James Cameron Congratulates Marvel as Avengers: Endgame Reclaims Box Office Record from Avatar

James Cameron has congratulated Marvel Studios after Avengers: Endgame reclaimed the title of the highest-grossing film worldwide, overtaking Cameron’s Avatar following a successful theatrical re-release. The filmmaker marked the milestone with a playful crossover illustration that celebrated the superhero blockbuster’s achievement while acknowledging the long-running box office rivalry between the two films.

The comeback was driven by Avengers: Endgame: Encore, a special theatrical presentation that returned to cinemas in September 2026 with additional footage. According to The Walt Disney Company, the film’s worldwide gross reached an estimated $2.9255 billion, moving ahead of Avatar, whose total was estimated at $2.9237 billion.

James Cameron’s Congratulatory Gesture to Marvel

Cameron’s response was notable because Avatar had previously regained the worldwide box office lead after Endgame first surpassed it in 2019. Rather than treating the latest change in rankings as a personal defeat, Cameron acknowledged Marvel’s success with artwork bringing together characters and imagery from the two cinematic worlds.

The illustration showed Iron Man being welcomed by the Na’vi on Pandora, the fictional moon at the centre of the Avatar franchise. Its message offered a light-hearted connection between two properties that have helped define modern blockbuster filmmaking.

The gesture also echoed the mutual recognition shown when Avengers: Endgame first overtook Avatar during its original theatrical run. The record has shifted as films have returned to cinemas, demonstrating how re-releases can change the historical box office rankings years after a movie’s initial release.

How Avengers: Endgame Reclaimed the No. 1 Position?

Released in 2019 and directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, Avengers: Endgame served as the culmination of Marvel’s Infinity Saga, bringing together storylines and characters developed across more than a decade of Marvel Cinematic Universe films.

Its latest theatrical run gave audiences another opportunity to experience the film on the big screen and added fresh revenue to its lifetime total. Disney’s October 4 announcement placed the worldwide gross at approximately $2.9255 billion, narrowly ahead of Avatar at $2.9237 billion.

The result illustrates the commercial value of major franchise titles beyond their first theatrical release. A film with a large established audience can generate additional ticket sales through event screenings, anniversary presentations and special re-releases, although results vary from title to title.

The Box Office Rivalry Between Avatar and Avengers: Endgame

The competition between the films has unfolded over several years. Avatar, released in 2009, held the top position for much of the period before Avengers: Endgame moved ahead in 2019. A subsequent Avatar re-release helped Cameron’s film regain the record in 2021.

The latest Endgame re-release has reversed that result once again. These totals refer to worldwide theatrical grosses in nominal dollars; they are not adjusted for inflation, ticket-price changes or differences in the number of theatrical engagements.

Both franchises also represent different approaches to blockbuster filmmaking. Avatar has built its identity around immersive visual environments and a science-fiction world, while Avengers: Endgame drew much of its scale from the interconnected storytelling of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Their shared position at the top reflects the global reach of large-scale franchise cinema.

Why the Re-Release Matters for Marvel?

The timing adds significance to the achievement. Marvel’s next major Avengers instalment, Avengers: Doomsday, is scheduled for release on December 18, 2026. The Endgame: Encore presentation has therefore given the studio a renewed theatrical moment for one of its most consequential films ahead of the next chapter.

However, the box office record should be understood in context. The latest ranking reflects cumulative ticket sales across theatrical runs, not solely the films’ original openings. It also does not, by itself, establish which film has been more profitable, since production, marketing, distribution and re-release costs differ.

The Celebrity Hour Take

Cameron’s congratulatory message adds a human touch to a contest often reduced to a ranking of worldwide grosses. The more interesting story is how theatrical re-releases can revive major films and alter records that once appeared settled.

For Marvel, reclaiming the lead reinforces the continuing draw of Avengers: Endgame and gives the studio a strong franchise milestone ahead of Avengers: Doomsday. For Avatar, the changing ranking does not erase its long-running commercial impact or the scale of its theatrical achievement.

The record may shift again as films return to cinemas, but the latest development highlights a clear lesson for Hollywood: a major cinematic event can continue to attract audiences long after its original release.

Sources & Verification

This article draws on The Walt Disney Company’s official box office announcement and established entertainment-industry reporting on Cameron’s response and the re-release. Box office totals are presented as estimates attributed to Disney rather than as independently audited figures.