The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a pretty big place – so big, in fact, that it lost it’s greatest accomplishment in it’s own news cycle.

Avengers: Endgame, the climatic conclusion to the sprawling Infinity Saga, has overtaken James Cameron’s Avatar as the highest grossing movie of all time this weekend, 13 weeks after it’s initial April 26 release.

It’s timing is either impeccable or awkward depending on perspective – San Diego Comic Con has quite rightly dominated the news this weekend, not least because of Marvel’s much-anticipated Hall H panel in which Kevin Feige and co sent the fandom into a frenzy with the rollout of the MCU’s post-Endgame Phase 4 slate.

A lot of money would have been lost on a wager that the two dates would eventually clash. Endgame’s record breaking $1.223 billion opening weekend stretched the laws of mathematics – written off as an impossible target before the release by some who suggested that there were simply not enough cinema screens in which to generate that kind of revenue.

That was before AMC and several other chains in America and across the world opted to stay open 24 hours for the film dubbed “the cinematic event of the century.”

The next milestone to reach was the $2 billion mark, which Endgame blitzed passed on it’s 11th day in cinemas. Suddenly Avatar‘s $2.789 billion benchmark was well within reach.

But Endgame began to lose momentum. It’s percent change from week to week was always destined to be higher courtesy of it’s bonkers opening numbers – law of diminishing returns was hitting Endgame harder than a uppercut dealt by a Mjolnir wielding Cap.

Crucially, the record was still within sight and with ticket sales propelled by a re-release featuring post-credit bonus features – and a snazzy poster if you turned up at the right theatre – along with a boost courtesy of the release of Spider-Man Far From Home, it was the Endgame for Avatar‘s reign.

On Saturday night, Endgame closed to within $500,000 of the benchmark. Kevin Feige acknowledged the fact during the Hall H panel but was far too busy delivering a vision of the future – pun intended – to put a focus on what wasn’t yet confirmed as Endgame‘s coronation weekend.

With Sunday’s audience figures accounted for, the film closed out the weekend on $2.790 billion. And with cinema screens not yet finished with Endgame, it will begin to stretch it’s advantage in the coming days and weeks.

Now, does it really matter? It certainly doesn’t affect Joe Bloggs the moviegoer and it doesn’t even effect Disney, who are laughing all the way to the bank given that it owns both properties and is about to start raking in more dollars journeying back to Pandora for a continuation of the story in the Avatar sequels.

But it is certainly rewarding to see the finale of the Infinity Saga – one of the most impressive achievements in the history of film – knocking it over the fence with it’s final chapter.

Fans across the world put down their smartphones, turned off Netflix, got off their couches and drove, walked, bussed to a cinema to take it all in. The anticipation was high, the film delivered and fans – for the most part – loved the spectacle, with many turning out on multiple occasions for a motion picture that lived up to the billing.

Five times at the cinema, and this humble blogger would all-too-gladly snap up a ticket to a sixth screening tonight.

Infinity War and Endgame was this generation’s Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi – must watch movies that transcended the fandom.

“The greatest cinematic event of the century” sounded a little cheesy, but I’d say Endgame now has the stats to back up that claim.