Prabhas-Rajamouli Record in Danger? SRK Next in Line?

Avengers Endgame returns to theatres

Avengers Endgame is proving that a film does not always need a new release to create huge theatrical excitement. The Marvel blockbuster is returning to Indian theatres this Friday, and the advance booking for the re-release is already looking fantastic.

The film has crossed 40,000 tickets for Day 1 across the major national chains. PVR, INOX and Cinepolis are expected to cross the 50,000-ticket mark today, with still five days to go. Weekend bookings are also superb, making the response even more surprising for a re-release.

If the current pace continues, Avengers Endgame could beat Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Epic and record the biggest opening day ever for a re-release in India. Baahubali: The Epic opened at around Rs. 9 crore net on its first day last year, including premieres. The Telugu version contributed most of the business, while the Hindi and Tamil versions were poor.

What makes Endgame’s response even more impressive is that it is not being promoted like a major new release. It is simply returning to theatres, yet audiences are booking tickets in huge numbers. This shows that the Marvel brand still has massive pull in India years after the film’s original release.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day has already crossed the Rs. 500 crore net mark in India and set a new record for a Hollywood film. Endgame’s re-release is now adding to the Marvel buzz ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, which arrives on December 18.

Interestingly, Shah Rukh Khan’s King is arriving just one week after Doomsday. If Endgame can create this kind of hysteria as a re-release, the bigger question is what kind of madness Doomsday will create when it actually arrives with a new story and a massive Marvel event.

That could be a serious headache for King, which will have to compete for screens and audience attention against a full-scale Marvel event at the peak of the Christmas season.