It finally happened:Avengers: EndgamesurpassedAvatarat the worldwide box office over the weekend to become the #1 film of all time. And nowAvatarfilmmakerJames Cameronhas responded with his own brief,Avatar-influenced letter of congratulations:
And in a genuinely classy move,Avengers: EndgamedirectorsJoeandAnthony Russoresponded with admiration towards Cameron:
Unadjusted for inflation, the star-studded Marvel sequel/conclusionAvengers: Endgameis now at $2.790 billion, which surged pastAvatar’s $2.789 billion thanks to a theatrical push luring viewers with “bonus footage” after the end credits. Granted,Avatarhad its own theatrical re-release, but it wasn’t in an effort to push it past any existing box office records—James Cameron’s technically marvelous 2009 sci-fi film was a one-of-a-kind phenomenon the overtook Cameron’sothertechnically marvelous phenomenonTitanic, which previously held the all-time worldwide box office record at $2.187 billion.
So yes,Avengers: Endgameis our new box office king, and fittingly so. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is itself a unique phenomenon; a feat no other studio has come close to matching, and one I don’t think we’ll see replicated anytime soon. “Marvel” has replaced “Tom Cruise” or“Julia Roberts” as a guaranteed box office draw, as the brand has now usurped the “movie star” moniker. There’s a reason audiences show up to seeChris Hemsworthin theThormovies, but not inMen in BlackorIn the Heart of the Sea.
On the domestic all-time chart, however,Endgameis still #2 behindStar Wars: The Force Awakensand barring a huge re-release, doesn’t look like it’ll match it. Indeed,The Force Awakenssits pretty with a whopping $936.6 million domestic total, whileAvengers: Endgamelags behind at $854.2 million.
So how long will theEndgameworldwide record last?Avatarheld that top spot for a decade, which is insanely impressive. Will Cameron snatch it back withAvatar 2? Or will we have to wait for the next culminating Marvel event forEndgameto be usurped? Your guess is as good as mine.
