Avengers: Endgame will almost certainly become the highest-grossing movie again – after Encore's re-release proved to be a smash hit at this weekend's box office.
As per Variety, Encore grossed $86 million worldwide, bringing Endgame's overall gross to $2.88 billion, some $40 million shy of Avatar's record.
If the numbers keep up, Avengers: Endgame will regain its crown (after Avatar and Endgame traded number one slots thanks to a series of prior re-releases) in just a few weeks.
All told, the appetite for Endgame Encore is positive news for the MCU: hot off the heels of Spider-Man: Brand New Day's own record-breaking performance and Avengers: Doomsday looming in the distance, it proves audiences will still flock to big Marvel Studios event movies in their droves.
Of course, this was no mere re-release. Avengers: Endgame Encore included a handful of bonus scenes, including a revised ending featuring Loki, and Tony Stark's hammering sound over the credits tying into Doctor Doom. The Infinity Vision editions of Encore also included post-credits featuring the TVA on high alert as thousands of timelines were being destroyed by incursions.
Perhaps most importantly for Doomsday, Doctor Doom also captured Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner – but not before he transformed into the Hulk. What does he have in store for the Jade Giant? That's just one of the questions we have on the road to Doomsday.
Speaking at a Q&A attended by GamesRadar+, Doomsday co-director Anthony Russo admitted he's had to be careful about making cast announcements, because some characters are being kept under wraps.
"The cast is so large, and we've announced some of the cast, and we haven't announced some of the cast," Russo said. "I get confused myself over who we've announced and not announced, so I have to just slow down."
Avengers: Doomsday hits cinemas on December 18, but is also receiving an earlier UK release date on December 16.
If you're planning a MCU marathon before then, be sure to check out our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
More of an eye towards the future? Here are the upcoming Marvel movies currently in the works.
