Avatar Trumps Endgame to Reclaim Title of Highest-Grossing Film of All Time
Thanks to a reissue of the 2009 sci-fi epic by James Cameron, Avatar is once again the highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide, kicking Avengers: Endgame out of the top spot.
Endgame had a $7.82 million lead on Avatar prior to the reissue, but after the film re-released in Chinese cinemas, Avatar closed the gap and its total global box office is now at $2,798,579,794 to Endgame’s $2,797,501,328.
China, which has largely contained coronavirus in the country, has reopened cinemas, with Avatar currently being shows in IMAX and 3D theaters nationwide. Despite being over 10 years old, the themes of the sci-fi film are as relevant as ever, a fact that Cameron is acutely aware of as he intentionally set out to create a timeless film about the dangers of destroying nature.
The reopening of cinemas in China bodes well for the struggling international film industry, but the real winner here is Disney, the production juggernaut that owns Avengers—and Avatar. In 2019, Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, thereby acquiring Avatar as well.
Avatar took around 10 years to make, and its sequel took just as long. Avatar 2 is slated to be released in 2022, and Avatar 3 will be released in 2024.
On another note, after the massive success of Avatar’s reissue, could reissues become a new trend for the film industry? If so, what film do you want to see in cinemas again?
