Just when you thought the battle was over, the Avengers are assembling once more. In a push to take it over the Avatar hump, Avengers: Endgame is getting re-released on June 28th with new footage.
Endgame dominated the box office for weeks after its April 26th release, smashing records with the biggest worldwide opening weekend ever and becoming the fastest film to make not just $1 billion, but $2.5 billion (20 days!). Yet even though the summer season has since been filled with duds like Dark Phoenix and Men in Black: International, the competition has been enough to stifle Avengers: Endgame’s chances of overtaking Avatar as the highest grossing film of all time; the former has $2,743.4 billion, while the James Cameron 3D blockbuster topped out at $2,788.0.
A re-release is a simple solution, but how do you entice fans back into theaters to sit through a three-hour movie they’ve probably already seen at least twice? New footage, obviously. Kevin Feige told Screen Rant that the new version will feature additional footage in a post-credits scene.
(Read: The 10 Fights That Led to Avengers: Endgame)
“Not an extended cut, but there will be a version going into theaters with a bit of a marketing push with a few new things at the end of the movie,” Feige said of Avengers: Endgame 1.5. “If you stay and watch the movie, after the credits, there’ll be a deleted scene, a little tribute, and a few surprises. Which will be next weekend.”
Update: The re-release will feature an introduction from the Russo Brothers, a post-credits delete scene, and sneak peak at the upcoming Spider-Man: Far From Home. Additionally, fans will receive an exclusive poster at select theaters. Tickets to the screenings are now on sale.
The original Endgame cut was the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film not to feature additional footage after the credits. Adding a deleted scene now is a pretty savvy play from a studio proving to be the modern master of box office blowouts.
Avengers: Endgame will be re-released on June 28th. Spider-Man: Far From Home will follow on July 2nd.