On Monday, Disney updated its global box office financials surrounding the long-awaited release of Avatar: The Way of Water.
With its opening numbers officially in the books, the sequel to the highest-grossing film of all time earned $441.6M opening weekend. More than $307M came from the international box office.
Despite an impressive first weekend showing, results still came below projections.
In the Chinese market, Avatar was expected to gross $100M. However, due to Covid concerns throughout the country, the film made just over half of that expectation at $57.1M.
Nevertheless, The Way of Water was the No. 1 movie in all opening offshore theaters, excluding Japan and India (placing 2nd), Vietnam (placing 3rd), Germany (placing 5th), and New Zealand (placing 6th).
Due to the incredible success of the first film, the power of word of mouth, and pre-purchased tickets for the weeks ahead, Avatar: The Way of Water looks to go out with a “big splash” before 2023 begins.
The Sci-fi/Adventure film is 3 hours and 12 minutes long. Based on 343 “Tomatometer” reviews, Avatar: The Way of Water has a 78% “Certified Fresh” rating. Over 5,000 verified movie-goers have given the film a 93% Audience Score.
Critics and viewers praise the film’s visual effects and emotionality, but some also complain about the drawn-out story with too many character introductions.
