It’s about to be a very Pandora Christmas at the movies. “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which opened strong last weekend to $134 million, is poised to top the box office charts again on its second outing.
James Cameron’s sci-fi sequel added $16 million on Monday, bringing its four-day domestic tally to $150 million. Internationally, the film collected $38.8 million on Monday, bringing its international total to $346.8 million and its worldwide gross to $497.1 million. By Tuesday, it will be one of eight films this year to cross the $500 million mark worldwide and by the end of the year, the $350 million budget tentpole aims to hit the $1 billion mark.
Over the long weekend, “Avatar: The Way of the Water” is expected to drop 40% to 50% from its debut, which would put ticket sales between $67 million and $80 million. It is also expected to continue to post big numbers in the days leading up to Christmas, which falls on Sunday.
With the release of “Avatar: The Way of the Water,” Disney has surpassed $4 billion at the global box office to date. Thanks to ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ($955 million), ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ($789 million+) and ‘Thor: Love and Thunder,’ the studio’s tally soars to 4.049 billion. of dollars. By comparison, Disney made a record $11 billion worldwide in 2019 with its series of killer blockbusters, including “Avengers: Endgame” and “The Lion King.”
This time around, “Avatar 2” has a bit more competition in the theater marquees. Three major films — director Damien Chazelle’s glitzy showbiz epic “Babylon,” Universal’s animated “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” and Sony’s Whitney Houston biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” — will open , but they are not expected to give. “Avatar 2” fights hard for the top spot. All in all, it’s been a lighter Christmas season than usual, much to the disappointment of theater owners.
The “Puss in Boots” sequel, set in the “Shrek” universe, should guarantee the strongest start among newcomers, with $25-30 million projects in 4,000 North American theaters. It makes a jump on holiday weekends by opening on Wednesdays when the kids leave for winter vacation. The highest estimates wouldn’t be far off from the original “Puss in Boots,” which opened to $34 million in 2011. The first “Shrek” spin-off ultimately grossed $554 million worldwide, enough to warrant a sequel.
Already, the animated adventure of a swashbuckling feline has generated $14 million in 25 international markets. It will open in 28 additional markets, including China, Mexico and Spain, over the weekend.
With the exception of Universal and Illumination’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru” and its $939 million worldwide tally, family movies have struggled a lot during the pandemic. Puss in Boots 2, which cost $90 million to make, appears to be benefiting from a lack of competition for the rest of the year. The next big movie aimed at younger audiences is “The Super Mario Bros.” Movie”, which will not be released until April 2023.
“Babylon” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” will play for third place, with each film hoping to gross $12 million to $15 million between Friday and Monday.
“I Want to Dance With Somebody,” which sees Naomi Ackie portray the late pop icon Whitney Houston, targets older women, another demographic most reluctant to go to the movies. Reviews have been under embargo since Tuesday afternoon, so it’s unclear how much impact critical sentiment will have on attendance. It costs $45 million to produce. Recent musical biopics, like “Elvis”, “Rocketman” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”, have resonated at the box office, although Aretha Franklin’s story “Respect” has struggled to connect in theaters in time. of pandemic.
The R-rated ‘Babylon’, starring Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt as Hollywood stars amid a rapidly changing industry, cost $78 million to produce, so it will need to maintain momentum throughout. awards season to justify its price tag. If not, it could be the last adult drama to miss the box office. The film does not open internationally until January. If it misses the mark, however, it will be the only blemish of Paramount’s otherwise stellar year at the box office, with hits ranging from “Top Gun: Maverick” to the chilling thriller “Smile.”
“Babylon” generated mixed reviews, with some critics praising its ambition and glamor and others criticizing the muddled plot. At three hours and nine minutes, its runtime will limit shows and potentially deter audiences. But hey, at least it’s shorter than “Avatar: The Way of Water”.
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