‘Avengers: Endgame’ Re-Release Posts Record Thursday, Eyes Massive Weekend Against ‘Star Wars’
Marvel Studios has never been shy about giving its biggest hits a victory lap, and this fall the studio is leaning on one of its crown jewels to build momentum ahead of December’s biggest crossover event. Nostalgia alone rarely moves box office needles this dramatically, but ‘Avengers: Endgame’ has never been an ordinary film.
The 2019 blockbuster returned to North American theaters this week under a new banner, arriving with fresh footage and a renewed marketing push tied to the franchise’s next chapter. Early indicators suggested the re-release was generating unusually strong interest well before its official opening.
Those signs proved accurate. ‘Avengers: Endgame Encore‘ pulled in 3.8 million dollars during Thursday night preview screenings, marking the biggest Thursday preview total ever recorded for a theatrical re-release and edging out the 3.4 million dollars posted by last year’s ‘Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith’ reissue.
That preview haul has analysts projecting a three-day opening weekend in the 25 million dollar to 30 million dollar range domestically. If the film clears roughly 30.2 million dollars, it would set a new unadjusted record for the highest opening weekend ever posted by a theatrical re-release, surpassing the 2011 3D reissue of ‘The Lion King.’
The comparisons stretch well beyond just one prior re-release. ‘Revenge of the Sith’s reissue opened to 25.5 million dollars after its own Thursday previews, while the 2012 3D re-release of ‘Titanic’ topped out at 17.3 million dollars and a 2022 return of ‘Avatar’ brought in 10.5 million dollars.
‘Endgame Encore’ is positioned to beat all three benchmarks, which would make it the biggest modern-era reissue opening weekend since ‘The Lion King’s 3D return more than a decade ago. That kind of performance would be a remarkable feat for a film already seven years removed from its original theatrical run.
Part of the draw is strategic rather than purely nostalgic. The re-release includes several extra minutes of footage tied directly to ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ the Russo brothers’ upcoming crossover film arriving in theaters on December 18. Marketing around the re-release has framed it as close to required viewing for fans looking to catch every connective thread before ‘Doomsday’ hits screens.
There’s an even bigger prize at stake beyond re-release records. ‘Avengers: Endgame’ currently sits at 2.799 billion dollars worldwide, trailing James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ by roughly 124 million dollars for the title of highest-grossing film of all time.
A strong international showing for ‘Encore,’ which is tracking toward an additional 25 million dollars to 30 million dollars overseas this weekend, could meaningfully close that gap. Disney has stayed largely in wait-and-see mode on whether the film can ultimately reclaim the top spot before ‘Doomsday’ arrives in December, but a record-setting domestic and international weekend would be a significant step in that direction.
Reassemble the team & relive the experience as Avengers Endgame: Encore returns to theaters September 25.
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 25, 2026
Tickets now available for IMAX and Infinity Vision screens: https://t.co/pZZ4PiOyQb pic.twitter.com/2wKSVG4FLz
The competition at the box office this weekend is far from thin, with ‘Resident Evil’ holding strong in its second frame and new releases like ‘Primetime’ and ‘Heart of the Beast’ also drawing crowds. Even so, ‘Endgame’s’ preview numbers suggest it’s positioned to hold its own against both new competition and its own storied history.
Do you think Avengers: Endgame Encore can reclaim the all-time box office crown?
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.
