‘Avengers: Endgame’ Joins ‘Avatar’ in an Elite Club After Its Encore Re-Release Powers a New International Milestone

Few films have rewritten box office history as thoroughly as ‘Avengers: Endgame‘. It shattered opening records in 2019, passed ‘Avatar’ to become the highest-grossing film of all time, and then watched ‘Avatar’ take the crown back two years later.

Seven years on, a theatrical re-release has pushed the Marvel finale into the record books again, and this time the achievement comes from overseas.

‘Endgame’ first overtook ‘Avatar’ in July 2019, after 89 days in release. ‘Avatar’ reclaimed the title in March 2021, thanks to a re-release in China.

The rivalry has defined global box office history ever since. Re-releases have become the weapon of choice, and Disney used the same playbook ahead of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.

The latest milestone is that ‘Avengers: Endgame’ has grossed over $2 billion at the international box office alone. It is only the second film ever to clear that mark, behind ‘Avatar’.

Outside North America, the film’s lifetime total now stands at $2.03 billion, which ranks second on the all-time international list. That figure comes from a re-release that has added about $89.8 million overseas.

‘AVENGERS: ENDGAME’ has grossed over $2B only at the international box office. It is only the second film to achieve that milestone, behind ‘AVATAR’ https://t.co/FY6JYZ9G3D

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) October 11, 2026

‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ arrived in theaters on September 25 and opened to $86 million worldwide, with $26 million from North America and $60 million overseas. That is the second-biggest global opening ever for a re-release, behind ‘Titanic 3D’ in 2012. Its domestic start is the third best for a re-release, behind ‘Star Wars’ in 1997 at $35.9 million and ‘The Lion King’ in 2011 at $30.2 million.

Premium screens helped. IMAX screenings brought in $13.7 million, and Disney’s new Infinity Vision brand supported the push. The Encore cut runs 185 minutes and includes new footage tied to ‘Doomsday’, which gave audiences a reason to return.

The second weekend fell sharply in North America, dropping 81% to $4.4 million. Overseas held better, with $14.4 million from 52 territories, for a global second weekend of $18.8 million.

‘Endgame Encore’ was the top non-local film in China with $21.3 million, as well as in Indonesia, Vietnam, Ecuador and Bolivia. It also became the highest-grossing re-release across Latin America, including $6.1 million in Mexico and $3.1 million in Brazil.

Reassemble the team & relive the experience as Avengers Endgame: Encore returns to theaters September 25. Tickets now available for IMAX and Infinity Vision screens: https://t.co/pZZ4PiOyQb https://t.co/2wKSVG4FLz

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 25, 2026

All of that pushed ‘Endgame’ to $2.9255 billion worldwide, edging past ‘Avatar’ at $2.9237 billion. The lead is about $1.8 million, not billion, so ‘Avatar’ could still retake the title with another re-release.

The re-release itself has earned roughly $126 million, with $36.2 million domestically and $89.8 million internationally. ‘Endgame’ also sits third on the all-time domestic chart with $894.6 million, behind ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ at $954.4 million and ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ at $936.6 million.

The all-time list now reads like a scoreboard of the modern blockbuster era:

• ‘Avengers: Endgame’: $2.925 billion
• ‘Avatar’: $2.923 billion
• ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’: $2.5 billion
• ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’: $2.34 billion
• ‘Ne Zha 2’: $2.27 billion

‘Endgame’ opened to $1.223 billion globally in 2019, almost twice the previous record held by ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, which opened to $640 million.

The re-release is also a marketing play. It acts as a direct bridge to ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, opening December 18 against ‘Dune: Part Three’, and its extra footage reportedly features Loki, Bruce Banner, the Time Variance Authority and Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.

Early signs for the new film are strong. Domestic presales have crossed $50 million three months out, with industry sources placing them closer to $60 million. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has now earned about $35 billion worldwide since ‘Iron Man’ in 2008.

For a studio that has seen uneven results since ‘Endgame’, the nostalgia boost arrives at a crucial moment. Fans who turned out for the Encore are likely to be the same ones lining up for the sequel.

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