Not Over Yet: 'Avengers: Endgame Encore' Returns Ahead of 'Avengers: Doomsday'

There’s a lot to see over the Chuseok holiday. And one more big attraction has joined the lineup: the worldwide re-release of 〈Avengers: Endgame〉. With 〈Avengers: Doomsday〉 set for this December, Marvel Studios is bringing back what is still the most recent Avengers film, touching it up and reissuing it as 〈Avengers: Endgame Encore〉. Distributor and parent company the Walt Disney Company has also used this release to set a new standard and raise fresh questions for the theater industry. Below is a roundup of information about the film, which opens in South Korea on September 23 and in North America on September 25.

Not Infinity War but Infinity Vision

When the film was first announced, the question on everyone’s mind was simple: “What is Infinity Vision?” The phrase “see you at the Infinity Vision at the end of the trailer” sparked speculation. People guessed it might be a new platform, a theater format, or something else entirely. Because both “Infinity” and “Vision” are familiar Marvel terms, some even joked, “A new Vision is coming back!” As more details from the Walt Disney Company circulated, it became clear that Infinity Vision is a certification program for theaters.

Infinity Vision is a certification program created by the Walt Disney Company. It designates theaters that meet the following criteria: a screen at least 45 feet wide, 7.1-channel or other immersive sound, and minimum brightness levels of 14 foot-lamberts for 2D and 6 foot-lamberts for 3D (these are the units commonly used in the United States). If a theater satisfies those three conditions, it can be certified as an Infinity Vision premium auditorium by the Walt Disney Company. All standard and other auditoriums except IMAX can receive the certification if they meet the requirements, and Dolby Cinema is said to meet the standard by default.

The Walt Disney Company has not formally explained why it created a premium-auditorium certification, but observers say the move appears aimed at reducing dependence on IMAX. This December, 〈Avengers: Doomsday〉 will compete with 〈Dune: Part 3〉, which has already secured a period-exclusive IMAX release. Reports also say 〈Dune: Part 3〉 was shot with IMAX cameras. From the perspective of 〈Avengers: Doomsday〉, Marvel needed to draw attention away from IMAX screenings, so creating the Infinity Vision brand is the prevailing explanation for bolstering its competitiveness against IMAX.

A first look: SCREENX version and added footage tied to 〈Avengers: Doomsday〉

Although labeled a re-release, 〈Avengers: Endgame Encore〉 includes a special bonus not found in the original release. The biggest change is a SCREENX version. SCREENX uses three screens — or four when the ceiling is included — a format that did not exist when the original 〈Avengers: Endgame〉 opened. Ahead of this re-release, Marvel produced a SCREENX version and is debuting it under the 〈Avengers: Endgame Encore〉 banner.

Marvel Studios has recently shown strong interest in the SCREENX format. The new film 〈Spider-Man: Brand New Day〉 was shot with SCREENX in mind, making it the first commercial film to be produced that way and enhancing the sense of immersion. While 〈Avengers: Endgame Encore〉 is a re-release and its SCREENX edition was created in postproduction, this suggests Marvel may have taken care to reflect what fans want.

The 〈Avengers: Endgame Encore〉 release also reportedly contains additional scenes that connect directly to 〈Avengers: Doomsday〉. Early reports from North America suggested different amounts of extra footage for standard theaters and Infinity Vision auditoriums, but in fact the extra scenes in 〈Avengers: Endgame Encore〉 are applied uniformly across all auditoriums. The additional footage in Infinity Vision and IMAX venues is not part of the main film; rather, it is a short preview for the forthcoming 〈Avengers: Doomsday〉. In South Korea, the running times for standard and special auditoriums differ by roughly three minutes, which indicates the same arrangement is in effect there.

Dialogue changes? Rumors about 〈Avengers: Endgame Encore〉

There are also several unconfirmed rumors that have not received official acknowledgment from people involved. One is that the film underwent an overall color grade change. That speculation stems from differences in color between the original feature and the trailer for 〈Avengers: Endgame Encore〉. While it’s possible the main feature was color-graded, there has been no official confirmation.

Meanwhile, interest heightened when some lines of dialogue in the trailer appeared altered. Because the changed line emphasizes “time,” speculation has grown that 〈Avengers: Doomsday〉 will involve events tied to time. Whether other lines were changed beyond what appears in the trailer, and whether those alterations are genuinely connected to 〈Avengers: Doomsday〉, will likely remain uncertain until December.