Avengers: Endgame Encore leads crowded weekend with $3.8M in previews, eyes re-release record

Marvel's 'Avengers: Endgame Encore' returned to theaters Thursday afternoon and pulled in $3.8 million in preview grosses — the strongest number of any film in the building — setting up a weekend that could rewrite the record books for re-releases and deliver the best late-September box office since 2018.

The re-release, which began showtimes as early as 2 p.m., is now tracking for a $25–28 million domestic opening weekend, according to The Wrap. If walk-up audiences push it past $30.2 million, it would set a new unadjusted record for the highest weekend ever for a re-release, surpassing the 2011 3D reissue of 'The Lion King.' Disney is also watching whether the run can close the $124 million worldwide gap between Avatar ($2.92 billion) and Endgame ($2.799 billion) before 'Avengers: Doomsday' opens December 18, according to Deadline.

The version in theaters is not simply a reprint. 'Endgame Encore' features a new color balance and post-credit sequences that tease 'Avengers: Doomsday,' giving fans a reason to return beyond nostalgia. Its preview haul already rivals the $3.4 million preview gross from the 'Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith' re-release, which translated into a $25.4 million opening, according to Deadline — though re-releases can burn demand early, and Disney is described as being in wait-and-see mode.

The weekend's most intriguing newcomer is A24's 'Primetime,' which began previews at 4 p.m. Thursday and earned an estimated $2.7–2.8 million. The film stars Robert Pattinson as 'To Catch a Predator' host Chris Hansen and is the first narrative feature from documentary filmmaker Lance Oppenheim. It is projected for an opening weekend of around $17–20 million against a $15 million production budget.

It could be a three way fight for No. 1.— Distribution source

Paramount's 'Heart of the Beast,' a survival thriller directed by David Ayer and starring Brad Pitt as an Army veteran who crashes with his combat dog in the Alaskan wilderness, earned approximately $2 million from Thursday previews. Paramount is projecting an opening weekend in the $17–20 million range. Universal and DreamWorks Animation's 'Forgotten Island,' an original animated family film, brought in roughly $1.5 million in previews and is expected to open between $13–17 million.

Both 'Heart of the Beast' and 'Forgotten Island' carry production budgets of around $80 million, making their opening weekends critical. 'Forgotten Island' holds a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes, according to The Wrap, but even a strong critical reception may not be enough — a $15–17 million debut would rank among the lowest ever for a DreamWorks Animation release.

Holding from last weekend, Sony's 'Resident Evil' — directed by Zach Cregger — has accumulated $76.8 million through Wednesday and is projected for a $21–24 million second frame, according to Deadline. The film's positive word of mouth is expected to help it hold well against the new competition.

The four-way split of new releases represents a deliberate counterprogramming exercise, with each title aimed at a different segment of moviegoers. Deadline notes the segmentation could push the total weekend frame to the best late-September result since 2018, when all films combined for $106.4 million. 'Primetime' is also opening internationally in France, Germany, Austria, Taiwan, Iceland, India, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, while 'Heart of the Beast' reaches 63 international markets.

Next weekend's competition will shift the landscape again: Amazon MGM's female-focused thriller 'Verity' and Warner Bros.' Oscar-contender satire 'Digger,' starring Tom Cruise, are both set to open, meaning 'Heart of the Beast' and 'Forgotten Island' will need strong audience scores to sustain momentum through October.

Why it matters — A re-release of the second-highest-grossing film in history is within striking distance of a box office record, while four simultaneous wide releases targeting different audiences could make this the strongest late-September weekend in eight years.

Sources differ on Primetime opening weekend projection: Around $20M (thewrap.com) vs $12–16M (above earlier projections) (darkhorizons.com) vs $17–20M (screenstat.in (multi-source summary))

Sources differ on Forgotten Island preview gross: $1.5M (thewrap.com) vs $800K–$1M (screenstat.in) vs $1.48M (darkhorizons.com)

Sources differ on Resident Evil second-weekend projection: $25M (thewrap.com) vs $21M–$24M (screenstat.in)

Reported by deadline.com, variety.com, thewrap.com, darkhorizons.com, screenstat.in