‘Avengers: Endgame Encore’ Recaptures No. 1 With $26M, ‘Primetime’ Scores $19M Debut

Disney and Marvel’s re-released 2019 blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame Encore” has reclaimed the top spot at the domestic box office, earning $26 million over the weekend. The film played across 3,060 North American theaters, delivering a substantial return for a movie that has been available digitally for years. The successful revival is expected to generate positive momentum for the studio’s upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday,” which is scheduled for a December release.

Dave Gross, publisher of the FranchiseRe newsletter, noted that re-releases typically do not exceed $10 million. He described the “Endgame” strategy as an effective marketing tool for building early word-of-mouth ahead of future franchise entries.

Among new releases, A24’s “Primetime” recorded a strong $19.2 million debut from 2,863 locations. The figure represents the third-best opening in the distributor’s history, trailing only this summer’s “Backrooms,” which took in $81.4 million, and Alex Garland’s 2024 film “Civil War,” which opened with $25.5 million. The debut surpassed the $15.7 million opening of Josh Safdie and Timothée Chalamet’s “Marty Supreme” from last year.

Directed by Lance Oppenheim, “Primetime” stars Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen, the former host of the reality crime show “To Catch a Predator.” Produced on a budget of just $15 million, the film is well-positioned to achieve theatrical profitability. Gross highlighted Pattinson’s rising star power, citing his recent roles in “The Drama,” Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” and the upcoming “Dune: Part III” as evidence of his box-office draw.

Demographic data indicated that Gen Z audiences drove much of the turnout, with 69% of viewers under the age of 30. The film received a mixed “B” grade from CinemaScore, a reflection of its uncomfortable subject matter involving sting operations against predators. Real-life Hansen also weighed in, describing the movie as “so bizarre” and “detached from reality” after viewing it.

In third place, Paramount’s survival thriller “The Heart of the Beast” earned $20 million from 3,435 theaters. Despite positive reception, including an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A-” CinemaScore, the opening was considered soft relative to its $82 million production budget. The film, directed by David Ayer and starring Brad Pitt as a veteran surviving an Alaskan wilderness trek, has already grossed $30.1 million internationally, bringing its global total to $50.1 million. The studio will rely on overseas performance and sustained domestic interest to recoup costs.

Universal’s animated family film “Forgotten Island” landed in fifth with $12.8 million from 4,548 venues. The film also faced challenges overseas, adding $7.8 million from 34 markets for a global total of $20.6 million. Produced for $80 million, the picture requires long-term legs similar to DreamWorks’ “The Wild Robot” or Sony’s “GOAT” to turn a profit. Directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and featuring the voices of H.E.R., Dave Franco, and Jenny Slate, the movie earned critical praise, securing a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score and an “A” CinemaScore.

Universal has largely cushioned any disappointment with “Forgotten Island” thanks to a dominant year overall. The studio recently became the first to surpass $5 billion in global box office revenue for 2026, powered by the $1.75 billion haul of “The Odyssey” and the $1 billion success of “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”

In its second weekend, Sony’s “Resident Evil” reboot remained in the top five, earning $23 million from 3,684 locations. Although the figure represented a 60% drop from its $60 million opening, the film has accumulated $103.4 million domestically and $196.5 million worldwide against a $75 million budget, outperforming the domestic totals of previous franchise entries.

With these results, the domestic box office total for 2026 stands at $7.8 billion and is nearing the $8 billion mark. The market is projected to have its strongest year since the pandemic, supported by upcoming tentpoles such as “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Dune: Part III.”