Avatar replaces Avengers: Endgame as the highest-grossing film worldwide

Two years after relinquishing the 'highest-grossing film at the worldwide box office' tag to Avengers: Endgame, James Cameron's Avatar reclaimed the top spot following its re-release in China this week. 

According to Variety, the China release on Friday added an estimated $12.3m to the total collections of the 2010 blockbuster through its first two days. Presently, the worldwide gross of Avatar, is at an estimated $2.802b versus Avenger: Endgame's $2.797b. 

Jon Landau, producer of Avatar, said the team was elated with the achievement and expressed gratitude to the Chinese audience for returning to the theatres amid the coronavirus pandemic. "We are proud to reach this great milestone, but Jim (Cameron) and I are most thrilled that the film is back in theatres during these unprecedented times, and we want to thank our Chinese fans for their support," Landau said.

The studio is set to release the second and third chapters of Avatar in 2022 and 2024, respectively, with the next two instalments to follow after that. "We are hard at work on the next Avatar films and look forward to sharing the continuation of this epic story for years to come," Landau added.

Meanwhile, Russo Brothers, directors of Endgame, congratulated Cameron on the feat. "Passing the gauntlet back to you James Cameron," they posted on their Twitter handle alongside a fan art.  

Actor Zoe Saldana, who was part of both Avatar and Endgame, also reacted to the development on Instagram. "Biggest congrats to Avatar for becoming, once again, the number 1 movie of all time. China, we owe you one! To know that I am a part of 'The Two Biggest Movies of All Time' is humbling to say the least. To all my fans of Avatar and Avengers: Endgame, thank you! Gracias! Grazie!" she wrote alongside posters from both the films.