘F9,’ ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day,’ ‘Godzilla vs. Kong,’ ‘Fast X,’ ‘The Odyssey,’ ‘Meg 2: The Trench,’ and ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash.’

That’s an unusual benchmark for any rerelease to clear, let alone one built around a film that’s already been in theaters once before. Typically, nostalgia-driven rereleases underperform brand-new tentpole releases by a wide margin, making Endgame’s current trajectory stand out as a genuine outlier.

Part of what’s driving the unusually strong turnout is that this isn’t simply a straightforward reissue of the 2019 film. The re-release includes new footage tied directly into December’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ giving fans a direct incentive to return to theaters beyond pure nostalgia for the original film’s conclusion to the Infinity Saga.

That built-in preview content appears to be functioning almost like a soft marketing campaign for ‘Doomsday’ itself, using Endgame’s established fanbase and box office pull to generate early buzz for Marvel’s next major crossover event. It’s a strategy that seems to be paying off given how the pre-sales numbers are tracking so far.

It’s still too early to project the film’s final scale, especially since none of this pacing accounts for potential frontloading as the release date approaches. But if the current momentum holds and enough total screenings get added by opening day, some trackers believe the film could genuinely threaten a 50 million dollar 3-day opening in China.

A number like that would mark an all-time record for a reissue in any market worldwide, a remarkable feat for a film that first hit theaters more than 7 years ago. The original ‘Avengers: Endgame’ concluded the Infinity Saga back in 2019, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, and remains one of the highest-grossing films in box office history.

Relive the experience for the first time in Infinity Vision.

In ONE week, Avengers Endgame: Encore returns to theaters. Get tickets now: https://t.co/BqAjEHlZNI pic.twitter.com/5UnkyBFgYb

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) September 18, 2026

Beyond what it means for the rerelease itself, this level of enthusiasm could also serve as an early indicator of how hungry audiences are for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ when it arrives in theaters this December. If Chinese moviegoers are willing to turn out in these numbers just for a preview embedded in a 7-year-old film, that bodes well for how the actual crossover event might perform once it opens.

For now, all eyes remain on how much further these pre-sales climb over the coming days, particularly once additional screenings get added closer to the film’s official release.

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