Who says Hollywood is all about cutthroat rivalry and bitter competition?
When you’re at the top of your game, acknowledging the success of your peers can be seen as a sporting move that warms the hearts of fans and competitors alike. James Cameron recently led by example by congratulating Marvel Studios on finally beating the record set by Avatar as Avengers: Endgame became the highest-grossing film of all time.
Over on social media, the director tweeted an Avengers/Avatar mashup piece of fan art along with the following line:
“Oel Ngati Kameie, I See You Marvel – Congratulations to Avengers: Endgame on Becoming the New Box-Office King. – Jim Cameron”
It’s been a long, difficult road to claiming Avatar’s throne, as the sci-fi flick about blue aliens that had been Jim Cameron’s baby for more than a decade obliterated every box office record of its time, thanks mainly to some expert direction and the breathtaking 3D visual effects that were unlike anything that audiences had experienced back then.
Avengers: Endgame had to strain every muscle to narrowly beat out Avatar even a decade after its release and after just barely managing to come within its range at the box office, the Disney behemoth was still falling short of exceeding it. That was when the studio decided to re-release their film in theaters with some new footage, banking on their rabid fanbase to give Endgame that final push.
Thankfully, it worked, and Avengers: Endgame finally became the highest-grossing film of all time. With this feat, Disney now owns four of the five highest-grossing movies in history. And most of the highest-grossing titles within that list belong to the Marvel stable.
It looks like the partnership between the House of Mouse and Stan Lee’s superheroes has been enormously beneficial to both parties then. It remains to be seen whether the next highest grosser of all time will be a Marvel offering though or the upcoming Avatar 2, but no matter what happens, both franchises are winners.
Published: Jul 22, 2019 11:13 am