Seven years ago, Avengers: Endgame , the zenith of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was released in theatres and became the highest-grossing film of all time (before being overtaken by Avatar on re-release). Now, the biggest superhero film of all time is back in theatres, with bonus scenes and a new ending, which leads to Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, out in theatres in December.
In North America, only two films have done better. The re-release grossed $26 million in North America over the weekend and another $60 million overseas, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. This $86 million opening weekend is the highest for a re-release globally. The 1997 release of Star Wars: A New Hope ($35.9 million) and the 2011 repeat of The Lion King ($30.2 million) opened higher than Endgame in domestic cinemas.
The Marvel film earned $86 million worldwide this weekend. Brad Pitt’s Heart of the Beast had to settle for the second spot, opening at $50 million. Robert Pattinson’s true-crime drama, Primetime, opened at an impressive $30 million, while Universal Pictures’ Forgotten Island brought up the rear with $20 million. The film, starring Pattinson as To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen, was made on a modest $15 million budget and opened in 500 fewer theatres. Avengers: Endgame was the final chapter in Marvel’s Infinity Saga and saw the death and defeat of Thanos, the franchise’s over-arching villain from 2008-19.
The opening for Primetime was more impressive. Avengers: Doomsday will retcon several elements from Endgame, introducing the new big bad – Doctor Doom (played by Robert Downey Jr.) Endgame Encore leads up to Doomsday with several new end-credits scenes and an introductory thank you to fans from Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans. These new scenes show just how Endgame’s events led directly to Doctor Doom’s rise.
