James Cameron says Avengers: Endgame beating Avatar's box office record gives him 'a lot of hope'

Filmmaker believes Endgame's record bodes well for Avatar sequels

James Cameron is surprisingly thrilled that Avengers: Endgame beat his hit Avatar at the box office.

For years, the 2009 Avatar kept its spot as the top-grossing film of all time, but it was surpassed this year by Endgame.

The Marvel blockbuster now sits at the top of the list with an estimated $2.79bn at the world box office, followed by Avatar and Cameron’s own Titanic.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that Cameron must have been disheartened when Avatar was overtaken, but quite the contrary.

The director told Deadline that Endgame‘s performance has left him hopeful, especially as he plans the film’s sequels.

“It gives me a lot of hope,” Cameron said of Endgame‘s new record.

“Avengers: Endgame is demonstrable proof that people will still go to movie theatres.

“The thing that scared me most about making Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 was that the market might have shifted so much that it simply was no longer possible to get people that excited about going and sitting in a dark room with a bunch of strangers to watch something.”

Avatar 2 is scheduled for release in 2021, while Avatar 3 is planned for 2023.

Two more sequels are planned, which would bring the Avatar franchise to five films, but their release, according to Deadline, is conditional on the second and third instalments’ box office performances.