In the US, Avatar: The Way Of Water has made US$253.7 million in its first 10 days, compared to US$212.7 million for 2009’s first Avatar.
In North America, Avatar: The Way Of Water soared to the top of the box office in its second weekend, bringing in a strong US$58 million (S$78 million), hinting that the film may stay afloat into the new year and meet the massive expectations.
In its first 10 days, James Cameron’s digital extravaganza for 20th Century Studios has grossed US$253.7 million domestically, compared with US$212.7 million for 2009’s first Avatar, which would become the highest-grossing film of all time.
While Cameron’s films like the original Avatar and Titanic tend to have serious legs at the box office, sequels tend to open big and decline quickly, complicating guesses on where the film will end up. Given how blockbusters open, its second-weekend drop from its first was not unexpected.
‘For this movie to have opened that big and only dropped 58 percent, it shows that it has staying power,’ said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore.”
With US$855 million, The Way Of Water is already the third highest-grossing film released in 2022, behind only Top Gun: Maverick and Jurassic World Dominion.
Also, the film has clear sailing ahead, with more holiday time ahead and no comparable competition until Marvel’s Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania in February.
Despite that, storms across the US could keep people indoors. “The biggest foe that Avatar is facing right now is the weather,” Dergarabedian said.
With US$11.35 million in its opening weekend, Universal’s animated Shrek spinoff, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, starred Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek.
With US$5.3 million, Sony’s biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody came in third.
A nationwide release of Babylon, the epic of early Hollywood from La La Land director Damian Chazelle starring Brad Pitt and Margo Robbie, brought in just US$3.5 million.
The tepid, US$6.5 million opening weekend in October of director David Russell’s Amsterdam, another film set in a similar period, that combined prestige, scope, star power and a celebrated auteur, raised industry concerns that audiences just weren’t flocking to theatres for such films.
