Re-release of Avatar tops box office charts

James Cameron’s science-fiction blockbuster “Avatar” returned to the top of the all-time movie box office charts this weekend after the film was re-released in China.

“Avatar,” which debuted in 2009, held the global box office title for a decade until it was overtaken by Marvel superhero epic “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019.

As of Saturday, Cameron’s film box office gross surpassed US$2.802 billion after it was re-released in China where moviegoing has rebounded after theater closures due to the pandemic.

The new ticket sales allows it to earn back its crown from the US$2.798 billion worldwide total collected by “Endgame,” according to distributor Walt Disney Co. Both films are now owned by Disney after the company bought entertainment assets from Fox in 2019.