Even though “Avatar” has been in theatres for 13 years, moviegoers are still captivated by the captivating world of Pandora.
In preparation for the December release of the sequel “The Way of Water,” Disney re-released James Cameron’s original science-fiction epic to positive reviews. Over the weekend, the picture grossed $10 million in North America and $20.5 million overseas – a big turnout for a film that debuted more than a decade ago, even if it is the highest-grossing global release in history. With this weekend’s results, “Avatar” extends its lead as the most successful film of all time, grossing $2.85 billion globally.
“We’re talking about a 13-year-old film that people can see at home,” says Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “The Imax presentation is the main attraction.” “‘Avatar’ serves as a reminder of how cool Pandora’s visuals appears on the big screen.”
In North America, “Avatar” came in third place, trailing recent releases such as Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling” ($19.2 million) and Viola Davis’ “The Woman King” ($11 million). In terms of recent re-releases, ticket sales for “Avatar,” which was shown in 1,980 theatres (mainly Imax), were 85% higher than those for “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” Over Labor Day weekend, the latest Spider-Man adventure, which returned to theatres months, not years, after its initial run, earned $5.4 million from 3,835 screens.
I went to see the theatrical re-release of #Avatar (2009) this weekend. For some reason, I kept breaking into tears like a frikkin' baby. The creatures, the story, the characters and their actors… Everything about this film was really, REALLY good… pic.twitter.com/48sC8kijCh
— C. M. Kosemen (@cmkosemen) September 26, 2022
Overseas, where the original “Avatar” made more than 70% of its money, the remastered version topped the charts in countries such as France ($2.9 million), Italy ($1.5 million), Singapore, and Thailand. Germany ($1.3 million), the United Kingdom ($1.3 million), and Korea ($1.3 million) were the other top territories.
Since “Avatar” returned to theatres on a random weekend in September, box office viewers have been encouraged for Cameron’s long-awaited, mega-budget sequel, which is set to hit theatres on December 16.
“Had the re-release underperformed,” Dergarabedian explained, “that would be the first indicator that — uh oh — there might be an issue [with the sequel].” However, this is positive.”
When “Avatar” opened in 2009, it made a good, but not record-breaking, $77 million at the US box office. Despite this, the film had incredible legs and remained a great draw for months, thanks to excellent word-of-mouth, 3D showings, and many repeat viewings. It kept the top spot for a record seven weeks and remained in the top ten for over three months, finally reaching $760 million in North America.
The movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research’s David A. Gross expects “Avatar: The Way of Water” will “definitely launch big.” However, he adds that to replicate “Avatar’s” commercial success and produce at least $1 billion globally, the sequel must “engage and expand people’s imaginations in the same way the original picture did.”
“It looks intriguing based on early materials and trailers,” Gross remarked.
FAQs
How much did they spend on Avatar?
Due to a breakthrough variety of new visual effects Cameron achieved in collaboration with Weta Digital in Wellington; Avatar was officially budgeted at $237 million. Other estimates have a production cost between $280 million and $310 million, with the promotion costing $150 million.
How much did Sam Worthington get paid for his role in Avatar?
He made approximately $4-5 million with his film “Avatar,” which grossed $2.7 billion and more at the box office. According to several sources, his annual salary will be $5 million in 2022. His principal source of revenue is through his acting in films and television shows, marketing, and brand collaborations.
What was the big deal with Avatar?
Avatar also reintroduced 3D movies to the masses. While 3D had been around for decades, with films like Spy Kids 3D and animated films from DreamWorks and Pixar giving 3D, Avatar made 3D and IMAX experiences mainstream.
