Avatar: The Way of Water Box Office Holds Top Spot for 4th Week in a Row

[Nergal]

 

Avatar: The Way of Water retains the top spot at the box office for its fourth week in a row. The sequel to James Cameron's 2009 phenomenon Avatar was released back on December 16, reintroducing audiences to the world of Pandora once again. The film, set over a decade after the events of the original, follows Jake Sully and his family as the return of the RDA forces them to leave their home and find refuge with the Metkayina clan. Debuting below its initial projections despite winning its first week in theaters, Avatar: The Way of Water has gone on to become the highest-grossing movie of 2022 internationally.

With Avatar: The Way of Water passing Top Gun: Maverick at the international box office, the franchise has proven it can still draw audiences. According to Variety, the film generated $45 million from 4,340 theaters in its fourth weekend, just a 33% drop, and topped the domestic box office yet again. It has now earned $1.708 billion globally, making it seventh on the list of highest-grossing films of all time.


Just How Much Money Can Avatar: The Way of Water Make?


Avatar: The Way of Water marks an impressive feat for Cameron by not only reestablishing the franchise's popularity, but also by becoming the fourth film to reach $1 billion after the COVID-19 pandemic affected moviegoing back in 2020. If Avatar: The Way of Water continues to screen in more theaters, and is able to out-perform any other box office competition, it could reach beyond $2 billion globally. The first film set multiple records, generating over $2.9 billion through its premiere and different re-releases to become the highest-grossing film of all time. Many are eager to see how close Avatar: The Way of Water can get to that number.

The holidays proved to be important to the movie's success. In its third week, Avatar: The Way of Water saw a 6% increase, leading many to reconsider its potential earnings. Despite a strong opening from horror movie M3GAN that rivaled Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron's sequel still managed to come out on top, and it is possible it could continue its strong performance the rest of the month. The next projected blockbuster to hit theaters will be Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which does not debut until February.

Avatar: The Way of Water has surpassed its already high expectations, and perhaps awards buzz will result in a longer theatrical run. Cameron, one again, created a box office success, and with Avatar 3 eyeing a 2024 release date, it will be interesting to see what its projections look like, and how it does in comparison. Avatar: The Way of Water is outperforming movies in the top ten, easily becoming one of the year's biggest films, and those who have yet to experience it can check it out while it remains in theaters.