Seven years after its initial groundbreaking release, Avengers: Endgame demonstrated its enduring appeal, pulling in an impressive $26 million across North American cinemas from September 25th to 27th. This remarkable performance, as reported by Box-Office Mojo, marks the strongest re-release opening since The Lion King 3D captivated audiences in 2011 with a $30.2 million debut.
Marvel's strategic move to bring Endgame back to the big screen, complete with never-before-seen footage, is a clever play to rekindle fan excitement ahead of the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, set to hit theaters on December 16th. This re-release not only offers fans a nostalgic trip back to one of the MCU's most pivotal moments but also serves as a crucial refresher for the epic saga to come.
The original theatrical run of Avengers: Endgame was nothing short of historic, opening to a staggering $357 million in 2019, a record that was only recently surpassed by Spider-Man: Brand New Day with $360 million. The current re-release further cements its legendary status, adding $60 million from international markets to its weekend total, bringing its global haul for the weekend to $86 million. This pushes Endgame's cumulative worldwide gross to an astounding $2.885 billion, placing it just $39 million shy of Avatar's all-time global box office record.
While Endgame dominated, the competition was fierce. In its second weekend, the latest Resident Evil installment held strong at number two, adding $23.3 million to its domestic coffers, pushing its North American total past the $100 million mark to $103.5 million. Globally, Resident Evil saw another $50.3 million, bringing its worldwide cumulative gross to nearly $196.5 million.
The weekend also saw a flurry of new releases vying for audience attention. Brad Pitt's survival thriller, Heart of the Beast, debuted in third place with a respectable $20 million. Close behind, A24's latest offering, Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson, secured the fourth spot with $19.2 million in its opening weekend. Rounding out the top five was DreamWorks Animation's L'île des souvenirs, which premiered to $12.8 million in North America.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues its impressive run, dipping to seventh place in its ninth week but still adding $4.1 million, bringing its North American total to an incredible $950.7 million. The strong performance of both new and returning blockbusters highlights a vibrant period for cinema, proving that even years later, the might of the Marvel Cinematic Universe remains a formidable force at the box office.