James Cameron Says Avatar Re-Release Will Top Avengers: Endgame

With Avatar 2 recently wrapping production and James Cameron’s celebrated first film being dethroned at the top of the box office by this year’s Avengers: Endgame, the first sci-fi adventure is heading back to theaters and the director believes it’ll reclaim the spot for the highest-grossing film of all-time. (Via USA Today)

“I think it’s a certainty,” Cameron said. “But let’s give ‘Endgame’ their moment and let’s celebrate that people are going to the movie theater.”

That would mean Cameron’s film would have to top $2.97 billion worldwide, and with the first film already sitting at $2.79 billion at the box office worldwide, it’s a possible feat.

Of course, the Academy-Award winning director wasn’t done just yet. He then went on to explain that he was relieved more people were going to the theater, particularly amidst the streaming revolution.

“That gives me heart to go forward,” he said. Cameron then threw a little bit more shade at Endgame by exclaiming, “I don’t want to sound snarky after I took the high road (by offering congratulations), but they beat us by one quarter of a percent. I did the math in my head while driving in this morning. I think accountants call that a rounding error.”

The new cast of the Avatar franchise includes Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Vin Diesel, Jemaine Clement and Oona Chaplin alongside a slate of young actors. Returning cast members include Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, Stephen Lang, Matt Gerald and Sigourney Weaver.

Cameron has said that Stephen Lang’s Colonel Miles Quaritch is coming back for all four sequels and will be the main villain throughout the story. Filming officially started on Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 on September 25, 2017.

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After some shuffling of the schedule, Avatar 2 has been pushed back a full year from December 18, 2020, to December 17, 2021. Avatar 3 has been pushed back two years December 17, 2021 to December 22, 2023. Avatar 4 will open two years after that on December 19, 2025 (originally December 20, 2024) and Avatar 5 will drop on December 17, 2027 (originally December 19, 2025). Although Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 will only be released with director James Cameron’s caveat that Avatar 2 and 3 are successful at the box office.