Re-released Avengers: Endgame snaps up North American box office lead

The re-release comes ahead of the planned Dec 18 debut of Avenger: Doomsday, with audiences eager to see four new post-credit scenes setting up the forthcoming film.

A poster for Avengers Endgame: Encore. (Photo: Marvel Studios)

Avengers: Endgame dusted competitors in the North American weekend box office, as the 2019 super hero film was re-released in a bid to drum up support for the franchise.

The film holds the title of the second-highest grossing film ever, after earning US$2.8 billion, driven by an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr, Josh Brolin and Scarlett Johansson.

Over the weekend, the encore presentation of the Walt Disney film took in US$26 million (S$33 million) in North America, for a global total of US$86 million, according to estimates by Exhibitor Relations, a tracking firm.

"As a marketing exercise, it’s an effective way to build early word-of-mouth," said veteran industry watcher David A Gross.