With $2.2 million logged in five days, the sequel hopes to eclipse Avatar's $21.2 million opening and claim the biggest post‑COVID comic debut.
Pre‑sale numbers signal a tight race
Avengers: Endgame Encore wrapped its five‑day advance‑ticket window in mainland China on Tuesday, tallying roughly $2.2 million. The figure dwarfs the $200,000 gathered by The Fantastic Four: First Steps and the $518,000 logged by Aquaman 2 over the same span. Even Deadpool & Wolverine, a fresh Marvel offering, lagged behind with $1.5 million.
The bulk of those sales came from Thursday preview slots and Friday rushes, leaving the remaining two days of the opening weekend with a thin booking pipeline. Only about 49,000 screens are currently offering the re‑release, a modest footprint compared with blockbuster roll‑outs that typically occupy double‑digit thousands more.
Can the sequel topple Avatar’s re‑release?
Industry watcher Luiz Fernando notes that if the film clears the $21 million mark on opening, it will edge out Avatar’s 2021 re‑release, which opened at $21.2 million. Crossing that threshold would hand Marvel the title of biggest comic‑book debut in China since the pandemic reshaped the market.
Even if it falls short of Avatar, the sequel is poised to register one of the strongest post‑COVID openings for a superhero title. Its cumulative Chinese gross sits at an estimated $632.1 million, placing it as the second‑highest‑earning Hollywood picture ever in the territory – a rank only behind a Disney‑owned juggernaut.
Record‑breaker or front‑loaded fluke?
The concentration of sales early in the weekend hints at a front‑loaded pattern, a scenario that can inflate opening figures but may also signal a rapid drop‑off in the days that follow. Should audiences flock mainly to the opening surge, the film’s chance of setting a historic re‑release debut could dim.
Zootopia 2, a Pixar sequel, recently knocked the previous all‑time Hollywood record in China, showing that animated fare can still outpace live‑action spectacles. If Endgame Encore manages to reclaim the top spot, it would be a rare win for a live‑action superhero film.
What’s next?
The worldwide re‑release rolls out on September 25, with China leading the charge. Trade watchers will be watching the box‑office tickers closely over the next 48 hours to see whether the momentum sustains beyond the opening surge.
For now, the numbers paint a picture of a film that, despite a slower booking rhythm, still carries enough heft to challenge Avatar’s benchmark. Whether it will rewrite the record books or settle for a respectable second place remains to be seen.
The coming days will reveal if Marvel’s biggest‑ever Chinese haul translates into a historic opening weekend or simply adds another impressive chapter to an already lucrative run.
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