Hollywood’s longest-running box office rivalry just entered a new chapter. Avengers: Endgame has reclaimed the title of highest-grossing film of all time from Avatar, thanks to its Encore re-release — and James Cameron took the loss like a true champion.
The Encore edition hit cinemas on September 25, returning the 2019 Marvel epic to theaters with a few minutes of new connective footage and revised post-credit scenes teasing the next Avengers entry. Box office trackers put Endgame’s unadjusted global gross at roughly $2.925 billion against Avatar’s $2.923 billion — a razor-thin margin that still flips the crown.
Iron Man welcomed to Pandora (Credits: James Cameron via Instagram)
Cameron Welcomes Iron Man to Pandora
On October 16, Cameron shared bespoke crossover artwork on social media congratulating Marvel. The image shows Tony Stark in his Iron Man armor being welcomed by the Na’vi — Jake and Neytiri among them, hands resting on him in a gesture of acceptance.
The artwork reads “You are one of the people,” a ritual phrase Na’vi use to welcome an outsider into the clan, seen in both the original Avatar and Avatar: Fire and Ash. Beneath it, Cameron added: “Congratulations to Marvel and the #1 ‘Avengers: Endgame: Encore’ for bringing moviegoers to the cinemas!” — signed “Jim Cameron.”
A Rivalry Decades in the Making
This crown has changed hands before. Endgame first overtook Avatar in July 2019 after 89 days in theaters; Avatar reclaimed it in March 2021 with a theatrical re-release in China. Back in 2019, Cameron’s congratulations art showed Iron Man surrounded by woodsprite seeds with an “I see you” message. This time he’s gone further — from acknowledging the rival to welcoming him in.
The Encore rollout leaned hard on premium formats like IMAX, with a reported $11.2 million Friday and a strong $86 million worldwide opening weekend. Both films now sit under the same Disney umbrella, and with Avatar approaching its 20th anniversary in a few years, expect this tug-of-war to continue. Could an Avengers: Doomsday shock everyone and rewrite the list again? Anything is possible.
Source: IGN — read the full story there.
