Marvel targets Avatar's box office record by adding new footage to Avengers: Endgame
Marvel has one more shot at overtaking Avatar at the box office with Avengers: Endgame.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige on Wednesday told ComicBook.com and Screen Rant that new footage is being added to Avengers: Endgame in theaters next weekend, which will be accompanied by a "bit of a marketing push." This won't exactly be an "extended cut" but instead a version of the film "with a few new things at the end," he explained.
"If you stay and watch the movie, after the credits, there'll be a deleted scene, a little tribute, and a few surprises," Feige told Screen Rant.
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Feige didn't provide any more information about the new footage. The directors of Avengers: Endgame, Joe and Anthony Russo, previously noted that they didn't cut much out of the three-hour film, estimating in an interview with Collider that about five minutes of deleted scenes would be included on the blu-ray.
This new theatrical experience seems to be a clear effort to push Avengers: Endgame past Avatar's record of highest-grossing film of all time. Endgame is currently just over $40 million short of Avatar's crown, but as it began slowing down at the box office following a record-breaking opening, most box office analysts agreed the Marvel film was now unlikely to topple James Cameron's sci-fi epic.
But could this be enough to make a difference? That will likely depend on what, exactly, the scene and the "surprises" are, although raking in another $40 million with such a minor upgrade may be challenging, especially since Endgame will be released digitally just a few weeks later. It does help that the new release will come shortly before Spider-Man: Far From Home, though, which could draw some viewers back for one last viewing before this follow-up.
Regardless of whether this bid is successful, Disney owns both Avatar and Avengers: Endgame, making the studio's place at the top of the box office charts inevitable.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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