Theme Park Scope

Plot twist of the week: the director of Avatar just welcomed Iron Man to Pandora.

After Avengers: Endgame passed Avatar to reclaim the title of highest-grossing film of all time, James Cameron shared a congratulations to Marvel and he did it with artwork that is honestly better than most movie posters.

Here’s what the image shows. Iron Man, in red and gold armor, stands in the middle of a misty forest, surrounded by a crowd of Na’vi, the blue-skinned people of Pandora. They’ve gathered in a circle around him, with hands resting on his shoulders and chest, almost like a welcome. Across the bottom, in elegant white lettering, it says: “You are one of the people.” Below that: “Congratulations to Marvel and the #1 Avengers: Endgame: Encore for bringing moviegoers to the cinemas!” It’s signed “Jim Cameron.” Cameron shared it on his personal Instagram.

That line, “You are one of the people,” is a nod to a ritual in Avatar: Fire and Ash, where a character is welcomed into the Na’vi. So Cameron is not just congratulating Marvel, he’s literally saying Marvel has been adopted into his world. After years of these two franchises trading the crown back and forth, I think that’s a gracious move.

Let’s talk numbers, because this race is tight. Endgame has grossed about $2.925 billion worldwide, compared with about $2.923 billion for Avatar, which is a gap of only a couple million dollars. The jump came from the film’s Avengers Endgame: Encore re-release, which opened in cinemas on September 25. It debuted with $86 million worldwide, including $26 million in North America, and landed at No. 1 at the domestic box office that weekend. Encore includes an extended look at Avengers: Doomsday, which is part of why fans have been showing up again.

The history here is a fun back and forth. Avatar held the worldwide record for about a decade before Endgame passed it in 2019. Back then, Cameron wrote, “Oel ngati kameie. I see you Marvel. Congratulations to Avengers: Endgame on becoming the new box-office king.” Avatar took the top spot back after its 2021 re-release, and Marvel answered at the time with an image of the Avengers title being wiped away by Avatar. Now Endgame has swung back, and Cameron is once again the first to say well done. This exchange between two of the biggest filmmakers in the business has become one of the best running jokes in Hollywood.

The best part is that it’s all in the family. Disney owns both films. Avatar was originally released by 20th Century Fox, which Disney acquired in 2019, so Pandora and the Avengers are technically on the same team. Disney’s parks reflect that, too. Pandora, The World of Avatar is a signature land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Avengers Campus has its own home at Disney California Adventure, so both worlds have a place in the parks.

I love this. Box office records can be a little cutthroat, and instead, Cameron shared a picture of Iron Man getting a group hug from the Na’vi. The fact that it’s all about getting people into theaters, not about who’s on top, is a good reminder of what actually matters. I can’t wait to see how long Endgame keeps the crown, because I have a feeling this isn’t the last time these two swap places. And if Avatar takes it back, I’m pretty sure Marvel will have a picture ready.

Which side are you on, Team Avatar or Team Avengers? Tell me in the comments, and keep coming back to Theme Park Scope for more Disney news!