LOS ANGELES, March 13 — James Cameron’s science-fiction blockbuster Avatar is poised to return 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.

Yesterday, Cameron’s film rung up an estimated US$3.5 million (RM14.4 million) in new ticket sales after it was re-released in China, where moviegoing has rebounded following theatre closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

That put Avatar just shy of 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.

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Cameron has been working on four sequels to Avatar. The next film, which has been delayed several times, is currently scheduled for release in December 2022. — Reuters