The latest box office milestone for Avengers: Endgame has drawn an official response — and a celebratory image — from filmmaker James Cameron.
For years Cameron’s Avatar held the title of the highest-grossing film worldwide after its 2009 release, a position it maintained until 2019 when Avengers: Endgame briefly overtook it. Avatar reclaimed the top spot following a 2021 theatrical re-release, but the Marvel movie has now regained the crown after Marvel issued a new re-release called Avengers: Endgame Encore. That Encore push has pushed Endgame’s global haul to roughly $2.938 billion, edging past Avatar’s current total of about $2.923 billion.
On social platforms including Instagram, Cameron publicly congratulated Avengers: Endgame Encore. He shared an image that imagines Iron Man among the Na’vi, accepted by them as “one of the people,” and added, “Congratulations to Marvel and the #1 Avengers: Endgame Encore for bringing moviegoers to the cinemas!” The picture underscores Cameron’s good-natured recognition of another film drawing audiences back to theaters.
This acknowledgement echoes a message Cameron posted seven years ago when Endgame first toppled Avatar’s long-standing record. At that time he wrote, “Oel natie kameie, I see you Marvel. Congratulations to Avengers: Endgame on becoming the new box-office king,” and paired it with crossover artwork depicting Iron Man amid Pandora’s woodsprite seeds. Cameron has consistently praised big box office achievements and the communal experience of moviegoing, even when those wins go to other filmmakers.
No additional re-releases have been announced for either title at this time, though Avatar could return to theaters in 2029 for its 20th anniversary and to lead into the fourth installment of that franchise, scheduled to open on December 21, 2029. Historically, re-releases have been pivotal in the back-and-forth between Avatar and Endgame for the all-time top spot, so another push for Avatar could once again change the standings.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man: Brand New Day — the top-grossing film of 2026 — has climbed to third place on the all-time chart with about $2.513 billion in worldwide ticket sales. Although that’s a major commercial success and exceeded many expectations, it remains well behind the totals for Endgame and Avatar. There are reports that Brand New Day may see a re-release that restores previously cut footage, including scenes featuring Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple; that move seems inspired at least in part by the strong performance of Endgame Encore.
Looking ahead, Avengers: Doomsday, which is slated to open on December 18, represents a clear contender to challenge Endgame’s record. Disney revealed on September 9 that Doomsday set a domestic presale record of $50 million — a figure that has likely risen since then. As the first new Avengers film since Endgame, and with the major promotional pull of Robert Downey Jr. appearing as Doctor Doom alongside many returning fan-favorite characters, Doomsday has the potential to exceed its predecessor and even become the first film to reach $3 billion worldwide.
As for the Avatar sequels, their income patterns suggest they’re less likely to overtake Endgame in the near future. Avatar: The Way of Water earned about $2.334 billion globally, while Avatar: Fire and Ash brought in around $1.485 billion; each subsequent entry so far has delivered noticeably less than its predecessor. Unless future installments or strategic re-releases significantly reverse that trend, Endgame’s recent ascent may be harder for the Avatar series to counter.
In short, Avengers: Endgame Encore has once again positioned the Marvel blockbuster at the summit of the worldwide box office, prompting a warm, public nod from James Cameron. Whether that ranking will remain stable depends on the re-release strategies studios pursue and on how new tentpole releases, including Avengers: Doomsday, perform at the global box office.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
