Avengers: Endgame should enjoy its title while it can. That seems to be the message from Team Avatar.
Endgame passed Avatar for the record of highest-grossing movie of all time two weekends ago, during San Diego Comic-Con. Avatar director James Cameron congratulated Marvel on the achievement, as he previously congratulated the Avengers 4 team when the movie passed Titanic.
It took less than three months for Endgame to pass Avatar. However, if you ask new Avatar sequel star Cliff Curtis, it really took Marvel Studios more than 20 movies in its series to pass Avatar, and Avatar will be responding soon.
In 2017, it was announced that Cliff Curits was cast in a lead role for all four of James Cameron's Avatar sequels. Curtis will play Tonowari, the leader of the reef people clan of Metkayina.
Here's what Cliff Curtis told ComicBook when asked about Avengers: Endgame passing Avatar:
You know, Jim, James Cameron and [producer] Jon Landau, they're very classy men and they salute the accomplishments of -- we got an email -- they salute the accomplishments of Marvel. Mind you, my perspective is -- because I'm Avatar family -- they [Marvel] came into that with 20 movies. And I think, you know, I can't wait to see what happens. And Avatar's one movie. First one. I can't wait to see what happens with two, three, four and five. What's going to happen? I'm so excited.
He certainly sounded pumped for a showdown. I love hearing his excitement for us to see the Avatar movies -- and to see how the box office numbers come in. (No matter what happens, Zoe Saldana comes out a winner, since she's a star of both franchises.)
Avatar had the title of highest-grossing film of all time for 10 years. Sure, adjusting for inflation would be different, and neither Avatar nor Endgame would make the list of the movies that sold the most tickets. But all told, Avatar made $2,789,679,794 from its theatrical release, including the re-release. Avengers: Endgame is actually not done making money, but going into this weekend it stands at $2,793,794,145 from its own theatrical release, including a re-release.
Since Avengers: Endgame is still picking up a few thousand here and there, we do not have a set number yet for the next film to beat. Will the next champion be Avatar 2 or any of the other sequels?
Before we get to see him in Avatar 2, Cliff Curtis is co-starring in the new Hobbs & Shaw movie, and he was recently in The Meg. Doctor Sleep is next for him, but I remember the New Zealand actor from when he was in The Piano and the amazing but hard-to-watch Once Were Warriors.
Here's what we know so far about Avatar 2. It's currently scheduled for release on December 17, 2021. Future sequels are scheduled for 2023, 2025, and 2027. Of course, while announcing that Avengers: Endgame had passed Avatar, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige also revealed the new Phase 4 lineup. Those films will be fighting to keep the MCU at the top of the box office chart.
How much money do you think Avatar 2 might make? I see it topping $1 billion no matter what, but I'm not ready to say it'll pass $2 billion -- not until seeing footage. Keep up with everything heading to the big screen this year with our 2019 movie release schedule.
