Avengers: Endgame Less than $5 Million from Toppling Avatar

Much like Thanos (Josh Brolin) kept claiming in Avengers: Endgame, it appears the latest Avengers blockbuster passing Avatar atop the highest-grossing (unadjusted) films chart is inevitable. Through Friday box office returns, the Marvel Studios offering is now under $5 million away from toppling the James Cameron film. In fact, Endgame currently trails by $4,980,894, with all signs pointing towards the film passing the threshold in the coming weeks.

The film is in its fourth weekend of a re-release, which saw the studio tack on a Stan Lee memorial and deleted scene featuring Mark Ruffalo's Professor Hulk. In the previous four weeks, the film's grossed over $11m — a total not counting this weekend's receipts. At the current pacing, Endgame should end up breaking Avatar's current record a few weeks ahead of the Labor Day dates some box office experts previously suggested as a deadline of sorts.

With Marvel Studios taking the stage San Diego Comic-Con's Hall H in just a few hours, the studio could pull another surprise by announcing a third theatrical release, perhaps with a Black Widow teaser or post-credits scene attached. That, or they could just surf out the wave and pass Avatar whenever that may be.

Whatever the case, Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo previously admitted they were certainly surprised when box office numbers started pouring in this April, especially a few days later when international numbers started popping up.

"We were def surprised," Anthony explained. "You could never predict something like this."

"We saw numbers coming in Tuesday from the international market," Joe added. "We had good momentum — it's sort of shock and awe. It's a testament to serialized storytelling and this movie is benefited from that."

Studio president Kevin Feige previously revealed his team doesn't alter plans based on box office success. "The truth is we haven't done that honestly," Feige says. "I mean we've had plans, we always hope films will do well enough that we can make more films. Panther did and then some as you point out."

"But none of the stories as we've wanted to tell them, have altered yet based on somebody's box office success. That being said, of course, Wakanda and Panther and his amazing, amazing, group of characters will be seen in many different ways in the future."

When do you think Endgame will end up toppling Avatar? Share your thoughts in the comments below or by tweeting me at @AdamBarnhardt to talk all things MCU!

Avengers: Endgame continues its second theatrical release ahead of being made available digitally July 30th. The Russo Brothers-directed film will receive a home media release on August 13th.