Avengers: Endgame

After a re-release in China the 2009 James Cameron movie Avatar has once again become the top grossing movie of all time after it was knocked down to second place by Avengers: Endgame in 2019.

The 3D spectacular became the top grossing movie of all time on its initial release, replacing another James Cameron directed movie Titanic, which had been there for 10 years.

Avatar was also at the top for 10 years before being replaced by Avengers: Endgame which narrowly grossed more than the $2.78 Billion Avatar took with a $2.79 Billion global gross.

It was clear that all it was going to take was a successful re-release of the Avatar movie to reclaim the top, and in a period of time when studios are being cautious about releasing new movies why not release a film which has already made its money?

The real big winner here is Disney, they of course own the Marvel Universe movies for which Avengers: Endgame is one and since the 20th Century Fox acquisition in 2019/2020 they also own the Avatar franchise, so are Disney now going to re-release the Avengers movie?

James Cameron is currently working on 4 more Avatar movies and judging from this re-release the fan base is still there and hence the future for the franchise looks promising, maybe we'll get the first $3 Billion movie once the pandemic is out of the way?

The US box office has just passed the $2 Billion mark, its November, for the past few years this has happened in March.

When the pandemic spread around the world, cinemas globally started closing down, in the US this is still ongoing.

This biggest movie of the year in the US is Bad Boys For Life which has taken over $204 Million in the US, and no film will overtake that total this year, the film was released in January of 2020 and had a good run at the box office.

In context of this the biggest movie in the US was Avengers: Endgame which took over $850 Million.

To start with all blockbusters started putting their release dates to later in the year or to 2021, but as it became clear that the pandemic would last far longer than originally expected movies started to appear on streaming services.

The effect of this is all those big Hollywood blockbusters that could have, and would have, grossed close a billion either took far less on basically limited release, or nothing due to a DVOD release.

Tenet was the first movie with blockbuster potential to be release during the pandemic and although it grossed over $50 Million in the US it was a potential $800 million plus grosser.

Drive-in theatres gave a small lifeline but even a blockbuster in this arena was worth just over a Million.

With a vaccine being likely by year out to hopefully go into mass production for 2021 we can hope that 2020 will go down in history as a one off, although with companies like Disney suggesting it will release future movies on Disney+ as exclusives or day and date releases it could be bad news for the cinema industry.

At the UK box office this weekend, Friday, 13th March 2020, there are 5 new releases looking to take your attention at the local multiplex and knock Onward from the top of the UK box office chart next week.

Bloodshot

First up at cinemas this week is Bloodshot, directed by Dave Wilson who also directed Energy Crisis in 1974.

It stars Vin Diesel who last starred in Avengers: Endgame (2019).

The film also stars Eiza Gonzalez who last appeared in Fast & Furious Presents Hobbs And Shaw (2019).

Misbehaviour

Next on this weeks new release schedule is Misbehaviour.

This new movie stars Keira Knightley who's last film was Official Secrets (2019)

It also stars Jessie Buckley who appeared in Dolittle (2020).

The film is brought to us by 2 time director Philippa Lowthorpe.

My Spy

Next up this week is My Spy which is directed by Peter Segal who directed Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult in 1994.

It stars Dave Bautista and Chloë Coleman.

And Then We Danced

Also this week there is And Then We Danced from director Levan Akin marking a directorial debut.

The film features Levan Gelbakhiani and Bachi Valishvili in starring roles.

The Hunt

The long list of new releases continues with The Hunt which is directed by Craig Zobel who directed Compliance in 2013.

It stars Hilary Swank and Ike Barinholtz.

Check back on Monday to see if these new releases enter the UK Weekend Box Office Chart.

Next week there is 1 new release in the shape of The Jesus Rolls which is in cinemas on Friday, 20th March.

This weekend, Friday 6th March 2020, there are 5 new films released in the UK looking to hit the box office, but can it challenge The Invisible Man for the top spot?

Onward

First up at cinemas this week is Onward, directed by Dan Scanlon who also directed Monsters University in 2013 which grossed £30.6 Million in the UK and grossed $744.9 Million globally.

It stars Tom Holland who last starred in Dolittle (2020).

The film also stars Chris Pratt who last appeared in Avengers: Endgame (2019).

Military Wives

Next on this weeks new release schedule is Military Wives.

This new movie stars Kristin Scott Thomas who's last film was Tomb Raider (2018)

It also stars Sharon Horgan who appeared in Game Night (2018).

The film is brought to us by Peter Cattaneo.

Escape From Pretoria

Next up this week is Escape From Pretoria which is directed by Francis Annan and is a directorial debut.

It stars Daniel Radcliffe and Ian Hart who were last seen together in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 which grossed £73,094,187.

The Photograph

Also this week there is The Photograph from director Stella Meghie who also directed Everything, Everything in 2017.

The film features LaKeith Stanfield and Chelsea Peretti in starring roles.

Fantasy Island

The long list of new releases continues with Fantasy Island which is directed by Jeff Wadlow who directed Never Back Down in 2008.

It stars Michael Peña and Maggie Q.

Check back on Monday to see if these new releases enter the UK Weekend Box Office Chart.

Come back next week when there are 3 new releases.

• Bloodshot, Wednesday, 11th March
• Misbehaviour, Friday, 13th March
• And Then We Danced, Friday, 13th March

At the UK box office this weekend, Friday, 28th February 2020, there are 6 new releases looking to take your attention at the local multiplex and knock Sonic The Hedgehog from the top of the UK box office chart next week.

The Invisible Man

First up at cinemas this week is The Invisible Man, a movie directed by Leigh Whannell who also directed Insidious Chapter 3 in 2015 which grossed £3.9 Million in the UK.

It stars Elisabeth Moss who last starred in Shirley (2020).

The film also stars Oliver Jackson-Cohen who last appeared in The Healer (2017).

Dark Waters

Next on this weeks new release schedule is Dark Waters.

This new movie stars Mark Ruffalo who's last film was Avengers: Endgame (2019)

It also stars Anne Hathaway who appeared in The Hustle (2019).

The film is brought to us by Todd Haynes.

Wendy

Next up this week is Wendy which is directed by Benh Zeitlin who directed Beasts Of The Southern Wild in 2012.

It stars Yashua Mack and Devin France.

True History Of The Kelly Gang

Also this week there is True History Of The Kelly Gang from director Justin Kurzel who also directed The Assassin in 2016.

The film features George MacKay and Essie Davis in starring roles.

Downhill

The long list of new releases continues with Downhill which is directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash directing together.

It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell.

Color Out Of Space

Finally there is Color Out Of Space from director Richard Stanley who also directed Hardware in 1990, the film stars Nicolas Cage and Joely Richardson.

Check back on Monday to see if these new releases enter the UK Weekend Box Office Chart.

Come back next week when there are 3 new releases.

• Onward, Friday, 6th March
• Military Wives, Friday, 6th March
• Fantasy Island, Friday, 6th March