Avatar: The Way of Water, directed by James Cameron, made $17 million in its first night of release in the United States and Canada, according to its distributor Walt Disney Co. Since it opened in theatres on Wednesday, the follow-up to the all-time highest-grossing film has brought in $50.4 million from worldwide sales.
The domestic box office performance on Thursday fell short of the previous Disney blockbuster “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” a Marvel superhero movie that earned $28 million on its first night in November.
The great concern in Hollywood is whether “The Way of Water” can return to its astronomical production and advertising expenditures. According to Cameron, “The Way of Water” needs to earn $2 billion just to break even. Studios and theatres divide ticket revenue.
First-night box office receipts are not necessarily indicative of final sales, especially during the Christmas season. It will be essential for “The Way of Water” to play in theatres for several weeks, as the original film did, in order to recoup its production costs. Forecasters predicted that the sequel will bring in at least $140 million from national theatres during its first weekend. Thirteen years after the original movie’s groundbreaking use of 3D technology astonished viewers, “The Way of Water” was made available. With $2.9 billion in global ticket sales, it continues to hold the record for the highest box office gross.
As Jake Sully and Neytiri, who have been married for ten years and have five children, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana return in the latest installment. The return of the Sky People, the Na’vi term for humans, to pursue Jake disrupts their tranquil existence, and to survive, the Sully family must swiftly master the ways of the sea. They seek refuge with the oceanic Metkayina clan.
