Avengers: Endgame is highly unlikely to retake the title of the highest-grossing movie of all-time now that Avatar reclaimed the honor. James Cameron's 2009 sci-fi fantasy held the top spot for nearly a decade before the MCU's 22nd installment set the bar even higher. Avatar's recent re-release in China allowed the world of Pandora to come back into the spotlight on the big screen. With the return to theaters in a major box office market like China, Avatar increased its earnings to topple Endgame's time as the record holder. Based on studio trends, it seems like Avatar will hold onto the title for the time being.

When Avatar first debuted in December 2009, the trailblazing fantasy made $2.789 billion at the worldwide box office. The amount surpassed the previous record-holder, Titanic, by nearly $320. Titanic, which Cameron also directed, held the status for 12 years before Avatar came along. Seeing as Endgame was the climactic film event 11 years in the making, it was expected to make an enormous splash at the box office. While some were surprised by its total earnings, Endgame wound up narrowly taking Avatar's place for the top lifetime grosses, coming in at around $2.797 billion.

Related: Disney's Black Widow Release Plan Continues Endgame's Natasha Failure

With only one weekend in the re-release stage throughout China, Avatar earned an additional $8.9 million. This brought Avatar's overall earnings to $2.798 billion, just a million over Endgame's record. Cameron's movie, of course, will only continue increasing that difference as the movie continues to play in China. Though the Russo Brothers acknowledged the ongoing rivalry by congratulating the cast and crew of Avatar for reclaiming the title from the MCU, it's doubtful Marvel Studios will attempt to take a shot at getting back that top spot based on the franchise's focus.

Why Avatar Will Likely Hold The Box Office Record (For Now)

Avatar Endgame Re-Releases

Though Spider-Man: Far From Home served as the final entry of the MCU's Phase 3, Endgame felt like the true conclusion to the studios' Infinity Saga. For over a decade, the MCU laid the foundation for an expansive narrative that fully paid off in the two-part event consisting of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. Following Endgame, it was made clear the MCU was ready to turn the page to a new chapter with the franchise. Aside from a slate of new film projects, Phase 4 also includes a handful of Disney+ series, which officially launched with the debut of WandaVision. While also looking towards the release of Black Widow, the first Phase 4 feature film, Marvel Studios doesn't seem focused on the past by re-releasing Endgame. Instead, all eyes are looking to the future with multiple 2021 releases.

On the other hand, Avatar is the perfect candidate for re-release since 20th Century Studios (now under the Disney umbrella) is attempting to build on the hype leading up to Avatar 2's release in December 2022. With new MCU titles scheduled to premiere in the near future, assuming there are no more pandemic-related delays, an Endgame re-release could potentially compete with other Marvel-owned properties, especially through streaming. 20th Century Studios has nothing to lose by getting Avatar back in theaters as it can only help in the long-run. If Black Widow and other MCU films get pushed back, an Avengers: Endgame return could become more likely. Even if it does eventually retake the title from Avatar, Disney views it as a win-win with the studio owning both properties.

More: How Avatar's Sequels Can Avoid Disney's Star Wars Mistakes

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