‘Avatar’ to Overtake ‘Avengers: Endgame’ as Highest-Grossing Movie of All Time

[KOUNTERPARTS]

Yes.


It's 2021 and 'Avatar' is coming back swinging at 'Avengers: Endgame' for that top spot thanks to China.


SOURCE: https://variety.com/2021/film/news/a...me-1234929216/

Pour one out for the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

“Avengers: Endgame,” the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Marvel superhero blockbuster, is poised to relinquish its title as the highest-grossing movie in history to “Avatar,” the previous record-holder. Prior to the release of “Endgame” in April 2019, James Cameron’s groundbreaking sci-fi epic held the ultimate box office crown for a decade with $2.7897 billion worldwide. “Avengers: Endgame” eclipsed that milestone ever so slightly, churning out a casual $2.7902 billion in global ticket sales.

But on Friday, “Avatar” returned to movie theaters in China and grossed $3.5 million, pushing its total haul to a historic $2.7926 billion. After this weekend, “Avatar” is expected to take back the top box office prize.

What took “Avatar” several re-releases to achieve, “Avengers: Endgame” was able to accomplish in three months due to unprecedented demand that may never again be replicated. “Avengers: Endgame” was the culmination of 21 movies (each box office juggernauts in their own right) over the span of 10 years. It became the must-see film event of the year as the Avengers teamed up to take down the ultimate baddie Thanos and moviegoers emotionally bid adieu to Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. The comic book mashup also starred Chris Evans as Captain America, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, plus just about every other costumed character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe roster.

The re-release of “Avatar” in China comes as the country is experiencing unprecedented box office demand while recovering from the coronavirus pandemic. Already, several movies in China, including “Detective Chinatown 3” and “Hi, Mom,” have reached blockbuster status. Meanwhile in North America, hardly anyone has been going to the movies and ticket sales have been falling flat as Hollywood studios continue to postpone their buzziest releases.

Though “Avatar” was released by 20th Century Fox, Disney now owns the property after the companies merged in 2019. With Disney’s acquisition of Fox’s film assets, the Walt Disney Company houses eight of the 10-highest grossing movies.

With more than $2.5 billion in global receipts, “Avatar” and “Avengers: Endgame” are in rarified company. The third-highest grossing movie ever is “Titanic,” which grossed $2.47 billion. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Avengers: Infinity War” are the fourth- and fifth-biggest films with $2.068 billion and $2.048 billion, respectively.

Do you guys remember when the Internet was going crazy with trying to make 'Endgame' the top dog? People were saying everywhere on social media to go see Endgame like 10 times per person so it could beat out Avatar.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Meh, it's a dick measuring contest. Don't care.

I don't really count rereleases. On paper, Gone with the Wind is the best selling movie ever, but if you go by the initial box office revenue, it most certainly is not. Gone With the Wind only became "the highest grossing film of all time" after 90 years of rereleases.

[MCMLXXXII]

So if they re release Endgame in theatres? Will it be the other way around? And who cares about this except extreme fanboys and producers?

[Nnyco]

How avatar is such a big movie is beyond me in the first place. Was such a bad movie.

[Shadowferal]

Meh, it's a dick measuring contest. Don't care. .

Yeah... Although I liked Avatar far more than the endgame nonsense it's pretty much a non-issue. They both hit the billion dollar mark...made the news...y.yadda

[Queen of Hamsters]

... People really do create us vs them out of thin air.

Pathetic.

[ProphetFlume]

How many times has avatar been re-released? That’s how it beat the initial endgame run anyway.

Though Avatar has legitimate reasons to be brought back to imax as it uniquely excels in theaters and is the sole reason 3D came back.the theater experience is what made its legacy.

[McNeil]

Both movies are average at best. Highest grossing is just all about the hype which never attracted me, I only saw Endgame close to release because friends wanted to and I rented Avatar once it came out and already forgot about it like a week later. The only thing worth watching Endgame for is the last 20 minutes. I doubt that Avatar will do as well as it did in the past unless they try something out of the ordinary with a sequel, which will probably end up being all visuals.

[Shadowferal]

James Cameron does tend to shake up the industry by trying new things. And the forthcoming sequel does look interesting.

[jellmoo]

Doesn't Disney own Avatar now? I'm not really sure they care which of the massive money makers they have in their pocket made the most money so long as they get that money moving forward.

[Jester Joe]

James Cameron does tend to shake up the industry by trying new things. And the forthcoming sequel does look interesting.

New things, like The Lorax but with blue people instead.

But really on one hand, I don't care about this that much, on the other hand though, it feels really stupid to count it if the movie keeps going back to the theaters.

[RobertoCarlos]

Doesn't Disney own Avatar now? I'm not really sure they care which of the massive money makers they have in their pocket made the most money so long as they get that money moving forward.

Yep disney own both. So they can make people support the right team! And they play both sides.

So no matter what Disney wins and we lose.

[bledgor]

I mean I enjoyed Avatar, but man that movie is so fucking overhyped. Not to mention Cameron planned what, 4 of them? The first one dropped 12 years ago and we still haven't gotten the 2nd movie, lol.

[Gorsameth]

doing multiple releases years apart and counting them as 1 to claim your 'the best'. sigh.

No, I don't think that counts.

[Jester Joe]

Well...they count the money it made in theatres...so obviously they count the money from a re-release in a theatre as well....and have done for ages.

Which is fine and all, but counting it as a "HEY LOOK WE MADE MORE THAN YOU" is dumb if you also were in theater for basically a year straight compared to a movie that was in there for 2 months.

Numbers just for an example.

[KOUNTERPARTS]

... People really do create us vs them out of thin air.

Pathetic.

Are you meaning 'Avatar' fans vs 'Endgame' fans? Why is it pathetic?

How avatar is such a big movie is beyond me in the first place. Was such a bad movie.

I saw it theaters when it first released. I think I may have fallen asleep during the last 40 minute stretch. Movie itself was "ehhh, ok" but I cannot recall a line of dialogue from it.

[XDurionX]

...and both movies suck.

[qwerty123456]

New things, like The Lorax but with blue people instead.

But really on one hand, I don't care about this that much, on the other hand though, it feels really stupid to count it if the movie keeps going back to the theaters.

He also added forcibly inserting your sex organ into an animal to befriend it. I'm 99% certain no other film tried using that message in their film.

[LemonDemonGirl]

Avatar still dosen't have a sequel. If it did I could see it surpassing Endgame, but otherswise no

[Jinpachi]

Let's not forget Avatar's ticket price was higher during initial release because "mUh 3d". A stolen plot with a shit gimmick and wants to flex like it's something to be proud of. GTFO with that noise.