In 2019, 'Avengers: Endgame' accomplished what was previously thought impossible: it grossed $1.2 billion in its opening weekend alone. It was the first film to surpass $1 billion in its first few days of release. This was driven by a decade of buildup and a massive global marketing campaign. The demand for tickets was so high that several theater chains stayed open for 72 hours straight, playing the film in 24-hour cycles to accommodate fans. It briefly overtook 'Avatar' as the highest-grossing film of all time before subsequent re-releases returned Avatar to the top spot. The film served as a cultural 'event' that concluded a 22-movie narrative arc.