Will Marvel Finally Dethrone Avatar at the Box Office?

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The shift in release dates for “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars” has sparked a debate about whether the Marvel Cinematic Universe is aiming to dethrone the box office dominance held by “Avatar.” Initially, “Avengers: Doomsday” was scheduled for May 1, 2026, followed by “Avengers: Secret Wars” on May 7, 2027. However, various factors have forced Marvel Studios to postpone both films, a decision that many believe will ultimately enhance the quality of both productions.

Lately, the Marvel Cinatic Universe (MCU) hasn’t produced a blockbuster that made significant waves at global box offices. Out of the 11 MCU films that grossed over $1 billion, only two have been released since 2019: Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021 and Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, with the latter being a joint production by Marvel and Sony. This means only one standalone Marvel movie has crossed the billion-dollar mark since Avengers: Endgame. As a result, fans are eagerly anticipating upcoming films like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars to reestablish the studio’s past box office supremacy and possibly challenge the success of 2009’s Avatar.

Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars Are Using Avatar’s Release Strategy

The Movies Are Attempting To Replicate James Cameron’s Success

Due to delays in the releases of “Avengers: Endgame” and its sequel “Avengers: Secret Wars,” there’s a slight boost in their potential to surpass the box office success of “Avatar.” The new release dates for “Avengers: Endgame” are now set for December 18, 2026, and its follow-up, “Avengers: Secret Wars,” is scheduled for global release on December 17, 2027. Interestingly, the original “Avatar” was also released on a date that coincides with the new release of “Avengers: Endgame” – December 18, back in 2009.

The movie “Avatar” eventually set a new record for highest box office earnings in cinema history, amassing a total of $2.9 billion after multiple rereleases. Even before the release of its sequel, “Avatar: The Path of Water,” which came out 13 years later on December 16, 2022, it also saw significant success during the December box office season. Now, as Marvel Studios grapples with some delays, they’re eagerly anticipating that their upcoming films, “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” will achieve similar levels of success when they are released in their respective December periods.

Could Doomsday Or Secret Wars Become The Highest-Grossing Movie Ever?

What Chance Does Either Movie Have At Surpassing Avatar?

Could it be possible that the upcoming Avengers film might surpass Avatar as the highest-grossing movie ever? That’s a tough call, given the current momentum of Marvel films. Many people would likely respond in the negative due to what some perceive as recent box office “setbacks” for Marvel. Despite Marvel’s continued financial success, it’s true that their latest releases haven’t reached the sustained, record-breaking heights they did between 2012 and 2019. The enthusiasm for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) seems to be gradually decreasing, even with highly anticipated films like the fictional Thunderbolts movie finding it challenging to recoup its costs.

*Note: Thunderbolts is a fictitious MCU film used as an example in this response.

Overall, the franchise doesn’t seem to have the same level of excitement or forward momentum as it did in 2018 and 2019, especially with movies like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Endgame was one of the most highly anticipated films ever made and barely surpassed Avatar’s box office total before a re-release of Avatar brought it back to the top. With less hype surrounding upcoming titles like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, it’s hard to predict with confidence if either will be able to earn enough ($3 billion) to surpass Avatar’s global revenue.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express my anticipation for the upcoming Marvel films, particularly Avengers: Doomsday or more likely, Avengers: Secret Wars. The winter release dates for these movies seem strategically chosen, given that four out of the seven films to surpass $2 billion at the box office were released in December. These include Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, Titanic, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This pattern suggests a promising future for these Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.

Although it’s unlikely that “Avengers: Doomsday” will surpass “Avatar,” it could pave the way for “Secret Wars” to do so. If “Avengers: Doomsday” is exceptionally good and manages to recreate the feeling many Marvel Cinematic Universe fans have been missing since 2019, anticipation for “Secret Wars” will undoubtedly grow. Given that the 2027 movie might feature significant appearances from various universes, it seems to have a higher chance among the two of outperforming “Avatar.” However, achieving this feat is still an enormous challenge, regardless of any delays in the release of both “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.

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2025-05-26 16:09