Avengers Endgame: Encore topped the domestic box office this past weekend, earning $26 million. This re-release helped drive a total weekend haul of $122 million, the second-highest for late September on record.
The $26 Million Push Toward Avatar's All-Time Record
The Marvel Cinematic Universe re-release, Avengers Endgame: Encore, achieved a $26 million opening, a figure that is remarkably high for a returning title. according to Deadline, as cited in the report, this performance puts the film in a position to potentially challenge Avatar for the title of the highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide, provided the film avoids a steep decline in its second week.
This strategic re-release, which includes additional scenes, serves as a promotional bridge to the December launch of Avengers: Doomsday. While the opening is strong, it still trails the 1997 re-release record held by Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, which earned $35.9 million.
A $122 Million Weekend and the 2015 Benchmark
The total domestic box office projection of $122 million marks a significant victory for cinema turnout in late September. This result is the second-best for this specific calendar window, trailing only the $137.8 million recorded in 2015, a weekend led by Hotel Transylvania 2 and The Intern.
The report notes that this surge was powered by a rare cluster of debuts. For the first time in 2026, four new releases entered the chart simultaneously on September 25, surpassing the previous yearly record of three simultaneous debuts, which had occurred seven times prior.
From Robert Pattinson's Primetime to Brad Pitt's Heart of the Beast
The weekend's diversity was highlighted by several high-profile debuts. A24 released Primetime, featuring Robert Pattinson as a producer working with Chris Hansen on a To Catch a Predator-style sting operation. Simultaneously, Paramount launched Heart of the Beast, directed by David Ayer and starring Brad Pitt as a Special Forces officer stranded in the wilderness.
Rounding out the new entries were DreamWorks' animated feature Forgotten Island, starring H.E.R. and Dave Franco, and the romance Charlie Harper, starring Nick Robinson and Emilia Jones.. The simultaneous arrival of these varied genres contributed heavily to the record-breaking $122 million total.
Zach Cregger's Resident Evil and the $100 Million Milestone
Despite the MCU's dominance, Zach Cregger's Resident Evil continues to make franchise history. While the film silpped to No. 2 with a 61% drop—the largest sophomore decline of Cregger's career compared to Barbarian (38.4%) and Weapons (43.8%)—it is set to become the first movie in the Resident Evil franchise to surpass $100 million domestically.
The film's decline was sharp, but the report indicates that such drops are common within the horror genre. Resident Evil remains on track to be the highest-grossing film of Zach Cregger's career, even as it was overtaken by the Avengers re-release.
Will Tom Cruise's Digger and Verity Oust the Current Top 5?
The stability of the current Top 5 is in question as new competition looms. The following weekend will see the debuts of Tom Cruise's black comedy Digger and the Colleen Hoover thriller Verity, both of which could potentially push current holdovers further down the rankings.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is reaching a massive milestone, becoming the first film to hit $950 million domestically this weekend. It currently sits at No. 7, having fallen from No. 3, alongside other ousted titles like Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and Coyote vs. Acme.
Comments 0