Avengers: Endgame is proving that its theatrical power has not disappeared seven years after its original release. The Marvel Studios blockbuster is expected to take the top spot at the North American box office this weekend with approximately $26 million, giving Disney a major win with its new Avengers Endgame: Encore rerelease.
The rerelease arrives during one of September’s busiest weekends, putting the 2019 superhero epic against several new releases and Resident Evil, which dominated the previous weekend. Endgame: Encore is playing on 3,060 North American screens and includes additional material designed to connect the film with the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
Endgame Leads a Crowded Box Office
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Avengers: Endgame: Encore earned approximately $11.2 million on Friday, including previews, putting it on course for a $26 million domestic weekend. The rerelease is also being used as an event-style theatrical promotion for Avengers: Doomsday, which arrives in December.
The decision to bring Endgame back to theaters comes as Marvel prepares audiences for its next major crossover. The Encore version features an exclusive look at Doomsday, giving fans another reason to revisit the conclusion of the Infinity Saga on the big screen.
That strategy appears to be paying off. Rather than simply treating the rerelease as an opportunity to watch an older blockbuster again, Disney has positioned it as part of the buildup toward one of Marvel’s biggest upcoming releases.
Resident Evil and New Releases Fight for Second Place
Sony’s Resident Evil is expected to remain a strong competitor in second place during its second weekend. The Zach Cregger-directed reboot earned around $6.9 million on Friday and is projected to add approximately $23.5 million domestically, bringing its North American total to an estimated $103.6 million.
Meanwhile, A24’s Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson, is targeting roughly $20.5 million after collecting about $8.4 million Friday, including previews. Paramount’s Brad Pitt-led survival thriller Heart of the Beast is also tracking around $20 million after a $7.4 million Friday.
DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island rounds out the major contenders, with the animated adventure projected to earn around $11.5 million domestically. Its arrival gives families another option in a weekend unusually packed with competing releases.
The performance is notable because Avengers: Endgame originally became one of the biggest theatrical events in modern movie history. The film opened to approximately $357 million domestically and more than $1.2 billion worldwide during its original 2019 debut.
Its return also demonstrates the continuing value of Marvel’s established franchises as Avengers: Doomsday approaches. With Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom and a sprawling cast bringing together characters from across the MCU and X-Men universes, Marvel is using Endgame to reconnect audiences with the franchise’s previous era before the next crossover arrives.
